6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
TRULY A UNIQUE, TIMELY AND EXCITING READ! DON'T MISS THIS ONE!, June 13, 2008
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!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Version of the Monkey Trial, August 1, 2008
The time is 1925, and the Butler Act of Tennessee was recently passed. This act bans the teaching of evolution in the classroom. The state of Tennessee felt that teaching that mankind evolved from lower animals would imply that the bible was wrong about creationism.
One day in Dayton, TN, twenty-four year old J.T. Scopes substituting as a science teacher teaches the section about evolution that is in the class's biology text. He is asked to comply with being arrested for breaking the law. He agrees. This incident puts Dayton on the map. The notoriety of the case causes people to pour in from all over. Encouraged by this influx, simian-like statues and masks are selling like hotcakes. Rooms are rented out to reporters and restaurants are doing really well. It appears like the circus has come to town, the media circus that is.
The author of "Ringside," Jen Bryant tells a fictional story of the Scopes Trial using some real historical elements and characters. She wrote "Ringside" for children ages 12 and up. Much of it is written in poetic form which makes the words flow and very easy to read. The tale is also written in the form of narratives which were taken from characters involved with the trial. The narrators are of different ages, races and genders. The reader gets to view the case as it might have appeared from someone like them. I loved this touch because it really brought the issues with the case to life. You get to see the Scopes Trial from all angles.
I found "Ringside" to be a fascinating way to learn about a real event that took place in our history. It taught me a lot about a case that I hear mentioned frequently, but actually had little background. It was also incredible to see what people were allowed to get away with. Even the judge who was a part time minister was allowed to ban scientific witnesses from the trial. It never had any hope of being won. Scope's attorney, Clarence Darrow, demonstrated his brilliance during a case that had no hope.
I highly recommend this book. It would be a great addition to a summer reading list for children, or an awesome book to be read by history or science students who will be introduced to evolution or the Scopes trial.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful and educational look at an important piece of US history, July 24, 2008
Ringside 1925 by Jen Bryant is a unique look at the Monkey-Scopes trial in Dayton, Tennessee. Bryant views the events surrounding the trial through the eyes of several different residents of the town in free verse poetry. Two teenage boys who have long been best friends are split by their views. A teenage girl finds freedom in the new view of the world, as does her matronly cousin. A black boy and his father prosper financially, but the boy gains far more than money could buy. This trial is famous in US history, but I was unaware of the facts surrounding it, and Bryant does a terrific job of educating about what really happened, even the events behind the scenes. This book is very timely with the current debate about teaching intelligent design in classrooms. My one disappointment in the book was that Bryant portrayed the churchgoers as hyprocritical and close-minded.
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