The Essentials

Mary Beth Norton, the Mary Donlon Alger Professor of American History and author of “In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692,” discussed the grim realities of the Salem witch trials on public radio’s Academic Minute. When I teach undergraduates about the Salem witchcraft crisis of 1692, they’re always surprised that so many men [...]

Research has no doubt taken Cornell historian Mary Beth Norton, author of the acclaimed 2002 book “In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692,” down many a scary passageway. Now she must face Sarah Jessica Parker, March 5 at 8 p.m. on NBC. Research into Parker’s family tree turned up a witch. Norton, the Mary Donlon Alger [...]