American revolution. Host author stacy schiff, besides the fact you have written about them, what do ben franklin, the witches of statement wishes of salem, cleopatra have in common . Stacy off the top of my head, they are people and moments that change our world. People that leave the world different to the one they had been born, and i think thats what im looking for any a subject. Some subject which resonates for me on a personal level because biography is kind of a marriage. But also where you feel theres a shift in time, a shift in space. In cleopatras case, the world came crashing down with her death and the roman empire begins. The salem witch trials, for better or worse, as a sense of here is where you dont want to go and what you dont want to do, there is an antimessage in a way. In each of these i could make a case it is a world changing moment and i come to each of them what they certain set of questions that start to obsess me. Those questions write themselves into the book
James rosen looks at former Vice President dick cheneys time serving in the bush ministration. And this weekend, Michael Marmon will report on the factors contribute to Americas Health and wellness. Im talking about the way we organize our affairs in society, which impact on health and the unfair distribution of health, health and quality is judged by reasonable means to be avoidable. After words airs on book tv every saturday at 10 00 p. M. And sunday at 9 00 p. M. Eastern. You can watch all previous after words programs on a website, book tv. Org. Stacy schiff is next on book tv. Her book, the witches looks at the salem witch trials. Stacy schiff received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the humanities. And untoward in literature from the american had a mate of arts and letters. Her latest book, the witches salem, 1692 when a ministers daughter began to scream and convulse and ended less than a year later, but not before 19 million women had b
Minded place. Partly because we read the principle in high school. Half of the people dissented from the families affected in 1692 were when they were in high school. Partly because it has such resonance. Brian when you were here four years ago for cleopatra, you were talking about this book. I want to look at a minute. Stacy something reassuring about a biography, an obvious structure most of the time. A beginning, middle, and end. And a pleasure of killing off your subject. It is gratifying kind of work. Brian what year . A good question, 1994. The next book about vera nabokov , the wife of the writer. And known for lolita, about the marriage. The third book about ben franklin. It was a pleasure, very difficult to research. , cleopatra. Tasks one of the blessings of biography is it you do not have to look at your own life. You examine somebody elses life. I am sure theres a reason about that. Then doesoug and salem witch trials. I am from massachusetts. Brian when will it come out .
Century not less early the was not necessarily involved in salem. And the pieces began to come together. I am glad to say it would take four or five years. Brian in update about the whole story in case there are people like i was who deny know very who did not know very much about it. What were the years youre talking about . Stacy really nine months. The witchcraft breaks out, first diagnosed in february 1692. The crisis, snowball over the the crisis will snowball over the next few months. The tighter incident is over by the fall. Really nine months from start to end. I think largely, conceptions of it are very skewed. Wheres not an incident men are choosing women. An incident all of the victims are women. We had five male victims. We hang to the witches. In addition to the speed, so much encrusted myth and misunderstanding here. I thought it was important to dispel. Brian where is salem in massachusetts . Stacy northeastern massachusetts. 20 or 30 minutes from boston. Brian how many
Bibleminded place. Partly because we read the crucible in high school. Which we can talk about human half the people i have spoken to in the last few weeks descend from the families affected in 1692 were when they were in high school. Partly because it has such resonance. Brian when you were here four years ago for cleopatra, you were talking about this book. I want to look at a minute. Stacy something reassuring about a biography, an obvious structure most of the time. An obvious orthodox structure. A beginning, middle, and end. And delicious pleasure of killing off your subject. It is a particularly gratifying kind of work. Brian what year . Stacy a good question, 1994. The next book about vera nabokov, the wife of the writer. Best known for lolita, and that was the portrait of a marriage the third book about. Ben franklin and his years in france. Very difficult to research but a thorough pleasure. And changing tasks, cleopatra. One of the blessings of biography is it you do not have