Crane Pond: A Novel of Salem Book Cover

Crane Pond: A Novel of Salem

Book Overview: Crane Pond: A Novel of Salem

This novel of the Salem Witch Trials from the point of view of a judge is “leavened with wit [and] finely crafted” (Kirkus Reviews).

In a colony struggling for survival, in a mysterious new world where infant mortality is high and sin is to blame, Samuel Sewall is committed to being a loving family man, a good citizen, and a fair-minded judge. Like any believing Puritan, he agonizes over what others think of him, while striving to act morally correct, keep the peace, and, when possible, enjoy a hefty slice of pie. His one regret is that months earlier, he didn’t sentence a group of pirates to death.

What begins as a touching story of a bumbling man tasked with making judgments in a society where reason is often ephemeral quickly becomes the chilling narrative we know too well. And when public opinion wavers, Sewall learns that what has been done cannot be undone.

Crane Pond explores the inner life of a well-meaning man who compromised with evil and went on to regret it. At once a searing view of the Trials, an empathetic portrait of one of the period’s most tragic figures, and an indictment of the malevolent power of idealism, it is a thrilling new telling of one of America’s founding stories.

“[ Crane Pond] goes straight on to my (small) list of historical novels that draw out the capacities of the form and allow readers to brush against the pleasures and terrors of the past.”–Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall

“Deftly crafted . . . perfectly balances issues of religion, faith, and law.”– Library Journal

Read More

Product Information

ISBN-13
ISBN-10
Publisher
Publication Date
Edition
Language
Pages
Dimensionsin x in x in
Weight lbs

Editorial Reviews

“Few have so nimbly conjured with Sewall and his silence as Richard Francis, author of an excellent 2005 biography of the Salem justice. […] Now Francis has revisited the episode in a work of fiction, arguably the closest a biographer comes to setting his book to music. The quiet ‘must haves’ of the biography burst into exuberant set pieces in the novel, Crane Pond.”
–Stacy Schiff, The New York Review of Books

“This is an entertaining and stimulating novel, richly peopled, that brings Salem, and the forms of belief that gave rise to it, to life with freshness, energy, intelligence — and with terrible and arresting proximity.”
Spectator

“[ Crane Pond] gives a complete world-picture, offers the reader an alternative place to go and live for a time, and a new language to speak. In short, it goes straight on to my (small) list of historical novels that draw out the capacities of the form and allow readers to brush against the pleasures and terrors of the past.”
–Hillary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall

“I’ve loved diving deep into the fascinating world of this book: Richard Francis manages to make us feel its dailyness and it’s strangeness both at once. Sewall’s gathering unease, as he realises he’s made his terrible mistake, is so brilliantly embodied in all the thick, foody, fleshly, weather-ridden detail of his ordinary life.”
–Tessa Hadley, author of The Past

“Francis draws us into this fascinating world with his particular brand of philosophical questioning-he is concerned with clarity, precision and truth-and his clean, humanising prose is a joy to read. A remarkable portrait of Sewall at a critical moment in history.”
–Nikita Lalwani, author of Gifted and The Village

“Francis’ measured narration allows the suffering, piety, and tragic delusions of events to emerge with clarity.”
Kirkus Reviews

Crane Pond is fascinatingly engaging and thought provoking, the best kind of storytelling.”
Shelf Awareness

“Set in the time just before, during, and then four years after the [Salem Witch] trials, this deftly crafted novel perfectly balances issues of religion, faith, and law.”
Library Journal

“In Crane Pond, Richard Francis creates a nuanced, compassionate and fascinating portrait of Samuel Sewall, the unwilling hanging judge…. But Francis does more: taking us beyond the complacency with which we often view this iconic moment in American history.”
Historical Novel Society

Praise for Richard Francis

The Whispering Gallery is beautifully written . . . This is a piece of work that should not be missed.”
–Newgate Callendar, The New York Times

“[ Taking Apart the Poco Poco is] a comic novel with a heart and soul, the kind of book one always wants to read but can never find.”
–Nick Hornby, The Observer

“[ Judge Sewall’s Apology is] the most balanced and richly contextualized account of the Salem trials currently in print.”
–John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph

“Francis writes with rare elegance and a well-turned wit.”
–Miranda Seymour, The Daily Telegraph

“In the reading business, one doesn’t often come across a book one wishes would never end; but this is precisely what exists in this truly splendid novel.”
–Katherine Powers, Boston Sunday Globe on Taking Apart the Poco Poco

About the Author

Richard Francis

Richard Francis is a highly acclaimed author, renowned for his engaging and thought-provoking novels. Originally hailing from the United States, Francis began his writing career after a rich academic journey in literature and creative writing. His education, along with his diverse life experiences, has played a pivotal role in shaping his unique writing style that skillfully blends intricate storytelling with complex, realistic characters.

