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When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice
Ghosts spoke. Women listened. Everything changed.
It began with whispers in a dimly lit room. In the 1840s, the Fox Sisters—and the legions of mediums they inspired—ignited the Spiritualist movement that swept through Victorian parlors and presidential campaigns alike. Contacting the dead wasn't merely a parlor game. It was a political statement, a declaration of self that still echoes.
Séances attracted suffragists and scientists, skeptics and charlatans, giving women a voice in a society that often refused to hear them. But as Spiritualism surged, it also blurred the lines between faith, fraud, feminism, and financial opportunity, drawing figures as varied as Harry Houdini, Victoria Woodhull, and even modern self-help gurus into its ever-expanding orbit.
From wartime séances to the rise of televangelists, from Victorian ghosts to goop-approved wellness rituals, When We Spoke to the Dead unearths the forgotten roots of today's obsession with manifestation, mysticism, and the power of belief. Exploring America's deep-seated hunger for the unseen—whether through politics, personal empowerment, or grief—this book traces how the supernatural, once condemned as heresy, became the ultimate commodity.
Step inside the séance room. The spirits have been waiting.
It began with whispers in a dimly lit room. In the 1840s, the Fox Sisters—and the legions of mediums they inspired—ignited the Spiritualist movement that swept through Victorian parlors and presidential campaigns alike. Contacting the dead wasn't merely a parlor game. It was a political statement, a declaration of self that still echoes.
Séances attracted suffragists and scientists, skeptics and charlatans, giving women a voice in a society that often refused to hear them. But as Spiritualism surged, it also blurred the lines between faith, fraud, feminism, and financial opportunity, drawing figures as varied as Harry Houdini, Victoria Woodhull, and even modern self-help gurus into its ever-expanding orbit.
From wartime séances to the rise of televangelists, from Victorian ghosts to goop-approved wellness rituals, When We Spoke to the Dead unearths the forgotten roots of today's obsession with manifestation, mysticism, and the power of belief. Exploring America's deep-seated hunger for the unseen—whether through politics, personal empowerment, or grief—this book traces how the supernatural, once condemned as heresy, became the ultimate commodity.
Step inside the séance room. The spirits have been waiting.
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 16, 2025
63 people are currently reading
7923 people want to read
About the author
Ilise S. Carter
2 books54 followersIlise S. Carter is freelance writer, consulting copywriter to the beauty industry, and sideshow performer based in New York City. She has written for Allure, New York Times, Racked, Wall Street Journal, and others, with a focus on pop culture. In addition, she’s spent over a decade as a consulting copywriter for beauty brands such as Shiseido, bliss, Laura Mercier, Avon, L’Oréal, and Madame CJ Walker, specializing in brand voice and identity. As her stage persona, The Lady Aye, she has worked as professional sideshow performer (sword swallower, fire eater, blockhead, and pain-proof girl) and MC with acts ranging from Rob Zombie to Cirque du Soleil, and has appeared on TV’s Gossip Girl, Oddities, The President Show, Mysteries at the Museum and Dickinson. Carter holds a BA in American Studies from Barnard College at Columbia University and a Certificate in Film Production from NYU.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
November 2, 2025
3.5 stars.The title and tag line of this book are a misnomer - its less a history of Spiritualism's women having a voice, and more of an exploration of "spooky Americana" and how the contemporary commercialization of ghosts, witches, holistic medicine, "voodoo" and psychics has roots in new religious movements (such as Spiritualism).
I do appreciate the cultural/historical contexts of the Civil War, women's suffrage, abolitionism, eugenics, and colonialism/racism/white saviorism. I also enjoyed learning about figures like Harriet Wilson, Leonora Piper, etc. But overall the book lacks a cohesive narrative or point of view. The author hasn't decided whether this is feminist perspective, spiritual/wellness industry critique, historical research, travelogue, or creative nonfiction. She dips her toe into a variety of perspectives and topics with skepticism and snark, while insisting that she's withholding judgment.
She is very forthcoming with her critiques of everything from Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, to ghost tours, to chiropractors but she gives very weak framing of the contemporary, sincere religious practice of Spiritualism, Witchcraft/Neo-paganism, Hoodoo/Rootwork and syncretic religions such as Vodun, Orisha, Santeria, and Candomblé (which she lumps altogether under the problematic term "voodoo" - without the thoughtful critique of this word, as she offers in other sections). She mentions Christian Science in passing but neglects Theosophy and the entire New Thought movement.
This book might work better for me if she explored these religions, through a feminist lens, as a means of empowerment for women through American history, social upheaval and change. Instead she floats through Lily Dale, Salem, and New Orleans without really connecting with the people she meets or their beliefs or practices in a meaningful way. Her personal stories were distracting as there was no real personal growth arc or revelations. I don't dislike the author's writing persay, the book just lacks a clear enough structure, theme, or through line for me. Still worth the read for all the information presented though.
Digital ARC from NetGalley
If you are interested in these topics I would also recommend...
For feminist history:
Out of the Shadows: Six Visionary Victorian Women in Search of a Public Voice by Emily Midorikawa
Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women's Rights in Nineteenth-Century America by Ann Braude
For spiritual travelogue/memoir:
And Your Daughters Shall Prophesy: Stories from the Byways of American Women and Religion by Adrian Shirk
For creative non-fiction with personal perspectives and connection with contemporary Spiritualists:
The In-Betweens: The Spiritualists, Mediums, and Legends of Camp Etna by Mira Ptacin
Lily Dale: The Town That Talks to the Dead by Christine Wicker
I do appreciate the cultural/historical contexts of the Civil War, women's suffrage, abolitionism, eugenics, and colonialism/racism/white saviorism. I also enjoyed learning about figures like Harriet Wilson, Leonora Piper, etc. But overall the book lacks a cohesive narrative or point of view. The author hasn't decided whether this is feminist perspective, spiritual/wellness industry critique, historical research, travelogue, or creative nonfiction. She dips her toe into a variety of perspectives and topics with skepticism and snark, while insisting that she's withholding judgment.
She is very forthcoming with her critiques of everything from Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, to ghost tours, to chiropractors but she gives very weak framing of the contemporary, sincere religious practice of Spiritualism, Witchcraft/Neo-paganism, Hoodoo/Rootwork and syncretic religions such as Vodun, Orisha, Santeria, and Candomblé (which she lumps altogether under the problematic term "voodoo" - without the thoughtful critique of this word, as she offers in other sections). She mentions Christian Science in passing but neglects Theosophy and the entire New Thought movement.
This book might work better for me if she explored these religions, through a feminist lens, as a means of empowerment for women through American history, social upheaval and change. Instead she floats through Lily Dale, Salem, and New Orleans without really connecting with the people she meets or their beliefs or practices in a meaningful way. Her personal stories were distracting as there was no real personal growth arc or revelations. I don't dislike the author's writing persay, the book just lacks a clear enough structure, theme, or through line for me. Still worth the read for all the information presented though.
Digital ARC from NetGalley
If you are interested in these topics I would also recommend...
