Sorry, I did not enjoy this book. I did not think it was welll written and nor were the characters fully developed. The entire book was like reading one big dialogue. If you are looking for a book to learn more about the Salem Witch Trials, I don't recommend this one. I am going to try a nonfiction book instead.

I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. Even though it followed a similar narrative to say, any other novels written about the Salem Witch trials, it held my attention. I thought the pace of the story was good and that the overall writing style was vey good as well.

I think anyone who enjoys a good suspense story with a little historical relevance thrown in will enjoy this novel.

A six for a better than average historical account. This book strips away the mystery of the Salem witch trials and reveals a very human source of the hysteria. The possibilities of another "witch scare" exist still today. Understandable and insightful, it should be of interest to historians and to anyone who find this spotlight of American history intriguing.

I really enjoyed Starkey's version of the trials. One complaint I have seen is the inaccuracy of this book, however, I have seen many inaccuracies in many things. Truth beknown, a lot of "theory" is out there, from a time that there are scads of missing records from. Look at how many theories abound on the reason behind the hysteria itself. I very much enjoyed this book, and reccomend adding this to your Salem library.

I first read, "The Devil in Massachusetts" in the late1960s as part of a colonial history course. Having also an interest in psychology at that time, I was impressed with the story of the mass-hysteria and the book made a lasting impression on me.

I re-read the book following a visit to Salem, Massachusetts this summer. I had noticed the same mass-hysteria involving false charges of child-sexual abuse along with the recovered memory movement during the 1980s an 1990s. Although Starkey necessarily presents her tale against a background of religion and religious delusions, the contempory mass-hysteria has no apparent connection to religion but the reactions of the public (society) shows a distrubing duplication of the process of hysterical contagion.

Once a "cause", whether it be sexual abuse, gun control or other "hot-button" issue, is pushed into the limelight and kept there by fanatics of whatever stripe, abetted and given publicity by the media, the society (public) has almost a religious need to curtail critical thinking, accept accusation as proven fact, believe stories of impossible events and destroy their fellow citizens without compunction.

And that is the horror that is demonstrated by Starkey's work; and the naivete of the old, standby reassurances, "It couldn't happen in this day and age", "It could never happen here".

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "House of the Seven Gables" is an enjoyable read for anyone interested in classic American literature. Some readers consider Hawthorne's meticulous style of describing settings and characters frustrating, but they fail to realize that the story "The House of the Seven Gables" is in fact, settings and characters. The reader must realize that this book was written in 1851, so it lacks the showmanship of explosions and flying poltergeists, but if properly embraced, "The House of the Seven Gables" is a very enjoyable read. As I read this book, I felt that Hepzibah and Clifford were not the only characters attempting to rid themselves of a family curse. I felt that Hawthorne himself was attempting to exorcise the guilt brought on by his ancestor, John Hawthorne, who had presided over the Salem Witch Trials, hundred of years prior.

This book is really good. Very deep mystery about a dying witch's curse. It's not a fast-moving thriller, by a slow and methodical one. Every word is chosen so carefully by Hawthorne, that it is fun to read and a challenge for the mind to find the hidden meaning. The novel starts with a discription of the house- the house with human attributes and ends with a lone cat watching the fulfillment of a witch's curse. Really excellent. There's plenty of characterization, hints of incest, and omenious surrounding to keep the reader entertained. Love love loved it, read it in a college American literature class.

The story of "The House of Seven Gables" begins in the midst of Puritan New England (which Hawthorne paints characteristically, and forgiveably, quite bleak) with the fantastic tale of a severe dispute between stern Colonel Pyncheon and alleged wizard Matthew Maule over a piece of land. Maule is conveniently executed (while cursing Pyncheon) for his "crimes", and Pyncheon builds Seven Gables on the aforesaid land. Several years later, the colonel dies suddenly, supposedly the mark of Maule's curse, which is to forever haunt the Pyncheon mansion.

