"A book that will rank with the best, a book that shows how much we still may learn from these people. This is not simply a monograph on witchcraft but a major attempt to understand the kind of society and the kind of culture in which witchcraft had a place. Rich in insights."--The New York Review of Books "A remarkable piece of scholarship. Vividly illustrates what made certain individuals vulnerable to charges of witchcraft."--The New York Times Book Review "History in such capable hands becomes much more than a chronicle: it makes the past seem as vivid and dimensional, and every bit as compelling, as the present."--Newsweek "With the publication of this book, the historical study of American witchcraft finally comes of age."--American Historical Review "Beautifully written and exhaustively researched.

"--Virginia Quarterly Review "Well written and easy to read. More than a history of witchcraft. It is placed within the wider social context and is thus a history of early New England culture. Very well documented."--History: Reviews of New Books "A work that sets the stage for the eruption in Salem and promises to transform the terms in which we understand that extravagant episode. A rewarding and fascinating achievement well worth reading."--American History Illustrated "Demos has done an excellent job of researching a subject of great interest today."--William C.

Viser, Ouachita Baptist University "An ambitious, informative work."--Paul Tiverow, Missouri Southern State College "Brilliant."--Herbert Cederberg, University of Wisconsin.