Francis’s literary portfolio is highly diverse, encompassing genres such as historical fiction, mystery, and contemporary literature. His works seamlessly integrate profound thematic elements, such as the human psyche, societal issues, and intricate relationships, leading readers on a journey of introspection. His well-received novels such as “Exile Kingdom” and “The Black Rose of Winter” have solidified his standing in the literary community, with numerous accolades echoing praises for his captivating prose and deft narrative abilities.

Aside from his successful writing career, Richard Francis is a fervent advocate for the promotion of literature and the arts. He regularly participates in and organizes a number of literary events and workshops, aiming to foster a deep appreciation for literature within the community. His passionate commitment towards his craft, along with his continuous contribution to the literary world, places him amongst the prominent writers of our era.

More from the Salem Witch Trials Collection

View Collection
Explore our curated collection of fiction and nonfiction books about the Salem Witch Trials that spanned from February 1692 to...
The Crucible (Penguin Classics) book cover
The Crucible (Penguin Classics)
Starting at $16.00
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The House of the Seven Gables book cover
The House of the Seven Gables
Starting at $12.99
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
Witch Child book cover
Witch Child
Starting at $8.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Heretic’s Daughter book cover
The Heretic’s Daughter
Starting at $17.99
Formats: Hardcover, Large Print Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
The Witches: Salem, 1692 book cover
The Witches: Salem, 1692
Starting at $21.99
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
The Salem Witch Trials Reader book cover
The Salem Witch Trials Reader
Starting at $24.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
A Delusion Of Satan: The Full Story Of The Salem Witch Trials book cover
A Delusion Of Satan: The Full Story Of The Salem Witch Trials
Starting at $16.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem book cover
I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem
Starting at $19.50
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem book cover
Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem
Starting at $16.99
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt book cover
Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt
Starting at $41.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
Bewitched In Salem: Witch City or City of Peace? book cover
Bewitched In Salem: Witch City or City of Peace?
Starting at $17.95
Format: Paperback
Condition: New

More Books by Richard Francis

View Author
Richard Francis is a highly acclaimed author, renowned for his engaging and thought-provoking novels. Originally hailing from the United States,...

You May Also Like

A curated selection of books we think you'll love, matey 🏴‍☠️
James book cover
James
Starting at $28.00
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome book cover
Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome
Starting at $17.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
Pompeii book cover
Pompeii
Starting at $17.00
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
House of Earth and Blood book cover
House of Earth and Blood
Starting at $19.00
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
Ender in Exile book cover
Ender in Exile
Starting at $9.99
Formats: Hardcover, Mass Market Paperback, Paperback
Condition: New
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War book cover
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War
Starting at $19.00
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
Alex Cross Must Die: A Thriller book cover
Alex Cross Must Die: A Thriller
Starting at $30.00
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
The White Guard book cover
The White Guard
Starting at $26.00
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
The Little Liar book cover
The Little Liar
Starting at $26.99
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
Dirty Thirty book cover
Dirty Thirty
Starting at $29.99
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
True Faith and Allegiance book cover
True Faith and Allegiance
Starting at $9.99
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Condition: New
The Sum of All Fears book cover
The Sum of All Fears
Starting at $10.99
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Condition: New
The Sun Also Rises book cover
The Sun Also Rises
Starting at $14.99
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
The Sun Also Rises (Signature Classics) book cover
The Sun Also Rises (Signature Classics)
Starting at $9.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Sun Also Rises (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) book cover
The Sun Also Rises (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
Starting at $18.00
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Pillars of the Earth book cover
The Pillars of the Earth
Starting at $22.00
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
A Column of Fire book cover
A Column of Fire
Starting at $22.00
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
World Without End book cover
World Without End
Starting at $23.00
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Crane Pond: A Novel of Salem”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *