Book:  We Hear The Dead by Dianne K. Salerni

Release date:  May 1, 2010

Number of pages:  368

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire

From:  Publisher

Summary:

It started out as a harmless prank. But soon enough, spiritualism was the fastest growing movement of the nineteenth century, and Maggie Fox was trapped in a life of deceit.

Meticulously researched by the author, We Hear the Dead reveals the secret of how the Fox sisters faked their rapping sounds and their motives for inventing the séance and founding spiritualism.

img:is([sizes=”auto” i], [sizes^=”auto,” i]) { contain-intrinsic-size: 3000px 1500px }

img.wp-smiley, img.emoji {
display: inline !important;
border: none !important;
box-shadow: none !important;
height: 1em !important;
width: 1em !important;
margin: 0 0.07em !important;
vertical-align: -0.1em !important;
background: none !important;
padding: 0 !important;
}

/*! This file is auto-generated */
.wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none}

:root{–wp–preset–aspect-ratio–square: 1;–wp–preset–aspect-ratio–4-3: 4/3;–wp–preset–aspect-ratio–3-4: 3/4;–wp–preset–aspect-ratio–3-2: 3/2;–wp–preset–aspect-ratio–2-3: 2/3;–wp–preset–aspect-ratio–16-9: 16/9;–wp–preset–aspect-ratio–9-16: 9/16;–wp–preset–color–black: #000000;–wp–preset–color–cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;–wp–preset–color–white: #ffffff;–wp–preset–color–pale-pink: #f78da7;–wp–preset–color–vivid-red: #cf2e2e;–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-orange: #ff6900;–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-amber: #fcb900;–wp–preset–color–light-green-cyan: #7bdcb5;–wp–preset–color–vivid-green-cyan: #00d084;–wp–preset–color–pale-cyan-blue: #8ed1fc;–wp–preset–color–vivid-cyan-blue: #0693e3;–wp–preset–color–vivid-purple: #9b51e0;–wp–preset–gradient–vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–cool-to-warm-spectrum: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–blush-light-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–blush-bordeaux: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–luminous-dusk: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–pale-ocean: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–electric-grass: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);–wp–preset–gradient–midnight: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);–wp–preset–font-size–small: 13px;–wp–preset–font-size–medium: 20px;–wp–preset–font-size–large: 36px;–wp–preset–font-size–x-large: 42px;–wp–preset–spacing–20: 0.44rem;–wp–preset–spacing–30: 0.67rem;–wp–preset–spacing–40: 1rem;–wp–preset–spacing–50: 1.5rem;–wp–preset–spacing–60: 2.25rem;–wp–preset–spacing–70: 3.38rem;–wp–preset–spacing–80: 5.06rem;–wp–preset–shadow–natural: 6px 6px 9px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);–wp–preset–shadow–deep: 12px 12px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);–wp–preset–shadow–sharp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);–wp–preset–shadow–outlined: 6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 1), 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);–wp–preset–shadow–crisp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap: 0.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap: 0.5em;}body .is-layout-flex{display: flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap: wrap;align-items: center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}body .is-layout-grid{display: grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}.has-black-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(–wp–preset–color–vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background: var(–wp–preset–gradient–midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size: var(–wp–preset–font-size–small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size: var(–wp–preset–font-size–medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size: var(–wp–preset–font-size–large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size: var(–wp–preset–font-size–x-large) !important;}
:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}
:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}
:root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size: 1.5em;line-height: 1.6;}

.ubb-content-warning {
background: #E61C20;
color: #ffffff;
}

.ubb-about-author {
background: #ffffff;
border: 0px none #000000;
color: #000000;
}

.ubb-tabs ul li a {
color: #787878;
}

.ubb-tabs li.ubb-active-link, .ubb-tabs-content {
background: #ffffff;
border: 1px solid #e6e6e6;
}

