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America Bewitched Owen Davies (Professor of Social History, University of Hertfordshire)

America Bewitched By Owen Davies (Professor of Social History, University of Hertfordshire)

America Bewitched by Owen Davies (Professor of Social History, University of Hertfordshire)


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Summary

The first major history of witchcraft in America - from the Salem witch trials of 1692 to the present day.

America Bewitched Summary

America Bewitched: The Story of Witchcraft After Salem by Owen Davies (Professor of Social History, University of Hertfordshire)

America Bewitched is the first major history of witchcraft in America - from the Salem witch trials of 1692 to the present day. The infamous Salem trials are etched into the consciousness of modern America, the human toll a reminder of the dangers of intolerance and persecution. The refrain 'Remember Salem!' was invoked frequently over the ensuing centuries. As time passed, the trials became a milepost measuring the distance America had progressed from its colonial past, its victims now the righteous and their persecutors the shamed. Yet the story of witchcraft did not end as the American Enlightenment dawned - a new, long, and chilling chapter was about to begin. Witchcraft after Salem was not just a story of fire-side tales, legends, and superstitions: it continued to be a matter of life and death, souring the American dream for many. We know of more people killed as witches between 1692 and the 1950s than were executed before it. Witches were part of the story of the decimation of the Native Americans, the experience of slavery and emancipation, and the immigrant experience; they were embedded in the religious and social history of the country. Yet the history of American witchcraft between the eighteenth and the twentieth century also tells a less traumatic story, one that shows how different cultures interacted and shaped each other's languages and beliefs. This is therefore much more than the tale of one persecuted community: it opens a fascinating window on the fears, prejudices, hopes, and dreams of the American people as their country rose from colony to superpower.

America Bewitched Reviews

Davies tells a highly original story, yet one that makes instant sense. This is a vivid, arresting, insightful book, written with sympathy and human understanding. It extends Davies's reputation as an original thinker in the field, when so much work is derivative or merely illustrative of well-established ideas. * Malcolm Gaskill, Fortean Times *
This will be an essential work for researchers into both witchcraft beliefs and folk medicine for some considerable time, and a study which is entirely readable for the non-specialist reader. * Peter Rogerson, Magonia Review of Books *
An informative, useful introduction to a fascinating aspect of American culture that clearly demonstrates that witch beliefs in the US did not end with Salem ... Recommended. * L.B. Gimelli, CHOICE *

About Owen Davies (Professor of Social History, University of Hertfordshire)

Owen Davies is Professor of Social History at the University of Hertfordshire. He has written extensively on the history of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, and popular medicine, including The Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts (2007), Grimoires: A History of Magic Books (2009), Paganism: A Very Short Introduction (2011), and Magic: A Very Short Introduction (2012). He is also the editor of The Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic, which is forthcoming from Oxford University Press.

Table of Contents

1: Aftermath 2: Magic of a New Land 3: The Law 4: Witches 5: Dealing with Witches 6: Dealing with Witch Believers 7: Insanity 8: Witch Killings Up Close 9: Times a'Changing Further Reading References Index

Additional information

GOR007918879
9780198745389
0198745389
America Bewitched: The Story of Witchcraft After Salem by Owen Davies (Professor of Social History, University of Hertfordshire)
Used - Very Good
Paperback
Oxford University Press
2016-07-28
304
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - America Bewitched