Snake Walkers [Hardcover]

J. Everett Prewitt (Author), Chandra Sparks Taylor (Editor), Barbara Hacha (Editor), Janice Phelps (Illustrator), Robert Aulicino (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2005

Traumatized as a child after witnessing a hanging, Anthony Andrews, the first black reporter at the Arkansas Sun, seeks to solve the mysterious abandonment of a small town and the disappearance of fourteen white men.

Editorial Reviews

Review

(Prewitt) develops complex characters and a fascinating mystery with historical roots. It is an engaging novel with insights to ponder. --Small Press Review, July-August 2005, Kaye Bache-Snyder

Snake Walkers is a captivating book. --Midwest Book Review

Everett writes with a great mastery of plot and characters capturing the attention of readers right from the riveting opening to the punding climax...This compelling page-turner marks the debut of an extremely promising new talent. --BookWire Reivew

From the Publisher

Writer J. Everett Prewitt, of Cleveland, Ohio, has won four first place awards for his debut novel, Snake Walkers. The author was the winner of the Best Book for Fiction in the 2nd Annual Los Angeles Black Book Expo; Snake Walkers won first place in the African-American Fiction category for the Best Books 2005 literary contest given by USABookNews.com; it also won the Fresh Voices Book Award given by Writer's Marketing Association; and won the Book Award for Best Fiction-Cheryl's Choice 2005 by Just About Books Talk Show host, Cheryl Robinson.

Prewitt was a finalist in the Best Books General Fiction category won by Amy Tan for her novel Saving Fish from Drowning, and a finalist in the Multicultural Fiction category of the same contest. The author was previously a semi-finalist in the Independent Publisher Book Awards-2005 in New York City and most recently won the Bronze Award in the General Fiction category of ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year - 2005 contest presented at the Book Exposition America in Washington, D.C.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 328 pages
• Publisher: Northland Publishing Company; 1st edition (March 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976192705
• ISBN-13: 978-0976192701
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,264,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What A Fresh Story, October 21, 2005

By 

Lia Martin "Pooh Reader" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Snake Walkers (Hardcover)

It is hard to believe that this book was authored by a first-time writer. From the engaging twists and turns in the story line to the poetic dialogue, this book kept my attention from cover to cover. I would definitely recommend Snakewalkers and I look forward to reading more from this writer.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Story on a Complicated Subject, April 20, 2005

By 

Emanuel Carpenter... Author/Reviewer (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Snake Walkers (Hardcover)

In J. Everett Prewitt's debut novel "Snake Walkers," an educated yet but naïve African-American reporter, Anthony Andrews, accepts a job in the early sixties as the first black employee of the Arkansas Sun, a newspaper known to have been unkind to his race throughout its history. Excited to get out of the family's mortuary business, Andrews takes an assignment to investigate the disappearance of the citizens of a rural Arkansas town. His investigation leads him to strange characters, different little towns in Arkansas, and eventually to Cleveland, Ohio.

In Cleveland, Andrews befriends the odd but close-knit Williams family to learn more about their roles in the disappearance. When he begins to build a bond with the black family, especially the college-bound Raymond, he becomes conflicted. If the family is guilty of a crime, was it justified? If so, should he reveal his discoveries to his historically racist superiors for a story that could catapult his journalism career? Having witnessed a horrific crime as a boy complicates matters even further. These are the type of ethical dilemmas the reporter must deal with as the story unfolds.

Andrews enlists the help of Carla, an intelligent and beautiful college professor with a background in history. While there appears to be a spark between them, their ideologies cause them to clash. If there is any chance of romance between the two, one of them will have to do an about face in regards to his or her beliefs about civil rights, racial atrocities, and the justification of revenge.

"Snake Walkers" is a captivating book that delves into explosive subjects such as lynchings, overt and institutional racism, and retribution. Although this is the author's debut, Prewitt clearly writes from wisdom and know-how, which will cause readers to sacrifice a few hours of sleep to read a few more chapters before bedtime.

While this book is a recommended read because of its hang-on-the-edge-of-your-seat content and original storyline, there are a few imperfections. Though the author knows his way around a metaphor, he is still guilty of telling rather than showing. Also, it's difficult not to compare the novel to better written work of the same subject matter, of recent "Blood on the Leaves" by Jeff Stetson and of old "A Party Down at the Square," a short story that appears in "Flying Home" by Ralph Ellison. With that being said, "Snake Walkers" still holds it own and should be read by anyone who enjoys a good story that takes on complicated subjects from our country's racist history.

Emanuel Carpenter
Author of "Where is the Love?"
emanuelcarpenter dot com

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Telling Story, February 5, 2006

By 

Cathy L. Yanda (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Snake Walkers (Hardcover)

Although this book may be a little slow to start, keep reading. Once it grabs you, you'll be glad you stayed. First-time author, J. Everett Prewitt, makes his strong debut with a novel of racial atrocities and civil unjustice. To do this, he introduces Anthony Andrews, a black child, who witnesses a hanging. This incident haunts Anthony and guides him to become a reporter. When Anthony accepts a position a the Arkansas Sun, he believes it is because of his talents and not because he is black.

Investigating the first big assignment he is given takes Anthony to a small town abandoned by its occupants and onto Cleveland, Ohio. Over time, and with the help of the strong characters created by M. Prewitt, Anthony comes to realize how naïve he has been all of his life. There are two points of view and he needs to choose which one is his for himself. When his father confronts him, "So, you go up North, listen the ramblings of some man with a blue-collar job and no education, then come back down here to enlighten me?...I taught you to think for yourself." Anthony replies, "No, Dad. You taught me to think like you."

"Snake Walkers" takes historical facts and characters and interlaces them with fictional ones. Read the book and decide for yourself. As Harriet Tubman is attributed with saying, "I would have freed a thousand more if they knew they were slaves." J. Everett Prewitt is certainly an author to look for. I'm sure he has many more stories to bring to us.