Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia by Dennis Covington

1 review

ramhog's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

3.0

So! Um! I really think the worst part of this book is the forward. I almost put it down completely after reading it, and I ended up twitter stalking him to see if he had turned into a Forever Trumper in the years since publishing this (he hadn't). I think he definitely should've had literally any conversations with Black Appalachian folks for this book, but it ends up being mostly about his personal relationship with the snake handlers, so whatever I guess!!

There is obviously tons of conversations to have about poor white Appalachian folks, but I'm not sure this is exactly it. I think Dennis' journey is fascinating, and I was genuinely moved by how his time involved ended, but I wish I had gotten less memoir and more history. But that's my general preference with discussion of cults.

My only other comment is just how thin the sermons are in churches like this. Maybe I care too much about Facts and Logic but good grief how many times can you repeat fire and brimstone broadly without getting bored. Give us some MEAT, pastor!

I think I ultimately am glad I read this but it's hard to recommend. Weird that it was a best seller! Hm!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Domestic abuse