“As Kosar documents in his excellent book, Moonshine: A Global History, governments from Ancient China to Ancient Mesopotamia have been defining which types of alcoholic drinks are legal, and therefore acceptable for people to drink, and which types of alcoholic drinks are illegal, and therefore unacceptable for people to drink . . . The book has much to offer to spirit enthusiasts. And, while I can’t imagine enjoying spirits made from carrots or horse milk, Kosar’s documentation of all sorts of exotic spirits is certainly interesting . . . An understanding of the history of moonshine has a great deal to teach modern political leaders.”

Forbes

“A vibrant and entertaining new study of moonshine’s 600-year history . . . Kosar, an authority on booze and a director of alcohol policy at the R Street Institute in Washington, DC, discusses this aspect of his subject with pace, learning, insight, and good sense. He is convincing when he argues that ‘the more a government’s policies reduce access to affordable, safe, licit alcoholic drinks, the more it encourages the production of cheap, dangerous, illicit booze.’ And he is arresting when he links the production of moonshine to moments of political resistance. . . . But the book is at its most grimly arresting when Koshar describes the pernicious effects of the drink, and the extremes to which people will go to create and consume it.”

Irish Times

“For spirits aficionados, history buffs, cooks, and fans of great writing, Moonshine is a must buy. It should be on everyone’s Father’s Day gift list.”

Spectator

"Moonshine really is a worldwide phenomenon."

Jeff Cioletti | Drinkable Globe