Synopses & Reviews
Salem, Massachusetts, 1692. In a plain meetinghouse a woman stands before her judges. The accusers, girls and young women, are fervent and overexcited. The accused is a poor, unpopular woman who had her first child before she was married. As the trial proceeds the girls begin to wail, tear their clothing, and scream that the woman is hurting them. Some of them expose wounds to the horrified onlookers, holding out the pins that have stabbed them -- pins that appeared as if by magic. Are they acting or are they really tormented by an unseen evil? Whatever the cause, the nightmare has begun: The witch trials will eventually claim twenty-five lives, shatter the community, and forever shape the American social conscience.
Review
"Readers will be swept up in this complex mystery."andlt;BRandgt; -- andlt;Iandgt;Publishers Weekly,andlt;/Iandgt; starred review
Review
"Excellent history writing."
-- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Review
"A highly readable narrative."
-- New York Times Book Review
Review
"A gripping, sophisticated narrative that establishes the contemporary relevance of this oft-recounted tale. A brilliant appendix discussing the relationship of historical events to Arthur Miller's andlt;Iandgt;The Crucibleandlt;/Iandgt; will be of great interest to readers of all ages."andlt;BRandgt; -- Mary Beth Norton, author of andlt;Iandgt;In the Devil's Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692andlt;/Iandgt;
Review
"A skillful retelling of the endlessly fascinating story of the 1692 witchcraft crisis for young readers...a gripping, sophisticated narrative."andlt;BRandgt; -- Mary Beth Norton
Review
"A legitimate piece of original scholarship that is at the same time an interesting narrative."andlt;BRandgt; -- andlt;Iandgt;School Library Journal,andlt;/Iandgt; starred review
Review
"A welcome book for young adults that would also serve regular adults much better than most books about the Salem witch trials. Beautifully written and accurate. Teachers should throw away other books they have been using for young adults and turn to this one."andlt;BRandgt; -- Bernard Rosenthal, author of andlt;Iandgt;Salem Story: Reading the Witch Trials of 1692andlt;/Iandgt;
Review
"Excellent history writing."andlt;BRandgt; -- andlt;Iandgt;Kirkus Reviews,andlt;/Iandgt; starred review
Review
"A highly readable narrative."andlt;BRandgt; -- andlt;Iandgt;New York Times Book Reviewandlt;/Iandgt;
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;Marc Aronsonandlt;/Bandgt; is the author of the critically acclaimed andlt;i andgt;Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Doradoandlt;/iandgt;, winner of the ALAand#8217;s first Robert L. Sibert Information Book Award for nonfiction and the andlt;Iandgt;Boston Globe-Hornandlt;/Iandgt; Book Award. He has won the LMP Award for editing and has a Ph.D. in American history from NYU. He lives with his wife and son in Maplewood, New Jersey.andlt;bandgt;Stephanie Andersonandlt;/bandgt; lives in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Her first picture book was andlt;Iandgt;Weaving the Rainbow,andlt;/iandgt; by George Ella Lyon, in which her art was praised by andlt;Iandgt;Kirkus Reviewsandlt;/iandgt; as "exquisite."
Table of Contents
CONTENTS: Note to the Reader
A Note About the Images in This Book
On Spelling, Word Usage, and Dates in This Book