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The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World
In the frontier town of Springfield in 1651, peculiar things begin to happen. Precious food spoils, livestock ails and property vanishes. People suffer fits and are plagued by strange visions and dreams. Children sicken and die. As tensions rise, rumours spread of witches and heretics, and the community becomes tangled in a web of spite, distrust and denunciation. The finger of suspicion falls on a young couple struggling to make a home and feed their children: Hugh Parsons the irascible brickmaker and his troubled wife, Mary. It will be their downfall.
The Ruin of All Witches tells the dark, real-life folktale of witch-hunting in a remote Massachusetts plantation. These were the turbulent beginnings of colonial America, when English settlers' dreams of love and liberty, of founding a 'city on a hill', gave way to paranoia and terror, enmity and rage. Drawing on uniquely rich, previously neglected source material, Malcolm Gaskill brings to life a New World existence steeped in the divine and the diabolic, in curses and enchantments, and precariously balanced between life and death.
Through the gripping micro-history of a family tragedy, we glimpse an entire society caught in agonized transition between supernatural obsessions and the age of enlightenment. We see, in short, the birth of the modern world.
The Ruin of All Witches tells the dark, real-life folktale of witch-hunting in a remote Massachusetts plantation. These were the turbulent beginnings of colonial America, when English settlers' dreams of love and liberty, of founding a 'city on a hill', gave way to paranoia and terror, enmity and rage. Drawing on uniquely rich, previously neglected source material, Malcolm Gaskill brings to life a New World existence steeped in the divine and the diabolic, in curses and enchantments, and precariously balanced between life and death.
Through the gripping micro-history of a family tragedy, we glimpse an entire society caught in agonized transition between supernatural obsessions and the age of enlightenment. We see, in short, the birth of the modern world.
229 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2021
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About the author
Malcolm Gaskill
11 books65 followersMalcolm Gaskill is Professor of Early Modern History at the University of East Anglia.
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December 9, 2021
This is a non fictional account of witchcraft, and of one case in particular, in mid 17th century New England, in a remote community in Massachusetts.
Springfield, New England 1651, and strange and frightening things have started to happen, with suspicions firmly centring on young couple, Hugh and Mary Parsons.
Hugh, a brick maker, was an angry individual, and extremely jealous of neighbours who appeared to have prospered more than himself, and he wasn’t afraid to vent his anger and frustrations to all and sundry, threatening revenge on those who were the object of his anger and jealousy. His wife Mary was clearly a troubled soul, but their failure to fit into this immigrant community, will eventually lead to their downfall.
This was a fascinating look at, not just witchcraft and the trial of the Parsons, but of life in general for migrants in mid 17th century New England, with a wealth of interesting information about their daily lives.It provides insight into another age, a vividly painted portrait of a small community. The research needed to bring together this fascinating story must have been phenomenal, providing a truly compelling read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Press UK, Allen Lane for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Springfield, New England 1651, and strange and frightening things have started to happen, with suspicions firmly centring on young couple, Hugh and Mary Parsons.
Hugh, a brick maker, was an angry individual, and extremely jealous of neighbours who appeared to have prospered more than himself, and he wasn’t afraid to vent his anger and frustrations to all and sundry, threatening revenge on those who were the object of his anger and jealousy. His wife Mary was clearly a troubled soul, but their failure to fit into this immigrant community, will eventually lead to their downfall.
This was a fascinating look at, not just witchcraft and the trial of the Parsons, but of life in general for migrants in mid 17th century New England, with a wealth of interesting information about their daily lives.It provides insight into another age, a vividly painted portrait of a small community. The research needed to bring together this fascinating story must have been phenomenal, providing a truly compelling read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Press UK, Allen Lane for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
March 23, 2023
1651, Springfield, Massachusetts. This small and remote settler village 100 miles east of Boston is in the throes of being tested, challenged and indeed frightened by witchcraft.
Malcolm Gaskill's The Ruin of all Witches is a book that leans heavily on his research into Hugh and Mary Parsons, and their part in the Springfield witch scare. The book, told in a vivid and very readable fashion creates the background to the Parsons case by explaining the founding of Springfield, the key characters from the village and how they lived their lives in New England.
