Book review: Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots

English laws and the penalties for breaking them were harsh. 

While the Tudor era ended before the Winthrop fleet arrived on the shores of Massachusetts Bay Colony, some of the crueler penalties were not abolished until the 19th century. Fortunately, the Puritan colonists created the first 100 rules of 1641's Body of Liberties based on the Bible—and used more humane treatment compared to what they left behind in England.

In 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, however, when Giles Corey refused to enter a plea in court, he was pressed to death for it. This gruesome punishment, also known as Peine forte et dure, was only used once stateside. But it was not abolished in England until 1772. In fact, in English courts the accused was not given the option of pleading “not guilty” until 1827. 

Other examples include a thief who steals bread could get a hand cut off, while a vagrant could get branded with the letter V. Some punishments were designed for maximum humiliation, with the crowds throwing rotten foodstuff at convicts in the cart or at the pillory. That was tame compared to being drawn and quartered, then hanged—again, with crowd participation.

If you’re looking for more details on Crime and Punishment in Tudor England, pick up the new book by April Taylor. The author provides background information on lawmaking, prisons, and court systems—and 23 pages of punishments, from beheading to whipping. In the book's second half, crimes from sumptuary laws to treason are covered in alphabetical order, each followed by case studies. You’ll learn what evidence could be used against the accused, what tortures could be applied to gain a confession, and even which strategies were used for the criminal’s demise.

Taylor turns crime and punishment in the Tudor period into a fascinating read, while the alpha-order format makes it easy to browse or research specific topics.

rating: ★★★★

Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots
by April Taylor
Pen & Sword History

Book review: Witching Year: A Memoir of Earnest Fumbling Through Modern Witchcraft

Dedicating herself to learning about and practicing witchcraft for a year and one day, Diana Helmuth does exactly what I would do: Buy lots of books on the subject. But here’s the problem: Witchcraft is a personal spiritual exploration, and what works for Gerald Gardner or Skyhawk or Laurie Cabot may not be your path—especially since there’s no defining text like, say, the Bible.

As a teenager, Helmuth had friends who dabbled in witchcraft. It was empowering and otherness wrapped into one. In her early 30s and without a strong connection to other religions and belief systems, Helmuth seeks that spiritual connection, one spell at a time. Living in the Bay area of California with her atheist boyfriend and a mischievous cat who intrudes upon her new practice, not everything goes as planned. And that’s what makes Helmuth’s story unexpected and entertaining.

While sharing her adventures at occult shops, lunar celebrations with strangers, clothing-optional weekends in the woods, interviews with practicing witches, and travels to famed witch cities, Helmuth doesn’t hold back on her internal dialogue. She expresses her frustrations of synthetic traditions and historical inaccuracies. She struggles with her magical intentions and doubts. And she cannot find all the props—candles, herbs, incense, bowls, crystals, et cetera—required for some rituals. So she learns to improvise and find her own path.

Besides her witchery, Helmuth’s memoir captures everyday life and momentous events, from learning how to raise chickens to pandemic quarantines. It's an interesting read, but stopping at day 366—though planned—felt too arbitrary in relation to her journey. 

(She also needs to return to Salem, Massachusetts, to get the full experience.)

rating: ★★★★

Witching Year: A Memoir of Earnest Fumbling Through Modern Witchcraft
by Diana Helmuth
Simon Element

Book review: Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education

Big Sky Country is breathtakingly beautiful, with its bright summer days and cold winter nights. But living in Missoula, Montana—with its farmers markets, art scene, musical venues, and university—is challenging for a single mother without family support or a trustworthy vehicle to navigate the road to a better life. 

Stephanie Land believes her way out of poverty is through education, and she is determined to get that college degree and become a self-sustaining writer. With staggering student loans and food stamps in her pocket, she depends on flexible but low-paying housecleaning jobs and roommates for childcare. Land manages to bargain for extras, like gymnastics classes during school breaks for her daughter, while subsisting at times on peanut butter herself. She even tackles child support and visitation issues with her abusive-but-absent ex. Still, the joys of learning and the precious moments of motherhood are ever-present even though it’s a hard life, with a few ice cream cones and dates in between. 

Land’s experiences are not out of bounds for the rest of us. She grew up in a middle-class family, but a car accident and PTSD sidelined her. The value of education sustained her while hard work didn’t make ends meet. 

Class continues Stephanie Land’s personal story, which started in her bestselling debut, Maid (2019). This time, however, she focuses on education instead of work. If you missed the first book (like me), you’ll be greedy to read Maid afterward because Land is an exceptional writer with compelling, gritty, and accessible experiences.

rating: ★★★★★

Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education
by Stephanie Land
Atria/One Signal Publishers

Book review: The League of Lady Poisoners

A curiously fascinating book. Was it the poisonous-green artwork on the cover, the clever title, or the idea of women secretly using poison to change their life stories that drew me to this book? Probably all three! Lisa Perrin’s illustrations throughout masterfully blend with the narratives of women seeking love, revenge, money, control of their own lives, or helping others get out of bad situations.

Some of these names will be familiar—after all, they are notorious killers, and women at that! Their methods are intimate, as they carefully dole out poison in food, drink, or in medicines meant for sustenance or cures. Their unsuspecting targets are within the household realm or in the workplace, and the poisoners often are in positions as caretakers. 

Grouped by possible motives, these short biographies provide the setting, the backstory (if known), the crime, and the verdict for 25+ women. And, if you want more, Perrin provides a wide variety of sources to dig into afterwards.

A touch of wit balances the macabre theme, while solid research, riveting stories, and judicious use of illustrations round out Perrin’s debut book. I wonder what topics she’ll tackle next!

rating: ★★★★★

The League of Lady Poisoners: Illustrated True Stories of Dangerous Women
by Lisa Perrin
Chronicle Books

Book review: The Return of the Ripper: The Murder of Frances Coles

In 1888–1891, at least 10 women were murdered in the Whitechapel district of East London, England. Some of their cases are footnotes compared to Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Kelly—the canonical five who are considered victims of the serial killer newspapers nicknamed Jack the Ripper. All 10 murders remain unsolved.

In The Return of the Ripper, Kevin Turton takes an in-depth look at one case, the death of Frances Coles. The well-paced narrative begins with her early morning murder on 13 February 1891, then follows the detectives searching for her identity, a motive, and a murderer. Like the earlier killings, the victim’s throat was slashed, her body was found accidentally, and no witnesses saw what happened. Tying a few clues together, the police arrest a man for the murder, but after the coroner’s inquest, he’s released.

After laying out Frances Coles’ case, the author describes Jack the Ripper’s profile, the arrested man’s story, how the other nine victims’ murders fit, and what the investigators knew. For armchair gumshoes, Turton provides a map of the murders, images of Whitechapel, and a who’s who list, along with his conclusions.

rating: ★★★★

The Return of the Ripper: The Murder of Frances Coles 

by Kevin Turton

Pen & Sword Books Ltd. 

Book review: The Face Laughs While the Brain Cries

Part medical mystery, part autobiography, The Face Laughs While the Brain Cries is the story of multiple sclerosis (MS) and Dr. Stephen L. Hauser, the physician-scientist determined to cure it. Even if you have no background in the sciences or a connection to the disease, this book is a compelling, engaging read. 

From his childhood memories to career highlights, Dr. Hauser explains how he became interested in MS, the highs and lows of his research, and how complicated it is to bring new drugs to market. He takes us from patients’ bedsides to his laboratory, following clues of how MS affects the body and brain. 

Besides his medical investigations, Hauser also explores the issues of animal research, blind studies, and even the politics of which diseases and studies receive funding. Throughout, this book expresses Dr. Hauser’s compassion and dedication, the gold standard of medicine.

rating: ★★★★★

The Face Laughs While the Brain Cries: The Education of a Doctor
by Stephen L. Hauser, M.D.
St. Martin’s Press

Book review: The Shortest History of Europe

If you need a history refresher, check out The Shortest History series published by The Experiment LLC. Current books in the series include Europe, England, Germany, Israel and Palestine, India, China, and Greece, with more in the works. Promoted as “Thousands of years of history. One riveting, fast-paced read,” the series is written by expert historians who are also international bestselling authors.

The title says it all: The Shortest History of Europe: How Conquest, Culture, and Religion Forged a Continent—A Retelling of Our Times. This is not a sprawling narrative filled with name-dropping and stringent timelines. Instead, John Hirst’s narrative explores how Greek and Roman learning, Christianity, and German warrior culture created modern Europe. 

At first, it’s hard to absorb how only three elements determined the course of European history. But Hirst shows how all the monumental events happened because of conquest, culture, and religion. 

For example, the Catholic Church banished or executed great thinkers like Copernicus and Galileo because their interpretations of how the universe worked contradicted the Greco-Roman view. Martin Luther and his followers wanted to return Christianity to its basic form—the Bible—without the Greco-Roman trappings and started the Reformation. Many years later, Isaac Newton and Einstein explained their scientific discoveries by following the Greek theory that answers would be “simple, mathematical, and logical.”

Throughout the book and its many revolutions, Hirst synthesizes European history in a way that goes beyond my college classes, yet is simple and accessible.

rating: ★★★★★

The Shortest History of Europe: How Conquest, Culture, and Religion Forged a Continent—A Retelling of Our Times
by John Hirst
The Experiment