Beyond the Gates

📘 Phelps (1844-1911) was an early feminist American author and intellectual who challenged traditional Christian beliefs of the afterlife, challenged women's traditional roles within marriage and family, and advocated clothing reform for women. Published in 1883, this is the second of her spirtualist novels, following on from the success of The Gates Ajar (1868) which, written in the wake of the Civil War with its huge toll on human life, gave a positive portrayal of death which struck a chord with many readers,