Book recommendations?

[potioncat]

> Carol responds:
 I still think that the 1692 date for the
> Statute of Secrecy (in the earlier books--DH alters it to 1689) 
could
> have been influenced by the Salem Witch Trials, Massachusetts being
> owned by England at that time and British witches and Wizards 
perhaps
> not sharing the contempt for "the colonies" that English Muggles may
> have felt at that period.

Potioncat:
I could have sworn that JKR made some comment about reading 
Hawthorne, but when I checked QuikQuoteQuils, I can only find 
hawthorne wands. I think you're right, but we'll probably never know. 
She knew enough about Salem Witch Trails to put the American School 
of Witchcraft there. (Don't remembe what she named it.)

>Carol: 
> Martha Carrier doesn't appear in "the Crucible," probably because
> there's another character (or voice) named Martha Corey. They were
> both historical persons but I don't think there was a direct
> connection between them unless you count both of them having giving
> birth to illegitimate sons before their marriages.

Potioncat:
Martha Corey is named in "Goodman Brown" as the unhanged witch. It 
seems she was fortunate enough to survive the hysteria. 

Carol:
> You may be interested in a short and highly readable account of 
Martha
> Carrier's life and personality at
> 
>  http://www.iath.virginia.edu/salem/people/carrier.html
> 
> I've bookmarked it for future reference.

Potioncat:
You know, the more I learn about our forefathers, the less I like 
them. Our ancestors (collective) have lived through some interesting 
times. 

Looking at "Goodman Brown" and at the few quick historical pieces 
over the past few days, I'm reminded why JKR's WW is the way it is. 
Historically, we looked upon witches as spiteful and as causing 
illness and other problems. I think JKR kept a bit of that in her 
characters.

I snipped your comment about the Carrier children. Who could blame 
any of them for their testimony. I wonder if Martha was able to speak 
to them before she died? I think their story would be as interesting 
as hers.

BTW, Martha Carrier reminds me of Hermione.