The year is 1925, and the students of Dayton, Tennessee, are ready for a summer of fishing, swimming, some working, and drinking root beer floats a...
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Aug 11, 2008
Krista the Krazy Kataloguer
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This one was slow at the start, but picked up about halfway through. I ended up enjoying it and learning a good deal about the Scopes trial that I hadn't known before. The story wasn't about the trial so much as the effect it had on the people in the small town where the trial took place. The characters were well drawn and reflected the range of opinions about evolution vs. creation prevalent at the time. In the process of thinking about the trial, the 4 young adult characters in the book we
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Dec 27, 2008
Becky
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Bryant, Jen. 2008. Ringside, 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial.
I'll keep this one short. And I mean it. Something about this one just didn't work for me. Maybe it was the fact that it was in verse. (Verse novels sometimes exist when they should just be prose. And nobody--but the author perhaps--know why they're in verse in the first place.) Maybe it had too many narrators to suit me. (I liked one or two of the narrators, but there were just too many in this case. All the shifting P.O More...
I'll keep this one short. And I mean it. Something about this one just didn't work for me. Maybe it was the fact that it was in verse. (Verse novels sometimes exist when they should just be prose. And nobody--but the author perhaps--know why they're in verse in the first place.) Maybe it had too many narrators to suit me. (I liked one or two of the narrators, but there were just too many in this case. All the shifting P.O More...
Jan 12, 2010
Cindy
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Remember learning about the Scopes Monkey trial in history class? The trial pitted the state of Tennessee against a high school science teacher, J.T. Scopes, who challenged the legality of the state's rule against teaching Darwin's theory of evolution. Ringside 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial by Jen Bryant brings the event to life in a way that your history book never could.
The story is told through the voices of several characters, mainly three students from the high school where More...
The story is told through the voices of several characters, mainly three students from the high school where More...
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Jun 18, 2009
Jennifer
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Reviewed by Natalie Tsang for TeensReadToo.com
Jen Bryant's RINGSIDE 1925 explores the Scopes Trial, one of the most controversial trials in American history, through nine diverse characters and is told through vivid verse.
One memorable summer, the sleepy town of Dayton, Tennessee, population 1,800, is turned upside down by the trial of a well-liked high school teacher. His crime is teaching evolution, a subject that the state of Tennessee had forbidden in the newly passed More...
Jen Bryant's RINGSIDE 1925 explores the Scopes Trial, one of the most controversial trials in American history, through nine diverse characters and is told through vivid verse.
One memorable summer, the sleepy town of Dayton, Tennessee, population 1,800, is turned upside down by the trial of a well-liked high school teacher. His crime is teaching evolution, a subject that the state of Tennessee had forbidden in the newly passed More...
Apr 27, 2010
Stevecrandell
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One more novel in verse, and once more here’s the most powerful poetic impact I can identify: it sure was a quick read. There are frequent patterns of near-rhyme, but the line breaks make little sense to me. It’s all just a pleasant clump of words, winding down to slightly punchy tag lines. The story outshines the style: the Scopes Trial is a fascinating highlight of American history. There’s an opportunistic circus atmosphere in the town of Dayton, Tennessee, as the trial begins, and Bryant cap
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Jul 22, 2008
Lynn
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I am interested in the subject but not an enormous fan of verse novels usually. The information was interesting and well integrated but the poetry felt more like prose with line breaks than poetry. I had to push hard to finish and it was a chore to me. I had just finished a truly fabulous book before this so it may have suffered in comparison.
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Jan 09, 2010
Cheryl
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I "knew" about the Scopes Monkey Trial but I didn't really Know about the Scopes Monkey Trial. I now know a lot more but not everything. So this isn't one of those historical fiction novels that is going to increase your knowledge ten-fold but it will whet your appetite for more. for example, the book kind of concludes that the trial made some kids in the town pursue college now that their minds were opened up by these visitors. That seems a little far-fetched so I'm going to Google th
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Nov 13, 2008
Leslie
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This book combines all of my favorite elements: verse novel, historical fiction and incredible voices. Each character is distinct. The reader gets a very well-rounded look at the famous Scopes trial.
