Death in Salem: The Private Lives behind the 1692 Witch HuntDiane E. Foulds
Globe Pequot, August 2010
ISBN: 978-0762759095
"Death in Salem is a powerful and poignant look at all sides of the Salem witch trials- a who's who to Salem witchcraft that profiles these historical personalities in an attempt to answer the most pressing questions: Why was this person targeted? Why did this person accuse?"
The seeds of the hysteria that afflicted Salem Village, Massachusetts were sown in January 1692 when a group of young girls began to display bizarre behavior. The tight-knit community was at a loss to explain the convulsive seizures, blasphemous screaming, and trance-like states that afflicted the youngsters. The physicians called in to examine the girls could find no natural cause of the disturbing behavior. If the source of the affliction was not attributable to a physical malady, the community reasoned that it must be the work of Satan. Witches had invaded Salem.
Death in Salem: The Private Lives behind the 1692 Witch Hunt is both well-written and well-researched. The first book to explore the tragic personal lives of the leading players in Salem’s witchcraft frenzy. Diane E. Foulds has used evidence from many primary sources to back up her descriptions of what happened in Salem in 1692. Death in Salem: The Private Lives behind the 1692 Witch Hunt definitely stands out from the rest of the books on the subject, focusing more on the personal lives of those involved, rather than the circumstances surrounding them. She is careful to present all of the information accurately, and has changed nothing except to modernize some of the grammar to make it easier for the reader to understand. The large bibliography at the back of the book attests to the amount of effort that went into researching the book, and also provides suggestions for further reading about the subject.
Historical accuracy is one of the most important aspects of a book like this, Foulds' writing is clear and insightful, and many of the people in the story are made very real. A remarkable achievement. The 'witches' come alive in this book, not as stereotypes, but as real women living in a society that suspected and feared their independence and combativeness. The backgrounds of both the accused and the accusers are given in as much detail as is available. Foulds' psychological analysis of the mass hysteria is believable and makes sense. Death in Salem: The Private Lives behind the 1692 Witch Hunt is chilling. Reading this book reminds us that open-mindedness and willingness to embrace the unknown should be traits that we all share. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about this horrible period in our history.
DIANE E. FOULDS, a tenth-generation descendent one of those hanged in Salem in 1692, is the author of three books, including Curious New England and Vermont: An Explorer’s Guide. Her articles have appeared in the Boston Globe, Washington Post, and Yankee magazine.
