A Feast of Snakes

Just finished reading A Feast of Snakes by Harry Crews. What a wonderfully twisted little book. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Mr. Crews’ work.

The story concerns the oddball inhabitants of Mystic, Georgia and their annual Rattlesnake Round Up. Our hero, Joe Lon Mackey, former Boss Snake of the Mystic Rattlers Football Team, now lives in a trailer with his wife and infant sons. When not wondering where his life went wrong he’s drinking whisky and selling whisky and moonshine at his daddy’s (Big Joe Mackey) store. Big Joe raises fighting pit bulls and hires locals to come by his house to care for his daughter who spends all day in bed watching television at full volume. Poor girl went scooters years ago when she came home from school and found mom looking none too healthy.

As the Rattlesnake Roundup Weekend approaches its fever pitch, Joe Lon Mackey is approaching his own.

Joe Bob says—check it out.