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Witch: A Tale of Terror
For centuries in Europe, innocent men and women were murdered for the imaginary crime of witchcraft. This was a mass delusion and moral panic, driven by pious superstition and a deadly commitment to religious conformity. In Witch: A Tale of Terror, best-selling author Sam Harris introduces and reads from Charles Mackay's beloved book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
Audiobook
First published January 13, 2017
About the author
Charles Mackay
504 books121 followersCharles Mackay was a Scottish poet, journalist, author, anthologist, novelist, and songwriter, remembered mainly for his book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
Mackay became a journalist in London: in 1834 he was an occasional contributor to The Sun. From the spring of 1835 till 1844 he was assistant sub-editor of the Morning Chronicle. In the autumn of 1839 he spent a month's holiday in Scotland, witnessing the Eglintoun Tournament, which he described in the Chronicle, and making acquaintances in Edinburgh. In the autumn of 1844, he moved to Scotland, and became editor of the Glasgow Argus, resigning in 1847. He worked for the Illustrated London News in 1848, becoming editor in 1852.
Mackay published Songs and Poems (1834), a History of London, The Thames and its Tributaries or, Rambles Among the Rivers (1840), Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841), and a romance entitled Longbeard. He is also remembered for his Gaelic Etymology of the Languages of Western Europe and the later Dictionary of Lowland Scotch.
His daughter was English novelist and mystic Marie Corelli.
Mackay became a journalist in London: in 1834 he was an occasional contributor to The Sun. From the spring of 1835 till 1844 he was assistant sub-editor of the Morning Chronicle. In the autumn of 1839 he spent a month's holiday in Scotland, witnessing the Eglintoun Tournament, which he described in the Chronicle, and making acquaintances in Edinburgh. In the autumn of 1844, he moved to Scotland, and became editor of the Glasgow Argus, resigning in 1847. He worked for the Illustrated London News in 1848, becoming editor in 1852.
Mackay published Songs and Poems (1834), a History of London, The Thames and its Tributaries or, Rambles Among the Rivers (1840), Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841), and a romance entitled Longbeard. He is also remembered for his Gaelic Etymology of the Languages of Western Europe and the later Dictionary of Lowland Scotch.
His daughter was English novelist and mystic Marie Corelli.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 6, 2017
WARNING. When in chapter 10 Mr Harris intones a spell which it is claimed by McKay to be used to turn someone into a goat, i verily became that cloven-hoofed creature upon an instant. This alone would be an issue in the best of circumstances, but I happened to be driving to the airport at the time. Let me tell you, a goat's leg and a stick shift do not for jolly companions make. I shall naturally be initiating legal proceedings against Mr Harris for this unforewarned witchcraft.
July 20, 2017
So I will continue my quest to find out exactly when America was great so it can be again!
Ps it wasn't the 1600's
Ps it wasn't the 1600's
March 12, 2017
Sam Harris is one of my favorite intellectuals. He's utterly brilliant and he's absolutely relentless.
One of the things I appreciate about his work is its (a) intensity and (b) brevity.
He's the king of short, sharp daggers to the brain. This book is no exception.
It's not one of his original works though. It's actually him reading (audio book version) excerpts from Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by 19th century Scottish journalist and poet Sam MacKay.
The selected readings chronicle witch trails, and the subsequent torture and mass murder of (mostly) women based on straight nonsense.
The irony is that the persecutors of the witches blamed their victims of committing evil and witchcraft.
But the which hunters were themselves the evil doers, and the closest thing to witchcraft present was their own kooky beliefs and flawed methodologies.
The obvious analogy is to contemporary religious zealotry and other faulty thinking that Harris has dedicated his career to challenging.
Religion is clearly not the only culprit. Any kind of wack ass ideology will suffice, particularly the political variety.
Mix the two together and the result is a terrifically foul and toxic brew.
Precisely the type that appears to be bubbling up from the bowels of the American psyche at present.
Although the work is clearly salacious, it hammers home the point that people can be ridiculously cruel when caught in the spell of flawed thinking.
The witch trails are almost comic with the benefit of two hundred plus years of distance between us and them. But horrific when you consider that those were real people being burned alive.
The book is an unvarnished rendering of violent misogyny, timely in that it is clearly analogous to the misogyny and backward thinking of our current age.
