Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia
by Dennis Covington
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Read in February, 2008
recommended to Matt by:
Erin from Half Price Books on Lane Ave.
Convington’s book is an affective memoir about his experiences with snake handling churches in the Appalachians. A journalist by trade, he is sent to cover the trial of a preacher accused of killing his wife with rattlesnakes. In the process, he becomes enthralled by the handlers and their faith, leading him, eventually, to become one himself.
I found a couple of things about this text interesting. One way I viewed this book was as a break down of objective journalism, in which the j...more
I found a couple of things about this text interesting. One way I viewed this book was as a break down of objective journalism, in which the j...more
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Dennis Covington was a reporter covering the juicy case of a backwoods Appalachian snake-handling preacher accused of the attempted murder of his wife. By poisonous snake. Yes, I said snake.
He came to the small community and began to learn about the preacher and his wife and the snake-handling congregation, where he eventually committed a reporter's greatest sin: he became personally involved with his subjects. He even moved to the area and joined the church as a full-fledged snake-handling...more
He came to the small community and began to learn about the preacher and his wife and the snake-handling congregation, where he eventually committed a reporter's greatest sin: he became personally involved with his subjects. He even moved to the area and joined the church as a full-fledged snake-handling...more
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Read in July, 2007
The irrational mystery of speaking in tongues, drinking strychnine, and handling deadly venomous snakes is revealed with startling realism and tenderness in Covington's lyrical autobiography, "Salvation on Sand Mountain". The question of how an educated journalist could get caught up in backwoods religious mania is explored through history, remembered experience, and a yearning for unbounded spiritual renewal. Initially drawn to the rural hills of Alabama while covering the trial of ...more
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Read in February, 2008
Snake handling! The bible says Jesus's followers will take up serpents. So some people in the southeast U.S., starting early in the 20th century, started picking up rattlesnakes and copperheads during their church services. They also drink strychnine. The idea is the usual one, that god and their faith will keep them safe, but if they get bit, or they die of strychnine poisoning, it's because they didn't properly have the spirit. Pretty interesting to think about why they do it and the ways in w...more
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Read in April, 2008
I've been wanting to read this book since it came out. The author of this book was an interesting narrator for this unusual story. What started out as curiosity led to a much more personal relationship with the church members. I enjoyed reading Covington's take on the phenomemon, and felt that he did a good job in putting the snake handling in context of the culture of the Appalachian people, while still getting drawn in on a personal level. It certainly got me interested enough to try to find ...more
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On assignment in Alabama to cover a murder trial, New York Times journalist Dennis Covington discovered the bizarre, mysterious, ultimately irresistible world of holiness snake handling. As he explored the lives and beliefs of the poor, white Southerners who practice this strange form of religion, he gradually began to explore his own soul.
The people of Southern Appalachia are hill people of Scottish-Irish descent--religious mystics who cast out demons, drink strychnine, and handle rattlesna...more
The people of Southern Appalachia are hill people of Scottish-Irish descent--religious mystics who cast out demons, drink strychnine, and handle rattlesna...more
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This book was so disturbing and intriguing. I couldn’t put it down. Following the author’s journey as he recounts the discovery of his relatives and ancestors in Appalachia, the reader can only try to comprehend the strange goings on that are described. It is a very interesting look at something I had never before dreamed existed in this country, let alone something that goes on in modern times. The detailed descriptions of family names, family trees and photographs add to book in that I ...more
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Read in January, 2002
Skeptical man joins up with strychnine-chugging snake handlers, gets strangely converted and is finally booted from church for saying women should be able to preach. The best part? It's a true story. And probably the only note-worth thing that Dennis Covington ever wrote.
Supposedly his teen book "Lizard" is where it's at, but I've avoided it so far. He and fellow Southern writer (and former wife) Vicki Covington co-wrote a book about mutual affairs they embarked on in their marriag...more
Supposedly his teen book "Lizard" is where it's at, but I've avoided it so far. He and fellow Southern writer (and former wife) Vicki Covington co-wrote a book about mutual affairs they embarked on in their marriag...more
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Read in March, 2008
A compelling quick read. I am fascinated by the whole idea of snake handling. The author gets really involved with a group of handlers and even handles a snake himself! So cool.
I feel like he approachs the big question of what the spiritual benefits of the practice might be but doesn't really go very deep. He seems to feel that part of his own attraction is because of a thrill-seeking impulse satisfied earlier in his life by hard drinking and war reporting. He does have some sort of spi...more
I feel like he approachs the big question of what the spiritual benefits of the practice might be but doesn't really go very deep. He seems to feel that part of his own attraction is because of a thrill-seeking impulse satisfied earlier in his life by hard drinking and war reporting. He does have some sort of spi...more
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Right now I am reading another book by this guy, and I really like it. He is a very interesting author, and I like his writing style. This book is about snake handlers in the Appalachians, which has been a crazy fascinating topic to me ever since I saw them on 20/20 when I was like 12. (For some reason, 20/20 was my favorite show while growing up. I never missed it once.)
I can't imagine a story about snake handling being anything but cool, plus I like the author.
I can't imagine a story about snake handling being anything but cool, plus I like the author.
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Read in August, 2005
recommends it for:
non-fiction fans, anthro students, spiritual interests, christians and non-believers
A very human exploration of what it means to be spiritual. In a non-exploitive manner, the writer spends time among a community of charismatics who practice snake handling. As every anthropologist knows, the way to truly understand is to be both participant and observer and the writer does this without straying too far from his goal of an unbiased introduction. Very facinating read - and a bit of a southern travelogue as well.
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Maybe you have to live in the Rural South and have actually met a few of the folks mentioned in the book to appreciate it, (which I have) but I don't think so. Fascinating. However, I am with Jerry Clower...they bring a rattle snake out in a church service, I'm making a new back door!
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Read in July, 1996
recommends it for:
Southern history fans
Covington travels to Sand Mountain in the foothills of the Appalachians to study the snake handlers. These folks believe that God will protect them from getting bit by the rattlesnakes that they handle. Covington gets so wrapped up in their culture, that he ends up snake-handling himself for a bit, until he snaps out of it. I could not put this book down.
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Read in March, 2005
One of my all time favourite books- it is a haunting journey of self-discovery, judgmentalism, and the "them not me" mentality. It strikes a curious balance between religious fanatacism and rationality and opened my eyes to a part of American life and culture that I never would have imagined could exist.
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Read in March, 2001
". . . madness and religion [are] a hair's breadth away. My beliefs about the nature of God and man have changed over the years, but that one never has. Feeling after God is dangerous business. And Christianity without passion, danger, and mystery may not really be Christianity at all" (177). What a story!
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Read in February, 2008
A very well written account of a reporter assigned to cover the trial of a snake-handling preacher accused of attempting to murder his wife by snake bite who spends the next two years in snake handling churches. The National Book Award finalist is an insightful look into an Appalachian subculture.
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Wow. This one has me captivated by the first chapter. I picked up this after a rave review by friends from TN. I knew I'd be hooked when I found out the author was influenced by O'Connor, Welty and other Southern authors I adore. I'll let you know how it turns out.
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If you're interested at all in snake-handling, check this book out. You can probably find it cheap from a seller on Amazon. It has some pretty decent photos inside for those always on the lookout for images, but it's a pretty dramatic story to boot.
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Read in January, 2000
Journalist Dennis Cunningham gives such a sympathetic look into the lives of Appalachian snake handlers, yes that's what I said, that you finish the book feeling like you not only understand them, but like them. Now that's a good writer!
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Read in August, 2005
recommends it for:
everybody
This is one of those books that proves the relationship between literary and journalism. Plus, it's about snake handlers for crying out loud. If you don't find that interesting, I'm in no position to recommend anything to you.
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