It is a beautiful, lyrical book about how we remember our loved ones, how we learn from the past, and how we ultimately honor those who came before us without making excuses for their inaction. Shaking the Gate of Hell is measured, unflinching and, in a word, excellent. – Shondaland
NPR’s Books We Love, 2021:
A meaningful read that got me thinking about my own family’s legacy.
Library Journal:
VERDICT: A powerful reflection on the
influences of family and community and the ability to act justly in tumultuous times. Biography readers, especially
those interested in reconciling the past, will be captivated by Archibald's honest, conversational style.
Memphis Commercial Appeal:
If you've ever listened to a racist or homophobic joke and not spoken up to disagree, "Shaking the Gates of Hell"
should be compulsory reading. It's a compelling reminder of the good we could do if we were more courageous.
New York Review of Books:
An affecting blend of memoir and history, “Shaking the Gates of Hell” offers an unflinching account of a family in a tumultuous time.
Publisher’s Weekly starred review:
What makes this retelling exceptional is the poetic voice of the author as he reflects on the Montgomery bus boycott, the bloody campaigns in Selma and Birmingham, lynchings, and the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. … This personal interrogation is a moving testament to the power of reexamining one’s past.
The Washington Post:
Archibald’s personal recollections vividly demonstrate the conflicts experienced by people rooted in traditional values during a period of rapid social change, when a liberal interpretation of those values offends their conservative community…Archibald’s honest account of one family’s journey through the civil rights and gay rights revolutions makes it clear that there are no easy decisions — or answers — when grappling with issues of faith and social justice.
Southern Booksellers Review:
John Archibald is an incredible writer who lures you in with stories about fishing and family gatherings, but by the end he has us all asking ourselves, why do we not also say more, do more?
The Alabama Take:
John Archibald in recent memoir “Shaking the Gates of Hell: A Search for Family and Truth in the Wake of the Civil Rights Revolution” wields a magical, managerial command of tone. It’s an excellent text…Archibald fills each moment — all significant — with love; he handles each in delicate measure, which in less deft hands, would’ve come off as saccharine, or worse, apologetic.
Methodist Bishop Will Willimon:
I believe that few of us preachers, particularly those in the Southeast, especially those who are Methodists, will be able to evade John Archibald’s book. In his scathing, often sarcastic criticism of our church and its clergy, there is a sense in which John may have a higher theology of preaching than we, as well as a deeper love for the church.
Order here, or from your favorite local bookstore.