Salvation on Sand Mountain
Encyclopedia
Salvation on Sand Mountain is a 1995
non-fiction
text by Dennis Covington
. The book follows the author as he goes from covering the trial of Glenn Summerford to experiencing a snake handling
church in Appalachia
. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award
.
, located in an old gas station. It is here that he meets many of the long time members of the church, and comes to find that the following has decreased in numbers due to the conviction of Glenn Summerford. In this first service, no snakes are taken out, but Covington does notice some peculiar things about the church such as the electric guitar
and long prayer session. The next time he goes to worship here though, snakes are taken out, where one member of the congregation is described as "putting his face up to the snake's face".
As the book progresses, more back story is given on the church, such as how Summerford attempted to kill his wife via snake bite and make it look like suicide, and how the church split over the issue of where the funding for the church should go. Eventually, Covington goes to a church service on the titular Sand Mountain
.
that begins in a neutral, journalistic style and becomes more emotional as the author is drawn to the people and practices of the church.
described the text as "a captivating glimpse of an exotic religious sect." Booklist
described it as a "fascinating work [that] catches the essence of a place, southern Appalachia, its people, and the author's personal journey into his past."
1995 in literature
The year 1995 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea is opened by Jimmy Carter....
non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
text by Dennis Covington
Dennis Covington
Dennis Covington is an American writer. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, studied fiction writing and earned a BA degree from the University of Virginia, then served in the U.S. Army. He earned an MFA in the early 1970s, from the Iowa Writers' Workshop studying under Raymond Carver. He taught...
. The book follows the author as he goes from covering the trial of Glenn Summerford to experiencing a snake handling
Snake handling
Snake handling or serpent handling is a religious ritual in a small number of Pentecostal churches in the U.S., usually characterized as rural and Holiness. The practice began in the early 20th century in Appalachia, spreading to mostly coal mining towns. The practice plays only a small part of...
church in Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award
National Book Award
The National Book Awards are a set of American literary awards. Started in 1950, the Awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the current year. In 1989 the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization which now oversees and manages the National Book...
.
Summary
The book begins with Covington's first visit to a Church of God with Signs FollowingChurch of God with Signs Following
The Church of God with Signs Following is the name applied to Pentecostal Holiness churches that practice snake handling and drinking poison in worship services, based on an interpretation of the following biblical passage:...
, located in an old gas station. It is here that he meets many of the long time members of the church, and comes to find that the following has decreased in numbers due to the conviction of Glenn Summerford. In this first service, no snakes are taken out, but Covington does notice some peculiar things about the church such as the electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and long prayer session. The next time he goes to worship here though, snakes are taken out, where one member of the congregation is described as "putting his face up to the snake's face".
As the book progresses, more back story is given on the church, such as how Summerford attempted to kill his wife via snake bite and make it look like suicide, and how the church split over the issue of where the funding for the church should go. Eventually, Covington goes to a church service on the titular Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain (Alabama)
Sand Mountain is a sandstone plateau in northeastern Alabama and northwestern Georgia. It is part of the southern tip of the Appalachian mountain chain. Geologically a continuation of Walden Ridge, Sand Mountain is part of the Cumberland Plateau, separated from the main portion of the plateau by...
.
Writing style
The book is written in first-personFirst-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
that begins in a neutral, journalistic style and becomes more emotional as the author is drawn to the people and practices of the church.
Reception
Salvation on Sand Mountain was a non-fiction finalist for the National Book Award. Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
described the text as "a captivating glimpse of an exotic religious sect." Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
described it as a "fascinating work [that] catches the essence of a place, southern Appalachia, its people, and the author's personal journey into his past."