The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England

By Carol F. Karlsen

Book Overview

In this work, Carol Karlsen reveals the social construction of witchcraft in 17th century New England and illuminates the larger contours of gender relations in that society. "A pioneering work in . . . the sexual structuring of society. This is not just another book about witchcraft".--Edmund S. Morgan, Yale University.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393024784
• ISBN13: 9780393024784
• Release Date: January 1987
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 380 Pages
• Weight: 1.27 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Great book!!

I absolutely loved this book. Carol F. Karlsen is a great writer and this book was easy to read and informative. She focuses on the fact that many women were accused and also doing the accusing.

A Comprehensive Study

The interesting thing about this book is how it examines all the other theories that attempt to explain the witch trials and points out the problems with each.The book argues that the women accused of witchcraft were all connected by their possession, or future inheritance, of land or property that society thought should more properly belong to a man. This in turn opens up a needed examination of social mores and gender issues that shaped events at that time. At the same time, the book isn't "preachy" or so skewed by a feminist perspective that it loses balance. A thoughtful and interesting book.

Once again another fine book

Being a researcher of the 1692 witch trials, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This particular book focuses on the unjusts that have been done to women in the name of witchcraft,in Salem as well as other areas. Very thorough, and I have used this book in siting my referances when I assist others interested in the subject. There are many authors with many theories, and this is certainly a must to check out.

Salem Witch Trails

This book was VERY informative for a report that I was doing. I would definatly recomend it to anyone wanting info on this topic.

A Fascinating New Perspective on the Salem Trials!

As someone who grew up in neighboring Andover, Mass, which played a very prominent role in the arrests, trials and subsequent executions, I can't recommend this book more highly. Daring and unafraid to look at newly compiled statistical data surrounding gender, property inheritence, and the perceptions of women in Colonial New England, this is a book which should be read by every student and historian of these events, regardless of whether they end up agreeing or disagreeing with the premise of the book. For me, it was an eye-opening and thought-provoking read.