For feminist history:
Out of the Shadows: Six Visionary Victorian Women in Search of a Public Voice by Emily Midorikawa
Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women's Rights in Nineteenth-Century America by Ann Braude
For spiritual travelogue/memoir:
And Your Daughters Shall Prophesy: Stories from the Byways of American Women and Religion by Adrian Shirk
For creative non-fiction with personal perspectives and connection with contemporary Spiritualists:
The In-Betweens: The Spiritualists, Mediums, and Legends of Camp Etna by Mira Ptacin
Lily Dale: The Town That Talks to the Dead by Christine Wicker
August 25, 2025
The title and cover certainly piqued my interest, as I had recently read another book on Transcendalism.
I was hoping to learn more about Spiritualism as a movement, and was intrigued by the historical aspects promised. However, I felt that the author inserted herself into the narrative too often, and presented her opinions and personal feelings as facts. Some of her connections -- voodoo, politics, Poe, Houdini -- were tenuous at best.
Still, I'm glad for the opportunity to preview it and learn something new!
I was hoping to learn more about Spiritualism as a movement, and was intrigued by the historical aspects promised. However, I felt that the author inserted herself into the narrative too often, and presented her opinions and personal feelings as facts. Some of her connections -- voodoo, politics, Poe, Houdini -- were tenuous at best.
Still, I'm glad for the opportunity to preview it and learn something new!
July 22, 2025
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
While I am not convinced there are ghosts, I allow that it is possible. So I read these books, not because I believe, but because of the history behind it. Love learning about all different kinds of historical facts.
I really enjoyed the chapter on the Salem witch trials. Although I am sure I must have read about it at some point, I couldn't recall anything about the last person tried in Salem for being a witch. Killed, yes, but not tried. The whole thing was very interesting.
Also, I really loved reading about the divorce of Cora V.L. Hatch. Funny that I don't follow any celebrity drama, but I love reading about the historical stuff. I think it's because it's easier to find out what is actually true about people who have been dead for centuries than it is about people alive today.
Definitely would recommend this book, whether you are just a history buff or a true believer.
While I am not convinced there are ghosts, I allow that it is possible. So I read these books, not because I believe, but because of the history behind it. Love learning about all different kinds of historical facts.
I really enjoyed the chapter on the Salem witch trials. Although I am sure I must have read about it at some point, I couldn't recall anything about the last person tried in Salem for being a witch. Killed, yes, but not tried. The whole thing was very interesting.
Also, I really loved reading about the divorce of Cora V.L. Hatch. Funny that I don't follow any celebrity drama, but I love reading about the historical stuff. I think it's because it's easier to find out what is actually true about people who have been dead for centuries than it is about people alive today.
Definitely would recommend this book, whether you are just a history buff or a true believer.
October 14, 2025
Interesting, well researched, and well written. I always have a hard time rating nonfiction books, but this one felt like a solid 3.
October 14, 2025
Unfortunately I DNF'd this audiobook. The audio quality was great and the narrator was easy to listen to but the content of the book reads more like an opinion piece than storytelling or providing information. Its clear the author doesn't believe in the supernatural and that's fine but this just isn't what I expected from this book. Its like "its okay, I have spiritual friends" kind of writing. I'm open to a lot of ideas and would not necessarily say I believe in it all, and enjoy reading things from different perspectives but this just felt like the author was very much low-key making fun of people that do believe in spiritualism.
Thank you to the author, Ilise S. Carter, and Netgalley for this free audiobook.
Thank you to the author, Ilise S. Carter, and Netgalley for this free audiobook.
August 24, 2025
Fascinating at times, especially the chapters on the Fox Sisters, Salem, and New Orleans voodoo—those sections really showed how spiritualism intersected with feminism and politics. But the book leans heavily on the author’s ruminations, which slowed the pace and made me skim. I wanted more storytelling, less opinion. Still, it’s a thought-provoking look at how women used séances to carve out a voice in a world that didn’t want to hear them.
September 3, 2025
...or a seance with Matt Yglesias.
This book is about Spiritualism, the movement in the mid-19th Century that lasted until the early 20th, and, akin to New Thought, won, as so many of its precepts are so blended into conventional wisdom (in the United States at least) that seeing it takes effort.
In particular, the book is a Feminist history of Spiritualism, focusing on major female players, and primarily the Fox Sisters, though it includes people like Madame Laveau to establish that Black America invented everything worthwhile about the U.S..
History is mixed with journalism and a sprinkle of travelog as the author interviews current practitioners and current and historical sites. It veers into the gonzo as the inciting event is the author's own loss of her father, and the author's grief in general about him and about others is an companion story.
The writing is stellar. Insightful and sharp, it makes for a real page-turner. I love it to the point of envy. Contra some other reviewers, I thought the more journalistic (and journal-y) parts to be the best in the book. The sense of personal narrative and insight works, both telling a good story and providing interstitial material that connects up bits that might otherwise come over as forced. It feels awesome.
As for it as a history, it is flawed. The premise is great. There is a lot of material here. The section on Beecher–Tilton is well-executed. The author is willing to take a go at the philosophy of science questions that paranormal research has influenced, which I think is a topic worth better recognition, and something that is often avoided due to its difficulty. The history of chiropractic practice never ever gets old. But the book failed my citation dive test repeatedly. There are marvelously unfounded assertions here, not necessarily wrong but either offered up without critical care or without supporting evidence, occasionally (as with sexuality) contradictory in its way to present the subjects of the tale in a better light.
See, what rattles my chains is the "both sides"-ing. I specifically had big hopes of this book in that I understand the author was a performer, and if there is one place where the 'to catch a thief' rule applies, it is with the supernatural. It is as if my dead mom was global warming, where people who otherwise show great intelligence and expertise lose their ****** critical facility and make absolute fools of themselves. A huckster will see the trick right away and not get taken.
There is a manner in which I get personally riled up about it. The author suggests that Spiritualism and its derivatives should be looked at like a lot of history, as a mixture of good and bad. I cannot accept that during wartime, with an anti-science administration propelled to power through conspiratorial thinking. But in a more general manner, I think that it breaks the author's project. It is only under con and hustle that spiritualism can bear a Feminist interpretation.
To throw the title back at the author, if there are ghosts, then American women were silent. Teaching the question devalues what sort of skill and canny that these women had. Even if you dial it back to a benign ignorance on their part, and a sort of desire to participate in the religious experience, the result is to devalue the agency that these women were stealing like Prometheus, and instead paint them like copycats of more patriarchal religious experience.
Instead, the book's route is to poke at the foma, and note the weird things that happen, which...well, there is a moment in the closing chapter that blows the author's credibility for me, in her acceptance of a cold reading that, based on all the facts I know about the author, would be about as risky as saying to BookToker that they had strong feelings about The Secret History.
And that is the thing, as a memoir or document of lived experience, great! I want that sort of material. It is fun and I want to read more of it and more like it. As a way of interpreting the past, not so much.
My thanks to the author, Ilise S. Carter, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Sourcebooks, for making the ARC available to me.
This book is about Spiritualism, the movement in the mid-19th Century that lasted until the early 20th, and, akin to New Thought, won, as so many of its precepts are so blended into conventional wisdom (in the United States at least) that seeing it takes effort.
