Rochester Knockings

(Paperback)

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Description

In the 1800s, the Fox sisters conned everyone into believing they could talk to ghosts. In Rochester Knockings, French author Hubert Haddad brings their weird and fascinating story to life. The Fox sisters launched the Spiritualist Movement in the US, giving seances for hundreds of people. Then, it all fell apart, and the sisters were exposed as frauds. Rich in historical detail, Rochester Knockings novelizes the rise and fall of the most infamous mediums and founders of one of the most popular religious movements of the past couple of centuries.

Reviews

"Haddad's novel satisfies in ways similar to that of a great magic trick: an act that offers the audience a blend of fact and fiction, along with a presentation that constantly demands attention."Benjamin Woodard, Numro Cinq ". . . [B]oth Haddad's prose and Jennifer Grotz's translation from the French, scattering delicious word choices like quiet little gems throughout a spellbinding narrative, reveal themselves as gorgeous."Asymptote ". . . [A] successful period-piece, all the more appealing for Haddad's willingness (and ability) to stretch the usual bounds of historical fiction."The Complete Review "Masterfully written, Rochester Knockings is a haunting tale you won't be quick to forget."Coal Hill Review

Author Bio

Hubert Haddad was born in Tunisia, and is the author of dozens of works, including the novels Palestine (winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie), Tango Chinois, and La Condition Magique (winner of the Grand Prix du Roman de la Socit des Gens de Lettres). Jennifer Grotz is the editor of Open Letter's poetry series, but is also a poet in her own right (The Needle, Cusp) and translates from French. Additionally, she is a professor of English, creative writing, and translation at the University of Rochester.