These lives were hard. We read of settlers coming from mostly, old England and Wales and Ireland, to live in Springfield, as well as some earlier settlers from the same routes moving out from Boston or other towns and villages to make a new start. From farming and food, to building houses, tilling the land, trading with Bostonians and Indians (native Americans but described as Indians contemporaneously), seeking trade and craftsmen, preachers and others to the marriages, child birth, and high mortality of children and and indeed adults through disease, illness, and accident, Mr Gaskill provides a good picture of settler life. One, that with solid documentary evidence, helps to show how these people lived, worked, loved, prayed and disagreed with each other.
At the same time, in Old England there is a resurgence in witchcraft and men and women being suspected and indeed prosecuted as witches. These suspicions soon come to New England and to Springfield. With a life of very hard work, ravaging cold winters and hot summers with droughts, close community living, poverty, little money, food and death a constant, along with strict religious behaviour the signs, are to these settlers, everywhere of God's love, displeasure and calling. Equally and as forcefully, are the temptations to stray from the path by the Devil/Satan, with his ways in luring, talking, forcing and leading people. As such suspicion falls through verbal threats, strange happenings and signs that show devilry and witchcraft is happening amongst the people of Springfield.
As children and adults fall ill with unexplained ailments with some dying, strange lights, animals behaving oddly, and foodstuffs turning odd colours or disappearing suspicion falls on the Parsons. Gossip, arguments, signs and the Parsons' own conversations or statements with others sees these events reported to the town's leaders. There are accusations and counter-accusations involving not just the Parsons but others too.
From this point the approach and process of Springfield and New England justice take over and continue to the story's end.
Overall, a fascinating and interesting account. Having visited Salem, and read of Old England's witch trials, the Springfield case was new to me. The detail was very good, including the lives of people and the way the reader can see the behaviours, actions and indeed words of the key characters. This is through the excellent record keeping of the events and testimonies recorded by the town's warden and leaders as well as documents from Boston and indeed Old England.
I dropped a star because whilst the work is researched and backed up with sources and notes, the vividness of the writing is good, but there are times I feel Mr Gaskill adds thoughts to people that I could not trace back to the notes. However, it is a book that shows early European Puritan settlers grappling with a harsh, dangerous and unforgiving land whilst being paranoid, greedy and in today's world view mentally ill.
My copy was a Penguin paperback published in Great Britain in 2022. 307 printed pages, with 73 pages of notes and the index. There are three good maps and list of principal characters. Disappointingly no illustrations.
Malcolm Gaskill's The Ruin of all Witches is a book that leans heavily on his research into Hugh and Mary Parsons, and their part in the Springfield witch scare. The book, told in a vivid and very readable fashion creates the background to the Parsons case by explaining the founding of Springfield, the key characters from the village and how they lived their lives in New England.
These lives were hard. We read of settlers coming from mostly, old England and Wales and Ireland, to live in Springfield, as well as some earlier settlers from the same routes moving out from Boston or other towns and villages to make a new start. From farming and food, to building houses, tilling the land, trading with Bostonians and Indians (native Americans but described as Indians contemporaneously), seeking trade and craftsmen, preachers and others to the marriages, child birth, and high mortality of children and and indeed adults through disease, illness, and accident, Mr Gaskill provides a good picture of settler life. One, that with solid documentary evidence, helps to show how these people lived, worked, loved, prayed and disagreed with each other.
At the same time, in Old England there is a resurgence in witchcraft and men and women being suspected and indeed prosecuted as witches. These suspicions soon come to New England and to Springfield. With a life of very hard work, ravaging cold winters and hot summers with droughts, close community living, poverty, little money, food and death a constant, along with strict religious behaviour the signs, are to these settlers, everywhere of God's love, displeasure and calling. Equally and as forcefully, are the temptations to stray from the path by the Devil/Satan, with his ways in luring, talking, forcing and leading people. As such suspicion falls through verbal threats, strange happenings and signs that show devilry and witchcraft is happening amongst the people of Springfield.
