The Great Illusion: An Informal History of Prohibition
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- Synopsis
- "An absorbing and at times ironical humorous picture of the battle of Prohibition. Recommended." — Library JournalWith the passing of the Volstead Act, the United States embraced Prohibition as the law of the land. From 1920 to 1933, the well-intentioned ban of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors gave rise to a flourishing culture of bootleggers, gangsters, and corrupt officials. This witty and perceptive history by Herbert Asbury, the bestselling author of The Gangs of New York, offers a wide-ranging survey of the Prohibition era that covers not only twentieth-century events but also the movement's inception in colonial times and its transformation into a religious crusade.A considerable portion of Americans viewed the end of liquor trafficking as an act of obedience to God's will and anticipated a new era of peace and prosperity. Instead, a vast criminal network of black market profiteers took root, promoting a spirit of lawlessness throughout the country. The Great Illusion charts all aspects of the period's moral decline, from the activities of rumrunners who supplied speakeasies to those of crooked politicians and police who profited from the failed experiment of Prohibition.
- Copyright:
- 1929
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- Book Size:
- 352 Pages
- ISBN-13:
- 9780486832630
- Related ISBNs:
- 9780486824680
- Publisher:
- Dover Publications
- Date of Addition:
- 04/27/21
- Copyrighted By:
- . Used by special permission of the publishers, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc. Page
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- History, Nonfiction
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.