The Devil in the Shape of a Woman

Witchcraft in Colonial New England

By: Carol F. Karlsen

Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin

Confessing to "familiarity with the devils", Mary Johnson, a servant, was executed by Connecticut officials in 1648. A wealthy Boston widow, Ann Hibbens, was hanged in 1656 for casting spells on her neighbors. The case of Ann Cole, who was "taken with very strange Fits", fueled an outbreak of witchcraft accusations in Hartford a generation before the notorious events at Salem.

More than 300 years later, the question "Why?" still haunts us. Why were these and other women likely witches - vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft and possession? Carol F. Karlsen reveals the social construction of witchcraft in 17th-century New England and illuminates the larger contours of gender relations in that society.

©1998 Carol F. Karlsen (P)2018 Tantor

really well researched

I love the details into the women's lives. There are some things found to be incorrect and are addressed at the end of the book.

Infuriating

Haven’t even finished it yet but my god, it’s well-written, beautiful, and infuriating.
So little changes. So very little changes through time in the paradoxical, nonsensical ways we trap women in our society. It is heartbreaking to hear how so many women were accused and punished, and in some ways punished themselves, for wanting more out of their lives.

Vital scholarship beautifully narrated.

Absolutely fascinating and complex. The narration is clear and pleasant to listen to and Karlsen’s scholarship is still deeply relevant. Her illumination of the social circumstances leading to early American conceptions of witchcraft is nuanced and refuses to be reductive, which is refreshing as so many will describe witchcraft trials and outbreaks as being only due to one or two cultural circumstances. Karlsen is a brilliant historian as well as a wonderful story teller. Absolutely excellent.

Educational

This was an interesting listen detailing witch accusations and possible reasons behind them. Mostly historical in nature I think this book does a good job of being both educational and feminist

Well researched

The author did such an efficient job researching material for her book. I loved the analytics, statistics, and percentages that resulted from diligent research giving the reader a nice overview of the people and the times.
One thing that puzzled me was pinpointing the author's main agenda. Was she saying the "accused" witches were all wrongfully accused, or was she saying that if they actually claimed or confessed to be witches they should not have been persecuted? I was a little confused.
I liked the book and truly admire the author's hard work in honoring and revitalizing these stigmatized forgotten women's lives.