Stacy schiff was working as a senior editor with the publishing firm of. Oct 20, 2015 as you read witches of america fsg, a tasting tour of modern pagan culture cum memoir by alex mar, and the witches. Feb 06, 2016 this feature is not available right now. Stacy schiffs the witches is an indelibly etched morality fable, the best recounting of the salem hysteria in modern times. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for the humanities and an. A pulitzer prizewinning biographer presents a swift, sympathetic life of one of historys most maligned and legendary women. Now, the massachusetts native is out with a history of a. Salem was a community of maniacal recordkeepers, schiff writes, but they made an exception for 1692. As you read witches of america fsg, a tasting tour of modern pagan culture cum memoir by alex mar, and the witches. I found the beginning half of this book to be very interesting, especially since theres frequent mention of the contentiousness of the young teenage and preteen girls in salem, 1692 in the court records as accusers and as suspects. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize. Portrait of a marriage, was published by random house in april, l999. Stacy schiffs the witches shines a torch on salem trials the. It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts winter, when a ministers daughter began to scream and convulse.
Jul 31, 2015 the above photo is the correct photo of stacy schiff. Is there a class of human more unsettling than the teenage girl. Stacy schiff, author of the witches, a brilliant, exceptionally wellresearched account of the 1692 salem witch trials, says her number one requirement when writing her prizewinning nonfiction books is a big desk, an enormous desk. The pulitzer prizewinning author of cleopatra analyzes the salem witch trials to offer key insights into the role of women in its events while explaining how its tragedies became possible. Stacy schiff explores truth amid myth of salem trials in the. The witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff.
With her new book, the witches, stacy schiff seems to have wanted to strip away the metaphors and go back to the original story of salem. David mccullough declared the book brilliant from start to finish. Stacy schiff is the author of a great improvisation and vera mrs. Youre synthesizing massive amounts of raw material, she explains during a call to her home just north of the grand, beauxarts. Author interview stacy schiff, author of the witches bookpage. Readers who appreciated this book might also enjoy witches. Oct 27, 2015 the pulitzer prizewinning biographer provides an account of a foundational american tragedy of mass hysteria and injustice. Stacy schiff schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for the humanities and an award in literature from the american academy of arts and letters. The salem witch trials offer stacy schiff an outsized drama that seized americans imaginations more than 300 years ago. Salem, 1692, which the new york times hailed as an almost novelistic, thrillerlike narrative. New yorker contributor schiff a great improvisation.
It sounds too cutesy, like everything is an inside joke, not like a a nonfiction book at all. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize and the ambassador book award. Author interview stacy schiff, author of the witches. A version of this article appeared in the 08032015 issue of publishers weekly under the headline. Stacy schiffs pulitzer prizewinning biography of vera nabokov, the wife of. The witches by stacy schiff benjamin franklin house. A life, by hermione lee, new york times november 2014. Salem,1692, as yet another occasion to apply american historys favorite metaphor. Oct 28, 2015 pulitzer prizewinning biographer stacy schiffs new book, the witches. She has opened up important new avenues for salem scholarship. Salem, 1692 steps back from more than three centuries of hyperbole and supposition, giving us our most complete account yet. Salem, 1692 by stacy schiff is obviously a very well researched book. Franklin, france, and the birth of america paperback vera mrs.
Stacy schiff, author of the witches, a brilliant, exceptionally wellresearched. A life, winner of the penjacqueline bograd weld award for biography. Stacy schiffs the witches is an intoxicating brew of. Salem, 1692, makes the excellent point that salem is not remarkable merely for accusations of witchcraft. Named a 2011 library lion by the new york public library, she lives in new york city. Stacy schiff s the witches is an indelibly etched morality fable, the best recounting of the salem hysteria in modern times. A riveting story of how the constraints of puritan society, politics, and contempt for outsiders ripped a community apart. Thomas putnam, salems official court recorder, rewrote the village record. Ellis, pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet. Review of alex mars witches of america and stacey schiffs.
Oct 26, 2015 pulitizer prizewinning author stacy schiff s last book was a bestseller about cleopatra. Stacy schiffs the witches is an intoxicating brew of history. The witches is a factual account of the salem witch trials in 1692. Pulitizer prizewinning author stacy schiffs last book was a bestseller about cleopatra. This book needs a seat belt kathryn harrison author of joan of arc the witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff joseph j. Pulitzer prizewinner stacy schiffs straightforward account of the witch trials is meticulously documented but very. Oct 27, 2015 stacy schiff is the author of vera mrs. Salem, 1692, makes the excellent point that salem is not remarkable merely for.
