Customer Reviews

The Bootlegger: A Story of Small-Town America

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is excellent. Definitely a "can't put down" book. Hard to imagine the quiet, sleepy town of Colchester was once involved with Al Capone, Shoeless Joe Jackson, bombings of homes of law enforcement agents, and murders, bootlegging and crimes of this nature!

This accurate and off the beaten path history read like a murder mystery and showed me the various stages in the growth and death of a small town It also showed "what the simple folks did" to get get their booze during the depression era

This is definitely a page turner--rare in nonfiction. Mr. Hallwas combines the suspense of a murder mystery and the facts of a history lesson and makes it all fascinating! I was born in the area and my family's surnames are mentioned throughout the book. Most of my family members have read the book and have SO enjoyed it! In fact it may have solved a generations-old family mystery of a missing relative! A must read for anyone with family roots in small town America!

This book was purchased for my grandmother as she found out at our family reunion this past October that we have kin named in the book. She's 82 and it came as a paperback, so she reads a little at a time b/c the print is not too large. Delivery was ahead of schedule, all in all pleased with the purchase.

Mr. Hallwas did extensive research and writes supurbly. I couldn't put this book down. Not just because I live in Warren County(just north of McDonough County) but because the writing held my interest. It never occurred to me that criminals and crimes of this nature were a part of West Central Illinois in the 1920's and 30's. I am a history nut and the depression era is a facinating time to me especially the midwest outlaws (I'm a former deputy sheriff and current chief of police). I recommended this book to a friend of mine only to find out that the subject of the book was her uncle. I inquired of her if she knew him as I knew she was raised in the Colchester area. She said to me,"Do I know him? I'm related to him. He's my uncle". If you like this kind of history you'll love this book.

I grew up in this small town of Colchester, Illinois. I lived in or near town from my birthdate, 1939, until I finished university at Western Illinois University in 1965. The stories in this book were a part of the verbal history I heard very early in my life. In the 1940's there was a Kroger Grocery store where my mother did her shopping. More than once, she pointed out to me the coal shed sitting next to it and the small space where Kelly Wagel's body was found. My parents generation were his contemporaries and they knew many of the individuals named in the book. My aunt was one of the persons interviewed by the author. I understood a great deal more about the reasons why the 1940's were still dynamic and why the 1950's began to see the decline of the small town. I recommend this book for those interested in mystery, history or small town life.

This is a wonderful picture of the small Illinois town where my mother was born. It was a treat to see the mention of some of my family members. My great-grandfather was the owner of the Williams Mortuary. This was a treat!!

This accurate and off the beaten path history read like a murder mystery and showed me the various stages in the growth and death of a small town It also showed "what the simple folks did" to get get their booze during the depression era

I loved this book! I grew up in Colchester and found the history of this small town and the story of Kelly Wagle so exciting. Here is a small town with big city scandal.

MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS IN TOWN WHEN THE BOOTLEGGER WAS SHOT AND KNEW HIM. THIS BOOK SHOWS THE TRUE LIFE AND STRUGGLES OF LIFE NOT JUST IN SMALL TOWNS BUT ACROSS AMERICA. EXCELLENT HISTORY LESSON OF SURVIVAL AND WHAT GENERATIONS BEFORE US DID TO GIVE US WHAT WE HAVE.