Books like Salvation on Sand Mountain by Dennis Covington

The book opens with the shocking attempt on Darlene’s life by her husband, Glenn Buford Summerford, a snake‑handling preacher in Scottsboro, Alabama. The ensuing trial, which attracts attention across southern Appalachia, forces readers to confront themes of marital abuse, alcoholism, and questions of faith, forgiveness, and redemption. The author, Dennis Covington, follows the case into the heart of southern Appalachia, exploring the region’s rugged landscape and complex cultural heritage. His work documents the people of the area—Scotch‑Irish hill folks, fundamentalist churches, and endemic snake‑handling rituals—while also telling a personal story of his own heritage and relationship to the community. Through a blend of fact‑based reporting and reflective narrative, he presents a vivid portrait of a place where tradition clashes with the economic and social realities of the present, and where faith is both a solace and a point of contention. Covington’s book is both a record of a particular criminal trial and an exploration of the broader spiritual geography of southern Appalachia, offering insight into the lives and beliefs that shape this uniquely insular community.

First publish date: 1995