As children and adults fall ill with unexplained ailments with some dying, strange lights, animals behaving oddly, and foodstuffs turning odd colours or disappearing suspicion falls on the Parsons. Gossip, arguments, signs and the Parsons' own conversations or statements with others sees these events reported to the town's leaders. There are accusations and counter-accusations involving not just the Parsons but others too.
From this point the approach and process of Springfield and New England justice take over and continue to the story's end.
Overall, a fascinating and interesting account. Having visited Salem, and read of Old England's witch trials, the Springfield case was new to me. The detail was very good, including the lives of people and the way the reader can see the behaviours, actions and indeed words of the key characters. This is through the excellent record keeping of the events and testimonies recorded by the town's warden and leaders as well as documents from Boston and indeed Old England.
I dropped a star because whilst the work is researched and backed up with sources and notes, the vividness of the writing is good, but there are times I feel Mr Gaskill adds thoughts to people that I could not trace back to the notes. However, it is a book that shows early European Puritan settlers grappling with a harsh, dangerous and unforgiving land whilst being paranoid, greedy and in today's world view mentally ill.
My copy was a Penguin paperback published in Great Britain in 2022. 307 printed pages, with 73 pages of notes and the index. There are three good maps and list of principal characters. Disappointingly no illustrations.
June 14, 2022
Every year I look forward to browsing through the list of books nominated for The Wolfson History Prize. It's fun to pick a nonfiction book to dive into as I primarily read novels and this year is special as it's the award's 50th anniversary. In the past I've read some great titles such a biographies of Toussaint Louverture and Oscar Wilde as well as John Barton's absolutely fascinating account of “A History of the Bible”. This year I avidly read a true tale of mid-17th century puritanical fervour and paranoia in Springfield, a frontier town in New England. Malcolm Gaskill's “The Ruin of All Witches” is a fascinating account of a couple named Mary and Hugh Parsons who seemed set to start a flourishing family in the New World, but whose personalities and misfortunes led them to being marked as targets and tried as witches by their own neighbours.
My only previous knowledge of this area and time period comes from accounts of the Salem witch trials and acting in a production of Miller's 'The Crucible'. I mostly think of those horrific events as being the result of bouts of mass hysteria, but Gaskill gives an interesting elaboration on the economic, social and religious factors which contributed to the spate of witch trials that occurred during these decades in both England and the American colonies. The author gives a well judged overview of how large scale transformations in society directly contributed to the extreme actions of individuals. Though people in the small, rapidly-growing communities in New England had to rely on one another there was also a lot of envy and mistrust. Gaskill's research dramatically places us in the psychological mindset of these figures by drawing upon historical records and their testimonies.
Read my full review of The Ruin of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill at LonesomeReader
My only previous knowledge of this area and time period comes from accounts of the Salem witch trials and acting in a production of Miller's 'The Crucible'. I mostly think of those horrific events as being the result of bouts of mass hysteria, but Gaskill gives an interesting elaboration on the economic, social and religious factors which contributed to the spate of witch trials that occurred during these decades in both England and the American colonies. The author gives a well judged overview of how large scale transformations in society directly contributed to the extreme actions of individuals. Though people in the small, rapidly-growing communities in New England had to rely on one another there was also a lot of envy and mistrust. Gaskill's research dramatically places us in the psychological mindset of these figures by drawing upon historical records and their testimonies.
Read my full review of The Ruin of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill at LonesomeReader
December 28, 2022
This was an interesting journey into the lives of Hugh and Mary Parsons, who both lived in Springfield, America, and how they both met terrible consequences, die to their unpopularity within the village and because accused of performing witchcraft. This book has been structured well, and Gaskill has obviously done his research on the history of Springfield, and the surrounding areas.
I enjoyed how Gaskill is able to set the atmosphere of the Springfield in the 1600's really rather well, and he does spend a significant amount of time with the key characters. However, he did tend to go off track, confusing me, and therefore I needed to backtrack a little, to get a proper grasp of the story.
I found it shocking just how rapidly the fear of witchcraft took hold of small communities, and had such a profound effect on so many lives. It is something society can definitely learn from.
I enjoyed how Gaskill is able to set the atmosphere of the Springfield in the 1600's really rather well, and he does spend a significant amount of time with the key characters. However, he did tend to go off track, confusing me, and therefore I needed to backtrack a little, to get a proper grasp of the story.
