From Sean Dietrich—also known as Sean of the South—comes a poignant tale of the stars that shine all around us . . . if only we’re willing to look.
When she becomes pregnant at fifteen, Marigold is rejected by her family and forced to fend for herself. And when she loses her baby in the forest, her whole world turns upside down. She’s even more distraught upon discovering she has an inexplicable power that makes her both beautiful and terrifying—and something of a local legend.
Meanwhile, migrant workers Vern and Paul discover a violet-eyed baby and take it upon themselves to care for her. The men soon pair up with a widow and her two children, and the untraditional family finds their way in fits and starts toward taking care of each other.
As survival brings one family together, a young boy finds himself with nary a friend to his name amid the dust storms still raging across Kansas. Fourteen-year-old Coot, a child preacher with a prodigy’s memory, is on the run with thousands of stolen dollars—and the only thing he’s sure of is that Mobile, Alabama, is his destination.
As the years pass and a world war looms, their stories intertwine in surprising ways. With a voice both humorous and heartfelt, Sean Dietrich weaves together a tale about the dignity of humanity and the value of enduring hope—reminding us that when the dust clears, we can still see the stars.
Download and start listening now!
“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
"[A] big-hearted novel.”
— Garden & Gun magazine"‘Ideal for those readers who appreciate a dash of magical realism in their historical fiction.”
— Deep South magazine“Unlikely heroes form unlikely bonds in this poignant and redemptive new novel from Sean Dietrich.”
— BookPage“Dietrich is a Southern Garrison Keillor. Fans of the latter and former will be pleased.”
— Library JournalBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
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, the Bitter Southerner, Thom magazine, and the Mobile Press Register, and he has authored ten books.