Witch: A Tale of Terror

by Sam Harris

For centuries in Europe, innocent men and women were murdered for the imaginary crime of witchcraft. This was a mass delusion and moral panic, driven by pious superstition and a deadly commitment to religious conformity. In Witch: A Tale of Terror, best-selling author Sam Harris introduces and reads from Charles Mackay's beloved book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Religion, Witchcraft, Witches

Audible Audio

First published January 13, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Sam Harris (born 1967) is an American non-fiction writer, philosopher and neuroscientist. He is the author of The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason (2004), which won the 2005 PEN/Martha Albrand Award, and Letter to a Christian Nation (2006), a rejoinder to the criticism his first book attracted. His new book, The Moral Landscape, explores how science might determine human values.

After coming under intense criticism in response to his attacks on dogmatic religious belief, Harris is cautious about revealing details of his personal life and history. He has said that he was raised by a Jewish mother and a Quaker father, and he told Newsweek that as a child, he "declined to be bar mitzvahed." He attended Stanford University as an English major, but dropped out of school following a life-altering experience with MDMA. During this period he studied Buddhism and meditation, and claims to have read hundreds of books on religion. In an August 21, 2009 appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, Harris stated that he grew up in a secular home and his parents never discussed God. He has stated, however, that he has always had an interest in religion.

After eleven years, he returned to Stanford and completed a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy. In 2009, he obtained his Ph.D. degree in neuroscience at University of California, Los Angeles, using functional magnetic resonance imaging to conduct research into the neural basis of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty.

-source, plus more info

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING. When in chapter 10 Mr Harris intones a spell which it is claimed by McKay to be used to turn someone into a goat, i verily became that cloven-hoofed creature upon an instant. This alone would be an issue in the best of circumstances, but I happened to be driving to the airport at the time. Let me tell you, a goat's leg and a stick shift do not for jolly companions make. I shall naturally be initiating legal proceedings against Mr Harris for this unforewarned witchcraft.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I will continue my quest to find out exactly when America was great so it can be again!
Ps it wasn't the 1600's

[Morgan Blackledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Harris is one of my favorite intellectuals. He's utterly brilliant and he's absolutely relentless.

One of the things I appreciate about his work is its (a) intensity and (b) brevity.

He's the king of short, sharp daggers to the brain. This book is no exception.

It's not one of his original works though. It's actually him reading (audio book version) excerpts from Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by 19th century Scottish journalist and poet Sam MacKay.

The selected readings chronicle witch trails, and the subsequent torture and mass murder of (mostly) women based on straight nonsense.

The irony is that the persecutors of the witches blamed their victims of committing evil and witchcraft.

But the which hunters were themselves the evil doers, and the closest thing to witchcraft present was their own kooky beliefs and flawed methodologies.

The obvious analogy is to contemporary religious zealotry and other faulty thinking that Harris has dedicated his career to challenging.

Religion is clearly not the only culprit. Any kind of wack ass ideology will suffice, particularly the political variety.

Mix the two together and the result is a terrifically foul and toxic brew.

Precisely the type that appears to be bubbling up from the bowels of the American psyche at present.

Although the work is clearly salacious, it hammers home the point that people can be ridiculously cruel when caught in the spell of flawed thinking.

The witch trails are almost comic with the benefit of two hundred plus years of distance between us and them. But horrific when you consider that those were real people being burned alive.

The book is an unvarnished rendering of violent misogyny, timely in that it is clearly analogous to the misogyny and backward thinking of our current age.

Nice job Mr. Harris.

[Isil Arican · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.”

This year I read many horror books & stories, but by far this one was the most horror filled book I read, with the sad fact that this is not a fiction book but an actual piece of the history.

This book is shortened selected readings from Charles Mackay's book: "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds". It was originally published in 1841 and this book is an excerpt from the original's "Witch-Mania" section. The writer dives deep to various witch-hunting stories from the history, and recounts various cases of witch trials and notable documented court accounts. In a sense this is one of the first social psychology books, displaying a horrific aspects of group psychology and mass delusion.

According to the record, during the Witch-hunt mass delusion there has been around 100,000 official executions - which excludes town lynchings and any other unofficial punishment for witchcraft. Mackay gives a glimpse of how these accusations took place and how group of people were so delusional that they did not hesitate to burn innocent women, sometimes men and even children without a flinch.

