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ejl2623 's review for:
Prohibition Wine: A True Story of One Woman's Daring in Twentieth-Century America
by Marian Leah Knapp
This is the memorable story of Knapp's grandmother, Rebecca Wernick Goldberg, born in Vilna, Lithuania around 1874.. Rebecca's family immigrated to the United States over a period of years, her father first, an older sister second, a trio of teenaged sisters, including Rebecca in 1889, and finally her mother and younger siblings. The Wernicks were very observant Jews. They ended up in Boston, Massachusetts. Rebecca married a less observant man, Nathan, who worked hard but did not manage to support his family. They spent the early years of their marriage constantly on the road with the growing young family in tow. Knapp does a lovely job incorporating family stories, written and oral while putting Rebecca's life into historical context. The family eventually borrowed money to buy a property in Wilmington, Massachusetts, where they built a house and settled down, creating more stability.. Rebecca was farsighted in ensuring her children got the eduction she never received. The title of the book comes from what Rebecca did to keep her family when she was widowed. She needed to make up for losing Nathan's income and was encouraged to break the law and sell her homemade wine during Prohibition. I loved the recipe, which doesn't seem to involve fermentation, but mixing pure alcohol with water and fruit (blueberries) for a fast wine with a kick. Knapp got the story "just right." The pictures enhanced the story. Well worth a read!