Salvation on Sand Mountain

Salvation on Sand Mountain is a 1995 nonfiction book by Dennis Covington.^[1] The storyline follows the author as he goes from covering the trial of Glenn Summerford in Scottsboro, Alabama to experiencing a snake handling church in Appalachia. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Salvation on Sand Mountain

Cover of the first edition
Author	Dennis Covington
Cover artist	Jim Neel
Language	English
Subject	Snake handling
Publisher	Addison-Wesley
Publication date	1995
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover · paperback)
Pages	272
ISBN	978-0-14-025458-7

Writing style

The book, which is written in the first person, begins in a neutral, journalistic style and becomes more emotional as the author is drawn to the people and practices of the church. It can be described as a memoir of the author's experiences with the snake-handling Church of Jesus with Signs Following and his temporary participation in their church.

Covington submerged himself into this congregation, and began to care tremendously for their beliefs.^{[page needed]} That then forms into caring for Summerford, himself.^[2]

Reception

Salvation on Sand Mountain was a non-fiction finalist for the National Book Award.^[3] Publishers Weekly described the text as "a captivating glimpse of an exotic religious sect."^[4] 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."^[5]