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Alabama Village: Faith, Hope, and Survival in a Southern Town
From the celebrated writer J. Malcolm Garcia, a narrative nonfiction account of a forgotten Alabama neighborhood through intimate, tender, and gritty profiles of its people as they navigate immense loss and an unassailable determination to overcome their circumstances.
"J. Malcolm Garcia [channels] the empathetic ear of Studs Terkel and the investigative skills of the best literary journalists." —Beth Taylor, author of The Plain Language of Love and Loss
In Alabama Village, an impoverished and often violent neighborhood south of Mobile, the children no longer flinch at the eruption of gunshots. To them, it’s just another day. In this community, few things last—the loss of life is relentless, and relief efforts come and go. But John and Dolores Eads, a devout Christian couple who established Light of the Village church, stay. They spread their lead with love, faith, and consistency—and don’t condemn or judge.
In interlacing chapters, award-winning journalist J. Malcolm Garcia follows the lives of the Alabama Village community and the kids who grew up at Light of the Village church. Da’Cino Dees saw his first shooting at eight years old and now works at Light of the Village; Aaron “Billy Boy” Amison has been dreaming about dead people since he was little and has been in and out of jail since he was fourteen; Jesenda Brown hopes to escape poverty by starting her own cleaning business; and although Corey “Bigg Man” Davis has accrued exuberant wealth from unknown sources, his personality is marked by his kindhearted generosity.
These striking, raw, and humanizing portraits, among others, showcase the Village and its people, in all its devastation and resilient determination. Alabama Village is an ode to communities and the individual narratives that make them whole.
"J. Malcolm Garcia [channels] the empathetic ear of Studs Terkel and the investigative skills of the best literary journalists." —Beth Taylor, author of The Plain Language of Love and Loss
In Alabama Village, an impoverished and often violent neighborhood south of Mobile, the children no longer flinch at the eruption of gunshots. To them, it’s just another day. In this community, few things last—the loss of life is relentless, and relief efforts come and go. But John and Dolores Eads, a devout Christian couple who established Light of the Village church, stay. They spread their lead with love, faith, and consistency—and don’t condemn or judge.
In interlacing chapters, award-winning journalist J. Malcolm Garcia follows the lives of the Alabama Village community and the kids who grew up at Light of the Village church. Da’Cino Dees saw his first shooting at eight years old and now works at Light of the Village; Aaron “Billy Boy” Amison has been dreaming about dead people since he was little and has been in and out of jail since he was fourteen; Jesenda Brown hopes to escape poverty by starting her own cleaning business; and although Corey “Bigg Man” Davis has accrued exuberant wealth from unknown sources, his personality is marked by his kindhearted generosity.
These striking, raw, and humanizing portraits, among others, showcase the Village and its people, in all its devastation and resilient determination. Alabama Village is an ode to communities and the individual narratives that make them whole.
- GenresNonfiction
293 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 30, 2026
Pritchard, Alabama, is a poor rural town that is dying. The shipyards are no longer functioning as they did, and the paper mills have largely gone. Property values have plummeted, and, by 2014, at least 48% of the population has fled, turning their homes into low-cost (Section 8) rentals. Some have abandoned the properties altogether. The city's finances were depleted, and city services disappeared, along with businesses. Empty spaces everywhere.
While the remaining residents tended to be 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation, new people moved in, taking residence in the empty spaces. Violent crime increased to 400% of national crime rates. Many of the residents usealcohol and/or drugs, and the major viable business is done on the streets. Everyone has a gun.
Girls have babies; boys shoot each other.
Garcia goes to this town and interviews many of its residents to learn, in human terms, what these statistics really mean. The interviews reveal a complex system of people's thinking, actions, relationships, and lives, presented in a series of written portraits, one by one.
At the center are views of a couple who moved to the community 20+ years ago, to establish their Christian ministry. Unlike so many others, they have stayed, and they practice loving their community without judgement, without leaving anyone out, despite what they may have done or are doing.
They have a memorial wall of those who have died.
This, then is a description of how people live and die in a world so unlike most readers' lived experience that it's astonishing, and a portrait of those who try to make it just a little bit better, a modern day gospel.
While the remaining residents tended to be 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation, new people moved in, taking residence in the empty spaces. Violent crime increased to 400% of national crime rates. Many of the residents usealcohol and/or drugs, and the major viable business is done on the streets. Everyone has a gun.
Girls have babies; boys shoot each other.
Garcia goes to this town and interviews many of its residents to learn, in human terms, what these statistics really mean. The interviews reveal a complex system of people's thinking, actions, relationships, and lives, presented in a series of written portraits, one by one.
At the center are views of a couple who moved to the community 20+ years ago, to establish their Christian ministry. Unlike so many others, they have stayed, and they practice loving their community without judgement, without leaving anyone out, despite what they may have done or are doing.
They have a memorial wall of those who have died.
This, then is a description of how people live and die in a world so unlike most readers' lived experience that it's astonishing, and a portrait of those who try to make it just a little bit better, a modern day gospel.
August 31, 2026
Such an interesting perspective as the author details the lives of those living in Alabama Village and their resiliency. I liked the conversational tone of the author’s writing, the dialogue was written as if each person was giving a personal interview about their life. I admire how the author really immersed himself into the community and listened to so many stories of grief, resiliency, uncertainty, and determination.
September 7, 2026
Inspiring and sad and incredible
A friend recommended this book by saying basically, you have to read it. Glad he did. It’s a fascinating look into a part of society that most of us thankfully will never see, but also a chronicle of two people who have devoted their lives to making other people’s lives a little better.
A friend recommended this book by saying basically, you have to read it. Glad he did. It’s a fascinating look into a part of society that most of us thankfully will never see, but also a chronicle of two people who have devoted their lives to making other people’s lives a little better.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews