The Great Illusion: An Informal History of Prohibition - Softcover

Asbury, Herbert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0486824683 ISBN 13: 9780486824680

Publisher: Dover Publications, 2018

Synopsis

"An absorbing and at times ironical humorous picture of the battle of Prohibition. Recommended." — Library Journal
With 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.

About this title

About the Author:

Herbert Asbury was an American journalist and writer best known for his books detailing crime during the 19th and early-20th centuries. He is the author of The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld and Gem of the Prairie: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0486824683
• ISBN 13: 9780486824680
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352