In the House of the Serpent Handler unfolds in ways that could
not have been predicted. Julia Duin intimately recounts the story
of serpent handlers raised in an Appalachian religious tradition
where their ritualistic expression of faith is more ridiculed than
understood. When she began her journey, little could she have known
that pastors Mack Wolford and Jamie Coots would suffer fatal bites,
and their deaths would lead to the story of a young handler, Andrew
Hamblin, who proves to be a tragic figure of youth, social media,
and a fall from grace. In the shadow of two deaths, Hamblin’s
collapse is doubly sad, but his story sheds a modern light on a
misunderstood religious practice."" - Ralph Hood, coauthor
of Them That Believe and Handling Serpents
""Fearless and talented religion writer Julia Duin takes the reader
to the inner sanctum of an East Tennessee serpent-handling
community led by young, media-savvy preacher Andrew Hamblin, who
uses social media tools to build his brand and sustain his flock.
Duin chronicles Hamblin’s journey from his highs in raising up a
growing worship community and burgeoning fame from reality
television to his lows at the collapse of his serpent-handling
community and the dissolution of his family."" - David Arant,
professor of journalism, University of Memphis
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