Beneath a Ruthless Sun
A True Story of Violence, Race, and Justice Lost and Found
By Gilbert King | Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
About the book
\"Exposes the sinister complexity of American racism... King tells this... story with grace and sensitivity, and his narrative never flags.\" --Jeffrey Toobin, New York Times Book Review
From the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller Devil in the Grove comes the story of a small town with a big secret. In December 1957, the wife of a Florida citrus baron is raped in her home while her husband is away. She claims a \"husky Negro\" did it, and the sheriff, the infamous racist Willis McCall, does not hesitate to round up a herd of suspects. But within days, McCall turns his sights on Jesse Daniels, a gentle, mentally impaired white nineteen-year-old. Soon Jesse is railroaded up to the state hospital for the insane, and locked away without trial.
But crusading journalist Mabel Norris Reese cannot stop fretting over the case and its baffling outcome. Who was protecting whom, or what? She pursues the story for years, chasing down leads, hitting dead ends, winning unlikely allies. Bit by bit, the unspeakable truths behind a conspiracy that shocked a community into silence begin to surface.
Beneath a Ruthless Sun tells a powerful, page-turning story rooted in the fears that rippled through the South as integration began to take hold, sparking a surge of virulent racism that savaged the vulnerable, debased the powerful, and roils our own times still.
Editions of Beneath a Ruthless Sun
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780399183386
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780399183423
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780525589341
- EBook
- ISBN 9780399183430
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780525528258
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780525528272
- AudioDisc
- ISBN 9780525528265
- AudioDisc
- ISBN 9780525528241
Read an Excerpt
\"Exposes the sinister complexity of American racism... King tells this... story with grace and sensitivity, and his narrative never flags.\" --Jeffrey Toobin, New York Times Book Review
From the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller Devil in the Grove comes the story of a small town with a big secret. In December 1957, the wife of a Florida citrus baron is raped in her home while her husband is away. She claims a \"husky Negro\" did it, and the sheriff, the infamous racist Willis McCall, does not hesitate to round up a herd of suspects. But within days, McCall turns his sights on Jesse Daniels, a gentle, mentally impaired white nineteen-year-old. Soon Jesse is railroaded up to the state hospital for the insane, and locked away without trial.
But crusading journalist Mabel Norris Reese cannot stop fretting over the case and its baffling outcome. Who was protecting whom, or what? She pursues the story for years, chasing down leads, hitting dead ends, winning unlikely allies. Bit by bit, the unspeakable truths behind a conspiracy that shocked a community into silence begin to surface.
Beneath a Ruthless Sun tells a powerful, page-turning story rooted in the fears that rippled through the South as integration began to take hold, sparking a surge of virulent racism that savaged the vulnerable, debased the powerful, and roils our own times still.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Beneath a Ruthless Sun about?
\"Exposes the sinister complexity of American racism... King tells this... story with grace and sensitivity, and his narrative never flags.\" --Jeffrey Toobin, New York Times Book Review
From the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller Devil in the Grove comes the story of a small town with a big secret. In December 1957, the wife of a Florida citrus baron is raped in her home while her husband is away. She claims a \"husky Negro\" did it, and the sheriff, the infamous racist Willis McCall, does not hesitate to round up a herd of suspects. But within days, McCall turns his sights on Jesse Daniels, a gentle, mentally impaired white nineteen-year-old. Soon Jesse is railroaded up to the state hospital for the insane, and locked away without trial.
But crusading journalist Mabel Norris Reese cannot stop fretting over the case and its baffling outcome. Who was protecting whom, or what? She pursues the story for years, chasing down leads, hitting dead ends, winning unlikely allies. Bit by bit, the unspeakable truths behind a conspiracy that shocked a community into silence begin to surface.
Beneath a Ruthless Sun tells a powerful, page-turning story rooted in the fears that rippled through the South as integration began to take hold, sparking a surge of virulent racism that savaged the vulnerable, debased the powerful, and roils our own times still.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Beneath a Ruthless Sun?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of Beneath a Ruthless Sun?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780399183386
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Beneath a Ruthless Sun?
Gilbert King
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Beneath a Ruthless Sun is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780399183386) and paperback(ISBN 9780399183423) and paperback(ISBN 9780525589341) and ebook(ISBN 9780399183430) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780525528258) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780525528272) and audiodisc(ISBN 9780525528265) and audiodisc(ISBN 9780525528241)
Where can I buy Beneath a Ruthless Sun online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Beneath a Ruthless Sun from below
Where can I buy Beneath a Ruthless Sun?