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Synopsis

With the vision of an historian and the voice of a novelist, prize-winning author John Demos explores the social, cultural and psychological roots of the scourge that is witch-hunting, both in the remote past and today.

The Enemy Within chronicles the most prominent witch-hunts of the Western world - women and men who were targeted by suspicious neighbours and accused of committing horrific crimes by supernatural means - and shows how the fear of withcraft has fueled recurrent cycles of accusation, persecution and purging.

A unique and fascinating book, it illuminates the dark side of communities driven to rid themselves of perceived evil, no matter what the human cost.

Reviews

Critic Review:

"There is no one better qualified to tell these stories and write a general history of witch-hunting than John Demos."
-The Boston Globe

" No scholar has done more to illuminate the terrifying psychology of witchcraft in Western culture than John Demos. The Enemy Within is a masterful synthesis of this phenomenon."
-David Oshinsky, author of Polio: An American Story, winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in history

" Demos compresses events over two millennia . . . with minimal grisliness, a spirited style, and by hanging enough historical wallpaper for a newcomer to the subject to feel at home."
-The Seattle Times

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