Review: Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal

Blumenthal, Karen. (2011). Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition . New York: Flashpoint Publishing. 154 pages. ISBN 9781596434493

Awards/Selection Lists:
- YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award, 2012 finalist
- American Library Association ALSC Children's Notable List 2002-  
  2013    
- Booklist Editor’s Choice Award, 2011
- Capitol Choices, 2011
- CCBC Choices, 2011
- Junior Library Guild selection
                                           - Kirkus Reviews Best Books for Teens 2011
                                           - School Library Journal Best Books of 2011
                                           - Texas TAYSHAS list
                                           - Richie's Picks

Author's Website: http://www.karenblumenthal.com/

Brief Summary:  With the help of such figures as Carrie Nation and Morris Sheppard, newly found temperance leagues fought a highly visible campaign against the ill effects of liquor on the sanctity of lawfulness and family in the United States. Utterly convinced that liquor was the cause of illegal activity, families falling apart, and all difficulties in the nation, these characters papered Washington, D.C., with pamphlets, introduced health primers in school with the dangers, exaggerated or not, of alcohol, broke up barrooms and saloons, and convinced citizens, particularly women, that it was their duty to put an end to drunkenness, and liquor consumption.When they had made enough noise to gain the imagination of the nation, John Volstead pushed hard to pass the 18th amendment, prohibiting the consumption or selling of liquor with an alcohol content of over .5 of 1%, unless kept in the home or for medicinal purposes. He was determined that this amendment would prevent drop outs and illegal activity, only to give rise to severe illness and the most notable and violent criminals ever known, like Al Capone, when people began to make and distribute their own alcohol, often paying officials bribes to continue their business unharmed. This phenomenon was known as bootlegging and it would take 2 more presidents before the amendment was repealed, and the dangerous process was all but halted, in an attempted to save America from the lawlessness that had been inspired by what people considered an idea of civility.

Personal Reaction: I thought this book had a lot of good information on the history of prohibition from start to finish, but it was a little lackluster and dry (no pun intended) in some areas, making it difficult to stay focused and interested. This could also be because of my propensity to become annoyed with characters, factual or not, that believe they know what is best for all people, and attempt to take away their freedoms over their own fears. I would love to say that the originators of the temperance movement had nothing but good intentions, but it is very clear from this book that simply wasn't the case, and in more than one instance, was an opportunity for power play, control, and the exhibition of more than one example of mental illness, and the inability to deal with personal tragedy.

Front/Back Matter: Photograph, title page, copyright page, table of contents, content, glossary, bibliography and source notes, source notes by chapter, acknowledgments, picture credits, index.

Content Evaluation: As previously stated, the tone was a bit lackluster, but there was a lot of good information included and the front and back matter is exceptionally thorough. I'd like to see more of the emotional impact and first hand accounts of people who lived through and were affected by the period and the amendment. I think that would go far to make the content a little more relatable, though it is easy to draw correlations between the fight against alcohol and current legislative issues with guns, tobacco and marijuana use.