Item #63004 The Spirit-Rapper: An Autobiography. O. A. BROWNSON.
The Spirit-Rapper: An Autobiography.

The Spirit-Rapper: An Autobiography.

Boston / London: Little, Brown and Company / Charles Dolman, 1854. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 402pp & viii advert / prospectus & 24pp publisher's catalogue. Original cloth decorated in blind, gilt-lettered on spine, "The Spirit Rapper" (first published 1854) takes its title from the discourse that had supposedly taken place between the Fox sisters and the spirit of a murderer who had taken to rapping on the walls of their parent's farm in 1848, which event is widely viewed as being the starting point of modern Spiritualism. The book is a fictional autobiography, in which the author uses the central character, a young man with magical powers, to explore the claims of Spiritualism and other fringe religio-philosophical movements, which he ultimately rejects, determining that the phenomena associated with Spiritualism are the result of dark forces. The author, Orestes Augustus Brownson (1803–1876) was a prolific New England writer and activist, who converted to Roman Catholicism not long before writing this work. From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman with his ex-libris blind seal on first leaf. Professionally recased preserving the original binding: fresh endpapers. Covers heavily rubbed, all edges and extremities bruised and chafed, corners bumped and chafed to boards, spine faded, owner's name on half title page, page edges and margins darkened, pages toned with just occasional browning - unmarked. Overall a solid, clean Good + copy. Scarce. Item #63004

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