The emphasis is on science, as most of the historical people the author discusses are involved in the sciences, but it is also a somewhat eclectic story involving the personal and professional lives of many fascinating individuals, including some women. There have been a couple of books written on the subject of spiritualism from a feminist perspective, so I found this book to be another unique approach to the subject and historical period. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who found the subject or historical period of interest--the writer has a very accessible style and seems to be associated with the University of Wisconsin. Wonder if she could be persuaded to come to a WisCon?