Nice job Mr. Harris.
One of the things I appreciate about his work is its (a) intensity and (b) brevity.
He's the king of short, sharp daggers to the brain. This book is no exception.
It's not one of his original works though. It's actually him reading (audio book version) excerpts from Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by 19th century Scottish journalist and poet Sam MacKay.
The selected readings chronicle witch trails, and the subsequent torture and mass murder of (mostly) women based on straight nonsense.
The irony is that the persecutors of the witches blamed their victims of committing evil and witchcraft.
But the which hunters were themselves the evil doers, and the closest thing to witchcraft present was their own kooky beliefs and flawed methodologies.
The obvious analogy is to contemporary religious zealotry and other faulty thinking that Harris has dedicated his career to challenging.
Religion is clearly not the only culprit. Any kind of wack ass ideology will suffice, particularly the political variety.
Mix the two together and the result is a terrifically foul and toxic brew.
Precisely the type that appears to be bubbling up from the bowels of the American psyche at present.
Although the work is clearly salacious, it hammers home the point that people can be ridiculously cruel when caught in the spell of flawed thinking.
The witch trails are almost comic with the benefit of two hundred plus years of distance between us and them. But horrific when you consider that those were real people being burned alive.
The book is an unvarnished rendering of violent misogyny, timely in that it is clearly analogous to the misogyny and backward thinking of our current age.
Nice job Mr. Harris.
September 4, 2019
“Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.”
This year I read many horror books & stories, but by far this one was the most horror filled book I read, with the sad fact that this is not a fiction book but an actual piece of the history.
This book is shortened selected readings from Charles Mackay's book: "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds". It was originally published in 1841 and this book is an excerpt from the original's "Witch-Mania" section. The writer dives deep to various witch-hunting stories from the history, and recounts various cases of witch trials and notable documented court accounts. In a sense this is one of the first social psychology books, displaying a horrific aspects of group psychology and mass delusion.
According to the record, during the Witch-hunt mass delusion there has been around 100,000 official executions - which excludes town lynchings and any other unofficial punishment for witchcraft. Mackay gives a glimpse of how these accusations took place and how group of people were so delusional that they did not hesitate to burn innocent women, sometimes men and even children without a flinch.
The book displays the dark side of humans - the power of confirmation bias and self deceit. I think everyone should either read this version or the original long version to understand what we are capable of as human beings and why it is important to understand our mental weaknesses and why we should all take time to develop critical thinking skills.
This year I read many horror books & stories, but by far this one was the most horror filled book I read, with the sad fact that this is not a fiction book but an actual piece of the history.
This book is shortened selected readings from Charles Mackay's book: "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds". It was originally published in 1841 and this book is an excerpt from the original's "Witch-Mania" section. The writer dives deep to various witch-hunting stories from the history, and recounts various cases of witch trials and notable documented court accounts. In a sense this is one of the first social psychology books, displaying a horrific aspects of group psychology and mass delusion.
According to the record, during the Witch-hunt mass delusion there has been around 100,000 official executions - which excludes town lynchings and any other unofficial punishment for witchcraft. Mackay gives a glimpse of how these accusations took place and how group of people were so delusional that they did not hesitate to burn innocent women, sometimes men and even children without a flinch.
The book displays the dark side of humans - the power of confirmation bias and self deceit. I think everyone should either read this version or the original long version to understand what we are capable of as human beings and why it is important to understand our mental weaknesses and why we should all take time to develop critical thinking skills.
May 15, 2017
Crowd: We have found a witch. May we burn her?
Inquisitor: How do you know she is a witch?
Crowd: She looks like one!
Inquisitor: Bring her forward.
Woman: I'm not a witch! I'm not a witch!
Inquisitor: But you are dressed as one.
Oh, you'll pardon me, but I simply couldn't resist. Monty Python did such an excellent job of skewering this bizarre period in European history that I simply can't think about Salem or witches without quoting the above. But while this book, like Monty Python, ridicules the witch frenzy that swept Europe, predominantly from the 15th to late 18th centuries, and puritan America, it does so based purely on accounts of the time. Narrated by Sam Harris, "Witch: A Tale of Terror" is actually excerpted from Charles Mackay's "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" which was published in 1841 and is still famous today for its analysis of market psychology.