In particular, the book is a Feminist history of Spiritualism, focusing on major female players, and primarily the Fox Sisters, though it includes people like Madame Laveau to establish that Black America invented everything worthwhile about the U.S..
History is mixed with journalism and a sprinkle of travelog as the author interviews current practitioners and current and historical sites. It veers into the gonzo as the inciting event is the author's own loss of her father, and the author's grief in general about him and about others is an companion story.
The writing is stellar. Insightful and sharp, it makes for a real page-turner. I love it to the point of envy. Contra some other reviewers, I thought the more journalistic (and journal-y) parts to be the best in the book. The sense of personal narrative and insight works, both telling a good story and providing interstitial material that connects up bits that might otherwise come over as forced. It feels awesome.
As for it as a history, it is flawed. The premise is great. There is a lot of material here. The section on Beecher–Tilton is well-executed. The author is willing to take a go at the philosophy of science questions that paranormal research has influenced, which I think is a topic worth better recognition, and something that is often avoided due to its difficulty. The history of chiropractic practice never ever gets old. But the book failed my citation dive test repeatedly. There are marvelously unfounded assertions here, not necessarily wrong but either offered up without critical care or without supporting evidence, occasionally (as with sexuality) contradictory in its way to present the subjects of the tale in a better light.
See, what rattles my chains is the "both sides"-ing. I specifically had big hopes of this book in that I understand the author was a performer, and if there is one place where the 'to catch a thief' rule applies, it is with the supernatural. It is as if my dead mom was global warming, where people who otherwise show great intelligence and expertise lose their ****** critical facility and make absolute fools of themselves. A huckster will see the trick right away and not get taken.
There is a manner in which I get personally riled up about it. The author suggests that Spiritualism and its derivatives should be looked at like a lot of history, as a mixture of good and bad. I cannot accept that during wartime, with an anti-science administration propelled to power through conspiratorial thinking. But in a more general manner, I think that it breaks the author's project. It is only under con and hustle that spiritualism can bear a Feminist interpretation.
To throw the title back at the author, if there are ghosts, then American women were silent. Teaching the question devalues what sort of skill and canny that these women had. Even if you dial it back to a benign ignorance on their part, and a sort of desire to participate in the religious experience, the result is to devalue the agency that these women were stealing like Prometheus, and instead paint them like copycats of more patriarchal religious experience.
Instead, the book's route is to poke at the foma, and note the weird things that happen, which...well, there is a moment in the closing chapter that blows the author's credibility for me, in her acceptance of a cold reading that, based on all the facts I know about the author, would be about as risky as saying to BookToker that they had strong feelings about The Secret History.
And that is the thing, as a memoir or document of lived experience, great! I want that sort of material. It is fun and I want to read more of it and more like it. As a way of interpreting the past, not so much.
My thanks to the author, Ilise S. Carter, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Sourcebooks, for making the ARC available to me.
July 18, 2025
This wasn’t quite what I expected. I went in hoping for more witch history, but it leaned more into spiritualism and the roots of talking to the dead in America. That said, I still really enjoyed it. The way it tied séances to feminism, politics, and even modern self-help culture was fascinating. It’s more about belief, power, and how women carved space for themselves in a world that didn’t want to listen until the spirits made them. Creepy, empowering, and surprisingly relevant.
November 18, 2025
Disclaimer: I did receive a copy of the audiobook through NetGalley for free, however I am writing this review entirely voluntarily and my opinions are my own. Thank you to the author/publisher/NetGalley for the chance to review!
This is a pretty interesting read about the author’s relationship with spiritualism and research on the historical relationship with women and their prevalence in spiritual practice. I loved the connections Carter makes between women’s fights for freedoms and women’s leading of the charge on much of spirituality we know today. I think Carter touched on some great things including intersectionality with feminism and race equality.
This was a pretty good introduction of some aspects of base level feminist theory. It’s a great place to get a little bit of knowledge on why women have historically actually turned to spirituality and not just how patriarchal structures have explained it previously.
I think there could have been a little more historical context told and a little less of the author’s personal experiences, but I also completely understand that the stories told are the reason for this book in the first place, so I’m a little more soft on that aspect.
Overall, a pretty well written book that intertwines the author’s personal experiences with spirituality and sexism with a historical perspective of the same topics, with a healthy dose of skepticism around spiritualism.
This is a pretty interesting read about the author’s relationship with spiritualism and research on the historical relationship with women and their prevalence in spiritual practice. I loved the connections Carter makes between women’s fights for freedoms and women’s leading of the charge on much of spirituality we know today. I think Carter touched on some great things including intersectionality with feminism and race equality.
This was a pretty good introduction of some aspects of base level feminist theory. It’s a great place to get a little bit of knowledge on why women have historically actually turned to spirituality and not just how patriarchal structures have explained it previously.
I think there could have been a little more historical context told and a little less of the author’s personal experiences, but I also completely understand that the stories told are the reason for this book in the first place, so I’m a little more soft on that aspect.
Overall, a pretty well written book that intertwines the author’s personal experiences with spirituality and sexism with a historical perspective of the same topics, with a healthy dose of skepticism around spiritualism.
July 25, 2025
Our story starts in the 1840s with the Fox Sisters and extends to truly even now! the stories of mediums who have been inspired and the spiritualist movement!
This story covers 4 F’s
🧡 Feminism
⭐️ Faith
🎈 Fraud
💵 And Financial Opportunity
This story unravels the beliefs and attitudes of mystics, mysticism, and more! How spirits gave women a voice when one was not freely had! It also expands and explains upon spiritualism and witchcraft and how throughout history these two have been intertwined as well as explains their differences!
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story covers 4 F’s
🧡 Feminism
⭐️ Faith
🎈 Fraud
💵 And Financial Opportunity
This story unravels the beliefs and attitudes of mystics, mysticism, and more! How spirits gave women a voice when one was not freely had! It also expands and explains upon spiritualism and witchcraft and how throughout history these two have been intertwined as well as explains their differences!
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 1, 2025
Get in loser, we’re going on a Spiritualist road trip!
This is a fun primer on the history of Spiritualism in America and a lovely travelogue of the author’s hands-on, experiential approach to researching the subject.
If you’re pretty familiar with the history of Spiritualism, there isn’t a lot of concrete information here that you haven’t seen before. That said, if you’re new or new-ish to the topic this is a great place to start, and Carter’s travelogue approach is so well done that there is also a lot here for those of us already familiar with the general history of the subject.
It’s odd to me that so many reviewers were put off by the personal aspects of this story, as I thought that those were the best parts of the book. While I agree that authors inserting themselves into nonfiction can be a problem or detract from the material, here I felt Carter’s personal anecdotes and observations actually greatly enhanced the material. And she does make clear at the start of the book that she is using herself and her experiences as a framing device, and she does an excellent job of explaining why she felt this made sense.
I loved the way she immersed herself in the material, and that the path she found to becoming, shall we say, spiritually curious, was so deeply relatable. I also thought that despite being for the most part a skeptic, she was open-minded and deeply respectful of practitioners, believers, and even those who just want to believe.
