Witch-Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials

by Marc Aronson

Salem, Massachusetts, 1692.

In a plain meetinghouse, a woman stands before her judges. The accusers, girls and young women, are fervent, overexcited, just on the edge of breaking out into convulsions. 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 have appeared as if by magic. Are the girls acting, or are they really tormented by an unseen evil? Whatever the cause, the nightmare in Salem has begun: The witch trials will eventually claim twenty-five lives, shatter the community, and forever shape the American social conscience.

Acclaimed historian Marc Aronson sifts through the facts, myths, half-truths, misinterpretations, and theories around the Salem witch trials to present us with a vivid narrative of one of the most compelling mysteries in American history. Witch-Hunt is a brilliant book that will stimulate and challenge readers to come to their own conclusions about what really happened during those terrifying months of accusations, trials, and executions.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Witches, Historical, Religion, American History, Witchcraft

272 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2003

About the author

Aronson has won many awards for his books for young readers and has a doctorate in American history. His lectures cover educational topics such as mysteries and controversies in American history, teenagers and their reading, the literary passions of boys, and always leave audiences asking for more.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/marcar...

Reviews

[Tom Mathews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writers about the Salem witch trials are like economists in that if you put five of them together in a room they will come up with at least six explanations as to what happened. Marc Aronson did a fairly creditable job of presenting the known facts and explaining several of the varying viewpoints and doing it in a manner that young adult audiences can easily grasp.

I particularly like the way he presented my 8x great grandmother Rebecca (Towne) Nurse and her sister Mary (Towne) Easty. These two women, when placed in the unenviable position of having to confess to witchcraft to save their lives, could not bring themselves to lie and went to their deaths as the fine Christian women that they were. Knowing that it was too late to save herself, Mary used her trial to appeal to the better nature of her neighbors.

'I petition to your honors not for my own life for I know I must die and my appointed time is set but...if it be possible no more innocent blood be shed'

She was hanged on September 22, 1692. Two weeks later Harvard President Increase Mather disallowed spectral evidence, effectively ending the executions.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book if you are curious about the known facts of the Salem Witch Trials between February 1692 and May 1693 in colonial Massachusetts. Nineteen were hung, one was pressed to death and another fifty confessed to being witches and so were not executed.

It is a YA book, but it is clear, informative and not childish. It is directed toward teenagers and tries to explain to them how and why this could have happened. I too was dumbfounded. It seems almost incomprehensible that the young accusers behaved as they did. In addition, there is a lot of information out there that is totally false. The author points out the falsehoods. In America, witches were not burned! The book has footnotes, a “Time-line of Milestones in Puritan History”, an index, bibliography and photographs. Don’t expect to see the house where the first trials were held; it doesn’t exist anymore, but there is a photo of the place!

Before reading I had a general idea: mass hysteria, personal gain, revenge and Puritanical beliefs. It can be hard to comprehend how the Puritans thought. The author draws parallels to modern times so we can better understand. We too might behave as those girls did; I am referring to the accusers. Why would the witches, the accused, confess to that which they hadn’t done? We do not have definitive answers, but I agree with the author’s conclusions. He even depicts controversial points of view, both contemporary and historical ones. All of this is convincingly explained. The author looks at the accusers, the accused, the judges and townspeople; all are studied in detail.

Although for the most part the writing is clear and to the point, sometimes it is diffuse and peculiarly “philosophical” in tone. At the end the starts analyzing literature, fiction versus non-fiction which is rather off topic! He points out the errors in Arthur Miller’s classic play The Crucible,also about the witch-hunts and trials in seventeenth-century Salem, but then gets all philosophical about its merits. OK, this is in an appendix!

[Catherine Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witch Hunt is one of the most informative, engrossing books I have ever read. Nonfiction is one of my least favorite genres, but this book really changed that. It poses interesting theories and has my mind going in a constant loop. Were the witches really witches? Although the book doesn’t answer this question, the reader leaves with a lingering sense of true human behavior. We mix our lies with truths.
This is meant to be a young adult book, but it doesn’t stretch the truth to make things seem less frightening then they were. It is clear and informative, following the trail of trials throughout Salem’s rise and fall. A perfect ending ties everything together perfectly, just like a nonfiction book should. I highly recommend this book for really anyone over 10 years old.

