The Bootlegger: A Story of Small-Town America

by John E. Hallwas

Book Overview

So begins this captivating and rich tale of a struggling British-immigrant mining town and a controversial criminal who arose there early in the century.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0252023951
• ISBN13: 9780252023958
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press
• Length: 274 Pages
• Weight: 1.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Interesting bit of Illinois history...

I saw a thing on YouTube about Kelly Wagle and found it interesting enough to seek out this book. I have an interest in Illinois history but admit my knowledge of western Illinois is limited so all of this was new to me. This book is more about an era and a small town navigating those times. The rise and fall of the coal industry in Colchester, Illinois is charted in some detail and it's fascinating. Kelly Wagle, the "bootlegger" of the title is a secondary character through about half of the book as the people of Colchester and the town itself get their chance to shine. Wagle's career and demise is about half the book and is a colorful look at one of the area's most unique characters. He's no Capone, he's no Robin Hood but he certainly captured the imagination of his neighbors in much the same way. I really enjoyed this book and am glad I took the chance on it.