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Ringside 1925 Views from the Scopes Trial Jen Bryant Books

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Ringside 1925 Views from the Scopes Trial Jen Bryant Books

Ringside - 1925 by Jen Bryant is one of the most unique and original novels for young people I have had the pleasure of reading from quite some time now. The author, Ms. Bryant, has used the same methods that Edgar Lee Masters used at the turn of the last century, in completing his work, Spoon River Anthology. Where Masters told the story of a town through a series of poems taken from the epitaphs of various members of the village, Bryant in this case, has told the story of the famous Scopes Monkey Trial, Dayton, Tennessee, 1925, through the voices of various citizens of Dayton, reporters, and most importantly, the young people who were members of J.T. Scopes' Biology Class.
The entire novel is done in free verse! The author goes from character to charter and back again, telling the story of the trial and the impressions and impact it had upon those who were there, those who witnessed the actual events as they unfolded. Each character has his or her, unique voice. In using her free verse method, I am glad to say that the author has not bogged us down with a lot of vague and obscure metaphors. The target group for this work is young people, age twelve and up, and I have found that few things turn them off from any sort of poetry quicker than this. Their intellectual data base simply is not large enough at this stage in their lives for them to appreciate it. The author has also skillfully avoided another pitfall that will absolutely kill a book for today's kids...that is the use of regional, racial and chronological dialects. Yes, the author touches on these lightly, but does it in a manner that is quite readable and understandable. Bottom line is that this lady KNOWS how to write for young people! I always note that most teens, when they first open a book, look at the number of pages, the size of type and do a quick evaluation in their minds as to how long it will take them to read it. No problems here; this is a very "user friendly" book. It is fast reading, understandable, and the kids will get a sense of quick accomplishment as they read.

Jen Bryant has been able to perfectly capture the essence of the times, both the place, and the people. I must admit that when I first became aware of this work, I gritted my teeth, and was prepared to plow through yet another rant describing the poor ignorant, bigoted and narrow "hillbillies" of rural America during those times. Being from and living in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, I am quite sensitive to this. I was pleasantly surprised. Ms. Bryant was able to capture the nature of the people perfectly, while leaving them the dignity they deserved (even the few characters that did not deserve it). This book is full of humor and I found myself laughing several times. The main thrust though, is to get kids to think and think independently, to have thoughts of their own, to form their own opinions, to keep open minds as they go through life. The author has accomplished this, in my opinion.

Being quite familiar with this particular trial and the circumstances surrounding it, I can say that the author's research is wonderfully accurate. Even though the majority of the characters portrayed here are fictional, she has her facts nailed. I am also a word freak. I am absolutely fascinated with word patterns, word play and the ideas conveyed by them. This was an absolute delight in that area. I love free verse, and the author is, well... fantastic, for lack of a better description. I could not have asked for more.

Teachers: Give this one a read. The possibilities are almost endless in using this work in your class room. English, Sociology, Science, Dramatics, History...there is no end. I would suspect that if you gave a brief back ground lecture, ran a copy of Inherit the Wind and handed the kids a copy of this book, you could get three weeks of discussion out of it, and be able to grade a bunch of papers, while the kids took over. Now not ever child is the same, obviously, but I cannot imagine many of the kids I know, not being stimulated by this book to do further reading on the subject, talk about it, and indeed, to think about it.

NOTE: It is sort of a pity that this work is being marketed as a Young Adult book as I truly feel that most adults I know would thoroughly enjoy this one. It is really quite a book!


Tags : Amazon.com: Ringside, 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial (9780375840470): Jen Bryant: Books,Jen Bryant,Ringside, 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial,Knopf Books for Young Readers,0375840478,Historical - United States - 20th Century,Social Themes - General (see also headings under Family),Community life;Tennessee;Fiction.,Evolution (Biology);Study and teaching;Law and legislation;Tennessee;Juvenile fiction.,Evolution;Study and teaching;Law and legislation;Fiction.,Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9),Community life,Evolution,Evolution (Biology),Fiction,General,Historical Fiction (Young Adult),Juvenile Fiction Historical United States 20th Century,Juvenile fiction,Law and legislation,Study and teaching,Tennessee,YOUNG ADULT FICTION,Young Adult Fiction Historical United States 20th Century,Young Adult Fiction Social Themes General (see also headings under Family)

