Blumenthal, Karen. Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition. 2011. 160pp. Lexile: 1250
Blumenthal
opens her compelling narrative with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929
Chicago., then goes back and explores the causes of Prohibition, covering the
growth of saloons and the protests of women through the Temperance movement. She weaves in fascinating historical details like
the fact that George Washington bought drinks for his supporters at the polls. Al
Capone merits an entire chapter in looking at the growth of violence and gangs. While the author acknowledges the strength of
the arguments that lead to Prohibition, ultimately the book concludes that the
law resulted in an increase in lawlessness, a change with long-term effects. Blumenthal explores social and political
aspects of the time such as Carrie Nation’s use of violence to advance the
Temperance cause, and the shrewd political strategies that got the law
passed. Black-and-white photographs are
abundant; back matter includes a glossary, endnotes, and a bibliography.Reading Std #7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, visually and quantitatively, and in words. Compare this book with Ken Burns’s PBS series “Prohibition,” one or all of the episodes. Note the use of some of the same photographs and compare their effectiveness in the two formats. Compare which important figures from the time are emphasized in the two approaches.
