{"product_id":"the-great-illusion-an-informal-history-of-prohibition-paperback","title":"The Great Illusion: An Informal History of Prohibition - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eHerbert Asbury\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn absorbing and at times ironical humorous picture of the battle of Prohibition. Recommended. -- \u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eWith 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 \u003ci\u003eThe Gangs of New York\u003c\/i\u003e, 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.\u003cbr\u003eA 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. \u003ci\u003eThe Great Illusion\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHerbert 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 \u003ci\u003eThe Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eGem of the Prairie: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 352\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.8 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 18, 2018\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51756291621152,"sku":"9780486824680","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/0f9cc5335f241b0c2384ab4c84bfdec7.webp?v=1780078200","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/the-great-illusion-an-informal-history-of-prohibition-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}