American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad that Haunted a Nation

Gr 7 Up–A detailed and engaging account of the Fox sisters, who started the 19th-century Spiritualist movement. In 1847, in rural upstate New York, the Fox family was plagued by mysterious, nighttime rapping sounds, to the point that they asked neighbors for help. People speculated it was the spirit of a man killed on the property. Soon enough, Maggie, 14, and Kate, 11, were interpreting the strange sounds and communicating with the dead. News of the sisters’ abilities spread, and they quickly became local celebrities, holding seances for people eager to speak with deceased loved ones. With older sister Leah as their manager, the family was soon able to afford a house in upscale Rochester and later Manhattan as their popularity exploded. The Spiritualist movement grew exponentially, with many others working as mediums; newspapers and organizations also emerged with the Fox sisters at the center of it all. Much detail is given to Maggie’s turbulent romance with famed arctic explorer Elisha Kane while Rosenstock also covers the lives of Leah, who had multiple marriages, and Kate, the quiet workhorse who kept the money coming in. Late in life, Maggie proclaimed it was all fake, that they made the sounds by cracking their joints, but she later recanted when she found she had no other way to make money; however, the Spiritualist community rejected her. Pages turn quickly with short chapters and Rosenstock’s intriguing ghost story–writing style. Extensive documentation is provided, including source notes, bibliography, and index.