[Kirstin Dobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 (want to give 5, but just not quite there). The most clear and readable books I've read on this topic. And I've read a lot. This time in US history fascinates me-- since my ancestors are some of these famous "witches." If looking for detailed nonfiction this book doesn't succeed, but that was one thing I preferred-- many other books of this topic get bogged down in the details. Remember this book is more YA than most, so facts are factual but simplified. Especially enjoyed the discussion on Mary Easty (one of the last hanged) since less is usually written on her. Would like more on the prisoners that got released, however. Mostly liked the clear, concise end of the book though and its discussion of the "trials" conclusion. Many other books just list numerous peoples' names/stories, unclearly or jumbled together for pages. Others don't really finish it at all.

[audenbg · Rating 4 out of 5]

a super informative book that i absolutely adored!! i’m not usually an avid reader of nonfiction, but this hit the spot. and honestly the best part was the epilogue where the author insults and laughs at every other historian’s theories

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witch Hunt by Marc Aronson was a fantastic work of nonfiction. I had trepidations when I first began the book because I was afraid that it would read too much like a text book. But I found myself wanting to know what happened next so much that I hardly had the patience for turning the page! Although at times it may seem a little dry, the book reads like a novel rather than an academic piece.

Having read about the Salem Witch Trials prior to this work, I felt that Aronson gave a whole picture of what is known of the events. His audience is primarily young adults, but this text would be just as informative as a work written on the same subject for adult. Yet, he manages to make it an entertaining read as well.

I think this would not only be a useful tool for the classroom but perhaps a necessary tool to accompany Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Though the Crucible is a great representation of McCarthyism, it is a horrible representation of what happened during the Salem Witch Trials. So what is the purpose then of writing historically inaccurate fiction? With Hunt can reconcile this issues with students. Aronson includes a great piece in the appendix of Witch Hunt devoted to explaining the value of The Crucible, Miller's artistic license, and the value the play does have in understanding the witch trials. It is a very useful tool in giving students a full picture not only of Miller's work, but of the Salem Witch Trials as a whole.

[Dylan Kuragu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Felt like a very long essay. The end of this book expresses Marc's intent for this book to be used for future scholars (or that's how I interpreted it) and how we still have much to learn about accusations/accusers in the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. This genre was History and it shows, for me at least it feels like a college student's essay about the witch trials of 1692. The book is boring, hard to follow, and just overall hard to read with at least thinking of dropping the book, I would most definitely not recommend this book to anyone I know. I expected this book to be about a girl being accused of being a witch (which this book does but not as I expected) and how she deals with it Marc Aronson just presents evidence of what happened and people's experiences, or that's what I followed because this book is impressively hard to follow throughout its pages. One last thing to discuss, there were no characters to have a great connection to or a true understanding because Marc describes the accusations of what happened to them and bam new accused. (The new person that was accused) Overall do not waste your time reading this book it is a dry and stale way to describe some of the horrors these women went through.

