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A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience (Pivotal Moments in American History) Reprint Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 584 ratings

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Beginning in January 1692, Salem Village in colonial Massachusetts witnessed the largest and most lethal outbreak of witchcraft in early America. Villagers--mainly young women--suffered from unseen torments that caused them to writhe, shriek, and contort their bodies, complaining of pins stuck into their flesh and of being haunted by specters. Believing that they suffered from assaults by an invisible spirit, the community began a hunt to track down those responsible for the demonic work. The resulting Salem Witch Trials, culminating in the execution of 19 villagers, persists as one of the most mysterious and fascinating events in American history.

Historians have speculated on a web of possible causes for the witchcraft that stated in Salem and spread across the region-religious crisis, ergot poisoning, an encephalitis outbreak, frontier war hysteria--but most agree that there was no single factor. Rather, as Emerson Baker illustrates in this seminal new work, Salem was "a perfect storm": a unique convergence of conditions and events that produced something extraordinary throughout New England in 1692 and the following years, and which has haunted us ever since.

Baker shows how a range of factors in the Bay colony in the 1690s, including a new charter and government, a lethal frontier war, and religious and political conflicts, set the stage for the dramatic events in Salem. Engaging a range of perspectives, he looks at the key players in the outbreak--the accused witches and the people they allegedly bewitched, as well as the judges and government officials who prosecuted them--and wrestles with questions about why the Salem tragedy unfolded as it did, and why it has become an enduring legacy.

Salem in 1692 was a critical moment for the fading Puritan government of Massachusetts Bay, whose attempts to suppress the story of the trials and erase them from memory only fueled the popular imagination. Baker argues that the trials marked a turning point in colonial history from Puritan communalism to Yankee independence, from faith in collective conscience to skepticism toward moral governance. A brilliantly told tale,
A Storm of Witchcraft also puts Salem's storm into its broader context as a part of the ongoing narrative of American history and the history of the Atlantic World.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a necessary book for all of those who seek to find a balanced way to approach the time period, as the scale on which it is written provides an insight not only into the trials themselves, but into the lives of the turbulent and diverse populations that inhabited the American colonies."--Jeff Senger, Nova Religio

"His rock solid historical work and lively, engaging prose made this book both an indispensable contribution to scholarship and a delight to read. I suspect that this is the book on Salem witchcraft for this generation." --Scott D. Seay, Christian Theological Seminary

"...[A] cogent, readable, and comprehensive analysis of the literature on the Salem witch trials.... His emphasis on the choices made by individuals - to take action or remain passive - makes this work a welcome addition to our attempts to understand the significance of the Salem events of 1692." --Journal of American History

"Of many books about the Salem witch-trials, only a few really matter. This is one of them. Combining deep learning and clear-sighted good sense, A Storm of Witchcraft retells a story that has long managed to be familiar yet puzzling and misunderstood. Emerson Baker's masterly dissection of events is both genuinely original and utterly persuasive, not least because the importance of political circumstance, legal expediency and personal relationships seems obvious once it is pointed out. Baker reminds us that witchcraft was above all a religious crime, which took on terrifying significance at a time of extreme danger in New England's history. But his analysis of Salem's causal roots and painfully enduring ramifications does more than just demystify the trials: it illustrates universal truths about human emotions and their place in modern society." --Malcolm Gaskill, author of Witchfinders: a Seventeenth Century English Tragedy

"Baker, professor of history at Salem State College, places the trials in the larger context of American and English history, examining not only their prominent place in our collective memory, but also what made them so different from other witch trials of the era. Baker convincingly demonstrates that the trials were a pivotal point in American history and presents the mass hysteria surrounding them in very poignant terms." --Publisher's Weekly

"This extraordinarily researched, expertly written, and convincing study is suitable for and will appeal to a wide audience." --Library Journal

"By almost any measure, Emerson W. Baker's new history, A Storm of Witchcraft, is a masterpiece. Few volumes pass the exacting standards needed to be described as such. Baker's does.... Anyone interested in the Salem witch trials and the shaping of the nation should treat themselves to this book." --Maine Sunday Telegram

Book Description

A fascinating investigation of the Salem Witch Trials and their lasting influence on America's cultural imagination

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (October 1, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0190627808
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0190627805
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.3 x 8.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 584 ratings

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4.5 out of 5 stars
584 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-researched and informative. They describe it as a good read for history enthusiasts, providing a thoughtful introduction to the period. The book is described as well-documented and well-referenced.

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39 customers mention "Readability"34 positive5 negative

Customers find the book well-written and detailed. They describe it as an interesting and informative read that provides a good understanding of the topic.

"...Prof. Baker gives us not only a well researched and well-detailed book, he gives us a book that is easy to read and relate to...." Read more

"...It's a solid, modern, thoughtful introduction to the period, covering all of the major bases including the run-up and aftermath, and drawing at..." Read more

"...There was so much I had never come across before and it is all well sourced. Excellent for research but reads like a novel." Read more

"The book is well-researched and well-written. Lots of detail and more than I needed...." Read more

38 customers mention "Research quality"38 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's research quality excellent. They say it's well-researched, informative, and well-documented. The book is detailed and covers all the latest perspectives and theories on the Salem Witch trials. It explains all the different factors that could have influenced the events.

"...Prof. Baker gives us not only a well researched and well-detailed book, he gives us a book that is easy to read and relate to...." Read more

"...Instead of approaching the era on a straight timeline, he looks at it thematically - the accusers, the accused, the trials - making it easier to..." Read more

"I give it four stars because the content is there and it is a great book for those that want a general overview of what happened and why...." Read more

"...Excellent for research but reads like a novel." Read more

21 customers mention "History"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a good read for history buffs. They say it's an accessible, thoughtful introduction to the period covering all major bases. The book provides a comprehensive review of that time and place, explaining the times and how events evolved. Readers describe it as the best book on the subject and filled with new information.

"...This book is filled to brim with new information...." Read more

"...It's a solid, modern, thoughtful introduction to the period, covering all of the major bases including the run-up and aftermath, and drawing at..." Read more

"...bog (and bore) the reader down in the facts, but Baker keeps one's interest throughout...." Read more

"...of the Salem Witch Trials, I found this to be a comprehensive review of that time and place...." Read more

If you want it in great condition since it’s new you probably won’t get it
4 out of 5 stars
If you want it in great condition since it’s new you probably won’t get it
It seemed like it was packaged nice except when I opened it it was bent and the front cover was damage slightly. Over all it appears fine I just needed it for school so it should be ok
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2017
    This book has been sitting on my must read shelf since the year began. I have read the history of Salem and the Witch trails many times over the years and I still learn something new. This book is filled to brim with new information.
    Many books like to focus on victims, and some even focus on "the afflicted"; those that accused their neighbors of witchcraft. Professor Baker though goes much farther than that and talks about the judges, the people in power and in particular the two Mathers, Cotton and Increase, the learned ministers at the center of this storm.

    The term "A Perfect Storm" gets thrown around a lot, but here it is appropriate. There was so much going on here that made the witch craze happen here when it was dying out everywhere else. It really was the last gasp of a dying movement of the Old World in the New World.
    It was the start of the end of Pre-American Puritanism.
    In this book Salem and 1692 take on a level of cultural impact that the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 did in the United Kingdom.

    The book is long, 400+ pages, and full of names. But those names belonged to people and those people left others behind. So Prof. Baker also delves into the impact these witch trials had on the new experiment that would become America.
    This is easily one of those books you can read, do a little more research or reading on the subject elsewhere, and then come back to and learn something new still.
    If I have one complaint, and that is way too strong of a word, it is that the last chapter was not long enough. I would have loved to have learned more about the cultural impact of 1692 on modern culture and how it shaped America. But that would be a complete other book.

    Prof. Baker gives us not only a well researched and well-detailed book, he gives us a book that is easy to read and relate to. There was so much going on back in 1692 that we can relate to today.

    The history of Salem is the history of America. The witch trials of 1692 are also part of America; our darker past that some (like the town of Danvers to a degree) would like to forget.

