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The top authors you listed openly say they have used Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege as one of their sources, by Marilynne Roach "Based on twenty-seven years of original archival research, including the discovery of previously unknown documents, this day-by-day narrative of the hysteria that swept through Salem Village in 1692 and 1693 reveals new connections behind the events, and shows how rapidly a community can descend into bloodthirsty madness. Roach opens her work with chapters on the history of the Puritan colonies of New England, and explains how these people regarded the metaphysical and the supernatural. The account of the days from January 1692 to March 1693 keeps in order the large cast of characters, places events in their correct contexts, and occasionally contradicts earlier assumptions about the gruesome events. The last chapter discusses the remarkable impact of the events, pointing out how the 300th anniversary of the trials made headlines in Japan and Australia". "Marilynne K. Roach's The Salem Witch Trials is representative of this ongoing interest: her "day-by-day chronicle" will find a place on the shelves of researchers and history buffs for whom the fascination of Salem never palls." -- Thomas S. Kidd, Baylor University ― Books and Culture

4 1/2 stars out of 278 ratings

Other positive reviews from Richard B. Trask, Danvers, Massachusetts Town Archivist, William T. La Moy, Editor ― Peabody Essex Museum Collections, Benjamin C. Ray, Director, Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive, Frances Hill, Author of A Delusion of Satan and editor of The Salem Witch Trials Reader, Alison D'Amario, director of education, Salem Witch Museum, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and more.

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Thank you for sharing this

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Thank you. I read Emerson Baker's book and heartily second the recommendation. I also read Mary Beth Norton's, which is good but *intense*.

Perhaps a very silly question, but: the "Plan of Andover in the Province of Massachusetts Bay Essex County 1692" map is present-day downtown North Andover, centered on the North Andover Town Common, right?

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Yes, that's right. You can view the whole map here, http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/maps/andomap.html

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