Customer Reviews

Cursed in New England: Stories of Damned Yankees

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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.

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.

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.

If you're at all familiar with Mr. Citro, then you already know that he is the authority on New England stories of oddities. His books are well written, his research very thorough, and his subject matter captivating. Here we have a collection of stories involving curses and even if you don't believe in them, the aftermath is very compelling. I really enjoyed the chapter on the Kennedy tragedies, as I had never heard the complete story.

"Joe Citro has written an entertaining and enlightening book, about the dark side of the paranormal, the little discussed vexations and scourges of places and people, with wit and humor. Journey with him, for example, across time and space, from the 1700s' jinxed Salem witchcraft mania to the 21st century's drownings in the cursed Saco River. It felt like Citro was in my front room, talking to me about these stories, his style is that comforting. I especially liked his 'Author's Notes' at the end of each section, where he gives his candid and often frank overviews of the events just surveyed. Highly recommended."

With this book, Mr. Citro offers up another example of his fine ability as a raconteur. His in-depth look at another side of New England is fascinating. Whether you believe in curses or not, after reading this book you have to admit, at the very least, that the possibility of their existence cannot be ignored. From the colonial era to the Kennedy dynasty, Mr. Citro leaves no stone unturned while sniffing out trails of misfortune.

This book is entertaining as well as educational. Mr. Citro's well-researched documentation of New England history grounds these stories in fact. Cursed places, people, and things abound. Of course there is a chapter on Giles Corey - how could there not be when writing about New England curses - as well as rare oddities such as the threat of a curse from a tree in Duxbury, Massachusetts. I believe this to be the only glimpse into New England from this view, and few books in the genre are so engagingly written. Mr. Citro's story-telling is second to none.

I thoroughly enjoyed this look at New England. This book is a rare gem that could only have come from Joseph A. Citro. He is a true folklorist who is keeping alive the legends of New England. I would highly recommend this to anyone seeking a different perspective.

This is the only book I've ever found on the subject of curses, and it is a real head-scratcher. Joseph Citro's stories are about actual people, from witchcraft victims hanged in Salem to the Kennedy clan, giving added ammunition to the theory that "what goes around, comes around." You reap what you sow. A real thought-provoker.

For the fourth October in a row, I read one of Joe Citro's books. Citro, the bard of the bizarre, Vermont's Ghostmaster General, tackles New England curses ("Stories of Damned Yankees") in this collection. Though Passing Strange and Green Mountain Ghosts are stronger collections, this one is also one of his best. Citro's amazing ability to weave a good, spine-tingling tale of the freakishly bizarre (residing truly in the "truth is stranger than fiction" category) is matched by his passionate delight in the weird, ridiculous, and frightening. From cursed American Indian springs to the Kennedy family, from cursed ships to cursed pirates, the book encompasses the superstitions and the great tragedies to befall New Englanders through the past 500 years. A wonderful amalgam of regional history, culture, and character, both the tales themselves and the telling of them. Citro doesn't always let fact get in the way of a good tale, but he is sure to set the record straight (with "Author's Notes" at the end of each chapter), but to always leave that reasonable room for doubt. As always, Citro is never a waste of time or pages. Grade: A

Mainly the stories concern odd goings-on stemming from curses on some very bad folks. There is one about a man being pressed alive by huge stones during the infamous witch trials in the Salem, MA area and the aftermath that has haunted the town since, several accounts of chilling native american revenge curses and tales of woe upon those who've always done wrong to others. It seems to be a well researched and unbiased account and the fact that author has visited these places and notes his feelings is a huge bonus. He even debunked a few!

Reading this gave me an uneasy feeling about New England. I know we have our haunted spots such as Blood Cemetary and the like but I never realized many of the places so near to me had such horrifying histories. I never knew that North Pepperell, MA use to be a thriving community and has been plagued by a long ago curse. Nor did I know that Dudleytown, CT is one of the most haunted locations on the planet. And the bit about the Kennedy clan was surprising to me as well. I'm ashamed to admit but I've never delved into the Kennedy history and was quite surprised by some of things the author revealed here though I'm sure that to others it is all old news. That Joe Kennedy was one evil fella if everything in this account is true. I got the shivers just reading about him and thinking on all of the tragedy surrounding his clan to this day which may or may not go way back to a curse placed upon the arrogant, thoughtless Joe Kennedy many moons ago. Chilling stuff, to be sure.

I don't know if I'm brave enough to visit some of these places but it sure was fascinating to read about them.

Cursed in New England gives good information and insight into a topic rarely covered even in the annals of the paranormal.

Curses are not glamorous or inviting subjects for discussion or review, but in this book, the author gives a good overview about a little-known and nearly taboo subject.

I would recommend this as must reading for anyone interested in the subject. An eye opener!