36) The Devil in Massachusetts by Marion L. Starkey

One of the most intriguing events in American history fo me is the Salem Witch Trials.  Needless to say, I have numerous books about that time, but this is the first I've actually read.  While the others seem to offer an abundance of information and facts, this book took a different approach.  Subtitled A Modern Enquiry into the Salem Witch Trials, this book had all the minute details I could want, but they were presented in a fictional format.  It was much easier for me to get into this book when it felt like I was reading a story, opposed to a list of dates, names, and events.  Starkey's book was very detailed and the information was taken from numerous primary historical documents.  I never once got the feeling while reading that I was overwhelmed with all the names or that the story was too fast-paced.  I usually shy away from nonfiction for those reasons.  The chapters were well laid out and the events of the trials from their very conception to the aftermath years later were included.  This was a marvelous book on the subject that has definitely earned a place on my permanent book shelf.