The author, Patrick McNamara, attended an auction at Christie's in London, with the intention of bidding on several items that had belonged to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author that created the character Sherlock Holmes. McNamara was a long-time fan of Conan Doyle's writing, but that was not his primary interest. Instead, McNamara feels a spiritual connection with Doyle, and wanted to explore that connection further.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as Spiritualist
Conan Doyle's career as a writer is well known. What is not as well known is his interest in spiritualism and the afterlife, but he firmly believed in both. He publicly announced his conversion to spiritualism in 1916, and in the years that followed, spent most of his money promoting the movement. He traveled throughout Europe, the United States, Africa and Australia in his efforts, spending millions of dollars in the process. He sought not only to prove the existence of the spirit world, but also to expose fake mediums and psychics, believing that they damaged the credibility of the legitimate practitioners.
The Author's Connection With Conan Doyle
McNamara, a psychic-medium advisor and consultant, explains that he has had spirit contacts since he was a child, including the spirit of a man with a moustache and a pleasant smile. He says it was many years later that he realized the spirit that he saw was Arthur Conan Doyle. McNamara believes that Conan Doyle's spirit gave him guidance and support through the years, and this spiritual connection encouraged his interest in items from Conan Doyle's estate when they came up for auction in London. He attended the auction and was able to purchase a wallet that had been packed up and left largely untouched since Conan Doyle's death in 1930.
Understanding Spiritualism
McNamara devotes the majority of the book to discussing many of the beliefs shared by spiritualists. His explanations of spirit guides, the spirit body, mediums and reincarnation will help beginners to the field understand the basics and the terminology. His goal is to help readers understand that how they live their lives on earth determines their path in the afterlife.
The author is very aware of the skepticism that some readers will feel, and he readily acknowledges that the field is full of frauds and charlatans that are looking to make money off the unwary. Instead, he asks that even skeptical readers approach the book with an open mind, and a willingness to fairly consider what he offers as proofs of the spirit world.
McNamara's approach to the subject is personal and straight-forward, and he avoids the sort of melodramatic flourishes often found in books touching on spiritualism or the paranormal. His book is a good introduction to the topic, primer for believers and non-believers alike.
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Conan Doyle's Wallet - The Secrets Within, Patrick McNamara
Ganev Publishing International, Inc., 2008
ISBN 978-0-9707558-9-6
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