Hélène Smith

This book is a rich, sensitive, and thought-provoking work that sheds new light on the role of female mediums and patients in the construction of psychological discourses. As Massicotte points out, H'el`ene Smith was not only a gifted medium, but also an active and creative contributor to contemporary scientific theories on the unconscious. This is an accurate and engaging account of the story of this extraordinary woman, her influence on scientists and artists, and her indispensable role in the history of psychology. * J'ulia Gyimesi, Head of Department, Department of Personality and Clinical Psychology, P'azm'any P'eter Catholic University * During her career as a medium in the late nineteenth century, H'el`ene Smith wrote poems, invented languages, developed herself as all-round artist, and even travelledDLin her astral bodyDLto other planets. Now, this example of female creativity, who lived at a time when only men were considered geniuses, is finally getting the spotlight she deserves. Massicotte's thoughtful study of this surrealist role model contributes significantly to the histories of psychoanalysis and of modern occultism. Telling Smith's story, it also sheds light on the gender dynamics at play in the modern discovery of the unconscious and the complexity of authorship both overcome and deepened, paradoxically, by creative women mediums. * Tessel M. Bauduin, author of Surrealism and the Occult: Occultism and Western Esotericism in the Work and Movement of Andr'e Breton *