Cursed in New England: Stories of Damned Yankees [Paperback]

Joseph A. Citro (Author), Jeff White (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2004

A collection of riveting stories about preternatural revenge, numerous in Yankee lore, with each New England state providing its favorites. Some are well known, at least regionally. Others are nearly forgotten. All are cursed.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Vermont native Citro has spent years studying the darker side of New England; in books such as Passing Strange, Curious New England and Green Mountains, Dark Trails he’s told stories of hauntings and horrors, of mysteries and superstitions. Here he examines some of the area’s most famous curses, from the 1600s through the 1960s, and while his tone is generally impartial ("in the interest of journalistic objectivity"), he admits a fascination that verges on belief. Convicted citizens who knew themselves to be innocent often pronounced final curses on their accusers (Citro reports that in the late 17th century, after being told by a condemned woman that God would give him blood to drink, a dishonest cleric suffered an internal hemorrhage and drowned in his own blood), while desperate people called down evil on those who had refused them help (in the early 19th century, Citro writes, a woman who has been refused passage on a Lake Champlain steamship caused it to burst into flame). In most of these stories, the curses act as the vengeance of the powerless on the powerful. Citro does a fine job of presenting the evidence for curses, but he’s not afraid to debunk them either. Creepy b&w illustrations add to the pleasure of this informative and entertaining volume for all students of the supernatural.
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Review

Vermont native Citro has spent years studying the darker side of New England; in books such as Passing Strange, Curious New England and Green Mountains, Dark Trails he’s told stories of hauntings and horrors, of mysteries and superstitions. Here he examines some of the area’s most famous curses, from the 1600s through the 1960s, and while his tone is generally impartial ("in the interest of journalistic objectivity"), he admits a fascination that verges on belief. Convicted citizens who knew themselves to be innocent often pronounced final curses on their accusers (Citro reports that in the late 17th century, after being told by a condemned woman that God would give him blood to drink, a dishonest cleric suffered an internal hemorrhage and drowned in his own blood), while desperate people called down evil on those who had refused them help (in the early 19th century, Citro writes, a woman who has been refused passage on a Lake Champlain steamship caused it to burst into flame). In most of these stories, the curses act as the vengeance of the powerless on the powerful. Citro does a fine job of presenting the evidence for curses, but he’s not afraid to debunk them either. Creepy b&w illustrations add to the pleasure of this informative and entertaining volume for all students of the supernatural. -- Publishers Weekly

"Cursed in New England is a must read for anyone who wants to know more about these parts. By gathering together stories, synthesizing them, analyzing them, Joseph A. Citro has over the years made a significant contribution to New England History and culture. He does it all in a simple, elegant prose style and with insight and a sneaky sense of humor."
--Ernest Hebert, author of The Old American, The Dogs of March, and five other novels

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 1st edition (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076272868X
• ISBN-13: 978-0762728688
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #630,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BLOG: http://josephacitro.blogspot.com

Native Vermonter, novelist, and public radio commentator, Joseph A. Citro has done a lot to keep New England's history and folklore alive in the popular culture. His 14 books include five novels of suspense, four volumes of historical oddities, a collection of regional humor, three "eccentric" travel guides, and a co-edited book of essays.

His classic and best-selling Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls and Unsolved Mysteries (Houghton Mifflin 1994) was the most comprehensive collection of offbeat Vermont lore ever assembled; it has survived over 15 printings

It was supplemented by Passing Strange (1996), Green Mountains, Dark Tales (1999), The Vermont Ghost Guide (2000), and Curious New England (2003). His newest addition is a collection of crypto-creatures called The Vermont Monster Guide, named by Cryptomundo as one of the TOP 10 Cryptozoology books of 2009.

His first ebook, a collection of short fiction called NOT YET DEAD is now available.

Joe Citro's novels present a dark and mystical side of the Vermont experience. They include Shadow Child, Guardian Angels, The Gore, Lake Monsters and Deus-X.

Since 1992 his commentary series on public radio has featured Vermont and New England's best-loved ghosts, monsters, madmen, and mysteries.