I found it shocking just how rapidly the fear of witchcraft took hold of small communities, and had such a profound effect on so many lives. It is something society can definitely learn from.
December 6, 2022
Intriguing pre-Salem case, but told in a way that wasn't terribly engaging to my ears despite a solid narrator.
January 17, 2023
Oof. This one was slow. Almost put me in a reading slump. I was excited to learn about witch trials but it was far too detailed when the details discussed did not end up mattering in the end.
August 11, 2022
Incredibly engaging and well written about a huge popularly section of American history whilst managing to keep the topic intimate.
January 8, 2023
An account of a community's stresses and strains in the early years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, specifically the town of Springfield in the Connecticut valley. A particular man, Hugh Parsons, was a difficult person to get on with and gradually his neighbours came to believe he was a witch and had cursed them in various ways. He had a troubled relationship with his wife Mary who probably suffered mental health issues. Eventually both were accused and arrested. The book doesn't focus totally on this however as it also deals with the religious beliefs of the town's founder and his clash with the authorities in Boston because his beliefs - which sound harmless from a modern day perspective - were perceived as heresy.
Unfortunately for what was potentially an interesting subject, came across to me as rather dry and I found it not a very engaging read. For that reason, I rate it as an OK 2 stars.
Unfortunately for what was potentially an interesting subject, came across to me as rather dry and I found it not a very engaging read. For that reason, I rate it as an OK 2 stars.
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July 5, 2023Author and professor Malcolm Gaskill is considered one of Britain’s leading experts in the history of witches and witchcraft, and here he turns his knowledge and research skills to the history of a specific time and place.
The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World is a historical account — a piece of nonfiction written with the fluidity and narrative heft of a novel — about a small New England town in the 1600s.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/magical-books...
The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World is a historical account — a piece of nonfiction written with the fluidity and narrative heft of a novel — about a small New England town in the 1600s.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/magical-books...
March 14, 2022
i was fucking bored. i really dont care about protestant theology
February 6, 2023
This was simultaneously very interesting and also quite boring, it probably should have been shorter. Feeling very grateful that I am not a settler 🙏🏻
January 11, 2022
In those four walls she had stared at her thoughts until they took the shape as monsters and devils, and she expressed a wish to see the ruin of all witches. And with that desire, through her smouldering melancholy, and under the weight of Hugh’s fury, she became a witch herself.
May 6, 2022
“Perhaps Satan made real monsters of the righteous by deceiving them into fighting imaginary ones.” !!!!!!!!
Read
December 27, 2022DNF
October 11, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
The Ruin of all Witches is a fascinating portrayal into an unknown history of witches within America, focusing solely on the case of Hugh and Mary Parsons within Springfield.
This book deals a lot with the history of Springfield and the residents within, which creates this baclstory and intrigue as to how Hugh and Mary succumbed to their fate.
At times, this book reads almost like a dark fairytale, but at others it's very fact driven, almost rattled off like a list. This didn't necessarily deter from my enjoyment, but definitely halted the reading process.
The authors ability to put feeling and compassion into a literal witch-hunt was however exemplary!
The Ruin of all Witches is a fascinating portrayal into an unknown history of witches within America, focusing solely on the case of Hugh and Mary Parsons within Springfield.
This book deals a lot with the history of Springfield and the residents within, which creates this baclstory and intrigue as to how Hugh and Mary succumbed to their fate.
At times, this book reads almost like a dark fairytale, but at others it's very fact driven, almost rattled off like a list. This didn't necessarily deter from my enjoyment, but definitely halted the reading process.
The authors ability to put feeling and compassion into a literal witch-hunt was however exemplary!
November 27, 2021
The Ruin of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill is a great nonfictional account of a witch hunt involving Mary and Hugh Parsons in 1651 New England. It was fascinating.
Mr. Gaskill has taken this specific situation taking place in 1651 in Springfield, Massachusetts as an example of the multi-faceted and complex collection of etiologies that threaded together can create a hotbed ripe for the picking in regards to the accusations and sentencing within this community.
