![]() When her father hatches a plan to bring publicity to their small Tennessee town by arresting a local high school teacher for teaching about evolution, the resulting 1925 Scopes trial prompts fifteen-year-old Frances to rethink many of her beliefs about religion and truth, as well as her relationship with her father. There are some threats of violence (townspeople want to lynch Mencken for disparaging Dayton & its residents), implications of hanky-panky (when Scopes's opponents pay a woman to kiss Scopes while a photographer takes incriminating pictures), and perhaps a less flattering depiction of Bryan, all of which makes for a fine read. Of course, the guilty verdict seemed a surprise to both listeners, even when the older of us knew the outcome in advance. Of course, Frances comes of age amid the trial, realizing that Scopes is an unlikely crush and that her father and his cronies are mortal. ![]() ![]() Mencken-all of whom are clearly delineated, Mencken most lovingly in his irascibility. The big boys arrive, Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, and H.L. ![]() The author characterizes John Scopes as a willing participant in Frances's father's publicity stunt-arresting Scopes for teaching evolution (part of the state-distributed textbook). ![]() The protagonist, 15-year-old Frances Robinson, is based on a friend's forebear who lived through the trial in Dayton, Tennessee when she was 8. My 10-year-old and I listened to this title on CD and found it well written, interesting and informative about the circumstances surrounding the Scopes Monkey Trial. ![]()
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