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The King of Vodka: The Story of Pyotr Smirnov and the Upheaval of an Empire |  | Author: Linda Himelstein
Publisher: HarperBusiness
List Price: $29.99
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as of 11/23/2009 13:33 CST details
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Rating:  54 reviews
Sales Rank: 27590
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 416
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.5
ISBN: 0060855894
Dewey Decimal Number: 338.76635
EAN: 9780060855895
ASIN: 0060855894
Publication Date: May 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In this sweeping history of vodka scion Pyotr Smirnov and his family, distinguished journalist Linda Himelstein plumbs a great riddle of Russian history through the story of a humble serf who rose to create one of the most celebrated business empires the world has ever known. At the center of this vivid narrative, Pyotr Smirnov comes to life as a hero of wonderful complexity—a man of intense ambition and uncanny business sense, a patriarch of a family that would help define Russian society and suffer from the Revolution's aftermath, and a loyalist to a nation that would one day honor him as a treasure of the state. Born in a small village in 1831, Smirnov relied on vodka—a commodity that in many ways defines Russia—to turn a life of scarcity and anonymity into one of immense wealth and international recognition. Starting from the backrooms and side streets of 19th century Moscow, Smirnov exploited a golden age of emancipation and brilliant grassroots marketing strategies to popularize his products and ensconce his brand within the thirsts and imaginations of drinkers around the world. His vodka would be gulped in the taverns of Russia and Europe, praised with accolades at World Fairs, and become a staple on the tables of Tsars. His improbable ascent—set against a sobriety crusade supported by Chekhov and Tolstoy, mounting political uprisings and labor strikes, the eventual monopolization of the vodka trade by the state—would crumble amidst the chaos of the Bolshevik revolution. Only a set of bizarre coincidences—including an incredible prison escape by one of Smirnov's sons in 1919—would prevent Smirnov's legacy from fading into oblivion. Set against a backdrop of political and ideological currents that would determine the course of global history—from the fall of the Tsars to the rise of Communism, from vodka's popularization by none other than James Bond to Smirnoff's emergence as a multi-billion dollar brand—Smirnov's story of triumph and tragedy is a captivating historical touchstone. The King of Vodka is much more than a biography of an extraordinary man. It is a work of narrative history on an epic scale.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 54
 Beyond expectations November 2, 2009
Dr. Yuval Lirov (New Jersey, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The title "The King of Vodka - The Story of Pyotr Smirnoff and the upheaval of an Empire" captures only a fraction of a truly panoramic picture skillfully painted by Himelstein. She starts with a story about a serf who, without any formal education, builds the most popular brand of an alcoholic beverage and becomes one of the most successful businessmen in the 19th century Russia. She shows how this self-taught entrepreneur overcomes all odds that would have prevented any modern MBA from entering the business, let alone becoming its leader, including
1. tremendous competition (300 existing brands of vodka),
2. under-funding (he started from the proverbial scratch),
3. negative image (continuous anti-alcoholism campaigns at all levels),
4. inferior social standing, and
5. government hostility (which heavily depended on the taxes from vodka sales and periodically monopolized the entire industry).
Based on years of meticulous research, Himelstein turns a tale about an extraordinary man into a sweeping story about a dynasty, including several generations of his entire family, and stretching across almost two hundred years, starting with the inequities and the far reaching reforms of the Russian monarchy, the horrors of the Bolshevik revolution and socialism, and the first couple of decades of freedom and democracy in modern Russia. Her book is also a history of a brand, spanning two continents, from its creation and perfection in czarist Russia, to its choking but surviving in spite of mismanagement and internal feuds, to its complete vanishing under the communist destruction, to its awesome rebuilding in the United States. If starting a business that had to compete with 300 existing brands was not hard enough, think of starting it anew across the ocean in a country with centuries-old change-resistant culture of whiskey- and beer-drinking, and then driving the newly introduced beverage business to a multi-billion dollar operation!
A delightful reading for anybody interested in business development, large-scale change management, Russian history, or extraordinary biography.
Yuval Lirov, Medical Billing Networks and Processes - Profitable and Compliant Revenue Cycle Management in the Internet Age
 Four Months Later.... October 18, 2009
Sunday (PlanetEarth)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It actually took me four months to read this book. I simply could not stick with it for very long. Every time I got another book to read after this one, I read that first. Finally, I finished it this month. Linda Himelstein did a wonderful research job, and did not appear to take any liberties--much to her credit, especially these days, when I think a new category for books should be created: Fiction/Non-Fiction. But, I'm afraid, the topic and the people in it just did not hold my interest. I would recommend the book to those interested in Russian history; those interested in how a man from a serf background built a vodka empire beyond belief; and those interested in Russia's long, crippling history with alcohol.
A terrific book! October 17, 2009
R. Ravid
I loved the book The King of Vodka! The author, Linda Himelstein, managed to bring the past to life by weaving historical facts , events, documents, and personalities together with imagined dialogs and scenes. The book reads like a fine novel and covers times and places that are not well known in the West. The book presents a very engaging and informative history lesson (Russia in the 19th and 20th centuries, under the Tsars, and later - the Bolshevik revolution), which is a nice added bonus. Ms. Himelstein is a very capable writer and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. I highly recommend this book!
 Worth Your Time... Two Centuries of Vodka October 6, 2009
Pasha Supreme
This book is so well researched, it reminds me of a scientific study. The story has all the trappings of a great novel with a great rise and the eventual downfall of the vodka empire. The book does suffer at times from embellishment, but that can be forgiven due to the need to keep the story moving forward. If you are patient with the book, you will be rewarded with a fascinating look at a unique figure and the time period.
Great Story! September 24, 2009
Chick Runkel (San Francisco, CA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Loved reading this wonderful book about an fascinating family and industry. Learning a little Russian history along the way was a big bonus. A compelling story!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 54
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