It’s also worth recognizing that this is a very well thought out exploration of grief, and I loved that Carter was so thoughtful and honest about grief as an experience, as well as that she brings humor and lightness her discussions to lighten the heft of the material without ever dismissing it or treating it casually.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a fun primer on the history of Spiritualism in America and a lovely travelogue of the author’s hands-on, experiential approach to researching the subject.
If you’re pretty familiar with the history of Spiritualism, there isn’t a lot of concrete information here that you haven’t seen before. That said, if you’re new or new-ish to the topic this is a great place to start, and Carter’s travelogue approach is so well done that there is also a lot here for those of us already familiar with the general history of the subject.
It’s odd to me that so many reviewers were put off by the personal aspects of this story, as I thought that those were the best parts of the book. While I agree that authors inserting themselves into nonfiction can be a problem or detract from the material, here I felt Carter’s personal anecdotes and observations actually greatly enhanced the material. And she does make clear at the start of the book that she is using herself and her experiences as a framing device, and she does an excellent job of explaining why she felt this made sense.
I loved the way she immersed herself in the material, and that the path she found to becoming, shall we say, spiritually curious, was so deeply relatable. I also thought that despite being for the most part a skeptic, she was open-minded and deeply respectful of practitioners, believers, and even those who just want to believe.
It’s also worth recognizing that this is a very well thought out exploration of grief, and I loved that Carter was so thoughtful and honest about grief as an experience, as well as that she brings humor and lightness her discussions to lighten the heft of the material without ever dismissing it or treating it casually.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
September 8, 2025
Part history, part memoir, part travelogue, this book is an entertaining dive into American spiritualism and the ways it lingers with us today. As a history buff, I didn’t find much new when it comes to the history (though I was surprised to learn that chiropractic practice has its roots in spiritualism). That said, I really enjoyed it for the parallels Carter draws to our own time.
She shows how spiritualism first took hold during political upheaval and mass death (the Civil War then, Covid now), amid widespread distrust of authority. Just like today, that environment created fertile ground for charlatans to profit from people’s fears and needs, often spreading misinformation in the process. Those echoes made the story feel immediate and relevant. I also appreciated her focus on how spiritualism gave a voice to people who were often marginalized, especially women. Her disco analogy—that the movement began as a form of expression for the underprivileged, only to be co-opted and dismissed once it became a punchline—was spot on.
What resonated most with me was that Carter balanced a genuine curiosity about ritual and practice of spiritualism, while still being firmly rooted in a belief in science.
Overall, this is a fun, smart, and accessible primer on spiritualism in the U.S. and its lasting effects today. If you’re curious about the topic, definitely read (or listen to) this book!
Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
She shows how spiritualism first took hold during political upheaval and mass death (the Civil War then, Covid now), amid widespread distrust of authority. Just like today, that environment created fertile ground for charlatans to profit from people’s fears and needs, often spreading misinformation in the process. Those echoes made the story feel immediate and relevant. I also appreciated her focus on how spiritualism gave a voice to people who were often marginalized, especially women. Her disco analogy—that the movement began as a form of expression for the underprivileged, only to be co-opted and dismissed once it became a punchline—was spot on.
What resonated most with me was that Carter balanced a genuine curiosity about ritual and practice of spiritualism, while still being firmly rooted in a belief in science.
Overall, this is a fun, smart, and accessible primer on spiritualism in the U.S. and its lasting effects today. If you’re curious about the topic, definitely read (or listen to) this book!
Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
January 25, 2026
I listened to this on audiobook, which ended up being a great way to consume it because the author’s style is so approachable and conversational. The central thesis of this book is connecting spiritualism (mediumship, healing crystals, etc) with a way for women to have more agency in moments in time where that feels impossible or at least fraught. Carter weaves the historical research with personal experiences in an engaging and relatable way that kept me listening.
Where I think this one falls short is in arguing for the impact of her thesis. She certainly does a good job of creating parallels to the past and present, and makes good arguments around how women’s agency is often tied to moments where science and systems fail them. But the core point doesn’t quite stick the landing. However, I would happily read more of Carter’s work because it was an enjoyable listen and I did learn a lot about historical practices of spiritualism that I thought were fascinating
On other platforms I’ve given this a 3.75 or a 3.5 depending on the level of nuance their systems allow. I’m rounding up here because I generally had a good time reading this one.
Where I think this one falls short is in arguing for the impact of her thesis. She certainly does a good job of creating parallels to the past and present, and makes good arguments around how women’s agency is often tied to moments where science and systems fail them. But the core point doesn’t quite stick the landing. However, I would happily read more of Carter’s work because it was an enjoyable listen and I did learn a lot about historical practices of spiritualism that I thought were fascinating
On other platforms I’ve given this a 3.75 or a 3.5 depending on the level of nuance their systems allow. I’m rounding up here because I generally had a good time reading this one.
September 17, 2025
This book connects the rise of spiritualism in the nineteenth century to the era’s most pressing issues, particularly abolition and women’s rights. The author’s reflections on the recent loss of her father give the reader a sense of continuity, grounding the broader cultural and historical themes in intimate experience. Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ARC of this enjoyable and informative audiobook.
September 23, 2025
This was an enjoyable read! The author did a great job mixing humor and academics. I learned a lot of new stuff about the Fox Sisters and Lily dale but the author still kept the stuff I already knew about like spirit photography and Houdini fresh. I will say it felt short to me and I did want more. If you know nothing about the history of spiritualism or historical death practices go read this one!
December 13, 2025
Nice to get a positive surprise at the end of the year: I sometimes pick up books I'm not sure I'll like, and this is a good example of why.
Now, I had a few issues: I didn't like the author's personal digressions or constant social media slang. But I feel like those are relatively superficial issues, and I was right to set them aside, because this has some pretty good pop history once I got past that. Still not my preferred mode for nonfiction, but not as bad as I feared at first.
Now, I had a few issues: I didn't like the author's personal digressions or constant social media slang. But I feel like those are relatively superficial issues, and I was right to set them aside, because this has some pretty good pop history once I got past that. Still not my preferred mode for nonfiction, but not as bad as I feared at first.
December 24, 2025
The premise was very interesting as a historical account of how spiritual /medium provided an avenue for women to get agency and employment during a time of lack of rights and opportunities. The majority of the book is the author‘s personal journey to process her grief over losing her father And allowing this book to give her a platform to express her views.
June 27, 2025
The breakdown of spiritualism and why it is synonymous but different from witchcraft saved this narrative for me. Inclusive historical bits that are not rooted in colonized perspectives. There is much overlap in history between racism, queerness, and tries to eradicate indigenous cultures that defined the American obsession with Spiritualism. This narrative supports information in a proactive way.
The diction throughout the narrative felt best suited for adolescents. This is a great introduction into America’s history with the occult with a why. This narrative focuses on spiritualism – so do not expect this to be a history of witchcraft. Women’s history is rooted in the freedom found in spiritualism is the main idea. Overall, it was fun, but the diction made me feel disconnected from the narrative and hard for me to read at times. Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for this advanced digital copy.