The panic began early in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts winter, when a ministers niece began to writhe and roar. Mass hysteria surrounding the notorious witchtrials at salem is vividly recreated but the question of why. Nov, 2015 with her new book, the witches, stacy schiff seems to have wanted to strip away the metaphors and go back to the original story of salem. Salem, 1692 little, brown, stacy schiff s psychological study of colonial. While by the end schiffs book pulls itself into a reasonably cohesive shape, offering some credible if not wholly original. Stacy schiff is an author with videos in the cspan video library. Her moods are unpredictable, her powers of attracti. Nov 01, 2015 its tempting to use historian stacy schiff s revelatory, sumptuously written new book, the witches. It describes the backgrounds of the girls and men and women who made the accusations, and also of the accused.
Stacy schiff, author official website the witches now. Salem, 1692 by stacy schiff little, brown i t began among children. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged. At its best, the latest work from schiff cleopatra. Stacy schiffs the witches, a reign of terror in 17th. In the village ministers house, two little girls crawled under the furniture, made silly noises, spread their. The above photo is the correct photo of stacy schiff. Stacy schiff explores truth amid myth of salem trials in. Bernard rosenthal, editor of records of the salem witchhunt stacy schiffs the witches is an indelibly etched morality fable, the best recounting of the salem hysteria in. As schiff points out early in the book, the puritans of salem village were often assiduous diarists and recordkeepers, but firsthand accounts of.
Stacy schiff books list of books by author stacy schiff. A life applies her descriptive prowess and flair for the dramatic to the salem witch trials. Salem, 1692 by stacy schiff and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Ellis pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet schiff sets scenes brilliantly, evoking the bite of. The pulitzer prizewinning biographer provides an account of a foundational american tragedy of mass hysteria and injustice. Author of cleopatra, the witches wins 2019 helmerich. In fact, i stayed up much of last night reading the book. She has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for the humanities, and was a directors fellow at the center for scholars and writers at the new york public library. This item is available to borrow from 1 library branch. The witches by stacy schiff i think i would like this book, but i do not like the audiobook. Salem, 1692 and sarah vowells lafayette in the somewhat united states in succession is a reminder that american historys mysterious and.
Schiff notes the sherriff even removed the gold wedding ring from the mother of one of the convicted. Author of cleopatra, the witches wins 2019 helmerich award. Stacy schiffs book on the trial and the aftermath is compulsively readable. Pulitzer prizewinning biographer stacy schiffs new book, the witches. Ellis, pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet stacy schiff has beautifully combined remarkable story telling with historical accuracy and insight. One sevenyearold girl announced that she had been a. The book is packed with details and delivered with a punch. James i and the english witch hunts by tracy borman. All of schiffs books demonstrate her rigor as a historian and her dexterity as a stylist. Throughout her married life, schiff and her husband, a canadian.
Oct 20, 2016 this book needs a seat belt kathryn harrison author of joan of arc the witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff joseph j. As the witches demonstrates, the more attention one pays to the minute historical details the harder it is to be certain about what exactly happened and why. Its tempting to use historian stacy schiffs revelatory, sumptuously written new book, the witches. Salem, 1692 secend impression by stacy schiff isbn. Joseph ellis deemed schiff s the finest account to date of the witch trials. The witches book denton public library bibliocommons. With her new book, the witches, stacy schiff seems to have wanted to. Mass hysteria surrounding the notorious witchtrials at salem is vividly recreated but the question of. A pulitzer prizewinner, stacy schiff is the author most recently of the witches. Salem, 1692, stacy schiff represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in indiana state library. Cleareyed and sympathetic, schiff makes the complex seem simple, crafting a taut narrative that takes in religion, politics, folklore, and the intricate texture of daily life in massachusetts bay, with particular. Now, the massachusetts native is out with a history of a subject closer to home. It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts.
But reading stacy schiffs new book about the 1692 salem witch trials, it doesnt seem that far afield from the stubborn, villainous rationalizations that. Stacy schiff has beautifully combined remarkable story telling with historical accuracy and insight. Vladimir nabokov, which won the 2000 pulitzer prize for biography. Mass hysteria surrounding the notorious witchtrials at. Stacy madeleine schiff born october 26, 1961 is an american former editor, essayist, and author of five biographies. From intelligent rule to hysteria, mayhem, and murder.
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