The Psychic Life of Abraham Lincoln

by Susan B. Martinez

SUPERANNO In this informative and intriguing book, Dr. Susan Martinez digs deeply into the documented records of Lincoln's involvement with mediums, and sets forth a preponderance of evidence suggesting he was indeed guided by benevolent spirits in his most crucial decisions.--Michael E Tymn, vice president, Academy of Spirituality and Paranormal Studies, Inc., and author of The Articulate Dead.

Genres: History, Paranormal

287 pages, Hardcover

First published October 30, 2007

About the author

Susan B. Martinez, Ph.D., is a writer, linguist, teacher, paranormal researcher, and recognized authority on the Oahspe Bible with a doctorate in anthropology from Columbia University.
(source: Editor's site)

Reviews

[Troy]

I was moved by this well-documented, yet ignored, side of Lincoln. I've felt a kinship from this man since before I could even comprehend his significance in history when I was a child, and this book helped me understand a bit more of that resonance.

[Susan]

This is the worst book I have ever read. The subject sounded interesting, but the author never came to any conclusions. It was mostly lists of names that didn't really have anything to do with the subject. The book was also poorly edited with misspellings and inaccurate use of the English language.

[Katie]

I actually found this book to be very interesting. It was almost refreshing to read something a little different about Abraham Lincoln for a change.

I've read reviews from people who say that there was no real conclusion to this book. I am going to assume that they mean that don't think it really clarified whether Lincoln was a Spiritualist or not. Well, I don't know, but from what evidence there is about him regarding this subject, I finished with the conclusion that he is.

I never expected this book to be written by someone with the talents of Shakespeare. So her writing style didn't bother me too much. I did, however, expect to hear more about his experience beyond just "sitting in" at a seance. And I got that.

I also really didn't mind reading about the background on the other figures mentioned in this book. The book does need it to clarify one thing or another. And it also helps to tie it all together and connect it to Lincoln.

I don't recommend this book to anyone who isn't a little more open-minded to the idea of a person being more spiritual rather than religious. Those people will just find all of this to be absurd. But if you think there is no harm in those beliefs, and/or you tend to feel that way yourself, go ahead and read it. It is an interesting side of Abraham Lincoln that other biographers choose to ignore. And I am glad that someone paid it even a little bit of attention in this book.

[Hannah]

I was really looking forward to reading this book for a couple of reasons. The first being that Abraham Lincoln is without a doubt my favorite president and so I enjoy reading about him as often as I can. Secondly I thought this book would be interesting because it's a side of Lincoln that is rarely disused. Though I don't subscribe to mystic practices and spiritualist beliefs I thought it would be interesting. However, I was sorely disappointed with this book. I thought it was poorly written in the sense that the author, Dr. Susan B. Martinez, never came to a real point. In reading a book I like to ask myself so what? and have the author answer it. Unfortunately that question was not answered in this case. Also, I thought a lot of it was stretching the facts. Martinez would state a fact and then make a pretty big leap to her conclusion. The direct connection was not often there. Reading the book made me wonder if Dr. Martinez was perhaps making a bigger deal out of President Lincoln's attraction to mysticism and spiritualism than was actually the case. I know there is a lot of debate about Lincoln's religiosity in the academic community and it felt as if Martinez was exploring that through the mystic lens and it most certainly did not work. I would not recommend this book to anyone. It was an interesting concept but unfortunately the execution was less than brilliant

[Elyse of South Jersey]

I thought this book would be more straight forward but it was written by a spiritualist who is a bit "out there". Even so, I accept the fact that Lincoln was open to the idea of spiritualism and was friends with clairvoyents/mediums. Spiritualism was so widespread in the mid to late 1800's (which I learned in the book Occult America) that it was almost considered mainstream.

[Jessica Jewett]

Ehhhh. It's a subject that needs more exploration--I agree with that--but this book needed an editor and it needed a bit more grounded of an approach.

[Sidney Schwartz]

This well researched book discusses the interaction President Lincoln had with several mediums.