I grabbed this book over some interest in what was going on in the days of Sherlock Holmes and the spiriualist movement. Doyle give a great account of his activities and not only gives us an insight into the occult movement of that time, but into the early colonial days of Australia and New Zealand. Both the Historical and Geographical details are enough to make this a great read, but Conan Doyle also adds enough color and personal interest to make this a lively little travelogue. High recommendations. ( )