Read more reviews and recommendations on https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
The diction throughout the narrative felt best suited for adolescents. This is a great introduction into America’s history with the occult with a why. This narrative focuses on spiritualism – so do not expect this to be a history of witchcraft. Women’s history is rooted in the freedom found in spiritualism is the main idea. Overall, it was fun, but the diction made me feel disconnected from the narrative and hard for me to read at times. Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for this advanced digital copy.
Read more reviews and recommendations on https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
January 4, 2026
3.5⭐️ Author, Ilise S. Carter tell us the story of how women found their power through the voices of ghosts throughout history, mostly focussing in the Victorian era where spiritualist and mediums rained supreme.
With such a topic and subject matter, I thought I was going to be absolutely mesmerized by this audiobook, but I found the during jumping back-and-forth between subjects and topics really pulled me out of the book. There’s a lot of interesting information, but I didn’t enjoy the organization and the historical And present day mixing of context.
I listen to the audiobook narrated by Janelle Tedesco and was fond of her reading style. Her voice really spoke to the subject and was enjoyable to listen to good enthusiasm for the subject that carried through her reading.
With such a topic and subject matter, I thought I was going to be absolutely mesmerized by this audiobook, but I found the during jumping back-and-forth between subjects and topics really pulled me out of the book. There’s a lot of interesting information, but I didn’t enjoy the organization and the historical And present day mixing of context.
I listen to the audiobook narrated by Janelle Tedesco and was fond of her reading style. Her voice really spoke to the subject and was enjoyable to listen to good enthusiasm for the subject that carried through her reading.
October 24, 2025
DNF at 37%. One of those books I had a feeling I wasn't going to like but decided to give a try anyways. It looked like a version of The Darkened Room: Women, Power, and Spiritualism in Late Victorian England written for a general pop history audience and I wasn't expecting super academic writing, but ugh. The style of this book reminded me a lot of Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist, and not in a good way. Just like Madame Restell, this book is stuffed with cheeky and flippant turns of phrase that often involve extremely modern slang, unnecessary pop culture references, and endless virtue signalling from the author to assure you she is a liberal and a feminist. I never thought I'd complain about an author, especially a liberal one, making their political stance clear in their writing, but the way it's done in this book is like a neon sign flashing in your eyes, as if the author just can't stop herself from reassuring you every time she talks about women's rights in mid-century America that she knows intersectionality is a thing and this era of feminism only considered white women. The frequent winks at the audience occasionally come off as if the author doesn't trust in the intelligence of her reader: at one point, she mentions seeing a store in Salem that "specializes in items from a certain preteen, English wizard franchise." Any reader with half a brain would know what she's referring to here but then she adds a footnote to say "it rhymes with Schmarry Sotter." Was that really necessary?
Beyond my problems with the writing, the chapters are rambling and not organized in any discernible order, there is too much material about the author's visits to various American small towns and personal experiences (sorry, but that's not why I picked up this book). The little bits of Spiritualist history are scattered here and there amongst these passages, as are recaps of different aspects of American history that again, the author seems to think are necessary in case the reader doesn't remember high school history class. Perhaps most egregiously, this book perpetuates the myth of corsets as some sort of oppressive patriarchal torture device, boldly using the phrase "Corseted, contained, and silenced from cradle to grave", and following it up with an assertion that wearing a corset, petticoats, and long skirts made everyday life a hazard. I am begging pop history authors who are writing about women of this era to watch literally any historical fashion/costuming youtube video about corset myths before saying anything about corsets.
I will look elsewhere for nonfiction books on Spiritualism. This was not it.
Beyond my problems with the writing, the chapters are rambling and not organized in any discernible order, there is too much material about the author's visits to various American small towns and personal experiences (sorry, but that's not why I picked up this book). The little bits of Spiritualist history are scattered here and there amongst these passages, as are recaps of different aspects of American history that again, the author seems to think are necessary in case the reader doesn't remember high school history class. Perhaps most egregiously, this book perpetuates the myth of corsets as some sort of oppressive patriarchal torture device, boldly using the phrase "Corseted, contained, and silenced from cradle to grave", and following it up with an assertion that wearing a corset, petticoats, and long skirts made everyday life a hazard. I am begging pop history authors who are writing about women of this era to watch literally any historical fashion/costuming youtube video about corset myths before saying anything about corsets.
I will look elsewhere for nonfiction books on Spiritualism. This was not it.
October 27, 2025
3.5 stars
This book is three kids disguised as a grown up in a trench coat, and while that is sometimes charming and often interesting, it doesn’t fully fill out the coat’s arms, the legs are a little wobbly, and its pieces don’t coalesce into a single person.
The book explores three main ideas:
First, the history of American women in Spiritualism. Carter primarily follows the story of the Fox sisters, with other spiritualists interwoven, to trace how the occult offered women a measure of financial and spiritual autonomy denied to them, especially through the 1800s. These are my favourite sections of the book, carefully balancing historical account and personal reflection. Carter stays close to her sources without uncritically adopting their biases, and I especially appreciate her willingness to confront the racial injustices that pervade this history. She refuses to dismiss the treatment of Black and Indigenous people as simply “of the times,” highlighting discrimination rather than brushing past it.
Second, Carter takes us on a pilgrimage to some of America’s haunted sites, séances, and Spiritualists. This portion reads more like a travelogue, as she meets a range of spiritual practitioners and tour guides to explore how we engage with ghosts today. These sections are also infused with Carter’s own grief over the loss of her father and friends, which personalizes and humanizes these experiences a lot. The travelling chapters are lively and entertaining despite the shadow of grief, with Carter encountering both eccentric and insightful characters, but they feel somewhat disconnected from the book’s central thesis of “how ghosts gave American women their voice.” Without a clear link to women’s experiences, this section feels thematically inconsistent.
Third, and least developed, is a critique of modern wellness grifters like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. Carter draws some interesting parallels here between contemporary wellness culture and the same impulses that once led people toward the supernatural. That being said, this thread never ties neatly back to the book’s main argument. While figures like Paltrow have built wealth and influence through promises of things like spiritual alignment, Carter stops short of equating these modern practices with the séance circuits of the past. As a result, the comparison is implied but never feels complete.
Ultimately, the book reads like three partly finished projects stitched together, and the seams show (yes, this is my second metaphor and it's less fun than the trench coat one but way more succinct, let me live). Still, Carter is extremely likeable throughout: she feels like the cool tattooed aunt you’re always desperate to sit beside at family gatherings. With the exception of her beef with Paltrow (fair), her tone throughout is respectful and open-minded. As she notes in the introduction, she’s “a skeptic but not an asshole.” She isn’t here to make any assertions about what anyone is allowed to believe, and that remains true throughout the work.
Despite some structural issues, I’m glad I read this. Carter’s voice is super engaging, and I’ll be seated to see what she chooses to write next.
This book is three kids disguised as a grown up in a trench coat, and while that is sometimes charming and often interesting, it doesn’t fully fill out the coat’s arms, the legs are a little wobbly, and its pieces don’t coalesce into a single person.
