Raymond, or Life and Death

English physicist Sir Oliver Lodge lost his son Raymond in World War One. He and his wife were committed spiritualists, and they claimed to have recorded contact by Raymond’s spirit from the afterlife.

This book is split into three parts. The first is dubbed the ‘Normal Portion’, which is a biographical account of Raymond’s life, his enrollment in the British Army, his letters and correspondence, and finally the fateful day in which he died fighting on the Western Front. Finally, a series of condolences from his fellow soldiers and ranking officers are included, attesting to the young man’s strength of spirit and bravery.

The second part of this book is titled ‘Supernormal Portion’, and recounts the various times in which the spirit of Raymond made contact with one or both of his parents. Already interested in the field of spiritualism and communicating with the spirits of the deceased, Oliver Lodge hired mediums to conduct séances, whereby they would attempt to contact Raymond. These sittings, which took place in 1915 and 1916, include dialogue and conversations the participants had with Raymond.

The final part of the book, entitled ‘Life and Death’, consists of essays by Oliver Lodge on the academic and scientific aspects of spiritualism. Notions that the mind remained intact after death, and on the nature of life, death and consciousness, are among the subjects discussed.