Customer Reviews:
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 One of the Best Books on WITCHCRAFT December 29, 2007
This book I really enjoyed. As a matter of fact, I read it twice. It was well written, well researched, talked about the religious, historical, and psychological aspects of the subject, and it was in a context where it was easy to understand. I love the fact that it has a chronology of dates of the events that happened in the back of the book. I bought this book for someone else I knew for a gift, and they enjoyed it too. A great book for anyone who wants to read about the Salem Witch trials that offers a great knowledge and in depth research on the subject. A 5 star rating and a 10 on this book.
 Not what I thought it was... December 21, 2007
This smells like someone's agenda. Maybe living in Ann Arbor made my angry-radical-secular-feminist detector go off before I gave this book a fair shake, but this seems like a revision of the standard take on what happened. Probably a good read if that's what you're looking for.
 The Anatomy of Religious and Cultural Hysteria November 19, 2007
Before I read this work I was unaware of the amount of documentation that existed on the Salem witch trials. Ms. Hill takes this data and presents it in a cohesive flowing manner that draws the reader right into those terrible years.
Her analysis of the social and political aspects; detailed sketches of the players in the horrifc drama; and discriptions of the remarkable cruelty and inhumanity that superstition, self righteousness, and strictly controlled cultural repression generates is spellbinding.
Beyond this, it has applicability to our times: fanatical unquestioning devotion to a "truth", whether secular or religious, can lead otherwise well meaning people to commit terrible acts. We are well served to remember that.
Excellent read.
An early American tragedy October 14, 2007
This is not what I would call a book that you "can't put down," but it is well worth the time spent. This comprehensive account of the Salem witch trials is concerned not only with the historical events, but also delves into the reasons behind what fueled the witch-hunt. The political forces at work are examined in detail, as well as the psychology behind what enabled this tragedy.
Through extensive reasearch, the author reconstructs the environment of self-repression and religious extremism that defined the times. This account reads more like a narrative than a history book. The author includes many interesting asides, such as what the Puritans' days were like, what they ate for their meals, and how they lived in general, giving a realistic feel for the era. Her detailed description of the dungeon experience gives you a real appreciation of the cruelty these victims endured.
This is not your tourists' Salem. If you are interested in the real story behind the witchcraft fury, this well researched account recreates the Puritan experience in detail. The summary of key persons, chronology, and death toll at the end of the book serves as an excellent reference. Recommended reading for anyone interested in this era.
Quite informative, but dreadfully boring July 10, 2007
This book appears to be a well researched product, but it is very poorly written. In my opinion, an author needs to be a gifted prose writer to make a book readable and interesting. Frances Hill does not seem to possess that gift.
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