Since becoming a professional writer in 1987, he has taught at local colleges, lectured widely, and appeared on regional and national radio and television. Two videos based on his work are now in production.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's not polite to curse, August 17, 2005

By 

Tom Knapp "Rambles.NET editor" (Lancaster, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cursed in New England: Stories of Damned Yankees (Paperback)

In his new book, Joseph Citro thoroughly explores the history and folklore of death and misfortune brought about through the power of words. And Citro doesn't disappoint. The book is fascinating, educational, entertaining and hard to put down. The curses that unfold in these pages stretch from the earliest days of New England colonialism through the modern age of politics.

Of course, there must be an entry from the days of Salem's witch hysteria, and Citro supplies the eerie tale of Giles Corey, an elderly man pressed to death for refusing to consent to trial, and whose dying curse plagued generations of Salem sheriffs. In a land where Native Americans paid a dear price to Europe's colonial spirit, you'll find numerous Indian curses such as the one that ravaged the town of Burton and another that made a death-trap of the Saco River.

The horrifying fate of Rogers' Rangers follows hard on the heels of plunder and slaughter. The entire population of Dudleytown felt the power of a curse. A luxury steamer on Lake Champlain burned to the water after being cursed by a displaced passenger. The ancient tree of Tarkiln demanded its due respect. And an entire island in Boston Harbor disappeared after a man executed there vowed it would be so.

Citro even takes on the mighty Kennedy clan, revealing the tradition of bad luck that has followed family members through several generations and has repeatedly dashed their hopes for power. Although reluctant to veer into a sensational "tabloid" style of writing, Citro rightly explains that the greatest New England curse of the 20th century can hardly be ignored.

Citro has a pleasant way of telling tales; this is the sort of fellow you want sitting in the best chair at a fireside gathering, regaling the party with stories. He lays down the stories in an engaging narrative, then follows it up with citations from available research and his own experiences. The personal touch is a delightful extra step that is lacking from many books in this genre. From cursed springs to damned village, he's been there, and he records his impressions of the experience.

When his research debunks a legend, he provides the explanation. In one case, for instance, the well-known story of a self-inflicted curse has its roots in a work of early fiction that spread and was accepted as truth.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewing the Reviewer, May 21, 2006

By 

Joe Citro - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cursed in New England: Stories of Damned Yankees (Paperback)

It is not normally my habit to respond to inappropriate reviews; after all, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. But if a review in inept, spiteful, or needlessly insulting, I occasionally add my two cents worth. As the author of Cursed in New England, I have to reply to the reviewer who cleverly calls him/herself "whateverz "..."(Hell). First, the reviewer says "Attention all ghost hunters!" Why? It is not a book about ghosts or ghost hunters. If s/he had read and understood at least the title, it would be clear it is a book about curses. Then s/he goes on to tell the reader Cursed in New England "is not a book of haunted places." Clearly this reviewer has a firm grasp of the obvious; it was never intended to be about haunted places. And more: s/he says, "it has a weak story also". Well that may be true, but it is collection of dozens of stories about curses. Some may be weaker than others, but one infers that Prof. "whateverz "..."(Hell) believes s/he was reading a single book-length story (and not very well). The reviewer concludes the insightful analysis with, it "isn't really worth reading if you're into horror stories." I repeat myself: It is not a book of horror stories. Rather, it is a study that recounts and discusses a series of New England curses. The writer admits to a short attention span and that, at least, is accurate. He or she couldn't even make it all the way through the title. Seems to me if someone is going to "review" a book, they should learn to read first. But that's just my bias.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars King of Curses, September 13, 2004

By 

Jim Defilippi "e-book author" (Vermont) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cursed in New England: Stories of Damned Yankees (Paperback)

CURSED IN NEW ENGLAND is, to my way of thinking, the best non-fiction Joseph A Citro has done. It seems each story gets a bit more length and development than in past books, and so they really take on some power. At the same time he does his usual good job of straddling the fence, or actually avoiding the fence, on the old "true or not" question. Joseph Citro is definitely becoming this century's and New England's Washington Irving -- preserving all the area's wonderful myths and stories. Good job.