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The Haunting of Alma Fielding

A True Ghost Story

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The Haunting of Alma Fielding

By: Kate Summerscale
Narrated by: David Morrissey
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About this listen

Bloomsbury presents The Haunting of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale, read by David Morrissey.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE
longlisted for the ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION


A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE SUNDAY TIMES, THE TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, i PAPER, NEW STATESMAN, SPECTATOR AND THE SUNDAY EXPRESS

‘A page-turner with the authority of history’ PHILIPPA GREGORY
‘As gripping as a novel. An engaging, unsettling, deeply satisfying read’ SARAH WATERS
‘A wonderful book about the world of mediums’ HILARY MANTEL, Open Book, BBC Radio 4

London, 1938. Alma Fielding, an ordinary young woman, begins to experience supernatural events in her suburban home.

Nandor Fodor – a Jewish-Hungarian refugee and chief ghost hunter for the International Institute for Psychical research – begins to investigate. In doing so he discovers a different and darker type of haunting: trauma, alienation, loss – and the foreshadowing of a nation’s worst fears. As the spectre of Fascism lengthens over Europe, and as Fodor’s obsession with the case deepens, Alma becomes ever more disturbed.

With rigour, daring and insight, the award-winning pioneer of historical narrative non-fiction Kate Summerscale shadows Fodor’s enquiry, delving into long-hidden archives to find the human story behind a very modern haunting.

‘An empathetic, meticulous account of a spiritual unravelling; a tribute to the astonishing power of the human mind – but also a properly absorbing, baffling, satisfying detective story’ AIDA EDEMARIAM

A PICK OF THE AUTUMN IN THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, OBSERVER AND THE GUARDIAN

©2020 Kate Summerscale (P)2020 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Europe Great Britain Historical Fantasy Haunted Scary England Ghost Paranormal

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All stars
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Unfortunately, the story is rather dull, and doesn't really go anywhere. It goes over different incarnations of the same investigation, and the conclusion feels obvious very early on. The author can't help this, that is the story - it's just that the story isn't very interesting. The hushed and rather monotonous narration doesn't help.

There is really thorough research behind this story.

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Some really fascinating insights into the reliance on ghosts in the early/mid 20th century and the links between the supernatural and repressed trauma. I do wish that I hadn’t listened to it on audiobook, because it meant I couldn’t keep up with the details, and I found it a bit disconcerting that the narrator was a man, even though he was excellent. It’s interesting because this choice frames Fodor as the main character, not Alma.

Interesting

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A fascinating insight into the potential motivations and psychology behind claims of paranormal activity widespread in the UK during the 1930s.

Insightful exploration of paranormal incidents

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I found this book interesting but thought there was too much irrelevant detail in places which sometimes dragged on a bit. Very good narration though. Incredible that so many people were swept away with the 'phenomenon' - popular at the time, and the work that must have gone into the 'manifestations'

Too much Detail in Places

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Unfortunately not that interesting nor that well narrated. I liked the Suspicions of Mr Whicher but nothing that I have listened to since by Kate Summerscale has hit the mark.

Very average.

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It was 1938 when 34 year-old Alma Fielding living in suburban Thornton Heath was assailed by flying furniture and crockery and Nandor Fodor the Jewish Hungarian psychic investigator working for the International Institute for Psychical Research became involved in Alma's case. Fodor had already revealed many 'psychics' as frauds (the talking mongoose was no such thing; the floral bouquet trembling with psychic energy was being pulled by the psychic's invisible thread), but he believed in Alma. She underwent various tests and strip searches which found nothing amiss - and finally an X-ray which revealed the truth. Beneath her breasts (untouchable in a strip search) and in her vagina (even more so) were secreted the objects which apparently flew from her - the ring shoplifted from Woolworths was expelled through her self generated spasms (!)

There is a great deal about other performers and their tricks, but the most interesting part of this book is the analysis and the cultural background of these years when there was enormous interest in England in spiritualism. It was a time of massive still unresolved loss following WW1 whilst the dangerous and frightening times in Europe as a whole made for dislocated people yearning for reassurance. After Fodor found that Alma's displays of object-expulsion were fake, he did not desert her. He accepted that her temporary paralyses and other apparently psychical behaviour were real and that the source was well repressed trauma. Alma had plenty of that including suffering several dead babies, an unhappy marriage, intrusive surgery and the removal of her teeth after contracting anthrax from a toothbrush (!).

The weight of this book comes from the way that the whole psychic / spiritual vogue is carefully set in the culture of the times. Freud comes in; a great many works of fiction such as Elizabeth Bowen's &Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca are splendidly included as well as poets; Magritte and his deeply unsettling, and dislocated paintings were on display. This apparently crazy poltergeist craze can be explained as a manifestation of repressed trauma and mounting tensions on personal and societal levels, and cultural and social dislocation against a back drop of rumblings of war (the contemporary political events occur throughout the book). Plenty to think about and parallels to be made with these Covid times.

I found the narration rather irritating - David Morrissey was too gentle and reverential.

What can you imagine is the most bizarre use of a cow's udder ever recorded? You'll never guess, but listen carefully and you'll find out!!

Freaky phenomena, fears and frauds

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An often fascinating account of the psychology of haunting and the credulity of psychical researches marred by frequent descent into catalogs of flying plates, smashed glasses and miraculous manifestations.

(David Morrissey's eccentric pronunciation can also introduce a jarring note.)

Somewhat disappointing

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Interesting subject matter, and Neil Morrissey does a fine job as narrator. He proposed deserves more admiration for keeping the pace and not falling asleep, as the material does drag on. I don’t fault the author for that, as she is faithfully quoting the source material and supporting her research, it’s that source material that gets tedious.
I didn’t dislike it to the point I regret the time spent, but I’m relieved to be finished with it - like a weight has been lifted!
The weight of dreary British suburbia.

Bit dreary

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What an enjoyable read this turned out to be. I nearly listened right through in one day - it was only my need to be up in the morning that prevented me!

Thoroughly fascinating.

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There are a few slightly distasteful elements in this story. I won’t go in to detail but will say that some of the material is a little tasteless. That apart, it’s all a bit flat, the narration included, and a bit boring. Perhaps the fact that the whole business is just too long drawn out is the root of the problem. There’s enough material for a decent 30 minute podcast episode. But that’s is. I wouldn’t recommend this one.

A bit boring I think

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