Several generations of Pyncheons come and go, and the family decays and whithers until it can boast only four remaining members, two of which are old and frail. But one, a Judge Pyncheon, rotten under his trim exterior, is up to unsurfaced mischief.

The story tends to move slowly (much of the meat of the plot is not encountered until nearly half-way through!), but every word bears weight. Hawthorne weaves his story in such a way that every moment spent getting to know the characters is crucial. Neither is the slow development boring: far from it! Relax, enjoy the pace, and allow yourself to feast on Hawthorne's brilliant prose. As Henry James once stated, "The House of Seven Gables" is "the closest approach we are likely to have to the Great American Novel."

I enjoyed Salem Falls, perhaps it wasn't as good as Keeping Faith or The Plain Truth, but it was an interesting read in it's own right.
The ending was predictable & the graphic details of Addie & Jack's sexual acts was a bit gratuitious but overall it was a decent book.
If you are a first time reader of Jodi Picoult, I would recommend you read her previous novels first, but if not Salem Falls still has the easy going writing style & interesting plots with a hint of courtroom drama.
It's worth a look.

This is the first of Jodi Picoult's novels that I've read, and I will definitely pick up her others at some point. Picoult is a master story-teller, and in this I give her top marks. She knows how to create characters that come alive and crawl under your skin, to the point where, if I had to put the book down for any length of time, they would stay with me in my mind and I would be vividly picturing what might happen next.

As a few other readers have commented though, the ending - in terms of who "wins" at least - is a bit predictable. However, there were always little niggling details that I kept turning over in my mind: "But what about...?" Even if you do have some sense of how things will turn out, there's always enough to make you want to keep reading. In fact, when I still had 180 pages to go, I simply lay in bed all day until I finished it (lucky I'm on summer holidays).

I'm not convinced that Jodi Picoult could ever win the Booker Prize with this novel, but it's still a great read. If you haven't read any of her other books, this is as good a place as any to start.

I swear, Jodi Picoult is a magic story weaver! I am so impressed with this novel and the fact that it completely surpassed my expectations, especially after reading the stellar Plain Truth. Salem Falls is so juicy and exciting, an intoxicating cocktail of everything I love in a suspensful, page-turning drama. And even though I had a strong hunch about the book's ending, it was no less exhilarating to watch it unfold.

Salem Falls tells the story of Jack St. Bride, a former teacher who, according to him, was wrongly accused of sexual assault against one of his students. After doing his time in jail, Jack heads out to start a new life and stumbles into the peaceful, sleepy town of Salem Falls. But it doesn't take long before his past catches up with him, and Jack finds himself fighting another battle for his life. And at its core is a quartet of girls, best friends who are part of a witches coven -- and one girl in particular who has the power to destroy Jack St. Bride.

A perfect blend of magick, power, desire and betrayal, with an explosive courtroom drama of an ending, Salem Falls will have any reader glued to their seats, feverishly turning pages. I loved this book and look forward to reading the rest of Jodi Picoult's novels.

Hansen claims to be original in stating that witchcraft really can be effective in a society that, like 1692 Salem, is convinced of its effectiveness. Of couse, in 1937 this view was already put forward by anthropologist Evans-Pritchard in his Witchcraft, Oracles And Magic Among The Azande. Hansen relies on (pathological) hysteria as the explanation of the accusing girls' behaviour, and sees judges, jurors and the mass of the population as neurotics. He offers no explanation as to why an epidemic of hysteria and neuroticism could break out, but is keen to rule out the repressiveness of Salem's Puritan society. Besides, he virtually eliminates fraud and intra-village rivalry as causes, though much of the evidence he presents suggests the opposite. A biased book at best. However, one has to bear in mind that it was written in 1969, well before the past decade witnessed new insights gaining ground. This is underlined by the fact that Hansen's bibliography mentions Margaret Murray's book, which is nowadays only read by would-be and/or do-it-yourself witches and not by serious students of the subject, as a "most important" work.

