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Detestable and Wicked Arts: New England and Witchcraft in the Early Modern Atlantic World
In Detestable and Wicked Arts, Paul B. Moyer places early New England's battle against black magic in a transatlantic perspective. Moyer provides an accessible and comprehensive examination of witch prosecutions in the Puritan colonies that discusses how their English inhabitants understood the crime of witchcraft, why some people ran a greater risk of being accused of occult misdeeds, and how gender intersected with witch-hunting.
Focusing on witchcraft cases in New England between roughly 1640 and 1670, Detestable and Wicked Arts highlights ties between witch-hunting in the New and Old Worlds. Informed by studies on witchcraft in early modern Europe, Moyer presents a useful synthesis of scholarship on occult crime in New England and makes new and valuable contributions to the field.
Focusing on witchcraft cases in New England between roughly 1640 and 1670, Detestable and Wicked Arts highlights ties between witch-hunting in the New and Old Worlds. Informed by studies on witchcraft in early modern Europe, Moyer presents a useful synthesis of scholarship on occult crime in New England and makes new and valuable contributions to the field.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
294 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 23, 2022
This book is a decent (enough) overview of pre-Salem witch trials in what was then "New England" in the 17th century. It was useful to know about what witch trials in what would eventually become the USA looked like outside of the obviously famous Salem Witch mania.
As a student of disability history though I was a bit frustrated and disappointed by this book as it failed to engage with the topic of whether any of the accused 'witches' were disabled or not, a question which the jury is out on when it comes to say the wider European Witch-Hunts, with some saying disabled women were uniquely persecuted others saying they weren't. I can't tell if the lack of mention of disability in this book is down to the author simply not considering that angle or is it an indication that it played no role in the pre-Salem witch hunts?
I am agnostic on the prominence of disability in witch hunts so I would appreciate more clarity on this. I know that the books "The Witches: Salem, 1692" and "A Delusion Of Satan" or at least one of those two books which both explore the Salem Witch Trials, examine the idea that some of the "afflicted" those who claimed to be tormented by the accused witches might have had some sort of undiagnosed mental illness like "hysteria" this book does briefly touch upon the idea that those who claimed to be cursed by the witches may have had some sort undiagnosed or poorly understood condition, but it doesn't explore this thesis in any substantive way.
I have wondered in the past if things such as "demonic possession" was actually a bad attempt at grappling with the phenomenon of say a multiple personality disorder (MPD). It might explain the so-called "unfamiliar languages" but this book isn't even interested in exploring avenues like that unfortunately. Even if the author ended up rejecting the idea I feel he could have at least brought it up, but not to even acknowledge it was a possibility seems a bit laps.
And as I suggested above there's nothing at all about whether any of those accused of witchcraft in the Pre-Salem colonies were disabled or not, perhaps the historical sources simply don't offer an answer as the writer mentions that a lot of information about the accused is simply lacking, but there is a general tendency for a lot of historians to simply ignore disability when it comes to documenting history in general, not just this period so it's genuinely hard to tell.
If you want to learn about Pre-Salem, New England witch hunts this book is a very useful overview and it will help put Salem in a bit more context. The author stays away from discussing Salem in great detail except for a few comparable references which I think was the right thing to do as there's enough literature out there about that particular episode, but if like me you are approaching this subject from say a more specific angle, like disability history then this book is somewhat disappointing in it's total lack of engagement.
As a student of disability history though I was a bit frustrated and disappointed by this book as it failed to engage with the topic of whether any of the accused 'witches' were disabled or not, a question which the jury is out on when it comes to say the wider European Witch-Hunts, with some saying disabled women were uniquely persecuted others saying they weren't. I can't tell if the lack of mention of disability in this book is down to the author simply not considering that angle or is it an indication that it played no role in the pre-Salem witch hunts?
I am agnostic on the prominence of disability in witch hunts so I would appreciate more clarity on this. I know that the books "The Witches: Salem, 1692" and "A Delusion Of Satan" or at least one of those two books which both explore the Salem Witch Trials, examine the idea that some of the "afflicted" those who claimed to be tormented by the accused witches might have had some sort of undiagnosed mental illness like "hysteria" this book does briefly touch upon the idea that those who claimed to be cursed by the witches may have had some sort undiagnosed or poorly understood condition, but it doesn't explore this thesis in any substantive way.
I have wondered in the past if things such as "demonic possession" was actually a bad attempt at grappling with the phenomenon of say a multiple personality disorder (MPD). It might explain the so-called "unfamiliar languages" but this book isn't even interested in exploring avenues like that unfortunately. Even if the author ended up rejecting the idea I feel he could have at least brought it up, but not to even acknowledge it was a possibility seems a bit laps.
And as I suggested above there's nothing at all about whether any of those accused of witchcraft in the Pre-Salem colonies were disabled or not, perhaps the historical sources simply don't offer an answer as the writer mentions that a lot of information about the accused is simply lacking, but there is a general tendency for a lot of historians to simply ignore disability when it comes to documenting history in general, not just this period so it's genuinely hard to tell.
If you want to learn about Pre-Salem, New England witch hunts this book is a very useful overview and it will help put Salem in a bit more context. The author stays away from discussing Salem in great detail except for a few comparable references which I think was the right thing to do as there's enough literature out there about that particular episode, but if like me you are approaching this subject from say a more specific angle, like disability history then this book is somewhat disappointing in it's total lack of engagement.
August 4, 2024
this book contained a very good overview of witchcraft and witch hunts during the 17th century. a lot of information was really interesting, and i learned a lot!
unfortunately, this book does have some noticeable spelling and grammatical errors. it also falls into the trap that books sometimes do of "repeating that one word too many times." this book's word was "thus". why thus???
but overall, it had very good information and it is a good source of information for those interested in witchcraft history like i am.
unfortunately, this book does have some noticeable spelling and grammatical errors. it also falls into the trap that books sometimes do of "repeating that one word too many times." this book's word was "thus". why thus???
but overall, it had very good information and it is a good source of information for those interested in witchcraft history like i am.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews