Good book about the Scopes trial?

[Jamestown1630]

Over the past year, my husband and I have watched both film versions of 'Inherit the Wind'.

I would like to read a good book about the Scopes trial, free of the dramatization and fictionalization.

Can anyone suggest what they think is the best book?

Thanks.

[Vermont Lt]

I put your question into Grok. Here is the AI answer:

For a reliable, non-dramatized account of the Scopes Trial, I recommend *Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion* by Edward J. Larson (1997). Larson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, provides a meticulously researched and balanced narrative, drawing from primary sources like trial transcripts, newspaper accounts, and personal correspondence. It covers the legal, cultural, and historical context of the 1925 trial without the embellishments found in works like *Inherit the Wind*. The book also explores the broader implications of the trial for the science-religion debate, making it a comprehensive yet accessible choice.

If you want alternatives, *The Great Monkey Trial* by L. Sprague de Camp (1968) is another solid option, focusing on factual details and firsthand accounts, though it’s less analytical than Larson’s work. Both are grounded in historical accuracy and avoid fictionalization.

[Nateman]

‘Inherit the Wind’ use to be one of my favorite movies... until I learned how they played fast and loose with the facts.

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks very much; the Larson sounds good.

[Jamestown1630]

Most dramas based on real events do. But often they also inspire us to look into the factual history.