We are so fascinated with witches and witchcraft so we are taking this opportunity to discuss both with historian and author Marion Gibson about her book, Witchcraft: A History in 13 Trials. This book is a fascinating, vivid global history of witch trials across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, told through thirteen distinct trials that illuminate the pattern of demonization and conspiratorial thinking that has profoundly shaped human history. So grab your morning tea (or afternoon tea, depending on where you are) and join us for this fascinating conversation.

Buy signed (by bookplate) books by Marion from Aesop's Fable. Just note in the comments that you'd like the books signed at checkout!

About the book: Witchcraft is a dramatic journey through thirteen witch trials across history, some famous—like the Salem witch trials—and some lesser-known: on Vardø island, Norway, in the 1620s, where an indigenous Sami woman was accused of murder; in France in 1731, during the country’s last witch trial, where a young woman was pitted against her confessor and cult leader; in Pennsylvania in 1929 where a magical healer was labelled a “witch”; in Lesotho in 1948, where British colonial authorities executed local leaders. Exploring how witchcraft became feared, decriminalized, reimagined, and eventually reframed as gendered persecution, Witchcraft takes on the intersections between gender and power, indigenous spirituality and colonial rule, and political conspiracy and individual resistance.

Offering a vivid, compelling, and dramatic story, unspooling through centuries, about the men and women who were accused—some of whom survived their trials, and some who did not—Witchcraft empowers the people who were and are victimized and marginalized, giving a voice to those who were silenced by history.

About Marion: I’m a historian of witchcraft and magic. In particular, I publish books about ancient and modern texts (fictional literature, court records and other writings) about witches and witch-trials in Britain and America. I also have written about whether witches were pagans, on Anglo-Saxon and Celtic paganism in Britain, and on modern paganism. I like talking about witches and paganism on radio, TV, in podcasts etc in ways that are easy to understand but well-informed by proper scholarship.

I’ve worked with BBC, Channel 4, PBS, Sky History, Discovery and many production companies on documentaries about witches and magic: most recently Discovery Science, Mythical Beasts and PBS, Secrets of the Dead.

This program is at 10am ET (Boston time) and will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. This program is made possible by a partnership with the Ashland Public Library and is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library. 

If the registration window for this event has closed but he event has not yet occurred please call 978-526-7711 for help registering.