James Bennett

To Catch a Tiger James Bennett

TO CATCH A TIGER is the true story of how racism nearly destroyed a small Southern community. Based on historical events that happened between 1958 and 1960 in Front Royal, Virginia, this autobiographical story follows the lives of two boys, Davey MacLaren, who is white, and Jackie King, who is black. The two are caught up in the calamitous events when their small, Southern community becomes the first place in the nation where the public high school is closed to avoid being integrated. Although the boys' experiences are very different, their dreams and aspirations are similar. Both Davey and Jackie find themselves on perilous paths where they have little control over what will happen to them. This book reveals the depth and complexities of the human side of this civil rights story. The multiple plot lines combine memorable characters, psychological tension, humor, 1950s nostalgia, and even a murder mystery.