Sometime in 1912, Elsa Barker, an accomplished American Poetess, was visiting in Paris, when one night she found herself automatic writing, meaning that is someone other than her sub conscious was writing using her hand. The entity inspiring the writing, claimed to be Judge David Patterson Hatch. The judge explained that he had recently passed over and that he wanted to document his experiences on the other side in the form of letters that he would write through Elsa's hand. Until Elsa was convinced of the Judge's identity she referred to him as "X" Over the next three years over 130 letters were 'dictated' and published as a trilogy under the banner Letters from a Living Dean Man. The letters are now considered an essential guide to the afterlife; all are fascinating, informative, and inspirational, and required reading for anyone interested in life and death, the afterlife, and why we are here. Here is a sample of her introduction. If anyone asks the question, that do I myself think as to whether these letters are genuine communications from the invisible world, I should answer that I believe they are. In the personal and suppressed portions reference was often made to past events and to possessions of which I had no knowledge, and these references were verified. This leaves untouched the favorite telepathic theory of the psychologists. But if these letters were telepathed to me, by whom were they telepathed? Not by my friend who was present at the writing of many of them, for their contents were as much a surprise to her as to me. I wish, however, to state that I make no scientific claims about this book, for science demands tests and proofs. Save for the first letter signed "X" before I knew that Mr.-- was dead, or knew who "X" was, the book was not written under "test conditions," as the psychologists understand the term. As evidence of a soul's survival after bodily death, it must be accepted or rejected by each individual according to his or her temperament, experience, and inner conviction as to the truth of its contents. In the absence of "X" and without some other entity on the invisible side of Nature in whom I had a like degree of confidence, I could not produce another document of this kind. Against indiscriminate mediumship. I have still a strong and ineradicable prejudice, for I recognise its dangers both of obsession and deception. But for my faith in "X" and the faith of my Paris friend in me, this book could never have been. Doubt of the invisible author or of the visible medium would probably have paralysed both, for the purposes of this writing. The effect of these letters on me personally has been to remove entirely any fear of death which I may ever have had, to strengthen my belief in immortality, to make the life beyond the grave as real and vital as the life here in the sunshine. If they can give even to one other person the sense of exultant immortality which they have given to me, I shall feel repaid for my labour. To those who may feel inclined to blame me for publishing such a book I can only say that I have always tried to give my best to the world, and perhaps these letters are one of the best things that I have to give. ELSA BARKER.