A review by ariel_bloomer
Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia by Dennis Covington

5.0

This was a quick and compelling read. Part journalism and part memoir, Salvation on Sand Mountain traces the authors journey into an extended web of snake handlers in Appalachia. His personal growth is as intriguing as this distinct hill culture is fascinating. Covington's treatment of snake-handling churches is filled with the empathy and understanding gained from years of personal investment, a viewpoint one could not gain from objective anthropological observation. A required text for my course "Interpreting Religious Worlds," the book stands as a reminder that unique and extreme religious perspectives exist in our own backyards.