The Ruin of All Witches : Life and Death in the New World

Behold, a literary triumph that has captivated the nation and earned its place among the finest historical works of our time. This Sunday Times bestseller, shortlisted for the prestigious Wolfson History Prize, transports us to the frontier town of Springfield in 1651, where a sinister tapestry of events begins to unfold.

In this remote Massachusetts plantation, we witness the unravelling of a community as it succumbs to a maelstrom of paranoia and accusation. At the heart of this tumultuous tale stand Hugh Parsons, a cantankerous brickmaker, and his troubled wife Mary, upon whom the finger of suspicion falls with devastating consequences.

With the precision of a master detective, Malcolm Gaskill excavates long-buried source material to resurrect a world teetering between the divine and the diabolical. Through his meticulous investigation, we are granted passage to the very crucible of colonial America, where lofty dreams of liberty and enlightenment clash violently with the dark forces of superstition and fear.

This gripping micro-history serves as a lens through which we observe the agonising birth pangs of the modern world. Gaskill's narrative, at once deeply empathetic and rigorously researched, illuminates the treacherous path from a society gripped by supernatural obsessions to the dawn of reason.

Prepare to be enthralled by this bona fide historical classic, a tale as compelling as any fireside yarn, yet grounded in the rich soil of scholarly insight. 'The Ruin of All Witches' is not merely a book; it is a portal to a world both familiar and alien, a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable adversity.

Product Information:

Book ISBN:	9780141991481
Book Author:	Malcolm Gaskill
Book Format:	Paperback / softback
Book Imprint:	Penguin Books Ltd
Book Publisher:	Penguin Books Ltd
Book Dimensions:	129 x 196 x 22 cm
Book Publication Date:	2022-06-10
Book Pagination:	336 pages
Book Weight:	248g