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Jan 15, 2010
Courtney
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absolutely fascinating. i originally knew little about this trial and had no idea just how apt the title of this book really is. i've never read about such a strange trial with such absurd circumstances. bryant's novel is told in verse by a variety of narrators ranging from high school students to visitors like a methodist minister and a reporter. the story is crazy enough, but bryant really manages to drive home the issues at the crux of the trial, as well as the aftermath. i'm very excited to
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Mar 21, 2010
Jackie
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This book would be a good addition alongside The Monkey Trial by Kidd. Bryant tells the story of the Scopes trial from the viewpoints of nine characters. It's told in verse form and I can see a teacher using selections in a Readers Theatre. The book underlines the theme: can a person have faith in God and in science too or are the two diametrically opposed to one another? The author points out that, although Scopes was found guilty of teaching evolution in defiance of the Butler Act, this 19
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Jun 20, 2009
Marjorie
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This YA novel in verse about the Scopes Monkey Trial is told in monologue-poems by the citizens of Dayton, TN, where the trial took place. The first few pages are slow going -- you have to keep track of a bunch of characters and there's a lot of info flying at you at once. but once you get into the novel's groove -- whoo boy. it's gripping, moving, poetic, funny, thought-provoking, rueful. i have powerful memories of a production of Inherit the Wind at Trinity Rep in RI -- we were bused to it as
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Apr 23, 2008
Abby
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In 1925, in the small, sleepy town of Dayton, TN, there was a trial. A local high school teacher was arrested for teaching the theory of evolution to some of his science students. And soon two of the greatest public speakers in the country were coming to battle it out. Did J. T. Scopes break the law by teaching evolution? Was the law constitutional in the first place?
Jen Bryant has written a novel in verse that shows the trial through the eyes of some of the people affected by it. The More...
Jen Bryant has written a novel in verse that shows the trial through the eyes of some of the people affected by it. The More...
Nov 29, 2009
Cheryl
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A very engaging intro to the Scopes trial, from multiple (fictional) points of view, showing how a rural community in 1925 would have been impacted by such an influx of reporters, lawyers, and "experts" for a week. Written in a verse-type format, reads very quickly, and helps sort out the major players while keeping you interested in the local folks personal lives.
Don't expect that multiple views means you'll see the controversy from many sides. The religious fanatics are More...
Don't expect that multiple views means you'll see the controversy from many sides. The religious fanatics are More...
Sep 14, 2008
Linda
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This short and highly readable book is about the Scopes "monkey trial" held in Dayton, TN in 1925 in which a high school teacher is accused of breaking a TN law forbidding the teaching of evolution. Scopes was defended by the great lawyer, Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryant prosecuted the case. The story is told through the eyes of many of the townspeople in short chapters, from various points of view.
The author includes a bibliography at the end, revealing the More...
The author includes a bibliography at the end, revealing the More...
Oct 15, 2010
Manny
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So far,the book is pretty good.I couldnt tell if it was a true story or just fake until my teacher told me.It is written in 1st person and has like 20 different characters!When a science teacher teaches kids about evolution he is arrested. But he is in a very religious town though. So many people wanna make this a big deal since there in a small town. I will let you find out if you are interested.
Mar 27, 2010
Daria
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I like Jen Bryant's historical fiction novels-in-verse. They are not so detail laden that they bore me but they give me enough information to want to learn more. This one was about the Scopes Monket Trial and once again I am amazed at its relevance to what's happening in our country today.
