In the first edition of the Bancroft Prize-winning Entertaining Satan; John Putnam Demos presented an entirely new perspective on American witchcraft. By investigating the surviving historical documents of over a hundred actual witchcraft cases; he vividly recreated the world of New England during the witchcraft trials and brought to light fascinating information on the role of witchcraft in early American culture. Now Demos has revisited his original work and updated it to illustrate why these early Americans' strange views on witchcraft still matter to us today. He provides a new preface that puts forth a broader overview of witchcraft and looks at its place around the world--from ancient times right up to the present.
#992217 in Books 2006-02-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.20 x .80 x 7.10l; .53 #File Name: 0195160924160 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. PrideBy The Kwanzaa Coloring BookMichael Eric Dyson suggests in his book Pride that sin a virtuous value;he agrees with Aristotle as he engages in long diatribes of Black andWhite pride. His arguments are compelling; if you like Dyson you will be drawn into his views-cheering and pumping your fist into the air. I want to believe him; pride has helped African Americans on a path to equality in The United States and has provided moral paragons that America needed in the past. However; since the King years I have become incredulous of Dyson's claim that pride is a virtuous value. For example; in the 21 first century African Americans use "Black Pride" to obtain an allowance to stuff their personal piggy banks; even exploiting own exploiting their community in the process; which has lead them away GOD. This is the reason Thomas Aquinas preached that pride was a sin.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Rachel DavisThe book is a really interesting look at pride.5 of 8 people found the following review helpful. You can't judge this book by its title (and that's not so good)By Kerry WaltersThe New York Public Library's series on the 7 deadly sins; which invites authors to reflect on the contemporary relevance and meaning of the 7 traditional deadlies; is an excellent idea. Unfortunately; the series is uneven; as exemplified by Michael Eric Dyson's rather self-indulgent volume on pride.Dyson has made his name as an acute cultural critic and a commentator on the politics of identity. He's very good at what he does; and I've learned a good deal from reading his other books; especially Is Bill Cosby Right; Come Hell or High Water; and Debating Racism. I also think that his reflections on the politics of racial identity in this book are interesting. My problem is that they're misplaced. What Dyson has wound up doing is writing a book on the dynamics of black and white pride as defined by the American experience. What he's not done is write a book on pride as one of the 7 deadlies.Apart from the opening chapter; in which Dyson provides a quick and sketchy rundown of pride from Aristotle to the contemporary theologian Stanley Hauerwas; and the concluding chapter; in which Dyson distinguishes between legitimate national pride and gung-ho; uncritical patriotism; his treatment focuses on what pride; self-esteem; and ethnic identity should mean to black Americans. In focusing this narrowly; Dyson necessarily moves away from pride as a moral vice to the social construct of black pride. Again; his discussion is interesting and worthwhile. But it leaves the reader with the sense that s/he's been taken in; given something quite different from what the book title and series title promised.
