Good book about the Scopes trial?

Pinging myself to this thread as I am also interested!

So am I! :-)

‘The Monkey Trial’ by L. Sprague DeCamp is a good one.

Sorry, the title is ‘The Great Monkey Trial’.

Looking at Amazon, there are lots of books - even one that contains the entire transcripts.

I’m interested in one with a good legal dissection.

Thanks very much.

Looks like a book for my Christmas “wish list”, if you buy one and like it. I trust your opinion! :-)

The courthouse in Dayton is interesting, not very large I imagine it would have been sweltering in the summer.
HLMenchin covered the trial in his inimitable style.
No hotel to speak of so everyone put up in boarding houses ...

According to one of the films, they had to take the proceedings outside at one point, because of the heat. (Don’t know if that’s true or not...)

Yes, it is true. I’ve seen pictures of the trial being held outdoors.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Tennessee_v._John_T._Scopes_Trial-_Outdoor_proceedings_on_July_20%2C_1925%2C_showing_William_Jennings_Bryan_and_Clarence_Darrow._(2_of_4_photos)_(2898243103)_crop.jpg/650px-thumbnail.jpg

Thanks.

(With temps up to 100 this week even here in Maryland, I can appreciate it :-)

For what it's worth, here's a list of the books that Grok "thinks" are best...

1. Summer for the Gods

Author: Edward J. Larson (1997)
Why It's Top: Pulitzer Prize-winning, definitive account. Corrects myths from Inherit the Wind. Explores the trial's origins, Darrow vs. Bryan, and science-religion debate.
Strengths: Scholarly, accessible, balanced.
Review: "A gripping narrative... challenges history teachers to rethink teaching the Scopes trial."
Best For: Readers seeking in-depth history.
Find on Amazon

2. Keeping the Faith

Author: Brenda Wineapple (2024)
Why It's Top: Frames trial as a battle over democracy. Vivid biographies of Darrow, Bryan, and others. Links to modern culture wars.
Strengths: Engaging prose, extensive context on 1920s tensions.
Review: "A definitive account... vivid account of fear in national consciousness."
Best For: Readers interested in political and cultural impact.
Find on Amazon

3. The Great Monkey Trial

Author: L. Sprague de Camp (1968)
Why It's Top: Comprehensive, factual account using ACLU archives and trial transcripts. Counters sensationalism.
Strengths: Detailed research, includes political cartoons.
Review: "Definitive account, captures atmosphere and human element."
Best For: Readers wanting detailed, less editorialized narrative.
Find on Amazon

4. The Scopes Monkey Trial: A Brief History with Documents

Author: Jeffrey P. Moran (2002)
Why It's Top: Concise introduction with primary source documents, including trial transcripts. Covers race and gender context.
Strengths: Accessible, scholarly, ideal for source material.
Review: "Cogent and entertaining... nicely edited transcript."
Best For: Students and researchers.
Find on Amazon

5. The Monkey Trial

Author: Anita Sanchez (2023)
Why It's Top: Engaging account for young readers (grades 5-8). Highlights lesser-known facts and modern relevance.
Strengths: Vivid prose, well-researched, Kirkus Best Book.
Review: "Succinct and engaging... accessibly describes legal strategies."
Best For: Younger readers or those seeking a concise retelling.
Find on Amazon

Honorable Mentions

The Scopes Monkey Trial: America’s Most Famous Trial and Its Ongoing Legacy by Randy Moore (2022): Praised for exhaustive research and new sources, it’s a detailed reference but criticized for small font and light ink.

The Other Side of the Scopes Monkey Trial: At Its Heart the Trial Was about Racism by Jerry Bergman (2023): Offers a controversial perspective, arguing the trial was driven by racism and eugenics concerns, but its strong editorial stance may polarize readers.

Monkey Business: The True Story of the Scopes Trial by Marvin Olasky and John Perry (2005): Focuses on debunking myths but is less comprehensive than Larson’s work and has a clear creationist slant.

Notes

Many books debunk myths from Inherit the Wind, a fictionalized drama.
Trial transcripts and H.L. Mencken's reports are valuable primary sources.
Choose a book based on your interest: legal history, cultural impact, or educational value.

For more details or specific recommendations, contact a librarian or bookseller.

Thanks very much. I’m intrigued by 3 and 4.