Ringside 1925 Views from the Scopes Trial Jen Bryant Books Reviews

A most interesting read!! As the name implies this is a book about the Scopes trial but unlike other books that may cover this topic, here its told from the perspective of some of the towns people and reporters. I believe that this is actually a book for young adults but it is extremely good and very very well done and I think that it will appeal to all ages. I was a bit hesistant to request it because I am tired of all the religious bashing that seems to have become very popular in the last few years but that is not what happens here at all. Every side is presented respectfully and shown to be intelligent. In my opinion, the author does not take sides with either group but presents the best of both sides(with a few nutters of course). I was also happy that we get to see both groups,Christians and Agnostics/Atheists as intelligent and not foaming at the mouth radicals. It was refreshing to see many Christian presented as being open minded enough to embrace the bible and the concept of evolution at the same time. Though this book is only about 227 pages, it manages to create characters who have depth and are not two dimensional. The cast of characters were intriguing and very interesting. Some of the characters fall out over their different stances on the issue and many have their horizons broadened by the experience. To me the one relationship that dissolves that was sad to see was that between Clarence Darrow and Willam Jenning Bryan. The two men had apparently been very good friends but being forced to support their beliefs in such a public forum as the court destroyed their relationship irreparably. My favorite characters here were Willy Amos and Marybeth Dodd. Willy Amos is a young black boy who dreams big but never actually thinks that anything will come of it. When he meets Clarence Darrow he is inspired to believe, despite the odds, that maybe one day regardless of the color of his skin, he may have a share of the American dream. Marybeth Dodd on the other hand is a 17year old girl who wants more of her life than her small town or father may consider appropriate for a woman. I would recommend this book heartily.
Ringside - 1925 by Jen Bryant is one of the most unique and original novels for young people I have had the pleasure of reading from quite some time now. The author, Ms. Bryant, has used the same methods that Edgar Lee Masters used at the turn of the last century, in completing his work, Spoon River Anthology. Where Masters told the story of a town through a series of poems taken from the epitaphs of various members of the village, Bryant in this case, has told the story of the famous Scopes Monkey Trial, Dayton, Tennessee, 1925, through the voices of various citizens of Dayton, reporters, and most importantly, the young people who were members of J.T. Scopes' Biology Class.
The entire novel is done in free verse! The author goes from character to charter and back again, telling the story of the trial and the impressions and impact it had upon those who were there, those who witnessed the actual events as they unfolded. Each character has his or her, unique voice. In using her free verse method, I am glad to say that the author has not bogged us down with a lot of vague and obscure metaphors. The target group for this work is young people, age twelve and up, and I have found that few things turn them off from any sort of poetry quicker than this. Their intellectual data base simply is not large enough at this stage in their lives for them to appreciate it. The author has also skillfully avoided another pitfall that will absolutely kill a book for today's kids...that is the use of regional, racial and chronological dialects. Yes, the author touches on these lightly, but does it in a manner that is quite readable and understandable. Bottom line is that this lady KNOWS how to write for young people! I always note that most teens, when they first open a book, look at the number of pages, the size of type and do a quick evaluation in their minds as to how long it will take them to read it. No problems here; this is a very "user friendly" book. It is fast reading, understandable, and the kids will get a sense of quick accomplishment as they read.

Jen Bryant has been able to perfectly capture the essence of the times, both the place, and the people. I must admit that when I first became aware of this work, I gritted my teeth, and was prepared to plow through yet another rant describing the poor ignorant, bigoted and narrow "hillbillies" of rural America during those times. Being from and living in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, I am quite sensitive to this. I was pleasantly surprised. Ms. Bryant was able to capture the nature of the people perfectly, while leaving them the dignity they deserved (even the few characters that did not deserve it). This book is full of humor and I found myself laughing several times. The main thrust though, is to get kids to think and think independently, to have thoughts of their own, to form their own opinions, to keep open minds as they go through life. The author has accomplished this, in my opinion.

Being quite familiar with this particular trial and the circumstances surrounding it, I can say that the author's research is wonderfully accurate. Even though the majority of the characters portrayed here are fictional, she has her facts nailed. I am also a word freak. I am absolutely fascinated with word patterns, word play and the ideas conveyed by them. This was an absolute delight in that area. I love free verse, and the author is, well... fantastic, for lack of a better description. I could not have asked for more.

Teachers Give this one a read. The possibilities are almost endless in using this work in your class room. English, Sociology, Science, Dramatics, History...there is no end. I would suspect that if you gave a brief back ground lecture, ran a copy of Inherit the Wind and handed the kids a copy of this book, you could get three weeks of discussion out of it, and be able to grade a bunch of papers, while the kids took over. Now not ever child is the same, obviously, but I cannot imagine many of the kids I know, not being stimulated by this book to do further reading on the subject, talk about it, and indeed, to think about it.

NOTE It is sort of a pity that this work is being marketed as a Young Adult book as I truly feel that most adults I know would thoroughly enjoy this one. It is really quite a book!