Elisha Kane (1820–57) was a famous US Arctic explorer who fell in love with the well-known New York spiritualist Margaret Fox (1836–93). When their secret engagement was revealed, it caused much controversy and Fox was later accused of fabricating their subsequent marriage. She wanted to publish their correspondence in 1862 to clear her name, but Kane's family - who disapproved of Fox and did not believe the couple ever married - halted the book's publication and they reached a settlement. When they failed to make agreed payments to Fox, she decided to publish the letters in 1866. The subsequent volume charts the couple's courtship from its beginnings in 1852 until Kane's death, and reveals the ups and downs of their tumultuous relationship, especially Kane's desire for Fox to stop her spiritualist practices. It presents an intimate account of the romance between two prominent nineteenth-century public figures.