Chadwick Hansen's "Witchcraft at Salem" gives an interesting if controversial account of the infamous Salem Witch Trials that took place in Salem. Massachusetts in 1692. Hansen essentially claims that at least some of the accused persons who were tried and eventually hanged for witchcraft were, in fact, practicing witches.

Using contemporary accounts and the trial documents, Hansen relates the usual details of the rise and fall of the terrible dealings that took place that year in Salem Village. It chronicles how early in the year two young girls, the daughter and niece of Samuel Parris, the local minister, inexplicably fell ill and began experiencing terrible "fits" and suffering visions of nocurnal visitations by what the girls claimed were local witches. The girls had reportedly been experimenting with simple egg yolk divination, under the guide of the Parris' slave Tituba, a mixed-blood Arawak Indian from Barbados (not a full blooded African as has often been reported) to tell the identity of their future husbands. After being being accused of being a witch by the girls and beaten by Reverand Parris, Tituba confessed to not only being a witch, but having made a pact with the Devil himself. Tituba then went on to implicate two other women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. From there, the trials would sprial out of control into a bloodbath as neighbor accused neighbor and old jealousies lead to vengence. In all 19 people would be executed and at least 4 others would die as a result of the trials.

There has been much written on this popular subject, much of it contrary to each other in their theories of the origins and causes of the witchcraze. Theories have ranged from hysteria, food poisoning, to outright lies and falsehood. Hensen takes the view that several of the accused, notably Tituba, Bridget Bishop, and the Rev. George Burroghs (and perhaps others) were in fact practicing some form of witchcraft. He claims that while there is no direct evidence of Diabolic witchcraft or pacts with the Devil, several of these individuals could have been practicing forms of folk magic that would have opened them up to accusations. Tituba may have helped the girls perform a harmless form of divination by floating egg yolks in a glass of water to tell the girls romantic futures, though this type of thing was probably not uncommon in 17th century New England. Bridget Bishop was said to have had "poppets" hidden in her house, which could have been used as a form of image magic, and George Burroughs, a former minister in Salem, was rumored to have studied the occult, perhaps a bit too eagerly for his fellow townsfolk. Hensen's arguements are interesting but open to debate. Most other scholars who have written on this subject tend to dispute these theories citing lack of credible evidence to sustain the belief that any such witchery truly was taking place. While some of these individuals may have had some shady dealings or secretly practiced folk magic, one thing is certain, they were not witches. Despite this, Hensen does leave the door slightly cracked to the possibility of something more sinister going on in Salem then is generally admitted, which does make for some interesting reading.

This is one of the most scholarly, interesting books I have ever read on this subject. Too many people will settle for sensationalism and never understand the real story.

The Salem Witch trials, possibly one of the most analyzed and anomolous events in American history, are documented with basic accuracy in Hoffer's book. However, in an attempt to say something new about such an overdone subject, Hoffer fills his book with references to supposed neo-witch trials (the satanic craze surrounding heavy metal in the 1980's), makes references to popular culture, and even pulls in the godawful, ridiculous wheat ergot theory. In addition, the cover is absolutlely eye-hurting horrid. If you are forced to write a paper on this book, as I was, and must look at it for several weeks, I would sugggest a very good pair of sunglasses.

Peter Hoffer examines the roots of the witch hunt in Salem by actually telling the narrative of the the witch Tituba. He writes of slavery, family relationships and social relationships giving a fresh outlook to how the Salem witch hunt came to be. Students who would like to understand the Salem witch craft and are looking for an accurate book full of quotes dates and footnotes, yet at the same time not at all boring, should read "The Devil's Disciples". This book seems like a story being told and the reader really gets a feel of what it was like to be living at those times and what the people's mentality was like. You'll know the facts--but better yet, you'll feel the facts after you've read this book

