Description |
282 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm |
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text rdacontent |
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unmediated rdamedia |
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volume rdacarrier |
Summary |
"During Prohibition, while Al Capone was rising to worldwide prominence as Public Enemy Number One, the townspeople of rural Templeton, Iowa--population just 418--were busy with a bootlegging empire of their own. Led by Joe Irlbeck, the whip-smart and gregarious son of a Bavarian immigrant, the outfit of farmers, small merchants, and even the church Monsignor worked together to create a whiskey so excellent it was ordered by name: Templeton Rye. Gentlemen Bootleggers tells a never-before-told tale of ingenuity, bootstrapping, and perseverance in one small town, showcasing a group of immigrants who embraced the American ideals of self-reliance, dynamism, and democratic justice. It relies on previously classified Prohibition Bureau investigation files, federal court case files, extensive newspaper archive research, and a recently disclosed interview with kingpin Joe Irlbeck. Unlike other Prohibition-era tales of big-city gangsters, it provides an important reminder that bootlegging wasn't only about glory and riches, but could be in the service of a higher goal: producing the best whiskey money could buy"-- Provided by publisher. |
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"The never-before-told true story of a small town in Iowa that produced its own liquor during Prohibition"-- Provided by publisher. |
Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Subject |
Prohibition -- Iowa -- History.
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Distilling, Illicit -- Iowa -- History.
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Whiskey -- Iowa -- History.
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Templeton (Iowa) -- History -- 20th century.
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ISBN |
9781613748480 (hardback) |
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1613748485 (hardback) |
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1613748515 |
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9781613748510 |
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