H.L. Rivail was born in Lyon in 1804. Like the majority of his family he was destined to become either a magistrate or barrister. But this was not to be. From an early age he became interested in science and philosophy. He studied in Lyon initially then moved to Yverdon in Switzerland where he studied with Professor Pestalozzi. He became a qualified teacher and had also studied medicine but financial worries forced him to take on a job, giving private lessons and keeping a close eye on his accounts. He was a tireless worker who, even at this early stage began writing books concerning pedagogy which were to be well known.
In 1854 Rivail heard about spiritist seances and turning tables. Friends asked him to join them and he began to take a great interest in it. One day he received a message from a “protective spirit” which said had known him in a previous life, during the Druid period. They had lived together in the Gaules : his name was Allan Kardec and he promised to help him accomplish the very important task that had been assigned to him. The information gathered by Rivail during the seances was published in a book “The Book of Spirits” which he signed Allan Kardec.
In 1858 he founded a magazine called “The Spiritist Review”. This was an arduous task as he had to confront insults, ridicule and the like. However, he carried on regardless, contacting spiritists all over the world to gather information. He published : “The Book of Mediums”, “The Evangelist”, “Genesis”, “Heaven and Hell” which, to this day, remain fundamental spiritist reading. 
Allan Kardec died at the age of 65 on March 31st 1869 of a heart condition. He had braved the ridicule and scorn of society and sacrificed his life to give life to a great idea : that of proving that there is life after death. He is buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, his tombstone resembling a dolmen in honour of his past life in which he was a Druid.

Bibliography.
The Life and Work of Allan Kardec” by André Moreil. 1977