Jews and Booze

”… a provocative study of Jews’ complicated relationship to alcohol and Prohibition in American history.“-Publishers Weekly “In her debut, Davis suggests that anti-Semitism and Prohibition were parallel expressions of political disquiet during the turn of the last century…A fascinating, nuanced social history.”-Kirkus “A pioneering study of Jews and the American trade in alcohol from entrepreneurial 19th century immigrants through 20th century battles over prohibition. Lively, well-researched, and comprehensive, this will long stand as the definitive study of Jews, booze, and evolving American taboos.”-Jonathan D. Sarna, author of American Judaism: A History “Imaginatively conceived, fiercely researched, beautifully written, Jews and Booze is welcome news indeed. A very talented and promising historian has shown how a contentious slice of the American Jewish past can remain important to today’s readers - and has made a particular conflict between Protestant moralism and ethnic habits her own.” -Stephen J. Whitfield, author of In Search of American Jewish Culture “In this groundbreaking study, Davis deftly blends social and cultural history to uncover the important role American Jews played in the liquor trade, and the hostilities they elicited. In recovering this nearly forgotten past, Jews and Booze provides a prism through which to view the difficulties of Americanization.” -Tony Michels, author of A Fire in Their Hearts: Yiddish Socialists in New York

Marni Davis is Assistant Professor of History at Georgia State University.