Daniel Okrent

The author explores the origins, implementation, and failure of that great American delusion known as Prohibition. His book explains how Prohibition happened, what life under it was like, and what it did to the country. It is a history of one of the most puzzling eras in American history when the Constitution was amended to restrict human behaviour. In the 19th century, the U.S. was notably liquor-soaked. By 1917, some people were prepared to translate...