In Detestable and Wicked Arts, Paul B. Moyer places early New England's battle against black magic in a transatlantic perspective. Moyer provides an accessible and comprehensive examination of witch prosecutions in the Puritan colonies that discusses how their English inhabitants understood the crime of witchcraft, why some people ran a greater risk of being accused of occult misdeeds, and how gender intersected with witch-hunting.
Focusing on witchcraft cases in New England between roughly 1640 and 1670, Detestable and Wicked Arts highlights ties between witch-hunting in the New and Old Worlds. Informed by studies on witchcraft in early modern Europe, Moyer presents a useful synthesis of scholarship on occult crime in New England and makes new and valuable contributions to the field.
The book is published by Cornell University Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.
"Significantly expands our understanding of the always intriguing topic of New England witchcraft." (Mary Beth Norton, Cornell University)
"Excellent analysis and insights on New England witchcraft..." (Emerson W. Baker, Salem State University)
"Delivers an engaging and useful synthesis of scholarship about New England witchcraft..." (Erika Gasser, University of Cincinnati)