The book displays the dark side of humans - the power of confirmation bias and self deceit. I think everyone should either read this version or the original long version to understand what we are capable of as human beings and why it is important to understand our mental weaknesses and why we should all take time to develop critical thinking skills.

[Brendan Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crowd: We have found a witch. May we burn her?
Inquisitor: How do you know she is a witch?
Crowd: She looks like one!
Inquisitor: Bring her forward.
Woman: I'm not a witch! I'm not a witch!
Inquisitor: But you are dressed as one.

Oh, you'll pardon me, but I simply couldn't resist. Monty Python did such an excellent job of skewering this bizarre period in European history that I simply can't think about Salem or witches without quoting the above. But while this book, like Monty Python, ridicules the witch frenzy that swept Europe, predominantly from the 15th to late 18th centuries, and puritan America, it does so based purely on accounts of the time. Narrated by Sam Harris, "Witch: A Tale of Terror" is actually excerpted from Charles Mackay's "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" which was published in 1841 and is still famous today for its analysis of market psychology.

Though this is by no means a long or especially thorough account of those wicked times, it is an excellent overview and a good slap in the face to all those Christians who fail to remember the atrocities committed in their religion's name - justified by baroque verses from the Bible about witchcraft.

Sam Harris was obviously an inspired narrative choice for a book dealing with such a fiery religious subject matter, and this is recommended reading to history buffs and fans of enchantment alike.

Now, to return to the Monty Python take on it ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMh...

[Sohvi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is surprisingly modern, considering how old the original book of Charles MacKay is. You can still see the time in some things, for example MacKay clearly expects that his readers are all men.

The book itself is really short and slightly repetative. Since this is only part of the original book I would have maybe edited and republished the whole thing.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truly horrific that people were tortured to the point of “confessing” witchcraft then were killed. Over and over again. A bit dry in places, but overall an interesting history.

[Daryll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bewitching.

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger Warning: Contains American pronunciations of British locations.

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Sam Harris reads out a chapter, listing persecution against alleged witches from Charles Mackay’s book. Before there was Douglas Murray’s Madness of Crowds and the modern witch hunts of cancel culture, Mackay was calling attention to his own era’s Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.

[Otavio Galileu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a dry book - set as a series of horrific cases of people accused of and condemned for Witchcraft in Europe. The book's formula is essentially a case study of different real stories of supposed Witches in several countries (with a very brief view of Salem, but the real focus is Europe). These were presented in a way to showcase the mass hysteria, and the relative ease in which so many people were accused and burned for this "crime." As well as the outlandish accusations, as the author goes in quite a bit of detail. Aside from the repetitiveness and relatively dry delivery it was quite an interesting book! And quite short as well - would recommend to anyone interested in the historic aspects of the Witch Hunts in Europe! With the current state of the world, these cases also bring a new unsettling layer of recognition that's a bit hard to shake.

[Anniken Haga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this as an audiobook
A rather short book with a lot of information about the Witch Hunt of the 1600 and 1700, also with some info from modern times.

A lot of info, gathered in an easy enough to understand way.
The narrator had a calm and warm voice, and while I think some might find him boring and tiresome, I liked his voice for this kind of book.

Only thing I'm a bit sad about, is that I feel I missed something, but Im not in the mood to go back and check to see if I really did or not

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical accounting of the witch hunts of history. There is an emphasis on the popular beliefs and the crowd behaviours that sustained it for so long. It is never boring but does become repetitive somewhat, horrific always.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was facilitating and sad. I've read quite a bit about the witch hunts before, but this went into great detail about the superstitions behind them. Very interesting.

[Anders Rasmussen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an excerpt from the book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay. He wrote this book in 1841, almost 200 years ago. Based on the excerpt, the title more or less says it all. The book, which has a slightly catalog-esque feel to it, describes a number of cases where a person, usually a woman or a girl, was accused of being a witch. It also gives you a brief history of witch hunts - from its peak in the beginning of the 17th century to the end in the late 18th century (although in some countries people still believe in witches).

It is entertaining in - a macabre kind of way – to read about the witch trials. Although I have read a fair amount about witches, I am still amazed every time I read about the trials. Witness accounts in which someone claimed to have seen a cat that looked like the accused were taken seriously. Experts claimed that if you talk at loud to yourself then you are definitively possessed by a demon and must, therefore, be a witch. I am guessing that to some extent the witch hunts were a way to satisfy the crowd's lust for blood and their desire for vengeance over the extreme hardships in their life. We should keep this in mind today when people on social media seem to think that they are better jurors than the people working within the judicial system.

