Toole later described the novel in correspondence with an editor, "In 1954, when I was 16, I wrote a book called The Neon Bible, a grim, adolescent, sociological attack upon the hatreds caused by the various Calvinist religions in the South—and the fundamentalist mentality is one of the roots of what was happening in Alabama, etc. The book, of course, was bad, but I sent it off a couple of times anyway."Nevils and Hardy. pg. 143 Neon Bible failed to attract interest from publishers and did not appear in print until after Toole's death.
toole later described the novel in correspondence with an editor "in 1954 when i was 16 i wrote a book called the neon bible a grim adolescent sociological attack upon the hatreds caused by the various calvinist religions in the south—and the fundamentalist mentality is one of the roots of what was happening in alabama etc the book of course was bad but i sent it off a couple of times anyway"nevils and hardy pg 143 neon bible failed to attract interest from publishers and did not appear in print until after toole's death