Yes he covers this specific case with the specific circumstances, but it is more than that. He also delves into the historical, societal, religious, superstitious, environmental, political, and external factors that can all together create a perfect storm that can culminate into what we would now call “scapegoat” or “witch hunt”. It was utterly fascinating to see how all these factors, while independent may not be detrimental, added to create the situation that we use as an example.
I really enjoyed the research and the background that helped broaden the horizon and gave us the bigger picture…that aspect really made this book interesting and unique. I really liked digging a bit deeper.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Penguin Press UK-Allen Lane for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub ( as of 11/26/21 no BB listing has been created and link will be updated when it is available) Instagram, Amazon, Waterstones accounts immediately. Publication date 11/14/21.
Mr. Gaskill has taken this specific situation taking place in 1651 in Springfield, Massachusetts as an example of the multi-faceted and complex collection of etiologies that threaded together can create a hotbed ripe for the picking in regards to the accusations and sentencing within this community.
Yes he covers this specific case with the specific circumstances, but it is more than that. He also delves into the historical, societal, religious, superstitious, environmental, political, and external factors that can all together create a perfect storm that can culminate into what we would now call “scapegoat” or “witch hunt”. It was utterly fascinating to see how all these factors, while independent may not be detrimental, added to create the situation that we use as an example.
I really enjoyed the research and the background that helped broaden the horizon and gave us the bigger picture…that aspect really made this book interesting and unique. I really liked digging a bit deeper.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Penguin Press UK-Allen Lane for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub ( as of 11/26/21 no BB listing has been created and link will be updated when it is available) Instagram, Amazon, Waterstones accounts immediately. Publication date 11/14/21.
September 25, 2023
I like microhistory, I like social history, so this is pretty much a slam dunk in terms of targeting me personally.
The subtitle is pretty indicative, and the book seems much more interested in richly detailing life in colonial Springfield and contextualising what we know is coming than going down the easy route of sensationalising a witch trial.
To paraphrase part of the sources and methods section at the end of the book, Gaskill has no interest in explaining away witchcraft or in belittling people from the past for their perceived ignorance, instead taking a more emic approach to the phenomena described. The thoughts, feelings and reasonings of historical characters are respected, and taken on their own terms, something I’d argue is essential whenever dealing with anything from the past that doesn’t seem immediately rational to us.
Not too dry, and not too long either - would recommend if finding out more about the lives of a bunch of puritans is something you think you’d be into, or if you need to find out what to do if you suspect that your pudding has been split as a result of witchery.
The subtitle is pretty indicative, and the book seems much more interested in richly detailing life in colonial Springfield and contextualising what we know is coming than going down the easy route of sensationalising a witch trial.
To paraphrase part of the sources and methods section at the end of the book, Gaskill has no interest in explaining away witchcraft or in belittling people from the past for their perceived ignorance, instead taking a more emic approach to the phenomena described. The thoughts, feelings and reasonings of historical characters are respected, and taken on their own terms, something I’d argue is essential whenever dealing with anything from the past that doesn’t seem immediately rational to us.
Not too dry, and not too long either - would recommend if finding out more about the lives of a bunch of puritans is something you think you’d be into, or if you need to find out what to do if you suspect that your pudding has been split as a result of witchery.
February 9, 2025
Mary’s a witch, Hugh’s a bitch. Appreciated the dedication to historical accuracy. Bit of a slog but interesting topic.
April 15, 2024
i was Mary Bliss Parsons in my past life.
December 16, 2022
Incredibly nuanced and thought provoking book that works on many levels.
Gaskill never belittles the experiences of those immersed in witchcraft or passes it off as mere hysteria or hyperbole. Instead, he grounds the strange events and occurrences in the context of the times and expertly dissects the causes and implications of witchcraft.
In the stark, harsh and unforgiving climate of New England, colonists sought to build a new life for themselves away from the religious persecution and dogmatic rule of Old England.
Over time, ambition led colonists to look outwards in comparison to their neighbours who were more prosperous or held a higher social standing than them. Jealousy fuelled arguments, arguments created distrust and soon accusations of witchcraft would spread like wildfire, levied against those in the community who were seen to not be pulling their weight economically, socially, and ideologically.
