Life after Death William T Stead

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Melissa E. Kalson

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Hi all.. I just saw on eBay a book entitled Life After Death 'The Blue Island' written by W.T. Stead after the Titanic disaster. Supposedly he communicated this to his daughter through a gifted medium and that he shared what really happened while Titanic was sinking and what he experienced when he died. While I don't necessarily buy this paranormal/psychic stuff I did buy the book just to read it I suppose for a laugh. Has anyone else heard of this book or read it? It's supposedly a rare book and the persons selling this are selling a copy not the 'original'. I know that when it concerns 'originality' it's not necessarily so. What are your opinions on this book? Sincerely, Melissa K.
 
Hey Melissa,

I've got Estelle Stead's 1913 book My Father. While I found it interesting, that was enough for me so I've not yet tracked down a copy of The Blue Island for my library. I have read it online at www attackingthedevil.co.uk/blueisland.htm (an excellent site written and maintained by Owen Mulpetre). Not quite the same as having a copy of the book, eh.

I appreciate your comment about reading it for a laugh as I approached some of the material in the same vein. Estelle Stead and Pardoe Woodman's painfully earnest and reassuring account knocked any unintentional humour out of it all for me, but I didn't find it all a compelling case for the verity of spiritualism either.

Just out of interest, what edition of The Blue Island do you have? The 1998 printing? Even though it's quite recent, Mike T rates it as scarce on his website.
 
Hi Fiona.. Yes it is the 1998 printing. Just ordered it though so I haven't gotten it yet.. Am looking forward to reading it out of curiosity. Thanks.. Melissa K.
 
Hi Melissa,
what the seller was trying to tell you when they said " the copy was not an original" is that it is a modern reprint of the original edition. the book was first published sometime around 1922-1924, I believe. as Fiona mentioned, even that later printing is pretty hard to find.

as far as the seriousness of it, I assure you that, although it may sound quaint and amusing to us now, this stuff was taken very seriously in many circles in the opening decades of the 20th century. there were so many reports of Stead's proclamations from beyond the grave that around 1913 a book was published which looked specifically into the phenomenon. it was called Has W.T. Stead Returned? !!!

Stead was certainly a fascinating individual. a bizarre mixture of street smarts, a keen insight into human nature, worldly wisdom, and yet an almost childlike naivete about taking this other-worldly stuff at face value.

two books that go into W.T. Stead's career quite nicely are George Behe's Titanic: Psychic Forewarnings of a Tragedy and Martin Gardner's Wreck of the Titanic Foretold?. both are excellent books and well worth adding to your collection.

all the best, Michael (TheManInBlack) T
 
Hi all.. I got my book 'The Blue Island' and have read it. I don't quite know what to say except that I of course don't take it seriously. There's nothing that is Scriptural about it for those of us who believe in God and the Bible, which I do. But still you can tell that the persons involved with the writing of this book seriously believed it. And if it were actually Wm. T. Stead then he certainly did believe everything that he was saying. It's hard to understand but after all I did buy it just for the laugh and of course for my collection (you know just to say that I have it?
Happy
And by the way Michael and Fiona.. when I got the copy it says that it was reprinted in 2002. So obviously they must have printed up copies. They are 52 sheets of paper put together, stapled and sold as a book. Somehow I thought that there would be a book cover etc. Sincerely, Melissa K.
 
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