.ubb-tabs li.ubb-active-link {
border-bottom-color: #ffffff;
}

.ubb-tabs li.ubb-active-link a {
color: #000000;
}

.ubb-related-post:hover {
background: #F1F1F1;
}

.ubb-spoiler .ubb-thespoil {
background: #ffff99;
}

a { color: #85a2bf }a:hover { color: #ffc0ba }.button, button, input[type=”submit”], .expanding-archives-title, .naked-social-share ul .nss-site-count, .naked-social-share ul a:hover, .widget.highlight, .naked-social-widget-sites a { background: #000000 }.expanding-archives-collapse-section, .naked-social-share ul a { border-color: #000000 }.naked-social-share ul a { color: #000000 }.widget.highlight .widget-title span { background: #000000 !important }.button:hover, button:hover, input[type=”submit”]:hover, .expanding-archives-title:hover, .naked-social-widget-sites a:hover { background: #898282 }.widget.highlight .button, .widget.highlight button, .widget.highlight input[type=”submit”] { background: #000000; color: white; }body{ font-family: “Lora”;font-weight: 400;font-size: 15px;line-height: 1.6;color: #333333; }.site-title{ font-family: “Lora”;font-weight: 400;font-size: 40px;line-height: 1.2;text-transform: lowercase; }h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6{ font-family: “Lora”;font-weight: 400;line-height: 1.4;color: #6b6b6b;text-transform: none; }.widget-title{ font-family: “Playfair Display”;font-weight: 400;font-style: italic;font-size: 15px;line-height: inherit;color: #323232;text-transform: none; }@media (min-width: 768px) { .site-branding { margin: 48px auto; } }

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner {
width: 100% !important;
height: auto !important;
border: 1px solid #b5b5b5 !important;
padding: 18px 0px !important;
background-color: #ffffff !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner form {
margin: 0 20px !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner h5 {
font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;

font-weight: bold !important;
color: #000000 !important;
font-size: 16px !important;
text-align: center !important;
margin: 0 0 10px !important;
padding: 0 !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscription_form_field {
margin: 5px 0 !important;
width: 100% !important;
display: inline-flex;
display: -webkit-inline-flex;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscription_form_field input {
width: 100% !important;
padding: 10px 0px !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner input[type=email] {
font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;

font-style: normal !important;
color: !important;
font-size: 14px !important;
text-align: center !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner input[type=email]::-webkit-input-placeholder {
font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;

font-style: normal !important;
color: !important;
font-size: 14px !important;
text-align: center !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner input[type=email]:-moz-placeholder {
/* Firefox 18- */
font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;

font-style: normal !important;
color: !important;
font-size: 14px !important;
text-align: center !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner input[type=email]::-moz-placeholder {
/* Firefox 19+ */
font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;

font-style: normal !important;
color: !important;
font-size: 14px !important;
text-align: center !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner input[type=email]:-ms-input-placeholder {
font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;

font-style: normal !important;
color: !important;
font-size: 14px !important;
text-align: center !important;
}

.sfsi_plus_subscribe_Popinner input[type=submit] {
font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;

font-weight: bold !important;
color: #000000 !important;
font-size: 16px !important;
text-align: center !important;
background-color: #dedede !important;
}