If you want a brief introduction to the history of the witch-hunt, with a European bias, then this book is a good buy. However, you can get more detailed accounts (remember that this is an excerpt) and while the book has a Sam Harris feel to it, only small parts of it were actually authored by him.

[Paul Spence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an excerpt from the book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay. He wrote this book in 1841, almost 200 years ago. Based on the excerpt, the title more or less says it all. The book, which has a slightly catalog-esque feel to it, describes a number of cases where a person, usually a woman or a girl, was accused of being a witch. It also gives you a brief history of witch hunts - from its peak in the beginning of the 17th century to the end in the late 18th century (although in some countries people still believe in witches).

It is entertaining in - a macabre kind of way – to read about the witch trials. Although I have read a fair amount about witches, I am still amazed every time I read about the trials. Witness accounts in which someone claimed to have seen a cat that looked like the accused were taken seriously. Experts claimed that if you talk at loud to yourself then you are definitively possessed by a demon and must, therefore, be a witch. I am guessing that to some extent the witch hunts were a way to satisfy the crowd's lust for blood and their desire for vengeance over the extreme hardships in their life. We should keep this in mind today when people on social media seem to think that they are better jurors than the people working within the judicial system.

If you want a brief introduction to the history of the witch-hunt, with a European bias, then this book is a good buy. However, you can get more detailed accounts (remember that this is an excerpt) and while the book has a Sam Harris feel to it, only small parts of it were actually authored by him.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humans have a long history of using the State as a weapon against others, rather than using the State as a tool of justice. This book is a perfect example. It was thought that the mere accusation of witchcraft was sufficient to put a woman to death. People time and time again used the most absurd reasons for the claim of being a witch. Some included: she was the prettiest girl in the area; she was from the richest family; she gave somebody a slightly wrong look; she was ugly; she talked to someone, then the person fell sick; and so on and so on.

What was equally as scary, was the low level of evidence required to sentence a woman to death. The argument they used was, 'If we have a high level of evidence to prove witchcraft, then many witches that can't be proven to be a witch, will be let free.' And here's the scary part: these same arguments are being used today but in other areas. However, I won't mention them as they're too politically charged.

The purpose of this book was to show the extreme consequences of superstition. However, I put a different spin on it. The same set of facts demonstrates: 1) Why we employ the philosophy of 'innocent until proven guilty', and 2) why we have a high standard of evidence.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually an excerpt from Charles Mackay's Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds originally published in 1841, the narrator focused on the insanity that struck England, Scotland, France and most of Europe in the regards to the existence of witches, the brutality of those who questioned those accused of witchcraft and the mob mentality when faced with pious fanaticism and fear of non-conformity. The humiliation that the interrogators inflicted on their victims may have been tied to an actual sense of religious devotion but there seems to also be a equal amount of 'witch-finders' that masqueraded as authentic and devote while actually focused on the money they could get from the town-folk as well as extort from the wealthy in order to avoid their accusations. And there is very much a sense of those who poked up to 3-inch pins into suspected 'witch marks' was more like sadism and a bit of perversion.

The saddest part is that most believe that these are actions that happened in the depths of the middle ages. The United States had the Salem witch trials in 1692 but it was another century before the "last" execution for witchcraft occurred, which ranged from 1727 in Scotland, 1782 in Switzerland and 1811 in Prussia.

2024-005

[Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting catalog of the witch trials in Europe and Massachusetts written by Charles Murray in the mid 19th century. A bit repetitive, but that is because it is describing the actual events many of which have a similar characteristic. It includes all the terrible truths about tests for witches that were ridiculously unfair and about testimony that was incredible in its stupidity.
It whets the appetite for a more comprehensive description of what led to the waves of witchcraft trials. They appear to have often been attacks on the "other" where that might be foreigners or old women alone in the world and somewhat around the bend. Why did they occur where and when they occurred? There are also uncomfortable analogies to be seen in modern times as we appear to be moving away from an age of reason.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book itself was meh, but the history of witches across the world (nope, it wasn't just Salem), is shocking and rooted in mania. It was interesting to read about the reasons given for executing witches, and even more interesting were the people who willingly confessed to witchcraft before ever being accused.
The stories and folklore surrounding witches vary, and many countries tell the same or similar stories. One of my favorites, which I don't know if I believe actually was given as a means for execution, was of a man who was attacked by a wild animal. He managed to cut off it's front paw, and when he came home to his wife, saw that she was sitting with her hand under a blanket. When he revealed her hand, it was a continually bleeding stump.
The history is interesting, the book is meh.

