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.

"Journalist Himelstein recaptures Russia's golden age through the eyes of the former serf-turned vodka entrepreneur, Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov (1831 — 1898). From his early days as a 'small-time liquor peddler' to one of Russia's richest men, Smirnov was the nemesis of teetotaling Tolstoy — who blamed the country's late 19th-century woes on his countrymen's thirst for alcohol. As the first Russian brand architect and seller of high-quality, low-cost liquor, Smirnov makes for a fascinating subject in his trajectory and outsize ambition. He applied for the title of Purveyor to the Imperial Court, but 'the tsar's refusal, rather than deflating Smirnov's outsized ambition, emboldened it. It aroused something deep inside the man, a creative spark that transformed Smirnov from a competent businessman into one of the most ingenious marketers of his time.' While the dozens of obstacles, including the closure of the Imperial Archives and a dearth of information about Smirnov's years of serfdom, might have deterred lesser researchers, Himelstein has triumphed with a timeless book that entertains, informs and inspires any would-be entrepreneur to chase his dreams." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Smirnoff Vodka was originally founded by Pyotr Smirnov, a former serf who rose to be vodka maker to the czar; shortly after his death, his empire crumbled, thanks to a czarist vodka nationalization, incompetent leadership by his callow children and the Bolshevik revolution. The brand name re-emerged years later (with the "v" changed to "ff") after being sold to the West — possibly illegally — by... Washington Post Book Review (read the entire Washington Post review) one of Smirnoff's sons, who was nearly penniless after having fled the Soviet Union.

It's a good story told poorly. Himelstein is a business journalist, but she sheds little light on either the brand or the man. The documentary evidence (much of which was destroyed by communists) has frequent gaps, the atonal prose offers little analysis, and she has nothing but praise for Smirnov himself, reckoning him blameless for the destructive behavior of his children, who drove the business into the ground.

The brand's American success at the height of the Cold War (with ad slogans like "Smirnoff White Whiskey — No Smell, No Taste") would be a fascinating story in itself, but feels anticlimactic here, occurring as it does long after the death of the protagonist.

Reviewed by Alexander F. Remington, Washington Post Book World (Copyright 2006 Washington Post Book World Service/Washington Post Writers Group)
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From a distinguished journalist comes an epic biography of vodka pioneer Pyotr Smirnov, whose business empire still spans the globe today.