"In Crane Pond, Richard Francis creates a nuanced, compassionate and fascinating portrait of Samuel Sewall, the unwilling hanging judge...taking us beyond the complacency with which we often view this iconic moment in American history."

"In Crane Pond, Richard Francis creates a nuanced, compassionate and fascinating portrait of Samuel Sewall, the unwilling hanging judge...The writing is elegant, with grace notes of sly humor, using accessible yet evocative phrasings. But Francis does more: taking us beyond the complacency with which we often view this iconic moment in American history.”"