Judith Merkle Riley discusses her novel, “The Oracle Glass.” She begins by explaining that her book is about a network of women in the 17th century who relied on their oracle powers to tell people’s futures. She discusses her job as a professor of political science at Claremont McKenna College. She talks about how she did research for the book, and that she read through police records from 17th century France. Riley describes the historical record of how women would visit oracles to provide them with potions and jobs. She talks about the history of the Versailles palace and the mistresses of King Louis XIV. She ends the interview by describing how she used the Frances Bacon Library which collects books on 17th century alchemy, divination, and witchcraft.
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