[Indigo Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Witch-Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials. The protagonist in this book is the witches. The witches are seen as evil, manipulative, and cruel.The witches were accused of witchcraft or performing rituals, or things of the sort. The witches were then put on trials, and judged whether guilty or not guilty. Those accused were often women, but occasionally were men. Those who accused the “witch” would attend the trial, and scream in pain, or in fear, often claiming they were seeing the devil, or were being tormented by the “witch”. They would harm themselves to draw blood, and claim things like that the witch was using black magic, or dolls, to stab them with needles. They would all insist these things were happening, though no one knows quite sure why. The witches are often found guilty and are executed. They may be burned, drowned, beheaded, etc. The obstacles the protagonist faces are similar to ones people today face. Many people are often ostracized, bullied, tormented, etc. Although they aren’t put on trial and killed, they live similar lifestyles in some ways. For example, if a rumor were spread about someone being a witch, those rumors would spread like wildfire, and the one having the rumors would be treated poorly. These things still happen today, where is someone spreads a rumor about a student at school, people are quick to judge and ignore, often treating the other person unfairly.
I rated the book Witch-Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials by Marc Aronson a 4 out of 5 stars. The reason for this rating is because some of the stories in this book are sort of boring, or seem to be like other ones. There is also not a whole lot of evidence towards what the author is assuming, but it’s still definitely a good book. I think that this book is totally worth-while, and that it can teach some really good things to the reader. There were a lot of quotes I liked in the book, but my favorite one says, “Take the story of Sleeping Beauty. Once upon a time, the story begins, there was a royal couple unable to have children. When they finally do have a child, and hold a grand celebration, they slight one old women, while giving gifts to all the others. The old woman’s fury, her anger at not getting her due, make her decide to kill-or permanently put to sleep-the beautiful baby. Anyone who reads the fairy tale today is sure to care about the child. We want the old woman to be prevented from doing her evil deeds, maybe even killed. We are reacting in exactly the same way as did the villager who, for hundreds of years, condemned the witches. After all, the story leaves out two big questions: Why did the king and queen slight the old woman, and how were they able finally to have a child? One way to answer these questions is to see the old woman as a midwife, a wisewoman, the one who made sleeping Beauty’s birth possible.” This is just one example of the many things that the author mentions, which really holds a lot of depth and meaning. The more I think about this quote, the more things I think it is saying, or can mean. I think that this quote is saying that we cannot truly and surely judge anyone. We often hear of stories of people doing, or wanting to do horrible things, much like the old woman in the fairy tale, and we assume the worst of them, and want them punished, and maybe even killed. We can never really ever know the true story, or what was going on. Even if we are involved in what is happening, we can never know the sincerity, thoughts, and intentions of the other person. Unless we are an omniscient narrator, we can never know what the purpose of the actions of the other person were. This quote may also be trying to say that we need to see the bigger picture, and maybe be a little more sceptical. As you can see, this book has great lessons, and has a lot of thought and depth in the writing, and can often have good discussions inside of it.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and the research the author put into it to show the accuracy of the witch trials. I think the Salem Witch Trials will always be a subject people will talk about just due to the fact of how many Innocent people were executed.

[Paul H · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reason I chose this book was because I had recently done a simulation of the Salem Witch Trials, and it was something that I found very interesting and wanted to learn more about it. When I saw it on the shelf I knew it would be something that would be to my liking. It was kind of cool to learn something in History class then learn more in depth about it in my English class.

The story starts out by giving a little background and overview of what is happening and who the story is about. This is a nonfiction text explaining the series of trials that is now referred to as the “Salem Witch Trials.”The story takes place in the 1690’s in Salem Massachusetts, where three girls are being put on trial for what is said to be witchcraft. The girls are claiming that they are being controlled by a women that for some reason other people can’t see. All of a sudden a small village in Salem had become a place of chaos. Everybody was excusing everybody of witchcraft. In total over one hundred and fifty men, women, and children were put on trial. The fate of people was left to the courthouse, where nineteen people were sentenced to death by hanging. The events that took place in Salem was not the first time that something like this had happened. In the thirteenth century a very similar thing happened in Switzerland, many people were put on trial and accused of witchcraft. Back to the girls, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams were two of the more famous cases. They were only nine and eleven years old, but they were claiming that they were being possessed by the devil in the human form by a women. These girls had been seen in the woods singing and doing things that were completely foreign in this society. After a few months, there seemed to be more and more girls come down with the same symptoms. These girls were never accused never arrested, but an elderly women was arrested after being accused of doing it to the youth. The author then took a step back and gave their own personal voice in the book for the first time at the end of the book to wrap things up.

Something that I particularly liked was how at the end of the book the author kind of stepped in and gave it a modern day view on things instead of talking about things from the 1690’s. It did this by relating what happened to the events that took place on 9/11 and connecting them to what happened in Salem.

On the other hand, some things that I didn’t really like about this book is sometimes in would finish one chapter talking about one thing and then when it went onto the next chapter it felt like they were just completely changing the topic but that only happened a couple of times in the middle of the story.

[Teagan King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced and informative read!!

[Grace Pahs · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the world of Salem, Massachusetts, Salem witches is a things of the past. In 1692, women would stand before a judge as a accused witch. The accused is a poor, unpopular woman, a women who would have her first child before marriage. The trails would sometimes take days or hours. The girls that accused the women would start to wail, tear at their clothing, and scream that the women before them is hurting them - a truly horrifying thing. Many people say the girls are just acting or are they telling the truth?
The nightmare in Salem had just begun. The witch trials would soon claim twenty-five lives, some of the innocent and some of the guilty. The trials would shatter the community and would forever shape the town.
The Author, Marc Aronson, goes throughs the fact, myths. Aronson theories around the Salem witch trials, he presents to the readers with a vivid narrative of one of the most compelling mysteries in the Salem/American history.
Witch Hunt is a very interesting and brilliant book that will challenge the readers to help come to their own conclusions and theories about what really happened during the horrifying months of accusations, trials, and even the executions of who was really and witch and who was really innocent.

