well researched and interesting. the aspect that i found most intriguing was the idea that spiritualism was a way for women to get power. the psychologically tricky interactions between spiritualists and those who were attempting to investigate also was intriguing . the connection with abuse was disturbing, though may well have had merit ( )

I read this book via Pigeonhole, so thanks to them, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

It is about Alma Fielding who in the 1930’s had a number of psychical phenomena happen to her including poltergeist activity and it’s investigation by a Hungarian called Fodor who was working for the International Institute for Psychical Research.

This book was really fascinating. I was at first concerned that it would be very spooky, thankfully it wasn’t but was extremely interesting.

Fodor initially seemed to want to prove Alma’s phenomena but as the book progresses and some incidents are proven fraudulent he then changes tack.

The book covers psychology as well as the psychical events all against the backdrop of the looming World War II, and we are made aware that mediumship, sceances etc grew in popularity after WWI as people wanted to communicate with loved ones who had been lost.

Alma undertakes examination of her phenomena by Fodor and others at the institute. Her treatment in the second half of the book once Fodor is convinced that it is all fake is questionable as Alma clearly has some mental health issues. That said I think towards the end of the investigation Fodor’s own mental health is a little frayed.

Overall this was a really interesting book in an area that I would not typically read but I was pleasantly surprised at how it kept me engaged throughout its reading and would highly recommend it. ( )

This was fantastic! I would say to think of this book as more of a historical text than a scary story. If you are a fan of Rebecca or The Haunting of Hill House you will enjoy this book. ( )

Considering her troubled marriage, traumatic memories, and World War II brewing in Europe, it was no wonder that Alma Fielding was upset. The British housewife found an effective way of expressing her negative feelings--she claimed to be haunted by a boisterous poltergeist. This alleged supernatural entity threw teacups, destroyed furniture, stole jewelry from shops, hid household items and dead insects in Alma's body, and even laid on top of her in the middle of the night. Alma sought relief from all this activity at an institute for psychic research, where a dogged investigator named Nandor Fodor and his colleagues were eager to prove that Alma was the victim of a verifiable paranormal phenomenon.

It is sad when a book that holds so much potential interest turns out to be so deadly dull. That's what happened with Kate Summerscale's The Haunting of Alma Fielding. All the ingredients are in place, but the whole ends up as less than the sum of its parts. ( )

In the 1930s, Nandor Fodor took a scientific approach to researching paranormal experiences, hoping to prove whether they were real or fake. He exposed many mediums as fake, but also believed in the possibility that ghosts and hauntings were real. For several years, he was stumped by the case of Alma Fielding, a woman who experienced constant paranormal activity, such as objects flying around her house, objects mysteriously appearing and disappearing, scratches and marks spontaneously appearing on her body, and vivid dreams and visions. This book describes Fielding's hauntings and Fodor's research in exhaustive detail.

I think the book focuses too much on the specific haunting events. Sometimes it feels like a daily diary of Fodor's and Fielding's activities. However, in among all of these details is some very interesting analysis. The 1930s were rampant with paranormal activity, but were also a very difficult time as Europe recovered from the physical and especially psychological trauma of WWI, while also worrying about the possibility of WWII. Fodor was a skilled researcher, and as much as he wanted to believe in paranormal activity, he was careful to seek out scientific proof. He was interested in psychology, and came up with psychological explanations for Fielding's experiences that were very forward-thinking for his time.

All in all, this was an interesting book, but I wish it had been about 1/3 as long. ( )