[Christine Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was much, much shorter, thereby more to the point than Stacy Schiff's The Witches: Salem 1692. Instead of the usual Salem territory, Mackay takes a look at the European side of terrorizing people labeled as witches. I think it is the grand irony of witchcraft, that the people punishing witches were more cruel and deadly than any actual witch. It is disturbing and tragic how people were tortured and murdered based on hearsay. It kind of puts internet trolls in perspective. Things could be worse.

[Eric Overby · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excerpt from Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay, who wrote his book in 1841. It’s edited and read (audible version) by Sam Harris. It’s a short and in-depth look into history, witch hunts, and the nature of the superstitious beliefs about witches throughout history. It’s somewhat repetitive in that the stories are similar and all atrocious. I was unaware at just how many ways and times people were tried, convicted, and tortured for it. The Salem witch trials were just a piece in this puzzle. If you’re interested in history, the Salem witch trials, and just how superstitious we can be, this book is for you.

[Bookcat · Rating 3 out of 5]

New author and narrator for me. An interesting listen, but the summary is a little misleading. This wasn't so much about atrocities done to witches, but the atrocities done to the mentally ill, innocent, and Satanists by "The Church" who grouped everyone deemed a "witch" as a result of prejudices and need for scapegoats. What's most fascinating is the confessions of communing with the Devil without any need for coersive torture 🤔 Yes, a very interesting listen.

[Gypsysoul_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reading of a historical account of the witch craze. It was a bit overwhelming to hear the sheer numbers, and methods, but as important as ever in a world where the administration prides itself on marginalizing anyone who is considered "different". Also, a sobering reminder that our judicial system more often that not favors public opinion and not always fact.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oooof, I was counting the pages until I would be done with this.

If you enjoy reading about the horror and foolishness of humanity's persecution of "witches" ...pages and pages of repetitive descriptions with zero analysis ...well, I've got the book for you. Seriously, this book can be boiled down to a 1000 word essay, and you wouldn't lose much value.

[Raine McLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

My one complaint is that it's not longer. I love that it goes into a lot of detail about how hysteria spread throughout communities and how women were targeted and executed en masse for the crime of being women someone didn't like. It's full of information that's relevant and succinct enough to keep your attention, and direct quotes from a bunch of the trials.

[Shawrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's overall a pretty good collection of events and stories. I did not realize the witch mania was as extensive as it is documented here. It was fascinating to listen to, especially in the soothing voice of Sam Harris; even when what he's narrating are atrocities committed in deep ignorance. It does get a bit repetitive, but that's neither here nor there.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing accounting of the collective witch psychosis that swept through the West for hundreds of years. Even to most of us who are well aware of the general history, it's still shocking and mind-numbing to go through the specifics of case after case.

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

For centuries in Europe, innocent men and women were murdered for the imaginary crime of witchcraft. This was a mass delusion and moral panic, driven by pious superstition and a deadly commitment to religious conformity. An excerpt from 19th century writer Charles Mackay's book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
A very informative read on European witch trials, from backwoods hamlets to royal courts. Mackay discusses the ulterior motives behind many condemnations, and the inhumane practices used to garner confessions. The chapters on Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed Witchfinder Genereal, shed light on those who profited from discovering supposed witches. A good, quick read for anyone interested in the history of witch mania.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both amusing and scary! I hadn’t realised just how long the witch-mania had gripped Christendom. A good reminder of the ease with which human minds are warped. We’re too easily gripped by a righteous urge to commit evil acts. Remain vigilant of it happening to oneself!

[Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this book is an example as to the necessity of half-star ratings. This is a perfect 3.5 star book.

it's audio-only, it's only 3 hours long, and it's really just a small portion from a larger book. Not a great start...

BUT, on the other hand,

I find the topic of witch hysteria vastly interesting. How and Why we treated other, differenter humans so poorly is, as this title suggests: Terrifying. Was life so bleak and scary back then, that people found the Devil lurking everywhere? Including their neighbors? Their teachers? Their poor?

Witch-hunting was a terrible disease, that we can still learn a lot from.

While this is more of a collection or catalog of cases, which means it lacks a lot of detail and nuance, it's still a great introduction to the history of witch-hunting.