Though this is by no means a long or especially thorough account of those wicked times, it is an excellent overview and a good slap in the face to all those Christians who fail to remember the atrocities committed in their religion's name - justified by baroque verses from the Bible about witchcraft.
Sam Harris was obviously an inspired narrative choice for a book dealing with such a fiery religious subject matter, and this is recommended reading to history buffs and fans of enchantment alike.
Now, to return to the Monty Python take on it ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMh...
Inquisitor: How do you know she is a witch?
Crowd: She looks like one!
Inquisitor: Bring her forward.
Woman: I'm not a witch! I'm not a witch!
Inquisitor: But you are dressed as one.
Oh, you'll pardon me, but I simply couldn't resist. Monty Python did such an excellent job of skewering this bizarre period in European history that I simply can't think about Salem or witches without quoting the above. But while this book, like Monty Python, ridicules the witch frenzy that swept Europe, predominantly from the 15th to late 18th centuries, and puritan America, it does so based purely on accounts of the time. Narrated by Sam Harris, "Witch: A Tale of Terror" is actually excerpted from Charles Mackay's "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" which was published in 1841 and is still famous today for its analysis of market psychology.
Though this is by no means a long or especially thorough account of those wicked times, it is an excellent overview and a good slap in the face to all those Christians who fail to remember the atrocities committed in their religion's name - justified by baroque verses from the Bible about witchcraft.
Sam Harris was obviously an inspired narrative choice for a book dealing with such a fiery religious subject matter, and this is recommended reading to history buffs and fans of enchantment alike.
Now, to return to the Monty Python take on it ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMh...
July 19, 2017
This is surprisingly modern, considering how old the original book of Charles MacKay is. You can still see the time in some things, for example MacKay clearly expects that his readers are all men.
The book itself is really short and slightly repetative. Since this is only part of the original book I would have maybe edited and republished the whole thing.
The book itself is really short and slightly repetative. Since this is only part of the original book I would have maybe edited and republished the whole thing.
May 17, 2024
Truly horrific that people were tortured to the point of “confessing” witchcraft then were killed. Over and over again. A bit dry in places, but overall an interesting history.
May 6, 2020
Bewitching.
March 27, 2022
Trigger Warning: Contains American pronunciations of British locations.
Does exactly what it says on the tin. Sam Harris reads out a chapter, listing persecution against alleged witches from Charles Mackay’s book. Before there was Douglas Murray’s Madness of Crowds and the modern witch hunts of cancel culture, Mackay was calling attention to his own era’s Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
Does exactly what it says on the tin. Sam Harris reads out a chapter, listing persecution against alleged witches from Charles Mackay’s book. Before there was Douglas Murray’s Madness of Crowds and the modern witch hunts of cancel culture, Mackay was calling attention to his own era’s Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
February 6, 2017
A bit of a dry book - set as a series of horrific cases of people accused of and condemned for Witchcraft in Europe. The book's formula is essentially a case study of different real stories of supposed Witches in several countries (with a very brief view of Salem, but the real focus is Europe). These were presented in a way to showcase the mass hysteria, and the relative ease in which so many people were accused and burned for this "crime." As well as the outlandish accusations, as the author goes in quite a bit of detail. Aside from the repetitiveness and relatively dry delivery it was quite an interesting book! And quite short as well - would recommend to anyone interested in the historic aspects of the Witch Hunts in Europe! With the current state of the world, these cases also bring a new unsettling layer of recognition that's a bit hard to shake.
August 20, 2017
Listened to this as an audiobook
A rather short book with a lot of information about the Witch Hunt of the 1600 and 1700, also with some info from modern times.
A lot of info, gathered in an easy enough to understand way.
The narrator had a calm and warm voice, and while I think some might find him boring and tiresome, I liked his voice for this kind of book.
Only thing I'm a bit sad about, is that I feel I missed something, but Im not in the mood to go back and check to see if I really did or not
A rather short book with a lot of information about the Witch Hunt of the 1600 and 1700, also with some info from modern times.
A lot of info, gathered in an easy enough to understand way.
The narrator had a calm and warm voice, and while I think some might find him boring and tiresome, I liked his voice for this kind of book.