This would have been an interesting book had it only consisted of the third part. In the two chapters making up this "Part 3: Probing the Persona" the author, at last, lives up to the expectation created by the subtitle "From Salem Witch Hunts to Modern Courtrooms", and adresses children's suggestibility, the interaction with the inquisitor and the social group, and the relevance of these factors in assessing the reliability of children's testimonies. However, one first has to plod through the book's two preceding and immensely tedious parts. In Part 1, the author describes, without much regard for nuances, the general setting of the witch hunts as well as a number of well known cases. In Part 2, he lengthily expatiates upon a Bamberg case. However, after having kicked around this subject for a 100 pages, the Bamberg "Witchboy" case is hardly instrumental to the argument in the concluding Part 3. Besides, the author's argument is, in my opinion, marred by the insistence with which Catholicism in general, and the Inquisition in particular, are invoked (sometimes explicitly, but mostly implicitly) as the evil driving forces par excellence behind the witch hunts.

The author's term "witch-children" is most insightfuland applicable to situations where children are under pressure andinterrogation. The book deals with the mindset of children who accuse adults of wrong-doings and how such children sense what the interrogator (once inquisitor; now lawyer, counselor, therapist) wants to hear. Leading questions encourage descriptions of adults' criminal acts that, in reality, don't exist. The book starts with examples from the time of the witch persecution (American as well as European) when children's accusations were taken as facts and led to severe punishment, including being burned alive. A latter part of the book deals with the psychological dynamics of children seeking revenge or aggrandizement by playing important and powerful roles in our modern life. It shows how the atmosphere of the modern courtroom resembles the old witch-hunt and how innocent people can be punished on the basis of children's fanciful denunciations - including accusations of sexual molestation, satanism, and even still witchcraft. There are two things that may disturb some readers. One is the author's prejudice when he blames religious beliefs for much of the historical persecutions. The other is his portrayal of children which strays far from our culture's stereotype of the innocent child. Nonetheless, I think this book is a worthwhile read -- interesting, insightful and of great value to counselors, therapists, teachers, and parents. END

This book may be the most exhaustive one ever written on the Salem witchcraft trials. I have read other books on the subject, but I found this one to be tough going. It is not a book for beginners. I have always wondered whether the girls were faking their seizure-like behavior, and I finally found the author's belief on the second to the last page. Author Norton believes the younger girls ages thirteen and under exhibited genuine fits for unknown causes. What about the physical causes such as bleeding and teeth marks, and what caused them? Did they injure themself? The author admits to not having an answer. Some of the older girls in their late teens and early twenties appear to have possibly taken part in collusion in their accusations of others. I guess if that is the case, and their victims were hanged for it, the girls could rightfully be accused of murder. I found parts of the book such as the trials of various ones tough going. The author has tied the witchcraft in Essex County, Massachusetts, to the Indian wars (King Philip's War and King William's War) in the area now known as Maine. If you haven't done any reading on this subject I would suggest you find one of several other books on Salem witchcraft that is available. This book would be suitable for those looking for a very detailed treatment of the subject. I based my rating of three stars on my interest level, but I'm sure those with a greater understanding of the subject would rate it higher.

Norton's book is not pleasurable reading, in the sense that it's difficult to get through. There are so many names and so many references, you just can't get a smooth read going.

However, it's so much better than the typical colonial american history book, it's worth the trouble. The witchraft hysteria has never been adequately explained, until now. Norton traces the accused and accusers to coastal Maine, where attacks by both French and native americans took a heavy toll in the 1670s and '80s, causing severe emotional trauma and generating gossip. Most coastal Maine families moved to northeast Massachusetts, to towns like Salem, Andover, Boxford, Haverhill, etc. and the accusers tended to come from them.

It's the only explanation that makes any sense. Previous attempts to portray the hysteria as resulting from economic divisions were never able to make sense of the judges sending twenty innocent people to their deaths with only the vaguest of evidence.

The author centers what is indubitably one of the most scholarly accounts I have yet read on the events in Salem on a new premise: That all the events were influenced by the Second Indian War and by the protagonists harrowing experiences during that conflict. Note that this doesn't exclude other causes, such as property disputes, envy, illicit affairs and the like that others have used in the past, and which are also mentioned in this book.

