Description
Book SynopsisIncludes: five essays exploring the event, including historical background, interpretations, and aftermath; biographical sketches of every player involved in the trials, from ministers to afflicted girls; 50 document excerpts, including petitions, letters, and revealing trial testimony; a chronology of events; and an annotated bibliography.
Trade ReviewThis reference includes the comprehensive coverage that is so critical to an effective evaluation of any historical event….The chapters would provide a complete summary by themselves, but this book also includes a chronology of events, biographies of key figures involved, fifty primary source documents, a glossary of terms, an annotated bibliography, and a thorough index. Black and white photos and images of primary source documents enhance the text. An honest portrayal of the facts and evaluations of the Salem witch trials, this volume allows the reader to draw conclusions as to why these events happened. This book would be a great addition to any library. Recommended. * Library Media Connection *
Although more than 300 years have passed since they occurred, the Salem witch trials continue to command the interest of students, scholars, and the general public….Historian David Gross collects and reviews the evidence for these events….This assembledge of information and evidence allows the reader to draw their own conclusions regarding the witch trials. This collection on a perennially popular topic will serve high school, public, and academic audiences. * Lawrence Looks at Books *
In his well-written balanced tome, the author includes interpretations of the trials from the earliest historians to late-20th-centuray analysis. An array of relevant and instructive black-and-white photos and illustrations enhances the text. Fifty court-related primary documents, selectively detailed biographies of key trial figures, an annotated bibliography of primary and secondary sources, and an accurate chronology, glossary, and index are all appended….[M]eticulously researched * School Library Journal *
[T]he work deserves a place in public and college libraries. * Booklist *
His examination of the trials' continuing effect is thought provoking…a book that adds a valuable perspective to an historical episode that still affects us today. * ARBA *
As a reference guide on the Salem Witch Trials, this book fulfills its purpose. It concisely provides a variety of useful information for students who seek to understand the hunt in historical context. * Sixteenth Century Journal *
