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10th out of 40 books
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Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft
The stark immediacy of what happened in 1692 has obscured the complex web of human passion which had been growing for more than a generation before building toward the climactic witch trials. "Salem Possessed explores the lives of the men and women who helped spin that web and who in the end found themselves entagled in it.
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
January 1st 1976
by Harvard University Press
(first published February 1974)
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Salem Possessed
By Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum
Review by Emily Farrar
The year 1692 and the name of “Salem” have gone down in U.S. history as one of the biggest “witch hunts” ever seen in our history. But most people don’t know much else about Salem past the witch trials of 1692 which claimed 19 lives. The story fascinates them, makes them hungry for juicy details, but they don’t really care to learn about the deeper political controversy that lead to the e...more
By Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum
Review by Emily Farrar
The year 1692 and the name of “Salem” have gone down in U.S. history as one of the biggest “witch hunts” ever seen in our history. But most people don’t know much else about Salem past the witch trials of 1692 which claimed 19 lives. The story fascinates them, makes them hungry for juicy details, but they don’t really care to learn about the deeper political controversy that lead to the e...more
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I read this in college in a lower division level U.S. History class and it is the book that has stayed most with me from those years. It explores the economics behind the Salem hysteria and gives a holistic overview of a topic that is generally skimmed over (and exploited) in our culture.
I first read this in the 1970's. A excellent study of the social dynamics that drove the witchcraft accusations and trials in Salem. If you love history you'll enjoy this book. And if you write about witches, witchcraft or use 17th century settings, you'll find this very informative.
All in all, an excellent read, though I take issue with B & N's use of tax records, the fairy-tail (wicked step-mother) projection motif that dominates the latter half of the book. psychoanalysis isn't easy to do, especially if it's only done by halves. In essence, I missed a more thorough effort to explore the psychological pressures that created this long-lasting catastrophe. I also disagree with N & B's decision to dismiss the girls and their psychological/political motives. To B & N, the gir...more
This didn't disappoint, giving me an introduction into the Salem witch trials and socio-economic conditions that contributed to that era in history. Not sure I completely understood or agreed with all the ideas presented, but the book gave me plenty to think about and increased my interest in the topic. The author's research and documentation substantiate many of the key points.
This was for a school assignment; however, it was an interesting take on why the Salem Witch Trials occurred. If you have any interest in this particular part of history, give it a try.
Ties the Salem Witch trials in with various socio-economic issues of 17th century New England. This book is not just about the trials so if you are looking for all the interesting details about the possessions look elsewhere. Well done book though.
Cutlerfamily
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This was a very interesting, if a bit slow read giving the back story for the Salem witch era in the 1690s. I really learned a lot.
This book opened my eyes to a new way of interpreting what the Salem witchcraft trials were about. Was it truly as is traditionally recorded an outbreak of witchcraft or was it something else? This is a great book. It read like a narrative. Some may think that this book drags but it is still a very interesting read.
Very interesting...
Revolutionary!!!
This book gave a very in depth description of the events surrounding the witch trials and accusations in Salem, MA, in 1692. I got it as a textbook for a class back in 1983 or so. It seems there must be a way to make the book more enjoyable and interesting. It was full of facts but lacked personality in some way.
Excellent read on the socio-economic and psycho-social factors that came to a head with the infamous Salem witch trials. This book will be of primary interest to serious students of history and individuals seeking a deeper understanding of the events that led up to and followed the witch trials of 1692.
The title was rather misleading; while it is an excellent social history of Salem Village and Salem Town politics and economics the book doesn't delve too deeply into the religious or psychological origins of witchcraft. I found myself continually flipping to the back of the book to see how many pages were left.
I never knew too much about the Salem trial. Nissenbaum does an amazing job of delving into the political turmoil that surrounded the area at this time and how the trials were more about polital and economic struggles than witchcraft. It was a fascinating book to read.
This book provides a different theory about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. I don't necessarily agree with the psychoanalysis presented in the book, but the economic theory laid out as a basis for the hysteria does hold weight.
The witch trials have always intrigued to me, so this particular High School AP History read was something I was completely on-board with. I still have this book and have toyed with picking up up for a re-read.
d to read this book several times throughout college and each time i picked up something i hadn't realized before. If you don't know much about the Salem Witch trials it is an excellent resource.
Excellent, detailed, gripping history. Not the sort of book one should attempt to write a HS English paper about, however.
Genevieve
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
witches, history enthusiasts
Shelves:
history
A great introduction to the Salem Witch Trials, which breaks down the trials both demographically and geographically.
The only book you need to read about the Salem Witch Trials. Wonderfully informative!
Still the undisputed champion of explanations for the witch trials.
Fascinating social critique of the oppression of women.
Megan
marked it as to-read
Monica
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Sue
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Paul S. Boyer is a U.S. cultural and intellectual historian (Ph.D., Harvard University, 1966) and is Merle Curti Professor of History Emeritus and former director (1993-2001) of the Institute for Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has held visiting professorships at UCLA, Northwestern University, and William & Mary; has received Guggenheim and Rockefeller Foundat...more
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