Book description
Homemade liquor has played a prominent role in the Appalachian
economy for nearly two centuries. The region endured profound
transformations during the extreme prohibition movements of the
nineteenth century, when the manufacturing and sale of alcohol -- an
integral part of daily life for many Appalachians -- was banned.
In Moonshiners and Prohibitionists: The Battle over Alcohol in
Southern Appalachia, Bruce E. Stewart chronicles the social tensions
that accompanied the region's early transition from a rural to an
urban-industrial economy. Stewart analyzes the dynamic relationship of
the bootleggers and opponents of liquor sales in western North
Carolina, as well as conflict driven by social and economic
development that manifested in political discord. Stewart also
explores the life of the moonshiner and the many myths that developed
around hillbilly stereotypes.
A welcome addition to the New Directions in Southern History series,
Moonshiners and Prohibitionists addresses major economic, social, and
cultural questions that are essential to the understanding of
Appalachian history.
""Sheds light on a region and a topic that have been
egregiously under-examined. Regional studies such as his offer a more
nuanced understanding of the historical liquor question in modern
America."--American Historical Review" --
Bruce E Stewart is assistant professor of history at Appalachian
State University. He lives in Boone, North Carolina.