[Erica Herold · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Witch Hunt" by Marc Aronson is an amazing look at the facts and theories surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. Aronson begins the book with an introduction to the reader which states his objective: to correct false information and assumptions that surround the famous witch trials and the events which led to these trials. Aronson is more focused on summarizing and comparing the opinions, theories and research of various scholars on why the Salem Witch Trials happened than on battling specific falsehoods. He approaches the events from a very rational and psychological standpoint for the explanation of the Salem Witch Trials, but he mentions many others, from the theory that there were truly witches in Salem to the theory that the accusers were entangled in a deliberate conspiracy to defraud their victims.

The author uses careful presentation of the facts and theories, especially in his portrayal of the Puritans. Rather than portraying the Puritans as a warped society holding strange beliefs, as many historians have done in the past, he works to pull the reader into the Puritan world so that one can see the thinking from a Puritan standpoint. The author also demonstrates that those that spoke out against the trials were products of the same community and same religious convictions as the accusers, which myths have failed to do in some cases. The book is a historical as well as entertaining read that anyone that loves the Salem Witch Trials would find educational and yet interesting.

[Richard Bayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marc Aronson’s nonfiction novel Witch-Hunt provides a rare opportunity to examine and rationalize the folklore influences and the then shared popular beliefs that served as both an atmospheric background and central focus for the Salem Witch Trials, one of the most infamous events in early American History. Arson presents a deep meditation of science, psychology, sociology, and spirituality as his narration critically explores the historical and social realities of human greed, superstition, and fear, which ignited the extreme consequences of the Salem Witch Trials, by offering possible theories to the cataclysmic and escalating events that transpired. As an article of young adult non-fiction, Aronson discusses as well as explains how powerful the influence of religion is upon both past and modern society as he parallels modern and historical perspectives on the possibility of witchcraft’s existence in Salem while also weighing the rational explanation of accusing residents, ranging from the ignorant young to the most prestigious adults, of Salem exploiting steadfast, Puritan religious beliefs and folklore superstitions for social persecutions based on feelings of jealously, desired attention, and revenge.

[Naomi Hyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch-Hunt gives readers a look into the historical fascination that is The Salem Witch Trials. Aronson begins the novel asking readers to questions everything they know about the trials, and to reexamine which stories may be true and those that may be false. Aronson's objective is to correct any false information and assumptions that have developed from the trials. He presents information in a way that the reader can form their own assumptions and beliefs on the causes of the trials rather than being told a definitive explanation of the events that took place in Salem. Throughout the book Aronson examines many theories and helps readers question what they believe may be true. The accounts in the book are fascinating and thorough - never placing blame on one particular group. This book is a great read and would pair perfectly with a reading of The Crucible. Pairing these texts allow students to see how the events in Salem helped to lay the frame work for the fictional text, The Crucible. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the events that surrounded The Salem Witch Trials and the bizarre actions of those in Salem.

[Everardo garza · Rating 3 out of 5]

The WIth Hunt by Marc Aronson is a great book so far theres many interesting facts about my passt book The Crucible by ARthur Miller and the witch trials that occured in salem and in the small town i recommend this book to the people whom liked the Crucible mainly because the author Marc Aroson experes many different point of views in which the normal human would have about the Crucble once read. What brought me to read the book was the interesting way that Marc Aronson shows pictures to further anylise what the author is talking about for example theres a picture that stands out to me was how the puppets in the CRucible would of looked like and what each puppet is made from and in this casethe pupptes wheremadefromgoatskin.goat hair and a structure of sticks.So far this book has keept me on my feet and more interested as i keep reading hope to share alot more once finished reading.

[Sarah Maddaford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the narrative style of this book. There weren't very many pictures. The author explained that the pictures would have been basically dramatizations or recreations instead of actual images of the trials. There are very few portraits of people involved in the trials, which means that the descriptions given in the pretrial hearings and trials are the only link to what these people looked like. The book presented several well-informed opinions for the reasons behind the accusers' behavior as well as the political and social climate in which the trials occured. I had never heard that Indian attacks in previous years might have been a factor in the hysteria of the accusers. This is a very unique perspective and was well supported.