    I also listened to the audio book. After listening to interviews with Prof. Baker I kinda wish he had narrated it himself.
    45 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2018
    If you're interested in learning about the Salem Witch hysteria of 1692/3, you'll find that bookstores and libraries are loaded with options, not to mention websites, podcasts and more - it can be overwhelming. (It's a topic worthy of so many books, of course!) Moreover, academic approaches to this period have varied widely over the last century, with more than a few pushing fairly fringe beliefs (i.e., "It was mold that made them do it!") into unjustified prominence or relying on incomplete records or rumors ("they were fortune-telling!") to advance arguments.

    Baker does none of that, with an accessible but scholarly look at the period and the hysteria. It's a solid, modern, thoughtful introduction to the period, covering all of the major bases including the run-up and aftermath, and drawing at least one fascinating parallel to present day.

    Instead of approaching the era on a straight timeline, he looks at it thematically - the accusers, the accused, the trials - making it easier to follow key trends and events as they unfold without being overwhelmed by Proctors, Putnams, etc.

    Since reading this, I've read a few other modern treatments of the Salem witch crisis; this remains my hands-down favorite, and the first one I'd recommend to anyone looking to learn more about this fascinating period in early American history.
    50 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2019
    I give it four stars because the content is there and it is a great book for those that want a general overview of what happened and why. Baker is a quality writer and historian. However this editor failed to do their job and there are many mistakes that distract one from the quality writing of the author. Sentence without spaces, typos, and words randomly inserted in wrong places here and there. The first 100 pages has multiple editorial mistakes. I am hoping the remaining 2/3rds are better. I will be avoiding books involving this editor in the future as it is pure laziness and detracts from the works credibility, unnecessarily so. I would hate for someone to start reading this book and return it just because the editor didn't, well, edit. One person complained about font size but it's equivalent to many well known paperback books such as Catcher in the Rye, Slaughterhouse Five, and the like. Fairly standard size in my opinion.

    The Salem witch trials were essentially a religious and political act of mass murder involving undesirables and opponents of the "afflicted". It just so happened that these "afflicted" were all directly related by blood or relationships and the accused had wronged them previously. This book does a great job of showing the issues at hand in detail instead of merely going over what happened. The sociopolitical and religious issues of the region and the direct area, the dominance of the accuser families in Salem Village, and the aftermath.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2022
    I bought this because it talks about my 9th great grandmother, Mary Perkins Bradbury but I soon found myself engrossed in the history. There was so much I had never come across before and it is all well sourced. Excellent for research but reads like a novel.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2022
    The book is well-researched and well-written. Lots of detail and more than I needed. It has a wonderful index (using about 7 or 8-point type face) and bibliography.

    However, the publisher sought to cut down the size of the book by using a 9 to 10 point font with tight kerning, no additional space between paragraphs, and very LARGE (dense) paragraphs. In short, there's damn little white space on the pages. I imagine the publisher's goal was to minimize the printing costs by condensing the book into a smaller form factor.

    When I purchase a trade paperback, I expect the typeface to be a reasonable size for reading. This book does not meet my expectations. I believe the publisher has done a disservice to the author.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jessica Rousseau
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very satisfied
    Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2024
    The book was in perfect condition. I finished reading it. It's a very good book, very informative, written and structured in a way that makes it entertaining to read. I recommend it.
  • Robin_reviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and readable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2020
    This book was recommended to me by the staff at the House of Seven Gables in Salem. It’s a great read, very detailed in terms of the history of Salem and Massachusetts generally, and meticulously researched with discussion of the individuals involved (including the afflicted, the accused and the judges). It presents a good review of scholarly literature on the Witch Trials and presents a comprehensive and sophisticated account and explanation of what happened. Despite its thoroughness, it’s very accessible and a gripping read.
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Happy
    Reviewed in Canada on November 22, 2019
    Xmas present for my daughter
  • Ray Richards
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bought as a gift
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2020
    Bought as a gift
  • Joseph Spicer
    1.0 out of 5 stars Very difficult read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2021
    Couldn't get past the second chapter. The writer does not make it easy. I read up to two books a week, on all sorts of topics but this book, albeit a fascinating take on the phenomenon was impossible to finish.