Gaskill uses the case of Hugh and Mary Parsons as a microcosm of the wider fear and paranoia surrounding witchcraft in Springfield, Mass. When put under the microscope, he examines the many small yet important ways the downfall of a marriage led to such severe consequences as Mary and Hugh grew alienated from eachother, their community and their expected purpose in gods eyes.
The tragedy of this story will stay with me for a long time and I’m sure on future revisits, there is much more nuance to be discovered.
Gaskill never belittles the experiences of those immersed in witchcraft or passes it off as mere hysteria or hyperbole. Instead, he grounds the strange events and occurrences in the context of the times and expertly dissects the causes and implications of witchcraft.
In the stark, harsh and unforgiving climate of New England, colonists sought to build a new life for themselves away from the religious persecution and dogmatic rule of Old England.
Over time, ambition led colonists to look outwards in comparison to their neighbours who were more prosperous or held a higher social standing than them. Jealousy fuelled arguments, arguments created distrust and soon accusations of witchcraft would spread like wildfire, levied against those in the community who were seen to not be pulling their weight economically, socially, and ideologically.
Gaskill uses the case of Hugh and Mary Parsons as a microcosm of the wider fear and paranoia surrounding witchcraft in Springfield, Mass. When put under the microscope, he examines the many small yet important ways the downfall of a marriage led to such severe consequences as Mary and Hugh grew alienated from eachother, their community and their expected purpose in gods eyes.
The tragedy of this story will stay with me for a long time and I’m sure on future revisits, there is much more nuance to be discovered.
April 29, 2023
Come for the witches, stay for the extremely compelling portrait of life in Colonial Springfield. May be mildly confusing to someone not from the US or unfamiliar with New England geography- I've seen this book pitched as being about Connecticut. It is not, it is about the Connecticut River Valley region and Connecticut is mentioned several times due to Springfield being on the border, but Springfield is not and never has been part of Connecticut or Connecticut Colony.
I also liked the epilogue, where he describes present day Springfield in mildly hysterical terms. He's not wrong but also poor Springfield.
I also liked the epilogue, where he describes present day Springfield in mildly hysterical terms. He's not wrong but also poor Springfield.
January 5, 2023
Despite reading and watching a lot of things about this era and these events, I’ve always felt how sad and tragic it was, but have been left with this little voice in my head scoffing at them, laughing at how foolish they must have been to come to these conclusions. A self-congratulatory pat on the back for being more advanced.
This book screwed that up.
Instead I saw exactly how terrifying and out of control their lives must have felt. How damaged and aggrieved they must have been. Ultimately, how they were actual people. Doing their best and worst, as we all are.
What a mess. 4.5/5
This book screwed that up.
Instead I saw exactly how terrifying and out of control their lives must have felt. How damaged and aggrieved they must have been. Ultimately, how they were actual people. Doing their best and worst, as we all are.
What a mess. 4.5/5
January 13, 2025
þessi er geðveik! mæli með - ótrúlega vel skrifuð
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January 29, 2023Clearly well-researched and lots of interesting tidbits but a bit meandering. 1600s seem like a wild time to be alive.
November 9, 2024
I actually feel gaslit by the positive reviews of this book. I DNF-ed this at 50%, because the level of boredom I had from extraneous detail was akin to the time I spent some weeks learning about cotton trade in the industrial revolution for my degree. The storytelling was just not there - if you're going to go into so much depth of the surrounding circumstances, the reader should be able to fathom WHY. This is a skill that was not present here. I had no reason to care about so-and-so who existed and so-and-so who died - at the halfway mark, we haven't even reached the advertised year of 1651 where this story supposedly takes place. What else can I say, except "I'm BORED"?
August 24, 2022
This book was really enjoyable, I whizzed through it, a well fleshed-out history of witch trials in 17C New England with great characterisations. Well researched too. I think I liked it because the narrator of the audiobook was great, shout out Kristin Atherton I will look up what else they’ve done. Reader beware: the epilogue / last chapter is a bunch of unwelcome opinion from the author and the archivist in Springfield about poverty and drug use in the area, irrelevant and unnecessary bad takes. Skip it
February 6, 2025
Poor Mary and Hugh. Sounds like Mary had some type of postpartum depression/psychosis. Hugh probably also unwell- apparently witches tho lol. Interesting topic, had no idea any of this happened so defo learnt stuff, just found it a bit of a slog at times, read a little too academic for my liking but overall enjoyed
July 30, 2024
1⭐️ DNF! not what I was expecting at all, more suitable for an experienced academic reader.
