The Great Trials Of The Twenties: The Watershed Decade In America's Courtrooms

by Robert Grant, Joseph Katz

1920s America was at peace at home and abroad but issues facing the nation were highlighted by a series of trials including baseball's Black Sox, Al Capone, John T. Scopes, Sacco and Vanzetti, Leopold and Loeb, and the court martial of Billy Mitchell. Americans will find this book on trials of the “Roaring Twenties” provocative. Great Trials begins with an extensive introduction describing “the setting” of that tumultuous decade, and follows with an in-depth examination of 10 trials, touching on nearly every facet of American life. Each case is a fascinating story, and the fierce jousts in these courtrooms impart to the reader both how different things once were, and how much the nature of argumentative individuals has remained exactly the same.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

308 pages, Hardcover

First published December 21, 1998

About the author

Robert Grant is a filmmaker, screenwriter, critic, and script consultant, based in London, with a penchant for science fiction and fantasy. He is one of the core team behind The London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film, serves as Literary Editor for SCI-FI-LONDON.com, and currently sits on the jury of the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Science Fiction Literature, the most prestigious science fiction award the UK has to offer. Robert's first book, Writing The Science Fiction Film, is out now.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative read about an era whose importance is lost on current culture. I was not living during the time, but knew of a few of the trials included through hearsay. The authors' efforts and expertise shown in the volume added to my knowledge and understanding of the historical significance of the great court cases discussed.

[Deedee]

Dewey 345.73

[Neil Pierson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Introductions to books can be revealing, though not necessarily in the way the author intends. Take The Great Trials of the Twenties: Why do the authors have to tell you what's in a non-fiction book and why it matters? Maybe because if you don't finish the book, you at least know what they were trying to do? Seems defeatist.

On the other hand, I could use the help when I read oblique fiction or (especially) poetry. But they usually don't have introductions.

Well, anyway, this is a textbook about some legal cases you've mostly heard of. Sets out the facts in an evenhanded way. Avoids controversial conclusions. Some worthwhile background, such as the argument for putting John Scopes on trial. But not my idea of casual reading. Few if any anecdotes, and even the dictionary contains humor.