Only thing I'm a bit sad about, is that I feel I missed something, but Im not in the mood to go back and check to see if I really did or not
February 12, 2017
This is a historical accounting of the witch hunts of history. There is an emphasis on the popular beliefs and the crowd behaviours that sustained it for so long. It is never boring but does become repetitive somewhat, horrific always.
October 3, 2017
This was facilitating and sad. I've read quite a bit about the witch hunts before, but this went into great detail about the superstitions behind them. Very interesting.
December 28, 2017
This is an excerpt from the book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay. He wrote this book in 1841, almost 200 years ago. Based on the excerpt, the title more or less says it all. The book, which has a slightly catalog-esque feel to it, describes a number of cases where a person, usually a woman or a girl, was accused of being a witch. It also gives you a brief history of witch hunts - from its peak in the beginning of the 17th century to the end in the late 18th century (although in some countries people still believe in witches).
It is entertaining in - a macabre kind of way – to read about the witch trials. Although I have read a fair amount about witches, I am still amazed every time I read about the trials. Witness accounts in which someone claimed to have seen a cat that looked like the accused were taken seriously. Experts claimed that if you talk at loud to yourself then you are definitively possessed by a demon and must, therefore, be a witch. I am guessing that to some extent the witch hunts were a way to satisfy the crowd's lust for blood and their desire for vengeance over the extreme hardships in their life. We should keep this in mind today when people on social media seem to think that they are better jurors than the people working within the judicial system.
If you want a brief introduction to the history of the witch-hunt, with a European bias, then this book is a good buy. However, you can get more detailed accounts (remember that this is an excerpt) and while the book has a Sam Harris feel to it, only small parts of it were actually authored by him.
It is entertaining in - a macabre kind of way – to read about the witch trials. Although I have read a fair amount about witches, I am still amazed every time I read about the trials. Witness accounts in which someone claimed to have seen a cat that looked like the accused were taken seriously. Experts claimed that if you talk at loud to yourself then you are definitively possessed by a demon and must, therefore, be a witch. I am guessing that to some extent the witch hunts were a way to satisfy the crowd's lust for blood and their desire for vengeance over the extreme hardships in their life. We should keep this in mind today when people on social media seem to think that they are better jurors than the people working within the judicial system.
If you want a brief introduction to the history of the witch-hunt, with a European bias, then this book is a good buy. However, you can get more detailed accounts (remember that this is an excerpt) and while the book has a Sam Harris feel to it, only small parts of it were actually authored by him.
January 10, 2020
This is an excerpt from the book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay. He wrote this book in 1841, almost 200 years ago. Based on the excerpt, the title more or less says it all. The book, which has a slightly catalog-esque feel to it, describes a number of cases where a person, usually a woman or a girl, was accused of being a witch. It also gives you a brief history of witch hunts - from its peak in the beginning of the 17th century to the end in the late 18th century (although in some countries people still believe in witches).
It is entertaining in - a macabre kind of way – to read about the witch trials. Although I have read a fair amount about witches, I am still amazed every time I read about the trials. Witness accounts in which someone claimed to have seen a cat that looked like the accused were taken seriously. Experts claimed that if you talk at loud to yourself then you are definitively possessed by a demon and must, therefore, be a witch. I am guessing that to some extent the witch hunts were a way to satisfy the crowd's lust for blood and their desire for vengeance over the extreme hardships in their life. We should keep this in mind today when people on social media seem to think that they are better jurors than the people working within the judicial system.
If you want a brief introduction to the history of the witch-hunt, with a European bias, then this book is a good buy. However, you can get more detailed accounts (remember that this is an excerpt) and while the book has a Sam Harris feel to it, only small parts of it were actually authored by him.
It is entertaining in - a macabre kind of way – to read about the witch trials. Although I have read a fair amount about witches, I am still amazed every time I read about the trials. Witness accounts in which someone claimed to have seen a cat that looked like the accused were taken seriously. Experts claimed that if you talk at loud to yourself then you are definitively possessed by a demon and must, therefore, be a witch. I am guessing that to some extent the witch hunts were a way to satisfy the crowd's lust for blood and their desire for vengeance over the extreme hardships in their life. We should keep this in mind today when people on social media seem to think that they are better jurors than the people working within the judicial system.
