Press Release
(August 3, 2009)
A new history of alcohol in America—Shaken, not stirred!
THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER
Alcohol in America from Demon Rum to Cult Cabernet
Garrett Peck
Society is constantly evolving, and so are our drinking habits. The aftermath of Prohibition left the United States with outdated attitudes, policies, and laws about alcohol. So, how should we treat alcohol? As an everyday consumer product that two-thirds of American adults enjoy? A dangerous substance to be controlled? A gift from God? A Demon vice? In THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER: Alcohol in America from Demon Rum to Cult Cabernet (Cloth $26.95, 978-0-8135-4592-9, September 2009), Garrett Peck explores America’s tense and often-contradictory relationship with alcohol, from the end of Prohibition through the twenty-first century.
Americans drink, whether they enjoy the upscale brands or more moderately priced favorites. From fine dining and piano bars to baseball games and backyard barbeques, drinks are part of nearly every social occasion. THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER features hundreds of interviews with those on all sides—clergy, bar and restaurant owners, public health advocates, citizen crusaders, industry representatives, and more.
THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER examines contentious issues such as the legal drinking age, the new prohibitionist movement led by Mother's Against Drunk Driving, the promotion of a “drinker education” culture, and the touted health benefits of red wine. Peck observes modern American temperament amid the $189-billion-dollar-a-year industry that defines itself by the production, distribution, marketing, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. As a seasoned temperance-tour guide, Peck also takes readers on virtual tours along America's alcohol trail, through California’s wine country, the beer barrel backroads of New England and Pennsylvania, and the blue hills of Kentucky’s bourbon trail.
Praise for THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER:
“Impeccably researched and written in a most engaging style, THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER, brings us face-to-face with those who would have us continue down their own preferred paths of righteousness, and shows us how, far too often, those paths traverse the valley of the shadow of death.”
—John M. McCardell, Jr., President Emeritus, Middlebury College, Founder and President, Choose Responsibility
“THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER is an excellent book in every way: it is well researched, thoughtful, and entertaining to read. From discussions of policies since Prohibition to Americans' tastes for drinks throughout the decades, this book will appeal to anyone interested in alcohol.”
— Edward Stringham, Trinity College and author of No Booze? You May Lose: Why Drinkers Earn More Money Than Nondrinkers
“Garrett Peck provides a clear, concise, and stimulating overview about alcohol use and alcohol policy in the United States since Repeal in 1933. The book deftly combines careful research, excellent story-telling, and strong opinions about strong drink.”
— William Rorabaugh, University of Washington and author of The Alcoholic Republic
“Garrett Peck effectively captures the essence of America’s love/hate relationship with alcohol beverages. While some of his conclusions are controversial, his book is well-written and comprehensive.”
—Dan Tearno, industry executive
About the Author:
Garrett Peck is a freelance journalist who has written mostly within the alcohol industry trade circles. Based in Washington, D.C., he also regularly conducts tours of historic sites that hold a significant place in the temperance movement in and around the district.
THE PROHIBITION HANGOVER
Alcohol in America from Demon Rum to Cult Cabernet
Garrett Peck
Cloth $26.95 | ISBN 978-0-8135-4592-9 | 336 pages | 6 x 9
Publication Date: September 2009
Please email requests for review copies and be sure to include the title, author, ISBN number, as well as the address of the person to whom the book should be sent.
http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu/acatalog/The_Prohibition_Hangover.html
http://www.prohibitionhangover.com/