Prohibition Wine: A True Story of One Woman’s Daring in Twentieth-Century America by Marian Knapp
Thanks to Keely Bomee Platte of Sparkpoint Studio, I am giving away one print copy of ‘Prohibition Wine’ by Marian Knapp.
Description Prohibition Wine by Marian Knapp
In 1918, Rebecca Goldberg―a Jewish immigrant from the Russian Empire living in rural Wilmington, Massachusetts―lost her husband, Nathan, to a railroad accident, a tragedy that left her alone with six children to raise. To support the family after Nathan’s death, Rebecca continued work she’d done for years: keeping chickens. Once or twice a week, with a suitcase full of fresh eggs in one hand and a child in the other, she delivered her product to relatives and friends in and around Boston.
Then, in 1920―right at the start of Prohibition―one of Rebecca’s customers suggested that she start selling alcoholic beverages in addition to her eggs to add to her meagre income. He would provide his homemade raw alcohol; Rebecca would turn it into something drinkable and sell it to new customers in Wilmington. Desperate to feed her family and keep them together, and determined to make sure her kids would all graduate from high school, Rebecca agreed―making herself a wary participant in the illegal alcohol trade.
Rebecca’s business grew slowly and surreptitiously until 1925, when she was caught and summoned to appear before a judge. Fortunately for her, the chief of police was one of her customers, and when he spoke highly of her character before the court, all charges were dropped. Her case made headline news―and she made history.
Praise Prohibition Wine by Marian Knapp
“Knapp’s (Aging in Places, 2014) latest project reads like the makings of a movie…”―Booklist
“[A]n important and informative story about Eastern European Jewish immigrants of the era. An often engaging and atypical historical biography.”―Kirkus Reviews
“Prohibition Wine is Marian Leah Knapp’s compact, elegant biography of her grandmother, an immigrant who forayed in bootlegging.” ―Foreword Review
About Marian Knapp
(c) Vivien Goldman, Photographer
Marian Leah Knapp is a writer and community activist. Her previously published books include Aging in Places: Reflective Preparation for the Future, A Steadfast Spirit: The Essence of Caregiving, and, with Vivien Goldman, The Outermost Cape: Encountering Time. For more than ten years, she has written a regular column for the Newton TAB. When Marian was sixty-four years old, she went back to school to obtain a PhD. She passed her dissertation defense right before her seventieth birthday. Marian lives in Chestnut Hill, MA.
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Giveaway Prohibition Wine by Marian Knapp
This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on June 11, 2021 midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
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This sounds like a wonderful little-known story. I’d love to have a copy. Thanks!
This sounds like a surprising bit of Prohibition history!
This sounds like a good story. Everybody in Canada, that I knew, made moonshine or beer and had boarders during the depression. My mom even told me how she and her siblings had pop fights with the homemade rootbeer and ginger beer, that my grandmother made. I have added this book to my TBR list. “sigh” another book for US only. The story of my life.
This is fascinating and captivating. What a wonderful story filled with a woman who has courage and tenacity to survive on her wits and ability. Being an Eastern European Ashkenazi Jew this would be a real treasure to read and cherish greatly.