[Britney Milligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book to read as a book review for my college history class. I think this is a very good book. However, knowing this is a childrens/ middle school based book for young adults I thought the extensiveness of information was a little over the top... The 1st Chapter doesn't even start until page 43 and he uses a lot of the points and arguments he tries to make in a present tense stance. The last chapter ends on page 205. The book has 272 pages and we were supposed to choose one with at least 225 pages. Which me and my professor both agreed would make a good book for a review after I had chosen it. Over all I think it is a good book.

[Alyssa]

Alyssa Morres
Informational

This is a great informational book about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. In the very beginning of the book Marc has a "note to reader" section where he talks about how on one still knows the exact events of the this time. In the story he tries to get you thinking as a teen into what led to the actions of the girls who started these. Which makes sense since they were mostly teenage girls. Great informational book that will leave you wanting to read more about it.

[Elizabeth Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

While slow and not the most thrilling thing I’ve ever read, an interesting and accessible book about the Salem Witch Trials as they really happened, touching also on how it has been perceived over the years. Lots of back matter for further study, including a brief piece about The Crucible that I would definitely use in the classroom.

(PG rating)

Grades 7-12

Pairs well with: The Crucible (Arthur Miller)

[Hanaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch Hunt is a great YA book filled with translated court documents, and mythologies around witchcraft.

[Holly Pascoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched hence providing new information that supersedes much of the historical "rumors" passed down the centuries.

[amberrr · Rating 1 out of 5]

nothing rly happened and i was extremely confused 1/5

[-ella- · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4/5 stars

[Pam Carraway · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldnt even finish it. Interesting topic, boring presentation of the history

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars*

[Ethan Crowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I debated on whether or not to read Marc Aronson's Witch-Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials as I had already gone through the excellent A Delusion of Satan by Frances Hill and wasn't sure that a book aimed at young people would cover any new ground that I wasn't already familiar with. To a large degree, I was correct. Witch-Hunt is a passable entry into the Salem Witch Trials library of books that provides a surface level view of the events of 1692. The book was written in the early 2000's and views the events through that historical lens as the author makes reference to September 11th, 2001 and the War on Terror that followed.

Aronson has the nuts and bolts of the events down but I think what frustrated me most was how he breezed through pivotal scenes and also seemed to be barking up all sorts of the wrong trees. For one, he (like some others) spent more time on the Putnam/Porter feud than I think was necessary. While it may have influenced the girls slightly, it's often overstated when studying the precursors to Salem's hysteria. Also, he was oddly sympathetic at times in his characterization of the judges behavior? I understand the judges themselves may be fanatical (and perhaps delusional) but Aronson just seemed soft on Samuel Parris especially. Finally, Rebecca Nurse, to me, was the turning point in the accusations. This represented the pivotal shift from accusing social outcasts and minorities (i.e. those who society already viewed at the lowest rung of the economic ladder and would least defend) into something else entirely. And while Rebecca Nurse is covered, the hanging itself was barely mentioned in the book. Perhaps one quick sentence. This is simply not the best way to introduce someone to the Salem Witch Trials. The hangings were a culmination of evil of the highest magnitude. Perhaps the author felt, since this is aimed at teenagers, he would avoid the overtly violent?

In fairness, Arsonson has his strengths as well. He mentions the constant threat of Indian attacks and the previous bouts that left some disabled, George Burroughs tragic downfall and the recanted accuser who prayed with him, and he does a fine job examining the play The Crucible, based on Salem. He contrasts the Committee of Unamerican Activities of the 1950's with the Witchhunt Hysteria, which is a spot on critique. He also makes a brilliant observation that it was Puritanism itself that prevented many accused from ever admitting guilt (i.e lying). Finally, he gives a brief recap of other Salem related literature and his own short review/recommendation of what's out there.

Salem fascinates me. The history and lessons are so very powerful and relevant. That said, Aronson's book, while not void of good content, is not one that I would recommend for newcomers looking to learn about the trials. There are better options out there.