If you want a brief introduction to the history of the witch-hunt, with a European bias, then this book is a good buy. However, you can get more detailed accounts (remember that this is an excerpt) and while the book has a Sam Harris feel to it, only small parts of it were actually authored by him.
June 4, 2017
Humans have a long history of using the State as a weapon against others, rather than using the State as a tool of justice. This book is a perfect example. It was thought that the mere accusation of witchcraft was sufficient to put a woman to death. People time and time again used the most absurd reasons for the claim of being a witch. Some included: she was the prettiest girl in the area; she was from the richest family; she gave somebody a slightly wrong look; she was ugly; she talked to someone, then the person fell sick; and so on and so on.
What was equally as scary, was the low level of evidence required to sentence a woman to death. The argument they used was, 'If we have a high level of evidence to prove witchcraft, then many witches that can't be proven to be a witch, will be let free.' And here's the scary part: these same arguments are being used today but in other areas. However, I won't mention them as they're too politically charged.
The purpose of this book was to show the extreme consequences of superstition. However, I put a different spin on it. The same set of facts demonstrates: 1) Why we employ the philosophy of 'innocent until proven guilty', and 2) why we have a high standard of evidence.
What was equally as scary, was the low level of evidence required to sentence a woman to death. The argument they used was, 'If we have a high level of evidence to prove witchcraft, then many witches that can't be proven to be a witch, will be let free.' And here's the scary part: these same arguments are being used today but in other areas. However, I won't mention them as they're too politically charged.
The purpose of this book was to show the extreme consequences of superstition. However, I put a different spin on it. The same set of facts demonstrates: 1) Why we employ the philosophy of 'innocent until proven guilty', and 2) why we have a high standard of evidence.
March 11, 2019
An interesting catalog of the witch trials in Europe and Massachusetts written by Charles Murray in the mid 19th century. A bit repetitive, but that is because it is describing the actual events many of which have a similar characteristic. It includes all the terrible truths about tests for witches that were ridiculously unfair and about testimony that was incredible in its stupidity.
It whets the appetite for a more comprehensive description of what led to the waves of witchcraft trials. They appear to have often been attacks on the "other" where that might be foreigners or old women alone in the world and somewhat around the bend. Why did they occur where and when they occurred? There are also uncomfortable analogies to be seen in modern times as we appear to be moving away from an age of reason.
It whets the appetite for a more comprehensive description of what led to the waves of witchcraft trials. They appear to have often been attacks on the "other" where that might be foreigners or old women alone in the world and somewhat around the bend. Why did they occur where and when they occurred? There are also uncomfortable analogies to be seen in modern times as we appear to be moving away from an age of reason.
July 7, 2021
The book itself was meh, but the history of witches across the world (nope, it wasn't just Salem), is shocking and rooted in mania. It was interesting to read about the reasons given for executing witches, and even more interesting were the people who willingly confessed to witchcraft before ever being accused.
The stories and folklore surrounding witches vary, and many countries tell the same or similar stories. One of my favorites, which I don't know if I believe actually was given as a means for execution, was of a man who was attacked by a wild animal. He managed to cut off it's front paw, and when he came home to his wife, saw that she was sitting with her hand under a blanket. When he revealed her hand, it was a continually bleeding stump.
The history is interesting, the book is meh.
The stories and folklore surrounding witches vary, and many countries tell the same or similar stories. One of my favorites, which I don't know if I believe actually was given as a means for execution, was of a man who was attacked by a wild animal. He managed to cut off it's front paw, and when he came home to his wife, saw that she was sitting with her hand under a blanket. When he revealed her hand, it was a continually bleeding stump.
The history is interesting, the book is meh.
January 1, 2018
I liked this book. It was much, much shorter, thereby more to the point than Stacy Schiff's The Witches: Salem 1692. Instead of the usual Salem territory, Mackay takes a look at the European side of terrorizing people labeled as witches. I think it is the grand irony of witchcraft, that the people punishing witches were more cruel and deadly than any actual witch. It is disturbing and tragic how people were tortured and murdered based on hearsay. It kind of puts internet trolls in perspective. Things could be worse.
