Couverture / Jaquette

""Vera, The Medium"" by Richard Harding Davis is a novel that explores themes of spiritualism, deception, and psychological manipulation. Set in the late 19th century, the story centers on a young woman named Vera, who becomes a well-known medium, using her supposed ability to communicate with the dead to gain fame and fortune. As she rises to prominence, Vera's powers are put to the test when a series of events begins to reveal the complexities of her personal life and the true nature of her abilities. The novel examines the growing popularity of spiritualism during the time, a phenomenon that captivated many with the promise of connecting with lost loved ones. Through Vera's story, the book addresses the moral dilemmas surrounding falsehoods and the exploitation of human emotions, as well as the impact of greed and ambition. It also explores the conflict between belief and skepticism, as some characters begin to question whether Vera's gifts are genuine or if she is manipulating others for her own gain. The work touches on psychological tension, deception, and the darker sides of human nature in the pursuit of power and wealth.

Note biographique

Richard Harding Davis was an American journalist, fiction and drama writer who is best remembered for becoming the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish-American War, the Second Boer War, and WWI. His writing considerably helped Theodore Roosevelt's political career. He also played a significant effect in the evolution of American magazines. His impact extended to the world of fashion, and he is credited with popularizing the clean-shaven style among males at the start of the twentieth century. Davis was born April 18, 1864, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, Rebecca Harding Davis, was a well-known writer in her day. His father, Lemuel Clarke Davis, was a journalist who edited the Philadelphia Public Ledger. Davis attended Episcopal Academy when he was a young man. After an unsatisfactory year at Swarthmore College, Davis relocated to Lehigh University, where his uncle, H. Wilson Harding, was a professor. Davis' first book, a collection of short stories titled The Adventures of My Freshman (1884), was published while he was at Lehigh. Many of the tales had previously appeared in the student magazine, the Lehigh Burr. Davis attended Johns Hopkins University after transferring in 1885.

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