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Published by Pegasus Crime
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
In the tradition of The Glass Castle, Educated, and Heartland, Neal Wootentraces five decades of his dirt-poor, Alabama mountain family as the years and secrets coalesce.
Neal Wooten grew up in a tiny community atop Sand Mountain, Alabama, where everyone was white and everyone was poor. Prohibition was still embraced. If you wanted alcohol, you had to drive to Georgia or ask the bootlegger sitting next to you in church. Tent revivals, snake handlers, and sacred harp music were the norm, and everyone was welcome as long as you weren’t Black, brown, gay, atheist, Muslim, a damn Yankee, or a Tennessee Vol fan.
The Wooten's lived a secret existence in a shack in the woods with no running water, no insulation, and almost no electricity. Even the school bus and mail carrier wouldn’t go there. Neal’s family could hide where they were, but not what they were. They were poor white trash. Cops could see it. Teachers could see it. Everyone could see it.
Growing up, Neal was weaned on folklore legends of his grandfather—his quick wit, quick feet, and quick temper. He discovers how this volatile disposition led to a murder, a conviction, and ultimately to a daring prison escape and a closely guarded family secret.
Being followed by a black car with men in black suits was as normal to Neal as using an outhouse, carrying drinking water from a stream, and doing homework by the light of a kerosene lamp. And Neal’s father, having inherited the very same traits of his father, made sure the frigid mountain winters weren’t the most brutal thing his family faced.
Told from two perspectives, this story alternates between Neal’s life and his grandfather’s, culminating in a shocking revelation. Take a journey to the Deep South and learn what it’s like to be born on the wrong side of the tracks, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of a violent mental illness.
Neal Wooten grew up in a tiny community atop Sand Mountain, Alabama, where everyone was white and everyone was poor. Prohibition was still embraced. If you wanted alcohol, you had to drive to Georgia or ask the bootlegger sitting next to you in church. Tent revivals, snake handlers, and sacred harp music were the norm, and everyone was welcome as long as you weren’t Black, brown, gay, atheist, Muslim, a damn Yankee, or a Tennessee Vol fan.
The Wooten's lived a secret existence in a shack in the woods with no running water, no insulation, and almost no electricity. Even the school bus and mail carrier wouldn’t go there. Neal’s family could hide where they were, but not what they were. They were poor white trash. Cops could see it. Teachers could see it. Everyone could see it.
Growing up, Neal was weaned on folklore legends of his grandfather—his quick wit, quick feet, and quick temper. He discovers how this volatile disposition led to a murder, a conviction, and ultimately to a daring prison escape and a closely guarded family secret.
Being followed by a black car with men in black suits was as normal to Neal as using an outhouse, carrying drinking water from a stream, and doing homework by the light of a kerosene lamp. And Neal’s father, having inherited the very same traits of his father, made sure the frigid mountain winters weren’t the most brutal thing his family faced.
Told from two perspectives, this story alternates between Neal’s life and his grandfather’s, culminating in a shocking revelation. Take a journey to the Deep South and learn what it’s like to be born on the wrong side of the tracks, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of a violent mental illness.
Product Details
- Publisher: Pegasus Crime (September 6, 2022)
- Length: 336 pages
- ISBN13: 9781639362417
Raves and Reviews
Advance praise for With the Devil's Help:
"I devoured this book. It is engrossing, relatable, intriguing, heartbreaking and so well written. I could visualize it and that is not something that every writer can convey. The author took a brutal childhood and somehow turned it into a story filled with heart. The way he intertwined the two storylines was masterful."
– William Dameron, author of The Lie: A Memoir of Two Marriages, Catfishing and Coming Out
“A powerful story told by an excellent writer that paints a true picture of the Deep South. Neal Wooten weaves a tale that will make you cry and then laugh, often in the same paragraph. This book will draw you in and hold on to you.”
– Jerry Ellis: author of Walking the Trail: One Man’s Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears
Past Praise for Neal Wooten:
“Pacing and dramatic tension is excellent. Nearly impossible to put down.”
– Kirkus Reviews
"Intriguing, well-written, and kept my interest throughout."
– Homer Hickam, New York Times bestselling author
“Reternity is a remarkable read!"
– Jerry Ellis, Pulitzer Prize nominated author
“This is an incredible book.”
– Lowell Barron, seven-time Alabama senator
“A profound, beautiful story.”
– Mark Herndon, Country Music Hall of Fame
“Reternity is an awesome book. I loved it.”
– Leah Seawright, country music singer
“Reternity is one helluva page turner.”
– Julia Pandl, author of Memoir of the Sunday Brunch
“Reternity is magnetically charged with Biblical parlance and scientific exploration. Really captivated by it.” –
– Sandra Lafferty, actress (The Hunger Games, Walk the Line, Footloose, A Walk in the Woods, and many more.)
“A very evocative book.”
– Tonie Niblett, Dean/Northeast Community College
“I could not put it down until I finished it.”
– Linda Millican, Psychology Instructor/Northeast Community College
“Takes the reader on an adventuresome journey they won’t soon forget.”
– Maurice A. Williams, Seattle Post Intelligencer
“Stays with you long after turning the last page.”
– Corey Colombin, Colorado Serenity Magazine
“We rated it five hearts.”
– Heartland reviews
“Reternity is a rare postcard from our own futures.”
– Laura Houk, Library Media Specialist
“A compelling read."
– Indie Reader
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): With the Devil's Help eBook 9781639362417
