The early days of the United States included a period of prohibition from the 1920s to the 1930s. Somewhat akin to the country making hemp illegal in 1922. All of which had a major effect on the country and its people. One of which came in the way of writers, past and present, who told stories which often included a great deal of truth even though the works may have been labeled as prohibition era fiction.
Politicians, such as William Jennings Bryan and others including members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK, ) saw to it that these laws were obeyed. In addition, the 18th Amendment was strongly supported by an ongoing temperance movement in many areas of the country. Still, the anti-alcohol ban was short lived in comparison to many other laws set during this period.
A black market being one of those problems. Although, to those operating within the bounds of this market, both provider and purchaser simply found ways around the law to provide and consume the banned liquid. The hidden agenda, gangsters of the time and the bootleggers gave way to a number of different books, stories, poems and prose related to the era.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, U. S. President at the time, relaxed the law to allow a small percentage of alcohol in beer. Later, the Vosltead Act was repealed and a thirsty country quenched. Thus, making the Eighteenth Amendment the only law to be repealed in American history. Today, there have been other repeals but at the time, the change was more than historic.
It was during this time when prohibition in fiction began. The most famous novel of which was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Published in 1925, the Great Gatsby, is the most well known novel of its time. The main character, Jay Gatsby, was a devout bootlegger during the early 1920s. In the story, he gains substantial wealth through the sale of illegal alcohol.
Two of the most famous books include the Great Gatsby and Mile High. The Great Gatsby having been written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Mile High by Richard Condon. Both amazing authors who tell a tale of the era like no others. Either of these books can provide a great deal of insight to this difficult time in U. S. History.
Each book has a main character, in the Great Gatsby one being primarily a bootlegger getting alcohol to those willing to risk buying on the black market. Whereas, Condon's character, appears to be the reason behind prohibition as a method of getting rich. By establishing the Volstead Act, the character has total control of the illegal production, distribution and transportation of Spirits to the masses.
Some of these include, Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal, and Prohibition: Thirteen Years That Changed America by Edward Samuel Behr. All of which have one thing in common regardless as to when each were published, and that is that each paint a clear picture of the era.
Politicians, such as William Jennings Bryan and others including members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK, ) saw to it that these laws were obeyed. In addition, the 18th Amendment was strongly supported by an ongoing temperance movement in many areas of the country. Still, the anti-alcohol ban was short lived in comparison to many other laws set during this period.
A black market being one of those problems. Although, to those operating within the bounds of this market, both provider and purchaser simply found ways around the law to provide and consume the banned liquid. The hidden agenda, gangsters of the time and the bootleggers gave way to a number of different books, stories, poems and prose related to the era.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, U. S. President at the time, relaxed the law to allow a small percentage of alcohol in beer. Later, the Vosltead Act was repealed and a thirsty country quenched. Thus, making the Eighteenth Amendment the only law to be repealed in American history. Today, there have been other repeals but at the time, the change was more than historic.
It was during this time when prohibition in fiction began. The most famous novel of which was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Published in 1925, the Great Gatsby, is the most well known novel of its time. The main character, Jay Gatsby, was a devout bootlegger during the early 1920s. In the story, he gains substantial wealth through the sale of illegal alcohol.
Two of the most famous books include the Great Gatsby and Mile High. The Great Gatsby having been written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Mile High by Richard Condon. Both amazing authors who tell a tale of the era like no others. Either of these books can provide a great deal of insight to this difficult time in U. S. History.
Each book has a main character, in the Great Gatsby one being primarily a bootlegger getting alcohol to those willing to risk buying on the black market. Whereas, Condon's character, appears to be the reason behind prohibition as a method of getting rich. By establishing the Volstead Act, the character has total control of the illegal production, distribution and transportation of Spirits to the masses.
Some of these include, Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal, and Prohibition: Thirteen Years That Changed America by Edward Samuel Behr. All of which have one thing in common regardless as to when each were published, and that is that each paint a clear picture of the era.
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