August 26, 2024
I really enjoy historical non-fiction that is staged and paced like a novel. In this the author Malcolm Gaskill has excelled.
A master of his subject, he comprehensively depicts life in 17th century New England and the witchcraft that tortured the small town of Springfield, years before New England’s more famous witchcraft trials in Salem.
The story focuses on the parallel lives of poor Hugh and Mary Parsons and their indebted state, (along with all the other inhabitants of Springfield) to William Pynchon, the founder of the town. The level of detail that has been preserved of life and the people of the town at that time is astonishing and vividly brought to life by Gaskill.
New England was a haven to religious dissenters and their puritan spirit marks its settlements and practices in such a way that belief in witchcraft and the influence of the devil was both earnestly held and used (perhaps unwittingly at times) to settle scores and grievances.
Like all good novels, the story is allowed to unfold without immediately revealing the fates and outcomes of its principal characters, of which there are many.
This is a great book for anyone interested in social history that attempts to let you in to the thoughts and feelings of our ancestors, as long as you remember that it is still the novel thoughts and beliefs of a modern day man, despite all his expertise.
A master of his subject, he comprehensively depicts life in 17th century New England and the witchcraft that tortured the small town of Springfield, years before New England’s more famous witchcraft trials in Salem.
The story focuses on the parallel lives of poor Hugh and Mary Parsons and their indebted state, (along with all the other inhabitants of Springfield) to William Pynchon, the founder of the town. The level of detail that has been preserved of life and the people of the town at that time is astonishing and vividly brought to life by Gaskill.
New England was a haven to religious dissenters and their puritan spirit marks its settlements and practices in such a way that belief in witchcraft and the influence of the devil was both earnestly held and used (perhaps unwittingly at times) to settle scores and grievances.
Like all good novels, the story is allowed to unfold without immediately revealing the fates and outcomes of its principal characters, of which there are many.
This is a great book for anyone interested in social history that attempts to let you in to the thoughts and feelings of our ancestors, as long as you remember that it is still the novel thoughts and beliefs of a modern day man, despite all his expertise.
November 2, 2022
October reads wrapped up with The ruin of all witches and it was definitely a read that will linger with me for a long time.
A nonfiction look at witchcraft, and more specifically a particular case in New England in the mid seventeenth century. Though told in such a detailed, atmospheric way that it was often like reading a story.
The story of Mary Parsons, and her husband Hugh, both tried as witches following a witch hunt panic in their village ahead of the Salem witch trials.
The historical detail, the retelling of their daily lives, the events that ran up to this tragic event was quite simply brilliant. And tragically heartbreaking.
The superstition, hypocrisy and despair in Mary in particulars tale was both tragic and eye opening at the same time.
It's so easy to see how mental illness, illness and disease, superstition, jealousy, greed and hypocrisy paid such a part in the death of so many women (and men in some cases)
This was a brilliantly written book, a stark look at the lives of families torn apart by the times. At the cause and effect of rumour and greed.
Will definitely leave me contemplating for a good while yet.
A nonfiction look at witchcraft, and more specifically a particular case in New England in the mid seventeenth century. Though told in such a detailed, atmospheric way that it was often like reading a story.
The story of Mary Parsons, and her husband Hugh, both tried as witches following a witch hunt panic in their village ahead of the Salem witch trials.
The historical detail, the retelling of their daily lives, the events that ran up to this tragic event was quite simply brilliant. And tragically heartbreaking.
The superstition, hypocrisy and despair in Mary in particulars tale was both tragic and eye opening at the same time.
It's so easy to see how mental illness, illness and disease, superstition, jealousy, greed and hypocrisy paid such a part in the death of so many women (and men in some cases)
This was a brilliantly written book, a stark look at the lives of families torn apart by the times. At the cause and effect of rumour and greed.
Will definitely leave me contemplating for a good while yet.
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