Jul 30, 2008
Terry
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Ringside, 1925 gives readers differing views of the events surrounding the Scopes Trial that occurred in Dayton, TN, in 1925. The text is writtien in poetry verse and is broken into narratives recited by different people who live in Dayton. The people who gives their viepoints include a variety of townsfolk--an African American boy, high school students, a father working as a handyman, a woman devoted to the Bible, lawyers (Darro and Bryan), a newspaper reporter, etc. This historical novel is
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Jun 12, 2008
Megan
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The author, Jen Bryant, gives readers different views of the Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee according to different characters with varying viewpoints. This is a fictional book, but it is obvious that Bryant has done her research on the topic and community life in the 1920's. I think this would be a good trade book for a middle school social studies or science classroom because it discusses the topic of science eduction (evolution) as well as highlighting racism and gender discrimination tha
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Dec 22, 2008
Barbara
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A compelling historical novel introducing the Scopes trial and told from many viewpoints, both adult and teen. The novel is in verse, but very quick and readable and actually more prose broken into short lines.
Apr 02, 2011
Amber
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I'm not sure that the verse added anything to this. Too many perspectives made it feel choppy. Feels like a book librarians would love, but kids not so much.
Nov 30, 2008
Katie
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Great historical novel written in verse. A quick and interesting read. Think Karen Hesse + Sharon Creech + Richard Peck + Sid Fleischman.
Would make for a good book discussion or an introduction into a history lesson or classroom debate. Somewhat incredible all the issues this little book addresses: evolution, Christianity, racism, sexism, feminist movement, class, education, politics, law, censorship, book burning, and surely others.
Would make for a good book discussion or an introduction into a history lesson or classroom debate. Somewhat incredible all the issues this little book addresses: evolution, Christianity, racism, sexism, feminist movement, class, education, politics, law, censorship, book burning, and surely others.
May 05, 2010
Sue
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This was obviously meant for younger readers, but I did like it. It reminded me a lot of To Kill A Mockingbird.
Aug 22, 2010
Neil
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An interesting take on an historical event -- seeing it through the eyes of those on the periphery, not the actual participants but the spectators.
Bryant does a good job of framing the story of educational liberty with other burgeoning social issues such as women's rights and civil rights.
It's also original to tell the narrative in free-form poetry.
Bryant does a good job of framing the story of educational liberty with other burgeoning social issues such as women's rights and civil rights.
It's also original to tell the narrative in free-form poetry.
Jun 16, 2008
Ann
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BBYA
Evolution vs Creation Awesome book! Poetry dealing with the Scopes Trial in 1925. Main cast of characters are the locals and it is wonderful and thoughtprovoking how these people get caught up in the whirlwind that still continues today.
Evolution vs Creation Awesome book! Poetry dealing with the Scopes Trial in 1925. Main cast of characters are the locals and it is wonderful and thoughtprovoking how these people get caught up in the whirlwind that still continues today.
Feb 11, 2010
Trevor
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Another wonderful piece by Ms. Bryant! I'm wondering what trial she will adapt to free verse next -- Sacco and Vanzetti perhaps?
From March 2007: Author Visit
From March 2007: Author Visit
Jul 13, 2008
Teddy
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OMG what a gem! Please see the links below for my review.
My Blog (Comments Always Welcome, Even Encouraged):
http://tinyurl.com/6s2n8v
Amazon.ca (Votes are Greatly Appreciated):
http://tinyurl.com/5rpvrf
My Blog (Comments Always Welcome, Even Encouraged):
http://tinyurl.com/6s2n8v
Amazon.ca (Votes are Greatly Appreciated):
http://tinyurl.com/5rpvrf
Jun 12, 2008
Visitors, spectators, and residents of Dayton, Tennessee, in 1925 describe, in a series of free-verse poems, the Scopes "monkey trial" and its effects on that small town and its citizens.
Oct 25, 2008
Mary Lee
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We're still not beyond these issues. Hopefully, the separation of church and state in our Constitution is strong enough keep science in our science classes.
Oct 19, 2008
Linda
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A new look at the Scopes Trial. This would go well with Inherit the Wind. Ringside adds so much more information about why a trial occurred in the first place.
Mar 04, 2009
Heather
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Interesting free verse novel about the true case of a Tennessee teacher tried for teaching evolution in a high school science class.
