One of the most dramatic explorations of a German town in the grip of anti-Semitic passion ever written.In 1900; in a small Prussian town; a young boy was found murdered; his body dismembered; the blood drained from his limbs. The Christians of the town quickly rose up in violent riots to accuse the Jews of ritual murder―the infamous blood-libel charge that has haunted Jews for centuries. In an absorbing narrative; Helmut Walser Smith reconstructs the murder and the ensuing storm of anti-Semitism that engulfed this otherwise peaceful town. Offering an instructive examination of hatred; bigotry; and mass hysteria; The Butcher's Tale is a modern parable that will be a classic for years to come.Winner of the Fraenkel Award and a Los Angeles Times Best Book of 2002. 4 pages of illustrations
#270166 in Books Karlsen; Carol F. 1998-04-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.30 x 1.10 x 5.50l; .78 #File Name: 0393317595384 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Much better than expected.By ElizabethI loved this book so much more than I expected to. Going into it I thought I knew the basics of why the witch trials happened; but this book goes into so much more depth than I imagined there would be. There's more to it than just "the Puritans were sexist and sexually repressed." There were all kinds of economic; religious; and social pressures that aren't nearly as obvious or well-known. In addition to talking about the witches; it also talks about the "possessed" women and that was fascinating as well. I can't recommend it highly enough.My one complaint is with the Kindle formatting- there are tons of notes but none of them are linked. The tables were linked but that was unnecessary because the table being referred to was always within a couple pages of its mention. There were also a couple typos. My favorite was when it referred to the "Allens" (that is; a family with the last name "Allen"); as the "Aliens."5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Social projections onto how women are viewed.By PamGExcellent examination of factors affecting social views of women; many relevant even today.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. It gave me a better understanding of the times and the changes of the ...By Richard B. RomigIt gave me a better understanding of the times and the changes of the social order that was occurring. I see many parallels to today's society and the changes that are occurring. Men are still afraid of independent women.