The book explores three main ideas:
First, the history of American women in Spiritualism. Carter primarily follows the story of the Fox sisters, with other spiritualists interwoven, to trace how the occult offered women a measure of financial and spiritual autonomy denied to them, especially through the 1800s. These are my favourite sections of the book, carefully balancing historical account and personal reflection. Carter stays close to her sources without uncritically adopting their biases, and I especially appreciate her willingness to confront the racial injustices that pervade this history. She refuses to dismiss the treatment of Black and Indigenous people as simply “of the times,” highlighting discrimination rather than brushing past it.
Second, Carter takes us on a pilgrimage to some of America’s haunted sites, séances, and Spiritualists. This portion reads more like a travelogue, as she meets a range of spiritual practitioners and tour guides to explore how we engage with ghosts today. These sections are also infused with Carter’s own grief over the loss of her father and friends, which personalizes and humanizes these experiences a lot. The travelling chapters are lively and entertaining despite the shadow of grief, with Carter encountering both eccentric and insightful characters, but they feel somewhat disconnected from the book’s central thesis of “how ghosts gave American women their voice.” Without a clear link to women’s experiences, this section feels thematically inconsistent.
Third, and least developed, is a critique of modern wellness grifters like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. Carter draws some interesting parallels here between contemporary wellness culture and the same impulses that once led people toward the supernatural. That being said, this thread never ties neatly back to the book’s main argument. While figures like Paltrow have built wealth and influence through promises of things like spiritual alignment, Carter stops short of equating these modern practices with the séance circuits of the past. As a result, the comparison is implied but never feels complete.
Ultimately, the book reads like three partly finished projects stitched together, and the seams show (yes, this is my second metaphor and it's less fun than the trench coat one but way more succinct, let me live). Still, Carter is extremely likeable throughout: she feels like the cool tattooed aunt you’re always desperate to sit beside at family gatherings. With the exception of her beef with Paltrow (fair), her tone throughout is respectful and open-minded. As she notes in the introduction, she’s “a skeptic but not an asshole.” She isn’t here to make any assertions about what anyone is allowed to believe, and that remains true throughout the work.
Despite some structural issues, I’m glad I read this. Carter’s voice is super engaging, and I’ll be seated to see what she chooses to write next.
September 23, 2025
A decent dive into 19th century spiritualism…and the charlatans, believers, and skeptics that were involved…Specifically North America…the United States…
When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice by Ilise S. Carter covers a great deal of areas of interest for the period…not just those groups or followings led by women (and a few were notably missing)…sofme
Not wishing to limit itself strictly to chronological order (though it does do a good job of at least organizing them in order of start time…the author covers a few well known fads from the boom in mediums, seances, and genral spiritualism when folks were looking for something from the great beyond to believe in…
While there weee plenty of frauds and con people involved in spiritualism…I feel the author does a generally good job of presenting each figure as somewhat sympathetic (mostly) trying to encourage the belief in the unknown even if what they were doing might have been completely false. If some folks did believe it…then it almost seemed real?
Not to mention the range of scientists willing to give it credibility…from future chiropractic physicians to the study of ectoplasm, there were plenty anxious to look for an explanation even if the “proof” was as flimsy at the Cottingley Fairy photos (specifically the Mumler “spirit photographs).
Spiritualism grew in popularity because people wanted to believe…just as there are those today who wanted to believe in such things…
Meanwhile, beyond the criminals and shysters, the book goes beyond the spiritualism aspect of several figures…most notably the Claflin sisters that got their start in spiritualism but later became legitimate via Wall Street brokerage firms and reformist newspapers…seriously look them up…
Peppered throughout each chapter are footnotes that provide added context (and even modern day relevancy for some of the figures)…
Worth giving a try even if you are already familiar with the players involved….since you may learn some new interesting facts about them…
When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice by Ilise S. Carter covers a great deal of areas of interest for the period…not just those groups or followings led by women (and a few were notably missing)…sofme
Not wishing to limit itself strictly to chronological order (though it does do a good job of at least organizing them in order of start time…the author covers a few well known fads from the boom in mediums, seances, and genral spiritualism when folks were looking for something from the great beyond to believe in…
While there weee plenty of frauds and con people involved in spiritualism…I feel the author does a generally good job of presenting each figure as somewhat sympathetic (mostly) trying to encourage the belief in the unknown even if what they were doing might have been completely false. If some folks did believe it…then it almost seemed real?
Not to mention the range of scientists willing to give it credibility…from future chiropractic physicians to the study of ectoplasm, there were plenty anxious to look for an explanation even if the “proof” was as flimsy at the Cottingley Fairy photos (specifically the Mumler “spirit photographs).
Spiritualism grew in popularity because people wanted to believe…just as there are those today who wanted to believe in such things…
Meanwhile, beyond the criminals and shysters, the book goes beyond the spiritualism aspect of several figures…most notably the Claflin sisters that got their start in spiritualism but later became legitimate via Wall Street brokerage firms and reformist newspapers…seriously look them up…
Peppered throughout each chapter are footnotes that provide added context (and even modern day relevancy for some of the figures)…
Worth giving a try even if you are already familiar with the players involved….since you may learn some new interesting facts about them…
September 23, 2025
*4.5 stars; Audiobook*
When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice is an enlightening read about how women leveraged their societal perceptions of being intuitive and spiritual to their advantage, giving themselves a platform in American society during the mid-1800s.
With the start of the autumn season and my ever-increasing need to consume spooky content, I was excited to read this book, which covers an era of history I know very little about. We have all heard of the Ouija board, séances, mediums, and ghost-hunting shows (I'm looking at you, Zac Bagans!), but I didn't realize that these were more than side show hustles or scams when they originally came on the scene. These were ways women could earn money independently and be recognized for their gifts, potentially even sought out for their link to the spiritual realm, at a time when they had minimal autonomy to do so.
The author effectively captures the essence of spiritualism when she states that it encompasses the entire spectrum of human experience. "It offered comfort to those who needed it, gave a platform to women's voices, and sought to make America live up to its promises of a more perfect union in its own weird way". However, the spiritualism movement mirrors many other American movements in that it isn't without some con artists and those who used its allure to prey on people at their most vulnerable.
If you're interested in spiritualism, Disney's Haunted Mansion, a closer look at how we grieve and have historically grieved, the idea that ghost hunting is a "pursuit that attracts dudes who love gear", and much more, this book is for you! Just in time for September-ween!
When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice is an enlightening read about how women leveraged their societal perceptions of being intuitive and spiritual to their advantage, giving themselves a platform in American society during the mid-1800s.
With the start of the autumn season and my ever-increasing need to consume spooky content, I was excited to read this book, which covers an era of history I know very little about. We have all heard of the Ouija board, séances, mediums, and ghost-hunting shows (I'm looking at you, Zac Bagans!), but I didn't realize that these were more than side show hustles or scams when they originally came on the scene. These were ways women could earn money independently and be recognized for their gifts, potentially even sought out for their link to the spiritual realm, at a time when they had minimal autonomy to do so.
