You may think you know all about the infamous salem witch trials, but after just a few atmospheric, meticulously researched pages of pulitzer prizewinning historian stacy schiffs book, youll realize youve been kidding yourself. The witches by stacy schiff i think i would like this book, but i do not like the audiobook. The witches salem, 1692 by schiff, stacy and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. One such trial was 1692 trial of george jacobs, depicted here. Stacy schiff, author official website the witches now. Stacy schiff schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for the humanities and an award in literature from the american academy of arts and letters. Schiff, born in adams, massachusetts, is a graduate of phillips academy andover preparatory school, and earned her b. This is an engaging book, with bantering, oftwitty prose, that is also heavily researched, as is attested by the annotated notes. Stacy schiffs 500 page analysis of the famed salem witch trials doesnt shy away from the gender politics that lead to the execution of fourteen women, five men, and two dogs for witchcraft, although schiff also never points to that as the sole reason for whole bizarre episode. David mccullough declared the book brilliant from start. She returns to the witch trials of salem both their cultural magic and their realism, a balance thats hard to conjure when so many others have failed at such a task.
The book is packed with details and delivered with a punch, bu. Salem, 1692, in which she recalls the salem witch trials. Mpr news kerri miller talks with historian stacy schiff, author of the witches. Stacy schiff books list of books by author stacy schiff.
As schiff points out early in the book, the puritans of salem village were often assiduous diarists and recordkeepers. Named a 2011 library lion by the new york public library, she lives in new york city. Stacy schiff s 500 page analysis of the famed salem witch trials doesnt shy away from the gender politics that lead to the execution of fourteen women, five men, and two dogs for witchcraft, although schiff also never points to that as the sole reason for whole bizarre episode. I wont finish listening to it, as i dont want the audiobook to ruin the book for me. Dec 31, 2015 mpr news kerri miller talks with historian stacy schiff, author of the witches. Youre synthesizing massive amounts of raw material, she explains during a call to her home just north of the grand, beauxarts. Salem 1692 by stacy schiff 2015, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. The witches, schiff s glib, compendious and often maddening account of the events of that fateful year, does a great deal to punch up the story, but little to explore and still less to understand. Stacy schiffs the witches is an intoxicating brew of history.
It is solid history schiff is a pulitzer prize winner that doesnt take itself too seriously. As psychologically thrilling as it is historically seminal, the witches is stacy schiffs account of this fantastical story the first great american mystery unveiled fully for the first time by one of our most acclaimed historians. A life applies her descriptive prowess and flair for the dramatic to the salem witch trials. As psychologically thrilling as it is historically seminal, the witches is stacy schiffs account of this fantastical storythe first great american mystery unveiled fully for the first time by one of our most acclaimed historians. It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts winter, when a ministers daughter began to scream and convulse. Nov 01, 2015 its tempting to use historian stacy schiff s revelatory, sumptuously written new book, the witches. In the village ministers house, two little girls crawled under the furniture, made silly noises, spread their. It sounds too cutesy, like everything is an inside joke, not like a a nonfiction book at all. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download.
The witches is a lyrical and absolutely riveting portrait of one of early americas darkest chapters. Stacy schiff, author of the witches, a brilliant, exceptionally wellresearched account of the 1692 salem witch trials, says her number one requirement when writing her prizewinning nonfiction books is a big desk, an enormous desk. Salem, 1692, which the new york times hailed as an almost novelistic, thrillerlike narrative. An engraving depicts the arrest of a witch by salem townsfolk. Host rich fahle talks with stacy schiff about her book, the witches. The witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff. Her book, witches, is replete with not only horror at the events, but also a sense of wit and humor amongst the gravitas of the situation. Schiff writes with such spirit and agility that to read her books is something like watching a great dancer. Its tempting to use historian stacy schiff s revelatory, sumptuously written new book, the witches. A life, 2010 informs us that americas puritan forefathers. Stacy schiffs the witches is an intoxicating brew of. Nov 05, 2015 stacy schiff covers the hysteria of the salem witch trial era in the witches. To say that her latest book is fascinating and insightful is. A pulitzer prizewinner, stacy schiff is the author most recently of the witches.
Ellis, pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet. Ellis, pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet this book needs a seat belt. The latest to attempt it is stacy schiff, winner of the pulitzer prize and a purveyor of the sort of sleek, highend narrative. The salem witch trials offer stacy schiff an outsized drama that seized americans imaginations more than 300 years ago. With her new book, the witches, stacy schiff seems to have wanted to strip away the metaphors and go back to the original story of salem.
