Moonshine: A Cultural History of America's Infamous Liquor

Nothing but clear, 100-proof American history. Hooch. White lightning. White whiskey. Mountain dew. Moonshine goes by many names. So what is it, really? Technically speaking, “moonshine” refers to untaxed liquor made in an unlicensed still. In the United States, it’s typically corn that’s used to make the clear, unaged beverage, and it’s the mountain people of the American South who are most closely associated with the image of making and selling backwoods booze at night—by the light of the moon—to avoid detection by law enforcement. In Moonshine: A Cultural History of America’s Infamous Liquor, writer Jaime Joyce explores America’s centuries-old relationship with moonshine through fact, folklore, and fiction. From the country’s early adoption of Scottish and Irish home distilling techniques and traditions to the Whiskey Rebellion of the late 1700s to a comparison of the moonshine industry pre- and post-Prohibition, plus a look at modern-day craft distilling, Joyce examines the historical context that gave rise to moonshining in America and explores its continued appeal. But even more fascinating is Joyce’s entertaining and eye-opening analysis of moonshine’s widespread effect on U.S. pop culture: she illuminates the fact that moonshine runners were NASCAR’s first marquee drivers; explores the status of white whiskey as the unspoken star of countless Hollywood film and television productions, including The Dukes of Hazzard, Thunder Road, and Gator; and the numerous songs inspired by making ’shine from such folk and country artists as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Alan Jackson, and Dolly Parton. So while we can’t condone making your own illegal liquor, reading Moonshine will give you a new perspective on the profound implications that underground moonshine-making has had on life in America.

About the Author :
Jaime Joyce's work has appeared in Saveur, Edible Manhattan, Edible Brooklyn, and the online edition of The Atlantic as well as on the Big Roundtable, a website for long-form narrative nonfiction. She earned master's degrees at Bank Street College of Education and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where she was awarded the Lynton Book Writing Fellowship. She is an editor at Time Inc.Website: http://jaimejoyce.comTwitter: @jaime_joyce

Review :
"In an age of craft distilling, moonshine has been reborn as an artisanal spirit. So it is only fitting that white lightning has also gotten as eloquent and learned a chronicler as Jaime Joyce. Her book, so informative and so pleasurable, deserves a toast of its own." - Samuel G. Freedman, journalist and author "Joyce’s Moonshine is an enlightening look at a truly American creation and its role in our history and culture. As moonshine continues to gain popularity, this book is a must-read for bartenders, mixologists, or cocktail enthusiasts looking for a primer on the subject." - Chris M. Walsh, Zagat "The history of moonshine is a tumultuous one, and it’s too often a misunderstood and underappreciated story. In Jaime Joyce’s Moonshine, the liquor finally receives its due as one of the country’s namesake spirits. Never before have the culture, production, and mystery of moonshine been so illustriously recounted. Joyce’s in-depth view of the story creates an engaging invitation for the eager spirit enthusiast." - Dan Amatuzzi, author of A First Course in Wine and Eataly wine director