The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England

Karlsen, Carol F.

ISBN 10: 0679721843 / ISBN 13: 9780679721840

Published by Vintage, 1989

About this Item

The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued. The spine may show light wear. Pages may contain some notes or highlighting, and there might be a "From the library of" label. Boxed set packaging, shrink wrap, or included media like CDs may be missing.

Seller Inventory # BSM.17EC9

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England
• Publisher: Vintage
• Publication Date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0679721843
• ISBN 13: 9780679721840
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: good

About this title

Synopsis

Confessing to "Familiarity with the Devils." Mary Johnson, a servant, was executed by Connecticut officials in 1648. A wealthy Boston widow, Ann Hibbens, was hanged in 1656 for casting spells on her neighbors. In 1662, Ann Cole was "taken with very strange Fits," and fueled an outbreak of witchcraft accusations in Hartford a generation before the notorious events in Salem took place. The witch-hunting hysteria that seized New England in the late seventeenth century still haunts us today. Why were these and other women likely witches? Why were certain people vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft and possession? In this fascinating work, Professor Carol Karlsen of the University of Michigan draws a compelling, richly detailed portrait of the women who were persecuted as witches. And in what Kirkus Reviews calls "an enlightening contribution to U.S. historical studies." The Devil in the Shape of a Woman gives us an unforgettable look at a society in transition, where fears and witch hunts were manifestations of much deeper sexual, religious, and economic tensions.