What’s new on the Alabama Bookshelf
Cover art for "Daniel and the Serpent's Abyss," a young adult Christian fantasy novel by Dothan's Nathan Lumbatis. It's one of several recent books that are either about Alabama, written by Alabama authors or both. (contributed)
In this periodic feature, we highlight books either about Alabama people or events, or written by Alabama authors. Summaries are not reviews or endorsements. All the featured books have been published within the past year.
Daniel and the Serpent’s Abyss, by Nathan Lumbatis, Dove Christian Publishers, $13.95 (YA Christian fantasy). Six months after his last quest, 15-year-old Daniel awaits his next mission – to save his friend Raylin from the enemy – but the quest seems doomed from the start. Will his faith in God save them? The novel explores forgiveness, faith and the empowering role of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. It is the third book in the Sons and Daughters series. The author lives in Dothan.
Down Along With That Devil’s Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory and the Legacy of White Supremacy, by Connor Towne O’Neill, Algonquin Books, $24.20 (historical study). A chance meeting with supporters of monuments depicting Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest in Selma inspired the author, a journalist, to take a deep dive into American history and the still-raging battles throughout the South. Originally from Pennsylvania, O’Neill now lives in Auburn and teaches at Auburn University.
Just Jones, by Andy Andrews, Thomas Nelson publishing, $24.99 (fiction). The third book in The Noticer series, this is a stand-alone novel following the character of Jones, a mysterious elderly man with endless wisdom who always seems to show up exactly when he’s needed most. The author lives in Orange Beach and is a motivational speaker who weaves life lessons into tales of adventure and intrigue.
Magic City Rock, by Blake Ells, Arcadia Publishing and The History Press, $21.99 (music). Birmingham’s rock scene has maintained a punk rock ethos while also appealing to a mainstream audience, thanks to DIY clubs and alternative radio support. From local legends like Hotel and Telluride to national sensation St. Paul and the Broken Bones, the author, who is from Alabama, tells the story of the city’s stamp on the history of modern rock.
Not One of Us, by Debbie Herbert, Thomas and Mercer, $11.99 (thriller). Thirteen years ago, Jori Trahan’s boyfriend vanished. Now, after moving back to Alabama to care for her ailing grandmother and autistic brother, she comes face-to-face with the deadly mystery behind his disappearance. The author lives in Alabama; the book was released Feb. 1.
The World Through the Dime Store Door, by Aileen Kilgore Henderson, University of Alabama Press, $24.95 (Alabama memoir). In the 1930s, the rural South was in the throes of the Great Depression; farm life was hard, but a timid yet curious teenager thought it worth recording. The author kept a chronicle of her family’s daily struggles in Tuscaloosa County alongside events in the wider world she gleaned from shortwave radio and the occasional newspaper.
This story originally appeared in Alabama Living magazine.