The witches, schiffs glib, compendious and often maddening account of the events of that fateful year, does a great deal to punch up. Stacy schiffs the witches is an indelibly etched morality fable, the best recounting of the salem hysteria in modern times. A life, winner of the penjacqueline bograd weld award for biography. While by the end schiffs book pulls itself into a reasonably cohesive shape, offering some credible if not wholly original.
Its a subject has fascinated me with since i was young. Stacy schiff, one of our most versatile and nimble writers, boldly ventures into disparate centuries and milieus to bring back tales that illuminate and instruct. Salem, 1692 steps back from more than three centuries of hyperbole and supposition, giving us our most complete account yet. It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts. Pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff discusses her book the witches. Pulitzer prizewinning historian stacy schiffs the witches tells the spinechilling tale of bloodthirsty spirits that still haunt american soil today. Ellis pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet schiff sets scenes brilliantly, evoking the bite of. Oct 27, 2015 the pulitzer prizewinning biographer provides an account of a foundational american tragedy of mass hysteria and injustice. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize, the ambassador award in american studies, and the gilbert chinard prize of the institut francais damerique.
And yet the plague of witches that besieged salem and its environs that year has spawned more than 500 books. David mccullough declared the book brilliant from start to finish. Joseph ellis deemed schiff s the finest account to date of the witch trials. She gives us a minutely detailed chronicle of nine. Salem, 1692 stacy schiff, 2015 little, brown and co. This book needs a seat belt kathryn harrison author of joan of arc the witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff joseph j. Joseph ellis deemed schiffs the finest account to date of the witch trials. One sevenyearold girl announced that she had been a.
Interview with stacy schiff on her book, the witches. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the witches. Salem, 1692, about her book, and the themes that are relevant today on november 10, 2015 at the fitzgerald. Pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiffs new book, a sweeping history of the salem witch trials, resonates with its exploration. Salem,1692, as yet another occasion to apply american historys favorite metaphor. Salem, 1692 and explains what really happened during the infamous witch trials i think that when trying to understand salem and the trials we assume that it has a lot to do with religion and the fact that those people actually believed in witches. Salem, 1692, by stacy schiff available now from little. Cleareyed and sympathetic, schiff makes the complex seem simple, crafting a taut narrative that takes in religion, politics, folklore, and the intricate texture of daily life in massachusetts bay, with particular attention to those wonderworking women and girls who chose this moment to. Now in paperback history in the hands of stacy schiff is invariably full of life, light, shadow, surprise, clarity of insight, and so it is again and then some in her latest work, the witches. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the witches. In some respects, the events that unfold in schiffs book are more upsetting than those in the crucible. Pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff s new book, a sweeping history of the salem witch trials, resonates with its exploration of religion and paranoia. Nov, 2015 with her new book, the witches, stacy schiff seems to have wanted to strip away the metaphors and go back to the original story of salem.
Stacy schiffs the witches deals with a horror we assume we know, but dont. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. I found the beginning half of this book to be very interesting, especially since theres frequent mention of the contentiousness of the young teenage and preteen girls in salem, 1692 in the court records as accusers and as suspects. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize and the ambassador book award. I never could truly understand why people acting in such a way or even if the condemned had really done anything wrong. As schiff points out early in the book, the puritans of salem village were often assiduous diarists and recordkeepers, but firsthand accounts of the months of the hysteria are mysteriously rareand those that. Ellis, pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet stacy schiff has beautifully combined remarkable story telling with historical accuracy and insight. Vladimir nabokov, which won the pulitzer prize for biography in 2000, and saintexupery. The popular historian of the witch trials has a much tougher job. Suspicion, betrayal, and hysteria in 1692 salem, in which she recalls the salem witch trials she spoke on the history and biography stage at the. Oct 30, 2015 to set the scene for her immensely droll explication of the salem witch trials, pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff cleopatra.
First edition, first printing published in 2015 by little, brown and company. Author interview stacy schiff, author of the witches. Salem, 1692 by stacy schiff is obviously a very well researched book. In the witches, the american historian stacy schiff has found a way brilliantly to recreate this strange and fascinating story as it unfolded at the time. To set the scene for her immensely droll explication of the salem witch trials, pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff cleopatra. Stacy schiff has fun with this reality in her highly entertaining the witches. Few writers combine as she does superb scholarship. The panic began early in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts winter, when a ministers niece began to writhe and roar. With the witches, schiff, a pulitzer prize winning historian and author, most recently, of cleopatra, draws on a huge body of scholarship as well as primary sources to synthesize. Oct 20, 2016 this book needs a seat belt kathryn harrison author of joan of arc the witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff joseph j.
At its best, the latest work from schiff cleopatra. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged and an elderly man crushed to death. Author interview stacy schiff, author of the witches bookpage. Salem, 1692 pulitizer prizewinning author stacy schiff s last book was a bestseller about cleopatra.
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