Speakeasy Era

Between 1920 and 1933, the United States banned the sale of alcohol — and drinking moved behind unmarked doors. This collection explores the speakeasy era: how illicit bars operated, why the period changed cocktail-making itself, and what the modern speakeasy revival borrows from (and invents about) the original article. History here is handled with care. Well-documented facts — the Volstead Act, the 18th and 21st Amendments, repeal in December 1933 — are stated plainly; folklore, disputed drink origins, and romanticized legend are labeled as exactly that. The era is fascinating enough without embellishment.