Customer Reviews

Damned Women: Sinners and Witches in Puritan New England

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Reis manages to make us look at the Salem trials as a religious event that takes place in a religious society. Rather than concentrating upon the petty squabbles that may (or may not) have provided the immediate catalyst for accusations, she shows us how Puritan women were taught to view sin and how they increasingly thought of themselves as inherently sinful. Somehow, she manages to make us understand the terrible torment that the accused women suffered in their trials but also in their souls. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Salem episode or women and religion.

I've always been fascinated by the Salem witchcraft trials, read all the books, seen all the movies. I didn't think there was much new to be said that I hadn't already heard, but I got this book anyway. And it was fabulous! Reis has a whole different take on the witchcraft trials. It was always puzzling to me why these women, who obviously weren't guilty, gave such convincing confessions in their trials. Reis put this all in the context of how the Puritans thought about religion and about gender. Great book.

Although i leanred new facts that i had never knew about the salem trials, i found my self nodding to sleep several times and reading the same points over and over.

Book was way to over priced for its condition.. Usually used books may be highlighted or written in but there were lines through the words you couldnt read some parts.. very unhappy.

all this book has done is denounce women and witches. the writer should review how her "subjects" really are before she strikes them down! VERY DISTATSEFUL