[Panther Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure, it’s history. But it’s even better as a well-told fascinating story. Ronson identifies all sorts of rivalries and motives to help make sense of the senseless Salem Witch Trials. And there’s a compelling cast of real-life villains and heroes and tortured souls.

I was predisposed to dislike Ann Putnam and the other girls who triggered the accusations. They come across as irresponsible brats, with little awareness and even less concern for all the pain they inspire. But I wasn’t aware of the Putnam-Porter family feud, or the amazing defiance of Mary Easty. It’s also interesting to learn about which of the Puritan elders tried to temper the mania, as well as those who encouraged the vengeance and judgment.

It’s difficult to accept the way the 17th century courts dealt with the lack of evidence. They had the impossible task of assigning guilt to alleged servants of Satan. Some defendants and spokesmen pressed the argument: If the Devil is ultimately to blame for all these transgressions, how can individual mortals be held responsible? And how can the prosecutors and their speculative claims be trusted as pure and not profane? It hurts to read about this period of history, and that makes it even more important to learn about, even if it can never be fully understood.

On the other hand, even though the details are incredible, Aronson’s research hasn’t changed my interpretation of the most likely sequence of events. Some girls thought it would be fun to attack the most vulnerable and/or hated of their neighbors. Some Puritan town leaders saw an opportunity for spiritual cleansing, or their own gain, and encouraged the proceedings. And once they got going, none of them had the courage or compassion or good sense to stop.

And it takes a few chapters for Aronson to get to the story itself. I don’t especially like his initial historiography. It’s good to be reminded that we will never know the full truth of why the trials got so out of control. But his connection to fairy tales seems strained and underwhelming. And I don’t care so much about the argument of who exactly Tituba was. This is one reason why Aronson’s initial analysis of other Witch Trial stories seems harsh.

Which is why I was pleasantly surprised by his praise for The Crucible in his final section. Aronson makes an excellent point. The Crucible isn’t history, and shouldn’t be seen or read as a dramatic retelling of the facts. It is, however, a powerful statement against all the worst excesses of group think that the Salem Witch Trials should warn us against. This book makes that same powerful statement, and gets the facts as straight as seems possible. That’s what makes it great.

[Janine Treannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be quite the interesting read. Though I can't compare to any other books, I found this book to give some interesting insights into the famous witch trails of Salem Massachusetts.

Before the trails ever occurred there had been a lot of different events going on such as wars, people fleeing from England, England getting a new king just about every year to every other year, laws being passed here and in England and everything else effecting the people.

I also found it very interesting that Salem in Hebrew means: Peaceful; complete. It comes from the Hebrew word Shalom.

There had also been a big problem between two of the top leading families of Salem. The Putnams and the Porters. While the Putnams were farmers the Porters were involved in trade. The problem was the Putnam family had no easy route to market and when they tried for a different route through ironworks to extract ore from their land, it was burned down by an unhappy employee hence leaving them with several lawsuits, but the Porters were having much better success. So the laws of the Puritan ways were starting to come apart.

This book really makes you think about what was really going on in the town of Salem MA. especially where many of the accusers were young girls, more or less teenagers and usually the same ones every time. One of them being Ann Putnam jr. who growing up probably heard many different stories of people making it big without working too hard (the Porter family), conspiracies and other types of shenanigans that did not bode well with the Puritan ways of life and God.

[Lorna Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the age range this is recommended and written for it's a very thorough and comprehensive one, as well as digestable without dumbing down or simplifying any portion of the Salem Witch Trials.

I do wish there had been more included on the victims, beyond the timeline mapped out in the back. Giles Corey for instance, gets swept under the rug. Why he was killed is very quickly explained away in a sentence, but I think could've done with more specifics. There also could have been something about jail conditions. And while many of the original accusers were probably hard to trace, there isn't much closure there either. What became of the main accusers? Even a bit of conjecture here at least would've felt complete. The major accusers, Ann Putnam Jr, is of course mentioned, along with the death of her parents, but what became of the other girls? If I was reading this is high school alongside The Crucible or on it's own, i'd want some scrap beyond Ann's iffy apology to the town. (Take note teachers, that would be an excellent discussion point-- what would have become of the girls in everyday post-trials Salem?)
Really though, these are minor quibbles from someone who's been reading about Salem for years now, because Aronson does a fantastic and impressive job. The essay about The Crucible alone, not to mention the in depth notes, bibliography and index made this book worth it.