The History Press [New Releases]

After the Civil War, state and national Prohibition galvanized in Atlanta the issues of classism, racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. While many consider flappers and gangsters the iconic images of the era, in reality, it was marked with temperance zealotry, blind tigers and white lightning. Georgia's protracted and intense battle changed the industrial and social landscapes of its capital city and unleashed a flood of illegal liquor that continually flowed in the wettest city in the South. Moonshine was the toast of the town from mill houses to the state capitol. The state eventually repealed prohibition, but the social, moral and legal repercussions still linger seventy years later. Join authors Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle as they recount the colorful history of Atlanta's struggle to freely enjoy a drink.

In the early 1900s, moonshine was a way of life, and nearly every resident lived it. Out of the woods of North Georgia and Habersham County came Virgil Lovell, his boys, their recipe and their legacy. The family went from illegal to legal, and their product stands today as a testament to the determination of the region to hold on to its roots. Joining their story were hundreds just like them—liquor makers like Glenn Johnson—all professing theirs was the best. Through firsthand accounts from the Lovells and extensive research, author Judith Garrison revives the story of liquor making and a Georgia legacy.