Summary

The novel's preface contains a biography of the author titled 'Randall Kenan A Visitation of Spirits'; his publications prior to the novel including Let the Dead Bury Their Dead; dedications to Kenan's living mother and family members 'in memoriam; and appreciation for family members, editors, and God or 'the Host of Hosts.' Randall's biography includes information on his North Carolina background and multiple awards for his previous works, one of which is a non-fiction on American Americans at the end of the twentieth century. This information establishes Kenan as an authority on the historical context of the novel and content relevant to growing up in North Carolina.

‘White Sorcery,’ begins with the sub-section ‘December 8, 1985, 8:45 am.’ Jimmy drives his Aunt Ruth and Uncle Zeke to an unnamed location. A group of men and women congregate around a house and barn for a...