/*! Flickity v2.0.2
http://flickity.metafizzy.co
———————————————- */.flickity-enabled{position:relative}.flickity-enabled:focus{outline:0}.flickity-viewport{overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:100%}.flickity-slider{position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%}.flickity-enabled.is-draggable{-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none}.flickity-enabled.is-draggable .flickity-viewport{cursor:move;cursor:-webkit-grab;cursor:grab}.flickity-enabled.is-draggable .flickity-viewport.is-pointer-down{cursor:-webkit-grabbing;cursor:grabbing}.flickity-prev-next-button{position:absolute;top:50%;width:44px;height:44px;border:none;border-radius:50%;background:#fff;background:hsla(0,0%,100%,.75);cursor:pointer;-webkit-transform:translateY(-50%);transform:translateY(-50%)}.flickity-prev-next-button:hover{background:#fff}.flickity-prev-next-button:focus{outline:0;box-shadow:0 0 0 5px #09f}.flickity-prev-next-button:active{opacity:.6}.flickity-prev-next-button.previous{left:10px}.flickity-prev-next-button.next{right:10px}.flickity-rtl .flickity-prev-next-button.previous{left:auto;right:10px}.flickity-rtl .flickity-prev-next-button.next{right:auto;left:10px}.flickity-prev-next-button:disabled{opacity:.3;cursor:auto}.flickity-prev-next-button svg{position:absolute;left:20%;top:20%;width:60%;height:60%}.flickity-prev-next-button .arrow{fill:#333}.flickity-page-dots{position:absolute;width:100%;bottom:-25px;padding:0;margin:0;list-style:none;text-align:center;line-height:1}.flickity-rtl .flickity-page-dots{direction:rtl}.flickity-page-dots .dot{display:inline-block;width:10px;height:10px;margin:0 8px;background:#333;border-radius:50%;opacity:.25;cursor:pointer}.flickity-page-dots .dot.is-selected{opacity:1}.slideout-menu{position:fixed;left:0;top:0;bottom:0;right:auto;z-index:0;width:256px;overflow-y:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;display:none}.slideout-menu.pushit-right{left:auto;right:0}.slideout-panel{position:relative;z-index:1;will-change:transform}.slideout-open,.slideout-open .slideout-panel,.slideout-open body{overflow:hidden}.slideout-open .slideout-menu{display:block}.pushit{display:none}

.ios7.web-app-mode.has-fixed header{ background-color: rgba(3,122,221,.88);}

Skip to content

Kait Rose

We Hear The Dead by Dianne K. Salerni

May 25, 2010 • 3 stars, historical, paranormal, review, standalone • 3 Comments

Book:  We Hear The Dead by Dianne K. Salerni

Release date:  May 1, 2010

Number of pages:  368

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire

From:  Publisher

Summary:

It started out as a harmless prank. But soon enough, spiritualism was the fastest growing movement of the nineteenth century, and Maggie Fox was trapped in a life of deceit.

Meticulously researched by the author, We Hear the Dead reveals the secret of how the Fox sisters faked their rapping sounds and their motives for inventing the séance and founding spiritualism.

*****

When I started We Hear The Dead I had high hopes.  I had read great reviews for it and I was very intrigued by the premise.  Sadly, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped or expected.

Maggie Fox and her younger sister, Kate, didn’t mean to create a new religion with a harmless prank but they did.  The spiritualist movement began with them and grew to be much more popular than anyone expected.  Maggie and Kate made their living with these spirit circles.  All that changed when Maggie met Elisha Kent Kane.  He wasn’t like the other suitors in many ways but in one way especially. He wanted Maggie to give it all up for him.  Would she do it or would she choose her family over her love?

Like I said, the premise was great.  Something unique and intriguing.  I love history so of course it appealed to me.  And at first I was really into it.  The first part of the book was great but once Elisha entered the picture it got kind of boring.  There was a lot of time spent sitting around waiting for him and it didn’t seem necessary.  Towards the end it picked up again but there were times when I didn’t want to continue.

Another thing that bugged me was Maggie.  She seemed very immature and she spent a lot of the time crying.  She talked about feminism some but she herself waited around on Elisha forever.  And he is a whole different matter.  From the moment he met Maggie he wanted to change her and that is not love, in my opinion.  The only character in the book that I really liked was Kate and she didn’t even have that big of a part.  I wanted to know more about her.

Overall, We Hear The Dead was a good book that could have been so much better.  The spirit rapping part was great but it was overshadowed by Maggie and Elisha’s relationship.  The topic of the spiritualist movement was fantastic and if you enjoy history as much as I do then I recommend it for that alone.  Otherwise, this might be one to check out from you library.

First line:  I began the deception when I was too young to know right from wrong.

Writing:  4

Characters:  3

Plot:  3

Ending:  4

Originality:  5

Overall:  19=C

Cover:  4=B-

#sfsi_plus_floater .sfsi_plus_twt_tool_bdr .sfsi_plus_inside{margin-top: -18px;}