July 11, 2017
Sam Harris has edited and introduced Charles MacKay's account of the age of witch-hunting with all its horrific Christian zeal, its greed and above all, its irrationality. The result is, as the subtitle says, a tale of terror. As we watch Christian fundamentalism rising in today's United States, we are poised to view a repeat of history with new scapegoats falling before the scythe of Christian wrath and we should all take note and stand ready to be voices of reason against the irrational. A good work, well worth reading and as we read it, we should remember, it could happen today too.
May 22, 2019
An excerpt from Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay, who wrote his book in 1841. It’s edited and read (audible version) by Sam Harris. It’s a short and in-depth look into history, witch hunts, and the nature of the superstitious beliefs about witches throughout history. It’s somewhat repetitive in that the stories are similar and all atrocious. I was unaware at just how many ways and times people were tried, convicted, and tortured for it. The Salem witch trials were just a piece in this puzzle. If you’re interested in history, the Salem witch trials, and just how superstitious we can be, this book is for you.
April 12, 2022
New author and narrator for me. An interesting listen, but the summary is a little misleading. This wasn't so much about atrocities done to witches, but the atrocities done to the mentally ill, innocent, and Satanists by "The Church" who grouped everyone deemed a "witch" as a result of prejudices and need for scapegoats. What's most fascinating is the confessions of communing with the Devil without any need for coersive torture 🤔 Yes, a very interesting listen.
March 15, 2018
A reading of a historical account of the witch craze. It was a bit overwhelming to hear the sheer numbers, and methods, but as important as ever in a world where the administration prides itself on marginalizing anyone who is considered "different". Also, a sobering reminder that our judicial system more often that not favors public opinion and not always fact.
May 1, 2018
Oooof, I was counting the pages until I would be done with this.
If you enjoy reading about the horror and foolishness of humanity's persecution of "witches" ...pages and pages of repetitive descriptions with zero analysis ...well, I've got the book for you. Seriously, this book can be boiled down to a 1000 word essay, and you wouldn't lose much value.
If you enjoy reading about the horror and foolishness of humanity's persecution of "witches" ...pages and pages of repetitive descriptions with zero analysis ...well, I've got the book for you. Seriously, this book can be boiled down to a 1000 word essay, and you wouldn't lose much value.
December 11, 2019
My one complaint is that it's not longer. I love that it goes into a lot of detail about how hysteria spread throughout communities and how women were targeted and executed en masse for the crime of being women someone didn't like. It's full of information that's relevant and succinct enough to keep your attention, and direct quotes from a bunch of the trials.
April 11, 2021
This audiobook is a small part of a much bigger book - but it does fairly well by itself. The only drawback is a full analysis of mass delusions from a theoretical perspective, which I assume is included in the conclusion of the original book. It is interesting, well researched, a bit dry in sections, but very vivid and exciting in others.
January 6, 2023
It's overall a pretty good collection of events and stories. I did not realize the witch mania was as extensive as it is documented here. It was fascinating to listen to, especially in the soothing voice of Sam Harris; even when what he's narrating are atrocities committed in deep ignorance. It does get a bit repetitive, but that's neither here nor there.
July 15, 2017
A harrowing accounting of the collective witch psychosis that swept through the West for hundreds of years. Even to most of us who are well aware of the general history, it's still shocking and mind-numbing to go through the specifics of case after case.
July 21, 2018
For centuries in Europe, innocent men and women were murdered for the imaginary crime of witchcraft. This was a mass delusion and moral panic, driven by pious superstition and a deadly commitment to religious conformity. An excerpt from 19th century writer Charles Mackay's book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
A very informative read on European witch trials, from backwoods hamlets to royal courts. Mackay discusses the ulterior motives behind many condemnations, and the inhumane practices used to garner confessions. The chapters on Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed Witchfinder Genereal, shed light on those who profited from discovering supposed witches. A good, quick read for anyone interested in the history of witch mania.
A very informative read on European witch trials, from backwoods hamlets to royal courts. Mackay discusses the ulterior motives behind many condemnations, and the inhumane practices used to garner confessions. The chapters on Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed Witchfinder Genereal, shed light on those who profited from discovering supposed witches. A good, quick read for anyone interested in the history of witch mania.
November 24, 2020
Both amusing and scary! I hadn’t realised just how long the witch-mania had gripped Christendom. A good reminder of the ease with which human minds are warped. We’re too easily gripped by a righteous urge to commit evil acts. Remain vigilant of it happening to oneself!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews