Scott Eaton

Between 1645-7, John Stearne led the most significant outbreak of witch-hunting in England. As accusations of witchcraft spread across East Anglia, Stearne and Matthew Hopkins were enlisted by villagers to identify and eradicate witches. After the trials finally subsided in 1648, Stearne wrote his only publication, A confirmation and discovery of witchcraft, but it had a limited readership. Consequently, Stearne and his work fell into obscurity until the 1800s, and were greatly overshadowed by Hopkins and his text. This book is the first study which analyses Stearne’s publication and contextualises his ideas within early modern intellectual cultures of religion, demonology, gender, science, and print in order to better understand the witch-finder’s beliefs and motives. The book argues that Stearne was a key player in the trials, that he was not a mainstream ‘puritan’, and that his witch-finding availed from contemporary science. It traces A confirmation’s reception history from 1648 to modern day and argues that the lack of research focusing on Stearne has resulted in misrepresentations of the witch-finder in the historiography of witchcraft. This book redresses the imbalance and seeks to provide an alternative reading of the East Anglian witch-hunt and of England’s premier witch-hunter, John Stearne.

Between 1645-7, John Stearne led the most significant outbreak of witch-hunting in England. As accusations of witchcraft spread across East Anglia, Stearne and Matthew Hopkins were enlisted by villagers to identify and eradicate witches. After the trials finally subsided in 1648, Stearne wrote his only publication, A confirmation and discovery of witchcraft, but it had a limited readership. Consequently, Stearne and his work fell into obscurity until the 1800s, and were greatly overshadowed by Hopkins and his text. This book is the first study which analyses Stearne’s publication and contextualises his ideas within early modern intellectual cultures of religion, demonology, gender, science, and print in order to better understand the witch-finder’s beliefs and motives. The book argues that Stearne was a key player in the trials, that he was not a mainstream ‘puritan’, and that his witch-finding availed from contemporary science. It traces A confirmation’s reception history from 1648 to modern day and argues that the lack of research focusing on Stearne has resulted in misrepresentations of the witch-finder in the historiography of witchcraft. This book redresses the imbalance and seeks to provide an alternative reading of the East Anglian witch-hunt and of England’s premier witch-hunter, John Stearne.

A hilarious photographic record of an anti-Trump march and the wonderfully creative banners that appeared in it. On July 13, 2018, Londoners turned out en masse to protest against Donald Trump during his visit to the United Kingdom. The author of this book arrived to participate in the march and took his camera along, just in case there might be something 'interesting' to capture. What he found was nothing short of a Vesuvian eruption of resistance to Trump and his policies. The outrage, disgust and vitriol directed against Trump was pandemic – but so was the creativity and humour. This hilarious but powerful book is a photographic record of that momentous march, and the time, effort and in many cases money that protestors put in to creating their banners. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out – endless seas of all ages, races, genders and nationalities, and the ingenuity on display is limitless, from simple text banners ('Super Callous Fascist Racist Sexist Loser POTUS'; 'Pore me a Covfefe'), to gloriously rendered illustrations (not all of them safe for work), ingenious papier-mâché sculptures, and a LOT of swearing.

THE SECRET IS OUT Word of Steve Rogers' clandestine operations has leaked, kicking off a global race by the Secret Avengers to save compromised superhuman assets before they can be taken off the board Then: the armies of Fear Itself are mounting on every side. With humanity facing its gravest threat yet, Steve Rogers and his Secret Avengers will make some hard choices about what's just in times of war. And when the Norse gods take up arms against humanity, Brunnhilde and the Valkyrie must choose which side to fight for: With war raging all around her, the fate of Earth may be hers to decide Plus: as fear ravages the streets of Paris, a group of diabolical extremists plot an act of mass terrorism. In order to avert nuclear disaster, the Black Widow must brave a city in chaos, face down a crack team of deadly mercenaries, and infiltrate a well-protected government facility. She's on her own...which is just the way she likes it. COLLECTING: SECRET AVENGERS 12.1, 13-15; FEAR ITSELF: BLACK WIDOW