Stars of Alabama: A Novel by Sean of the South

(Hardback)

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Description

In this heartfelt tale about enduring hope amid the suffering of the Great Depression, Sean Dietrichalso known as Sean of the Southweaves together a tale featuring a cast of characters ranging from a child preacher, a teenage healer, and two migrant workers who give everything they have for their chosen family.

When fifteen-year-old Marigold becomes pregnant during the Great Depression, she is rejected by her family and forced to fend for herself. She is arrested while trying to steal food and loses her baby in the forest, turning her whole world upside down. Shes even more distraught upon discovering she has an inexplicable power to heal, making her a sought-after local legend.

Meanwhile, middle-aged migrant workers Vern and Paul discover a violet-eyed baby abandoned in the woods and take it upon themselves to care for her. The men continue their search for work and soon pair up with a poverty-stricken widow, plus her two children, and the misfit family begins taking care of each other.

As survival brings this chosen family together, a young boy finds himself without a friend to his name as the dust storms rage across Kansas. Fourteen-year-old Coot, a child preacher, is on the run from his abusive tent-revival pastor father with thousands of stolen dollarsand the only thing hes sure of is that Mobile, Alabama, is his destination.

In a sweeping saga with a looming second world war, these stories intertwine in surprising ways, reminding us that when the dust clears, we can still see the stars.

• Stand-alone Southern historical fiction set during the Great Depression
• Book length: approximately 98,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs
• Also by Sean Dietrich: The Incredible Winston Browne

Reviews

'Sean Dietrich can spin a story. With hope and heart, [Stars of Alabama] tells interweaving stories of connection, unlikely friendship, and the responsibility we have to take care of one another.' * Southern Living magazine *
'Ideal for those readers who appreciate a dash of magical realism in their historical fiction.' * Deep South Magazine, SUMMER READING LIST *
'big-hearted novel' * Garden & Gun, JULY READING PICK *
'Set during the Dust Bowl, this pleasing, ambitious epic from Dietrich (Sean of the South) brings together unlikely allies all escaping dire situations. . . Though filled with preachers declaring judgment and prophecies of the end-time, Dietrich's hopeful tale illuminates the small rays of faith that shine even in dark times.' * Publishers Weekly *
'The characters are meticulously described in settings so real that they seem to be drawn from memory. . .historical fiction and mystery readers will find this to be a very satisfying book.' * Booklist *
'Dietrich is a Southern Garrison Keillor. Fans of the latter and former will be pleased.' * Library Journal *
'Authenticity, charm abound in Dietrich's latest' * Clarion-Ledger *

Author Bio

Sean Dietrich is a columnist, podcaster, speaker, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Southern Living, The Tallahassee Democrat, Good Grit, South Magazine, Yellowhammer News, The Bitter Southerner, Thom Magazine, and The Mobile Press Register, and he has authored ten books.