The Great Illusion: An Informal History of Prohibition

An absorbing and at times ironical humorous picture of the battle of prohibition. Recommended. - Library Journal
Written by the bestselling author of The Gangs of New York, this wide-ranging survey of the Prohibition era is populated by bootleggers, gangsters, and corrupt police as well as such reformers as Frances E. Willard. The book also doubles as the first complete history of the entire prohibition movement, beginning with its roots in colonial times. AUTHOR: Herbert Asbury besides being an expert social historian is well-equipped for the writing of this history, as he is a descendant of a leader of the temperance movement. He recounts history in his usual deft manner, weaving his facts and statistics into an absorbing and at times ironical humorous picture of the battle of prohibition.