Bootleg

A Decade of Lawlessness: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition in America

It began with the best of intentions. Worried about the effects of alcohol on American families, mothers and civic leaders started a movement to outlaw drinking in public places. Over time, their protests, petitions, and activism paid off—when a Constitutional Amendment banning the sale and consumption of alcohol was ratified, it was hailed as the end of public drunkenness, alcoholism, and a host of other social ills related to booze. Instead, it began a decade of lawlessness, when children smuggled (and drank) illegal alcohol, the most upright citizens casually broke the law, and a host of notorious gangsters entered the public eye.

Filled with period art and photographs, anecdotes, and portraits of unique characters from the era, Bootleg is a fascinating look at the disastrous social experiment known as Prohibition. Author Karen Blumenthal explores the rise of the temperance movement, the passage of the 18th Amendment, and the unintended consequences of the ban on alcohol, from the growth of organized crime to the erosion of respect for the law.

This award-winning book was named a 2011 Kirkus Best Teen Book of the Year, one of School Library Journal's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011, and a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist in 2012. Perfect for young adult readers interested in American history, politics, and social issues, Bootleg offers a thought-provoking look at a defining era in U.S. history.