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Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia by Dennis Covington
catusgeekus's review against another edition
3.0
Historia pisarza, który zamiast napisać po prostu artykuł o kościele wężowników, dał się porwać południowemu mistycyzmowi i stał się jednym z wyznawców. Szkoda tylko, że najciekawsza część reportażu - ta, w której do autora dociera, że czas najwyższy rzucić wężownictwo w diabły - to jedynie ostatnie 40 stron. Ogólnie wieje nudą.
kingkong's review
3.0
Is it really so crazy to wave deadly serpents around while you're giving your equally crazy sermon? Yes, yes it is
courtney_mcallister's review
3.0
3.5 stars. First of all, Covington’s writing is spellbinding. Even if he were describing less sensational events, I think I would have still been enamored with his prose. I also appreciate how difficult it must be to write about a staunchly vilified practice with any degree of credibility. The depictions of snake handlers that circulate within the public imagination are preoccupied with deranged, suicidal mountain men and their backwards beliefs. Trying to transform that initial association into a more nuanced attitude is a daunting challenge.
At first, Covington’s “all in” approach to the snake handlers was one of the best parts of the book. Unfortunately, his personal investment in the world of snake handling leads him to delve into his own genealogical background and obscure connection to the Appalachian region and snake handling churches. I really don’t care if he’s related to them by blood – seriously. He finds a news clipping about some Covington brothers who handled snakes back in the day and jumps to all these conclusions about how he’s following the trail of his people blah blah blah. You know, if snake handling had any kind of genetic or biological basis, this might be a valid line of thought. Since there’s no such thing as a snake handling gene or ethnicity, Covington’s obsession feels forced and unnecessary. He's just working too hard to make connections that don't have any real value or meaning.
That being said, I’m glad I read Salvation on Sand Mountain. Covington makes some interesting observations about the Holiness movement and its cultural context. He also (wisely) allows his description of snake handlers to drift away from the serpents. The issues of gender politics and community formation actually seem to eclipse the snakes in the latter half of the book. Even though I found the emphasis on Covington’s genealogy to be awkward and distracting, Salvation gave me a lot to think about and digest. It’s also a wicked fast read.
At first, Covington’s “all in” approach to the snake handlers was one of the best parts of the book. Unfortunately, his personal investment in the world of snake handling leads him to delve into his own genealogical background and obscure connection to the Appalachian region and snake handling churches. I really don’t care if he’s related to them by blood – seriously. He finds a news clipping about some Covington brothers who handled snakes back in the day and jumps to all these conclusions about how he’s following the trail of his people blah blah blah. You know, if snake handling had any kind of genetic or biological basis, this might be a valid line of thought. Since there’s no such thing as a snake handling gene or ethnicity, Covington’s obsession feels forced and unnecessary. He's just working too hard to make connections that don't have any real value or meaning.
That being said, I’m glad I read Salvation on Sand Mountain. Covington makes some interesting observations about the Holiness movement and its cultural context. He also (wisely) allows his description of snake handlers to drift away from the serpents. The issues of gender politics and community formation actually seem to eclipse the snakes in the latter half of the book. Even though I found the emphasis on Covington’s genealogy to be awkward and distracting, Salvation gave me a lot to think about and digest. It’s also a wicked fast read.
abbierca's review
4.0
So well done. It was neat to meet Nancy from the UP at the end as I’d spent most of the book thinking about how I probably don’t appreciate how culturally shocking I’d find it to attend one of their services instead of the Catholic ones I’ve gone to my whole life.
samirakatherine's review
This book is sometimes taught in undergrad American religious history classes. It will not be taught by me--too many loving descriptions of snakes. I had nightmares. I hate snakes.
alyssalee2022's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved reading this! It shook me a little bit at some points as I was hearing events that took place not all that far from where I live, and the highway I live off of and the town I live in were specifically mentioned at times. I also had to read it for school, but it's probably one of the very few school books I've ever genuinely enjoyed. 10/10 would recommend to anybody.
mcfarleyems's review against another edition
5.0
“He said, And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover!”
I grew up in a traditional Catholic household. When I was about 8 our priest, Father Wesloh, gave a homily about how prayer is not a spectacle. Belief in God isn't a spectacle. Your reward comes from your relationship with God, so you don't need to put on a show. I remember thinking that the first time I had seen snake handlers and tongue speakers on television. My mom made fun of them, but I found it to be wildly captivating.
This book sent me down so many rabbit holes. I watched hours (!) of videos on YouTube of people speaking in tongues and "catching the spirit". I would talk to anyone who would listen about the book and how interesting it was to see this other side of religion. The only reason it took me so long to finish this book is because I was so busy watching videos and reading research about the frontal cortex while speaking in tongues.
I grew up in a traditional Catholic household. When I was about 8 our priest, Father Wesloh, gave a homily about how prayer is not a spectacle. Belief in God isn't a spectacle. Your reward comes from your relationship with God, so you don't need to put on a show. I remember thinking that the first time I had seen snake handlers and tongue speakers on television. My mom made fun of them, but I found it to be wildly captivating.
This book sent me down so many rabbit holes. I watched hours (!) of videos on YouTube of people speaking in tongues and "catching the spirit". I would talk to anyone who would listen about the book and how interesting it was to see this other side of religion. The only reason it took me so long to finish this book is because I was so busy watching videos and reading research about the frontal cortex while speaking in tongues.
bookishcassie's review
I have no idea how to rate this so I’m just not going to do it.