Red in Tooth & Claw [06/25/2025]
Evolution's Inherent Racism defended by Clarence Darrow: The Monkey Trial & William Jennings Bryan [08/02/2020]
Evolutionist Clarence Darrow v. William Jennings Bryan, Creationist [08/01/2019]
Before Northam, Democrats Didn't Just Dress Up as Klansmen [02/11/2019]
Trump and His Apologists (Wall Street Journal Editorial) [07/20/2015]
Captive orangutan has human right to freedom, Argentine court rules [12/22/2014]
Democrats in 2014: The Party of John Edwards [01/04/2014]
Walt Disney's Fascinating Political Journey (From Naive Socialist to Staunch Conservative) [05/27/2013]
The Abuse Excuse [09/12/2011]
Creationists Try New Tactics to Promote Anti-Evolutionary Teaching in Public Schools [04/02/2011]
Inherit the Racism (Scopes Trial Actual Biology Text Book - Unabashed Racism) [12/05/2010]
New Take on the Scopes Trial [07/06/2010]
Bryan's "Cross of Gold" Speech [03/22/2010]
A Fresh Look at Nebraska Man (how the evos used this fraud to change American education policy) [09/25/2009]
Brian Dennehy, Fred Thompson to star in film shooting at Crossroads Village [08/30/2009]
Art as Propaganda for Evolution [04/11/2009]
APRIL FOOLS' DAY PICTURES: Four Historic Science Hoaxes [04/01/2009]
Eugenics ... death of the defenceless: The legacy of Darwin's cousin Galton [02/24/2009]
Religion-Free Group Says to 'Praise Darwin' [02/19/2009]
In Defense of the Communists [01/26/2009]
50 Years Ago: A Witness at the Scopes Trial [01/01/2009]
The Latest Face of Creationism in the Classroom [12/17/2008]
Atheopathy vs Science: Refuting New Scientist's agitprop about evolution (Darwin-Hitler connection) [11/19/2008]
Menton's Deconstruction of Inherit the Wind [06/21/2007]
Libby and American Jurisprudence Over the Years [03/08/2007]
A Godly Hero: William Jennings Bryan [07/05/2006]
Scopes: The Battle Over America's Soul (Upcoming tomorrow on History Channel) [04/11/2006]
Neaderthals At It Again [01/11/2006]
Rediscovered Photos Provide a Look Inside the 1925 Scopes Evolution Trial [01/09/2006]
Let the Evolutionists Win [12/21/2005]
Is It Any Wonder I Consider the ACLU A Most Dangerous Organization? [11/30/2005]
The Real Censors in Schools Today [08/10/2005]
What Are The Darwinists Afraid Of? [08/07/2005]
Let's Have No More Monkey Trials - To teach faith as science is to undermine both [08/01/2005]
When I Run Out of Ideas... (Scopes trial was a HOAX?) [07/21/2005]
Lessons learned from monkeying with history [Revisiting Scopes] [07/19/2005]
Unpublished Photos Of Scopes-Monkey Trial Found At Smithsonian [07/19/2005]
Despite Scopes, Evolution Still on Trial [07/09/2005]
Evolution on trial again [05/09/2005]
Terri Schiavo: The 21st Century's Scopes Trial [03/28/2005]
The Left Inherits the Wind [01/23/2005]
Evolution ruling gets cheers from scientists (Forced removal of evolution 'warning' on textbooks.) [01/15/2005]
ACLU Endorses Ignorance in Pennsylvania [11/29/2004]
A New Stoplight in Town [11/11/2004]
Eroding evolution's believability [11/05/2004]
Chipping Away at the Wall [08/21/2004]
This day in history July 21 1925 {Monkey Trial ends} [07/20/2004]
The Nation-State Is Finished [02/28/2004]

Upon hearing of the sudden death of William Jennings Bryan, almost immediately after the trial, Clarence Darrow was asked if he had any regrets, seeing as the three-time Democrat presidential nominee and Secretary of State Bryan "had died of a broken heart."

"Broken heart?" Darrow exclaimed. "He didn't die of a broken heart. He died of a busted gut."

-anecdotal, from hazy memory.

Another vote for Summer for the Gods. A VERY interesting read. Highly recommend it.

Bergmans book is not about “racism” per se...Bergmans posits that Bryan’s opposition to the theory of evolution was that the theory taught that there are different levels of evolutionary progress in the species and that the viewpoint if taken to its logical end, could be used to justify oppression of the “lesser evolved”...which is a form of “racism” not based on skin color. Bryan also felt that the people of Tennessee had a right to proscribe what was taught in THEIR schools.
In case anyone wants to know ..Scopes was not a biologist, he had a law degree and was a math teacher. He was not put on the witness stand because they felt he did not have enough knowledge to answer biological questions.
The issue gets murkier as the whole affair was characterized as backward hillbillies vs. the assured results of “scientific” consensus. It was contested over the Butler law which proscribed that mans descent from lower animals could not be taught in Tenn. schools, and that the Bibles explanation of the creation of the universe could not be spoken against...the echo of the conflict can be seen today where teachers are allowed to tell children that men can literally become women..yet, the Biblical and scientific viewpoint strongly suggests otherwise...(see female XX Barr body set up vs. male XY chromosome set up) for a good example of natural sexual dimorphism in humans.
IMHO

I cannot offer a particular book recommendation, but I can provide you with a quote from Clarence Darrow you may utter when spirits fill your glass:

”I wonder what the vintner buys that could be half as precious as what he sells.”

Bkmk