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Saturday, June 27, 2015

Book Review: "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House by Michelle Hamilton

"I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House
by Michelle Hamilton
Publisher: Vanderblumen Publications
ISBN: 978-0964430464 ASIN: B00LCAEBTI
October 25, 2013-print.
June 11, 2014 –Kindle.
In 1862, in the midst of a bloody civil war, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary, suffered unspeakable heartache when their young son died. To combat her grief, First Lady Mary Lincoln became a devotee of Spiritualism making the White House a center for Washington, D.C.'s Spiritualist community. For decades historians have maintained that President Lincoln only attended a few seances in an attempt to protect his mentally unstable wife. This narrative is incorrect, using a host of previously neglected primary sources, historian Michelle L. Hamilton documents the numerous seances President Lincoln attended and the interest he had for the religion. Michelle L. Hamilton's "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears" sheds new light onto the Lincolns' interest in Spiritualism and proves that Mary Lincoln might not have been the only Spiritualist in the White House.


This nonfiction book is about how Abraham Lincoln may not have been coerced by his wife, Mary into attending séances after loss of their sons as many historians claim, but joined her on his own interest in the metaphysical. That unlike historians claiming he attended maybe one or two séances to appease his mentally unstable wife, other evidence has him attending a dozen during the Civil War. Michelle Hamilton searched for many sources to illustrate this controversial part of Lincoln's life. That he, like many at the time, became interested as Spiritualism rose into being, thanks to the Fox Sisters in March 1848, in Hydesville, New York. Maybe he started out trying to disprove it, but no doubt over time he began to believe.

More than history, this book delves in the paranormal sensibilities of Spiritualism and not only that, but how the Lincolns along with most of America at the time, may have embraced this new religion concerning life after death. So, instead of a boring history lesson a reader who enjoys books of the supernatural—whether fiction or nonfiction—might find this a different sort of history lesson.

I give "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House 4 paranormal sheep.






Pamela K. Kinney

About the Author:
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Michelle L. Hamilton earned her master's degree in history from San Diego State University in 2013. Her work can be seen in the magazine The Citizens' Companion. Fascinated with the American Civil War and the life of Abraham Lincoln since as long as she could remember Hamilton pursued her love of history by working as a docent at the Whaley House Museum in Old Town San Diego.

In her free time, Hamilton is a Civil War and 18th-century living historian. Born and raised in California, Hamilton now resides in Ruther Glen, Virginia, and is a docent at the Mary Washington House in Fredericksburg, Virginia. “I Would Be Drowned in Tears”: Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln’s White House is her first book.

1 comment:

  1. The rise of Victorian Spiritualism is a fascinating chapter in American history. Many famous figures embraced it. Looking forward to reading this book, thanks for the review!

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