The Second Oldest Profession: An Informal History of Moonshining in America

Description: Many black and white illustrations. From the publisher's blurb: ''Our founding fathers, anticipating the usual inseparability of man and drink, established liquor taxes and regulations almost as soon as they established a country. Here is the story of those spirited Americans who have tried to outsmart the Internal Revenue while servicing our thirst. A careful tracing of high proof Americana from fermenting in antiquity (and the monumental discover of stillin') to early colonist and Indian ventures in the art, through the Whiskey Rebellion, the Civil War, Prohibition, right up to the present day of highly technical tractor-trailer moonshining. The author explains why stout-hearted moonshiners have always congregated in the South and rural areas (there are other reasons than that great Kentucky limestone water, secluded caves and cornpatches). We find that moonshining is very much a big city drama, too. Full of fact and folklore, this is the only comprehensive history of this subject.'' BINDNG/CONDITION: black cloth with extensive gilt decorations on the spine, and near the spine both front and back; owner's gift note on the half-title page; a Good book, with a Fair dust jacket; publisher's price on the jacket flap is intact. glossary, bibliography, index. Beige endpapers. 8vo (about 9.25 inches tall). 250 pages.