Witchfinders: A Seventeenth-Century English Tragedy

Description

We highly recommend Witchfinders, written by one of our favorite historians and authors, Malcolm Gaskill. His account of Matthew Hopkins (aka “the witchfinder general”) and his partner-in-witch-finding, John Stearne, describes the most savage witch hunt in English history. From 1645-1647, more than 250 people (mostly women) were captured and interrogated in court, and more than 100 were hanged. While Witchfinders tells of a unique and tragic historical moment fueled by religious fervor, today it serves as a reminder of the power of fear and fanaticism to fuel ordinary people’s willingness to demonize others. (paperback, 2005)

“[A] full-blooded account of the most notorious witch hunt in English history.” –New York Times

“…historian Malcolm Gaskill chronicles this chilling tale of hysteria and scapegoating.” –Washington Post

$32.00