The Heretics Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and willful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. Often at odds with one another, mother and daughter are forced to stand together against the escalating hysteria of the trials and the superstitious tyranny that led to the torture and imprisonment of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft. This is the story of Martha's courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived.

Kathleen Kent is a tenth generation descendent of Martha Carrier. She paints a haunting portrait, not just of Puritan New England, but also of one family's deep and abiding love in the face of fear and persecution.

For me, Kathleen Kent's tale of her ancestor brings to life what life was like back in the late 1600's. I am working on my genealogy and have traced some of my ancestry to Massachusetts and Maine. Reading this story has made me wonder what my ancestors were thinking of the witch hunts that were going on. I certainly hope they were not involved in putting any of these innocent people in prison. I did not see any of their names involved in this. Because of her book, I have learned more about this period of time than I have ever learned in school. A friend of mine thinks that times have not changed (and maybe she's right) but I really hope that we are no longer that barbaric. This is why we should all learn more about history so that we don't repeat events such as this one.