The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern

In The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, the narrative alternates between Brooklyn in the 1920s and Florida in the 1980s. The historical backdrop of Prohibition significantly influences the characters’ lives, particularly in the earlier timeline.

In 1920, the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect, beginning the era known as Prohibition. It prohibited the production, transportation, and sale of alcohol within the United States. The National Prohibition Act, nicknamed the Volstead Act after one of its principal supporters, outlined ways the federal government could enforce this ban on alcohol. It intended to counter alcoholism, drunkenness, and alcohol-related incidents of violence and crime.

However, loopholes existed in the laws, allowing for the circulation of alcohol under limited circumstances, such as for medicinal use or religious purposes. Also, certain beverages could be fermented at home for household use. These exceptions led to the production of unregulated alcohol, referred to as “bathtub gin” or “moonshine,” which sometimes resulted in toxic or poisonous concoctions, leading to a higher incidence of alcohol-related deaths and increased health risks. The federal government struggled to effectively police alcohol-related crimes, since passing oversight of Prohibition laws among internal departments led to an uneven application of penalties.