Ringside, 1925

Written by Jen Bryant

A teacher's arrest for teaching evolution ignites a town's summer with tension and intrigue.

3.8/5 Goodreads · 250 ratings

240 pages· 25,638 words· Est. 3.5 hour read

$7.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1925 Dayton, Tennessee, a summer of leisure turns tumultuous when teacher J.T. Scopes is arrested for teaching evolution. As the trial captivates the nation, friends Jimmy Lee, Pete, Marybeth, and Willy find themselves in a whirlwind of new ideas and tensions. Amidst the courtroom drama and media frenzy, friendships are tested, and the town's unity is at stake. Will the trial's outcome change their lives forever?

From the publisher

Take a ringside seat at one of the most controversial trials in American history. The year is 1925, and the students of Dayton, Tennessee, are ready for a summer of fishing, swimming, and drinking root beer floats at Robinson’s Drugstore. But when their science teacher, J. T. Scopes, is arrested for having taught Darwin’s theory of evolution, it seems it won’t be an ordinary summer in Dayton. As Scopes’s trial proceeds, the small town pulses with energy and is faced with astonishing nationwide publicity. Suddenly surrounded by fascinating people and new ideas, Jimmy Lee, Pete, Marybeth, and Willy are thrilled. But amidst the excitement and circus-like atmosphere is a threatening sense of tension–not only in the courtroom, but among even the strongest of friends. ★ “The colorful facts [Bryant] retrieves, the personal story lines, and the deft rhythm of the narrative are more than enough invitation to readers to ponder the issues she raises.”–Publishers Weekly, Starred

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