The ruin of all witches : life and death in the New World

Shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2022*A TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES AND BBC HISTORY HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021*'The best and most enjoyable kind of history writing' Hilary Mantel'A bona fide historical classic' Sunday TimesSimply one of the best history books I have ever read' BBC History In the frontier town of Springfield in 1651, peculiar things begin to happen. Precious food spoils, livestock ails & property vanishes. People suffer fits & are plagued by strange visions & dreams. Children sicken & die. As tensions rise, rumours spread of witches & heretics, and the community becomes tangled in a web of spite, distrust & denunciation. The finger of suspicion falls on a young couple struggling to make a home & feed their children: Hugh Parsons the irascible brickmaker & 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 & liberty, of founding a 'city on a hill', gave way to paranoia & terror, enmity & rage. Drawing on uniquely rich, previously neglected source material, Malcolm Gaskill brings to life a New World existence steeped in the divine & the diabolic, in curses & enchantments, and precariously balanced between life & death. Through the gripping micro-history of a family tragedy, we glimpse an entire society caught in agonized transition between supernatural obsessions & the age of enlightenment. We see, in short, the birth of the modern world. 'Gaskill tells this deeply tragic story with immense empathy and compassion, as well as historical depth' The Guardian 'As compelling as a campfire story ... Gaskill brings this sinister past vividly to life' Erica Wagner, Financial Times *THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER* *SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE* *A TIMES , SUNDAY TIMES AND BBC HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR* 'A bona fide historical classic' Sunday Times 'Simply one of the best history books I have ever read' BBC History 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. 'Gaskill tells this deeply tragic story with immense empathy and compassion, as well as historical depth' The Guardian 'As compelling as a campfire story ... Gaskill brings this sinister past vividly to life' Erica Wagner, Financial Times Sunday Times bestseller, November 2022 *a Times, Sunday Times And Bbc History History Book Of The Year 2021* 'the Best And Most Enjoyable Kind Of History Writing' Hilary Mantel 'a Bona Fide Historical Classic' Sunday Times Simply One Of The Best History Books I Have Ever Read' Bbc History 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. 'a Great Story, Exquisitely Told. This Book Is History At Its Illuminative Best' The Times 'as Compelling As A Campfire Story ... Gaskill Brings This Sinister Past Vividly To Life' Erica Wagner, Financial Times "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"--Publisher's description A gripping story of a family tragedy brought about by witch-hunting in Puritan New England that combines history, anthropology, sociology, politics, theology and psychology.“The best and most enjoyable kind of history writing. Malcolm Gaskill goes to meet the past on its own terms and in its own place...Thought-provoking and absorbing.'—Hilary Mantel, best-selling author of Wolf HallIn Springfield, Massachusetts in 1651, peculiar things begin to happen. Precious food spoils, livestock ails, property vanishes, and people suffer convulsions as if possessed by demons. A woman is seen wading through the swamp like a lost soul. Disturbing dreams and visions proliferate. Children sicken and die. As tensions rise, rumours spread of witches and heretics and the community becomes tangled in a web of distrust, resentment and denunciation. The finger of suspicion soon falls on a young couple with two small children: the prickly brickmaker, Hugh Parsons, and his troubled wife, Mary.Drawing on rich, previously unexplored source material, Malcolm Gaskill vividly evokes a strange past, one where lives were steeped in the divine and the diabolic, in omens, curses and enchantments. The Ruin of All Witches captures an entire society caught in agonized transition between superstition and enlightenment, tradition and innovation. In The Frontier Town Of Springfield In 1651, Peculiar Things Begin To Happen. Precious Food Spoils, Livestock Ails, Property Vanishes, And People Suffer Convulsions As If Possessed By Demons. A Woman Is Seen Wading Through The Swamp Like A Lost Soul. Disturbing Dreams And Visions Proliferate. Children Sicken And Die. As Tensions Rise, Rumours Spread Of Witches And Heretics And The Community Becomes Tangled In A Web Of Distrust, Resentment And Denunciation. The Finger Of Suspicion Falls On A Young Couple With Two Small Children: Hugh Parsons The Prickly 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, Where Dreams Of Love And Liberty, Of A 'city Upon A Hill', Gave Way To Paranoia And Terror, Rage And Violence. Drawing On Unique, Previously Unexploited Source Material, Malcolm Gaskill Vividly Reanimates A Strange Yet Not Too Distant Past, One Where Lives Were Steeped In The Divine And The Diabolic, In Omens, Curses And Enchantments. Through The Gripping Micro-history Of A Family Tragedy, We Glimpse A Entire Society Caught In Agonized Transition Between Superstition And Enlightenment, Tradition And Innovation. We See, In Short, The Birth Of The Modern World. "A gripping story of a family tragedy brought about by witch-hunting in Puritan New England that combines history, anthropology, sociology, politics, theology and psychology. In Springfield, Massachusetts in 1651, peculiar things begin to happen. Precious food spoils, livestock ails, property vanishes, and people suffer convulsions as if possessed by demons. A woman is seen wading through the swamp like a lost soul. Disturbing dreams and visions proliferate. Children sicken and die. As tensions rise, rumours spread of witches and heretics and the community becomes tangled in a web of distrust, resentment and denunciation. The finger of suspicion soon falls on a young couple with two small children: the prickly brickmaker, Hugh Parsons, and his troubled wife, Mary. Drawing on rich, previously unexplored source material, Malcolm Gaskill vividly evokes a strange past, one where lives were steeped in the divine and the diabolic, in omens, curses and enchantments. The Ruin of All Witches captures an entire society caught in agonized transition between superstition and enlightenment, tradition and innovation"-- Provided by publisher