The author effectively captures the essence of spiritualism when she states that it encompasses the entire spectrum of human experience. "It offered comfort to those who needed it, gave a platform to women's voices, and sought to make America live up to its promises of a more perfect union in its own weird way". However, the spiritualism movement mirrors many other American movements in that it isn't without some con artists and those who used its allure to prey on people at their most vulnerable.
If you're interested in spiritualism, Disney's Haunted Mansion, a closer look at how we grieve and have historically grieved, the idea that ghost hunting is a "pursuit that attracts dudes who love gear", and much more, this book is for you! Just in time for September-ween!
January 23, 2026
This is an interesting read that suffers from a bit of misrepresentation due to its title and overall marketing. I went into it thinking I was going to get a really deep dive into Spiritualism and the women that were the most influential voices, but the book is actually a broader, more meandering exploration of how aspects of society's fascination with the supernatural shapes culture.
The book almost reads like a travel blog; each chapter touches on a new location the author visits and the way that it touches back to Spiritualism. There is also a gentle undercurrent of the author's personal processing of the death of her father that adds a wistfulness to her exploration of concepts that she doesn't quite believe herself, but almost wants to. The tone is sincere, conversational, and a bit tongue in cheek, but the people and concepts explored in the book are represented respectfully. It would have been easy to take a strong stance on whether or not anything explored has any merit to it, but she does a good job of being mostly impartial. The narration is very topical to recently-post-COVID 2020 America, and draws parallels between the politics of the past and of the current day. Overall, it was an easy and entertaining read.
While the book didn't turn out to be what I was looking for (and some of the connections made ended up feeling like a stretch), it was well researched and --most importantly-- has inspired me to research further not only on Spiritualism, but several other points of discussion. And while my impression of Ms. Carter as an incredibly cool person only comes from the time I spent with her in this book, I'm walking away from this one believing that inspiring others to learn more, to think more, was entirely her purpose!
The book almost reads like a travel blog; each chapter touches on a new location the author visits and the way that it touches back to Spiritualism. There is also a gentle undercurrent of the author's personal processing of the death of her father that adds a wistfulness to her exploration of concepts that she doesn't quite believe herself, but almost wants to. The tone is sincere, conversational, and a bit tongue in cheek, but the people and concepts explored in the book are represented respectfully. It would have been easy to take a strong stance on whether or not anything explored has any merit to it, but she does a good job of being mostly impartial. The narration is very topical to recently-post-COVID 2020 America, and draws parallels between the politics of the past and of the current day. Overall, it was an easy and entertaining read.
While the book didn't turn out to be what I was looking for (and some of the connections made ended up feeling like a stretch), it was well researched and --most importantly-- has inspired me to research further not only on Spiritualism, but several other points of discussion. And while my impression of Ms. Carter as an incredibly cool person only comes from the time I spent with her in this book, I'm walking away from this one believing that inspiring others to learn more, to think more, was entirely her purpose!
September 13, 2025
Thank you to Tantor Media | Tantor Audio, the author and NetGalley for an LRC in return for an honest review
Ilise S Carter's book is an engaging blend of cultural history, memoir and commentary that explores how Spiritualism gave 19th-century American women a public voice, at a time when society largely silenced them. The audiobook, narrated by Janelle Tedesco, adds intimacy and warmth to the material, making the subject come alive.
The book shines when it traces the rise of Spiritualism from the Fox Sisters onward, showing how mediumship created space for women to speak with authority in parlours, pulpits and even political circles. Carter draws lively connections between séances and suffrage, grief and empowerment, belief and performance. Her tone is witty and approachable, making dense history feel accessible and she highlights how these early practices echo in today’s wellness and mysticism culture.
I found this a fascinating read and as an audiobook, the conversational style and vivid storytelling are well served by Tedesco’s narration, which balances clarity with warmth. Listeners may find the audio particularly effective given the subject’s theatrical and performative nature.
Overall, this is a compelling, original exploration of an overlooked aspect of American history. It is strongest as cultural storytelling and personal reflection rather than academic history, but for those interested in feminism, Spiritualism or the intersections of belief and empowerment, it offers both insight and entertainment.
#WhenWeSpoketotheDead #NetGalley
Ilise S Carter's book is an engaging blend of cultural history, memoir and commentary that explores how Spiritualism gave 19th-century American women a public voice, at a time when society largely silenced them. The audiobook, narrated by Janelle Tedesco, adds intimacy and warmth to the material, making the subject come alive.
The book shines when it traces the rise of Spiritualism from the Fox Sisters onward, showing how mediumship created space for women to speak with authority in parlours, pulpits and even political circles. Carter draws lively connections between séances and suffrage, grief and empowerment, belief and performance. Her tone is witty and approachable, making dense history feel accessible and she highlights how these early practices echo in today’s wellness and mysticism culture.
I found this a fascinating read and as an audiobook, the conversational style and vivid storytelling are well served by Tedesco’s narration, which balances clarity with warmth. Listeners may find the audio particularly effective given the subject’s theatrical and performative nature.
Overall, this is a compelling, original exploration of an overlooked aspect of American history. It is strongest as cultural storytelling and personal reflection rather than academic history, but for those interested in feminism, Spiritualism or the intersections of belief and empowerment, it offers both insight and entertainment.
#WhenWeSpoketotheDead #NetGalley
October 17, 2025
This book wasn’t as advertised.
I enjoyed the beginning. I liked the author’s writing style. But…
I expected a look at the Spiritualist movement and how it advanced women’s rights and women’s voices in the public sphere. What I got was a snarky look at “spooky” entertainment (Spiritualism, Voodoo, hauntings, ghost hunting, etc.), presented with clear condescension masked as humor. Sprinkled throughout we had way too much of the author’s opinions and information about herself. After reading the fourth or fifth time that she’s a sword swallower, I wanted to shout that we get it already. I felt like she couldn’t go two pages without talking about herself.
The historical aspects tracing the rise of Spiritualism were interesting. But not once did the author explore any of it. There’s no discussion as to how these Spiritualists and mediums convinced so many people that they were talking to deceased family and friends. The visit to Louisiana to supposedly look at Voodoo and such doesn’t actually delve into it beyond superficial tourism, with tours any of us can take. The author doesn’t interview practitioners to try to understand it or why it was important specifically for women. And so it goes.
By midway through, I was irritated with the tone. I wanted a deep exploration into the ways in which the Spiritualist movement helped empower women. Instead, what I got was a kind of travelog that read like an opinion piece, and some history I could get from Google.
*Thanks to Sourcebook for the free ARC!*
I enjoyed the beginning. I liked the author’s writing style. But…
I expected a look at the Spiritualist movement and how it advanced women’s rights and women’s voices in the public sphere. What I got was a snarky look at “spooky” entertainment (Spiritualism, Voodoo, hauntings, ghost hunting, etc.), presented with clear condescension masked as humor. Sprinkled throughout we had way too much of the author’s opinions and information about herself. After reading the fourth or fifth time that she’s a sword swallower, I wanted to shout that we get it already. I felt like she couldn’t go two pages without talking about herself.