I don't know that I agree completely with what Norton is saying, although she does have several valid points. Either way, the book is a magnificent chronology and analysis (albeight colored by Norton's view) of one of the most puzzling events of our nation's early history. As an added bonus, her theory and her attempt at proof made her do a much better job of fitting in the events at Salem with what was happening in the rest of the New World at that time, as well as in England. It's certainly not casual reading, but it is a must read if you are interested in the subject.

All this peice of shit liturature

"The Devil in Salem Village: The Story of the Salem Witchcraft Trials" is more a history of these sordid events in colonial times rather than an explanation for how this madness could have happened. Author Laurel Van Der Linde begins in the middle of the story, with the hanging of five condemned witches, establish the height of the hysteria, before going back to the ancient beginnings of the trial and execution of witches. Van Der Linde makes it clear that thousands of supposed witches had been hanged or burned in England and Europe, and that the Salem Witch Trials were not the most famous but also the final trials of this sort in America. The chapter where she explains the theory and practice of witch hunting sets up the story of 17th-century Salem while the next explains the history of Salem Town and Salem Village as well as the Puritan codes under which the colonists lived.

The repeated cycle of accusations, trials, and executions are laid out in a simple and straightforward manner, with Van Der Linde pointing out the problematic elements of the accounts of the young girls. What becomes clear is how each success empowered these girls to go after new victims, including those who had been seen as pious community members, a respected minister, and, finally the wife of the Governor. This is a concise account, which will certainly introduce young readers to the historical facts. There are certainly other books that can provide more details and more analysis, but this is a solid first step.

The history of what happened in Salem in supplemented by quotations taken from the actual trial transcripts, which certainly makes this seem more real. There are also reproductions of Ann Putnam's sworn statement against Sarah Good, a bottle containing "witch pins" that witches were said to use ot torture victims, and the first page of a 1711 decree that cleared the names of several of the victims. This book is part of the Spotlight on American History series, which highlights a vital moment in U.S. history by placing events against a backdrop of the people, places, and times that made them possible (e.g., "Roanoke: The Story of the Lost Colony").

This piece of literature is very well written for a child doing a research projecy on this topic

Kirban's only attempts at fiction, "666" and "1000" are not as finely polished as the "Left Behind" novels, but still very readable.

"666" covers the same basic period as the entire "Left Behind" book series - and features George and his wife Helen (who is one of the ones taken in the Rapture).

The parallels between this book and the "Left Behind" novels are very striking. The story starts on a airplane. The husband is "left behind" and the wife and children raptured. George is quickly catapulted into direct confrontation with the Anti-Christ and his minions.

But that's not all - if you can find one of the combination books you'll even be able to read about the millennium period and what might happen during that time. Kirban's position as a born-again Arab really shine through in places. Kirban is not a novelist, though ... There are many places where an editor might have caught the fact that Kirban switches between first person and third person perspective without warning. there are other editorial mistakes, but not enough to make me want to put this book down until I had read it through.

But I won't ruin the whole novel here - just recommend that if you like the "Left Behind" books that this is a "must read"!

When I first read this book in 1973, I was 16 years old. It changed my life! While I am not in the habit of reviewing books, I feel this book worthy of a high rating if it is read in HIS spirit. I encourage all to read more of Salem Kirban's works...as I am sure he is a true man of God and a Christian. Also read the series from Tyndale House starting with "Left Behind"!

I'm not a critic or writer, but I think that every person who is a Christian and cares about someone they're not sure is saved, should have a copy of this book. I have read the Left Behind series. I read this book the first time about 15 years ago. What matters about this book is that, 1. The title gets the attention of anyone who sees it - who doesn't know the significance of the number 666; and 2. it only takes a few minutes for the person who IS left behind to figure it out - time enough to pray hard and get ready for what is to come.