The historical aspects tracing the rise of Spiritualism were interesting. But not once did the author explore any of it. There’s no discussion as to how these Spiritualists and mediums convinced so many people that they were talking to deceased family and friends. The visit to Louisiana to supposedly look at Voodoo and such doesn’t actually delve into it beyond superficial tourism, with tours any of us can take. The author doesn’t interview practitioners to try to understand it or why it was important specifically for women. And so it goes.
By midway through, I was irritated with the tone. I wanted a deep exploration into the ways in which the Spiritualist movement helped empower women. Instead, what I got was a kind of travelog that read like an opinion piece, and some history I could get from Google.
*Thanks to Sourcebook for the free ARC!*
November 17, 2025
In Europe, 1848 was the year of revolutions, where people in more than 50 countries were engaged in socioeconomic conflicts. In the United States, the revolt may have started slowly, with a mysterious knocking sound in rural western New York, and lasted longer. Out of weird rapping noises—that supposedly allowed the dead to speak—came the Spiritualist movement. And it was mostly controlled by women.
Ilise S. Carter, author of When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice, takes a historic look into the movement and what it begat.
Spiritualism’s central idea is that the human spirit lived on after the mortal remains died and that spirits could communicate with us through mediums. In an era of high mortality rates and the horror of the Civil War, the movement flourished. With its popularity on the stage circuit in the late 19th century, however, fraudulent actors tarnished the movement’s reputation. That led to the defining doctrine, the Principles of Spiritualism. About 100 Spiritualist churches and camps still exist in the United States.
Carter’s book covers spiritualism’s connections to reform, including anti-slavery, women’s rights, and suffrage. She includes stories of known spiritualists (Maggie & Kate Fox, patent medicine maker Lydia Pinkham, Mae West), believers (First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), and critics (Harry Houdini), as well as trivia about Disney’s Haunted Mansion and the Ouija board.
Thanks to Sourcebooks for the ARC.
Ilise S. Carter, author of When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice, takes a historic look into the movement and what it begat.
Spiritualism’s central idea is that the human spirit lived on after the mortal remains died and that spirits could communicate with us through mediums. In an era of high mortality rates and the horror of the Civil War, the movement flourished. With its popularity on the stage circuit in the late 19th century, however, fraudulent actors tarnished the movement’s reputation. That led to the defining doctrine, the Principles of Spiritualism. About 100 Spiritualist churches and camps still exist in the United States.
Carter’s book covers spiritualism’s connections to reform, including anti-slavery, women’s rights, and suffrage. She includes stories of known spiritualists (Maggie & Kate Fox, patent medicine maker Lydia Pinkham, Mae West), believers (First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), and critics (Harry Houdini), as well as trivia about Disney’s Haunted Mansion and the Ouija board.
Thanks to Sourcebooks for the ARC.
December 4, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for granting me a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This was a disappointment. Ilise S. Carter isn't an historian, and When We Spoke to the Dead is very light on history. Mostly it's a travelogue of places tangentially related to Spiritualism that the author recounts visiting while she lectures you about politics. Some of the things she references, like anti-maskers and QAnon (remember them?), are already dated, and there is plenty more cringeworthy social commentary where that came from. Highlights include calling Elizabeth Cady Stanton a "Karen," claiming visitors have "colonized" Marie Laveau's gravestone, and putting a trigger warning before a chapter about slavery because it contained the slur "slave" instead of "enslaved." There's also some whining about chiropractors, Gwyneth Paltrow, healthcare, and the general state of America.
Oh, you were hoping to learn about Spiritualism? There's some of that, although it only "gave women their voice" in the sense that more women seemed to gravitate towards it than men. Carter is not religious, and so she doesn't bother trying to understand why Spiritualists believe what they do beyond the most surface-level explanation, nor what their religious dogma is or how it differs from other Christian sects. Her takeaway appears to be that Spiritualism is mainly about processing grief, and anything beyond that is just typical paranormal smoke and mirrors. Not exactly the kind of riveting analysis I was hoping for.
This was a disappointment. Ilise S. Carter isn't an historian, and When We Spoke to the Dead is very light on history. Mostly it's a travelogue of places tangentially related to Spiritualism that the author recounts visiting while she lectures you about politics. Some of the things she references, like anti-maskers and QAnon (remember them?), are already dated, and there is plenty more cringeworthy social commentary where that came from. Highlights include calling Elizabeth Cady Stanton a "Karen," claiming visitors have "colonized" Marie Laveau's gravestone, and putting a trigger warning before a chapter about slavery because it contained the slur "slave" instead of "enslaved." There's also some whining about chiropractors, Gwyneth Paltrow, healthcare, and the general state of America.
Oh, you were hoping to learn about Spiritualism? There's some of that, although it only "gave women their voice" in the sense that more women seemed to gravitate towards it than men. Carter is not religious, and so she doesn't bother trying to understand why Spiritualists believe what they do beyond the most surface-level explanation, nor what their religious dogma is or how it differs from other Christian sects. Her takeaway appears to be that Spiritualism is mainly about processing grief, and anything beyond that is just typical paranormal smoke and mirrors. Not exactly the kind of riveting analysis I was hoping for.
December 31, 2025
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the advance review copy! As always all opinions shared below are 100% my own.
This book is a conversational overview of the spiritual movement, specifically in the US, and its ripple effects and influences on society. Each chapter covers a location or a period in history as seen through the author's lens and own experience with grief and the supernatural.
I admit that when I picked up the book, I was expecting a history book that digs a bit deeper into spiritualism. While this book does cover many historical moments and figures, it does so more in a form more resembling a mini documentary where it felt like each chapter was sort of standalone with repeating points or side conversations from the author's own interviews and life.
I appreciated those distractions on their own, don't get me wrong, as it felt like one was having a conversation with a friend. But in this case, intermixed with the historical explorations, it felt like they overpowered the subject I picked up the book for. So much so that there were a couple times when I found myself forgetting what the chapter's subject was about and had to go back to the beginning to refresh my memory.
That being said, I did enjoy this a lot and learned quite a bit. I do recommend it if you're interested in Gothic America, but I would read it more as a collection of essays and less as a primarily history book.
This book is a conversational overview of the spiritual movement, specifically in the US, and its ripple effects and influences on society. Each chapter covers a location or a period in history as seen through the author's lens and own experience with grief and the supernatural.
I admit that when I picked up the book, I was expecting a history book that digs a bit deeper into spiritualism. While this book does cover many historical moments and figures, it does so more in a form more resembling a mini documentary where it felt like each chapter was sort of standalone with repeating points or side conversations from the author's own interviews and life.
I appreciated those distractions on their own, don't get me wrong, as it felt like one was having a conversation with a friend. But in this case, intermixed with the historical explorations, it felt like they overpowered the subject I picked up the book for. So much so that there were a couple times when I found myself forgetting what the chapter's subject was about and had to go back to the beginning to refresh my memory.
That being said, I did enjoy this a lot and learned quite a bit. I do recommend it if you're interested in Gothic America, but I would read it more as a collection of essays and less as a primarily history book.
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