The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius

by Bob Batchelor

On the 100th anniversary of The Volstead Act comes the epic, definitive story of the man who cracked the Prohibition system, became one of the world's richest criminal masterminds, and helped inspire The Great Gatsby.

Love, murder, political intrigue, mountains of cash, and rivers of bourbon . . . The tale of George Remus is a grand spectacle and a lens into the dark heart of Prohibition. Yes, Congress gave teeth to Prohibition in October 1919, but the law didn't stop George Remus from amassing a fortune that would be worth billions of dollars today. As one Jazz Age journalist put it, "Remus was to bootlegging what Rockefeller was to oil."

Author Bob Batchelor breathes life into the largest bootlegging operation in America--greater than that of Al Capone--and a man considered the best criminal defense lawyer of his era. Remus bought an empire of distilleries on Kentucky's "Bourbon Trail" and used his other profession, as a pharmacist, to profit off legal loopholes. He spent millions bribing officials in the Harding Administration, and he created a roaring lifestyle that epitomized the Jazz Age over which he ruled.

That is, before he came crashing down in one of the most sensational murder cases in American history: a cheating wife, the G-man who seduced her and put Remus in jail, and the plunder of a Bourbon Empire. Remus murdered his wife in cold-blood and then shocked a nation winning his freedom based on a condition he invented--temporary maniacal insanity.

Genres: History, True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Biography, American History

400 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2019

About the author

Bob Batchelor is a critically-acclaimed cultural historian and biographer. He is the author of Stan Lee: A Life (Rowman & Littlefield, October 2022), Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, Young Adult Edition (Rowman & Littlefiled, October 2022), and Roadhouse Blues: Morrison, the Doors, and the Death Days of the Sixties (Hamilcar Publications, November 2022).

He has published books on Bob Dylan, The Great Gatsby, Mad Men, and John Updike. His latest, Rookwood: The Rediscovery and Revival of an American Icon, An Illustrated History won the 2021 Independent Publishers Book Award for Fine Art. The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius won the 2020 Independent Publishers Book Award for Historical Biography. Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel was a finalist for the 2018 Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction.

Bob’s books have been translated into a dozen languages and his work has appeared in Time magazine, the New York Times, Cincinnati Enquirer, and Los Angeles Times. Bob is also the creator and host of the podcast John Updike: American Writer, American Life. He has appeared as an on-air commentator for The National Geographic Channel, PBS NewsHour, PBS, and NPR. Bob hosted “TriState True Crime” on WCPO’s Cincy Lifestyle television show.

Bob earned his doctorate in American Literature from the University of South Florida. He has taught at universities in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as Vienna, Austria. Bob lives in North Carolina with his wife Suzette and their teenage daughters.

For more information, visit www.bobbatchelor.com.

Reviews

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free for Audible Plus members in the UK and US!!!!!!
Narrated by Joe Barrett--his voice is perfect for this!

************************

Don’t miss this. It’s very well written. Just the right amount of facts are given. Your attention is kept riveted—even through court scenes, which usually bore me to death! Twice imprisoned, the horrors of the incarceration hit home with force. You learn about was going on in all levels of society during Prohibition (1920 to 1933). You learn about the corruption of President Harding, and the dedication and diligence of the assistant attorney general Mabel Walker Willebrandt. She was in charge of enforcing Prohibition from 1921 to 1929. She excelled in what many men of her time feared to tackle.

We meet George Remus, the Bourbon King, as well as his wives and daughters. We learn of his past. With this knowledge we understand why he could pull of what he did. We see both squalor and staggering opulence. When money is rolling in, parties, lodgings, art and luxurious purchases are scintillatingly described.

The book is both informative and gripping. You will come to understand the violence that grew from the Prohibition. You find yourself taking sides, and surprisingly enough, not always for the so-called “good guys”. I came to understand George Remus’ anger. I like getting into other people’s shoes, particularly when these people are extremely different from myself.

Many individuals are spoken of, but you are reminded so you never become confused.

This is a book that is engaging and informativee. Don’t miss this at Audible. Grab it and read it soon. Sometimes the free books available to Audible Plus members disappear!

The narration by Joe Barrett is well suited to the book’s topic and those we meet. He has a rumbling, gruff tone. He captures the figures well! Never is it hard to decipher the words. At the end, when future events in the lives of the many we have met are summarized, he speaks faster and faster. Just turn own the speed. The narration is very good, so I have given it four stars, just as I have the book.

[Union County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

For most Americans, Al Capone is the embodiment of all the evils and excesses that flourished under Prohibition. As ruthless and relentless as Capone was in building and controlling his illicitly-built booze empire, he lacked the creativity, ingenuity and finesse that made George Remus one of the wealthiest (if not the wealthiest) of the prohibition profiteers. Remus is not a well-known figure today, but in the late 1920s and early 30s he was front page news across the nation. The public had long admired him for his ability to supply what the hypocritical politicians in Washington had denied them: alcohol – and the good stuff at that.

If you enjoy reading true crime, have an interest in Prohibition-era history, or are just thirsty for more check out The Bourbon King.

- Reviewed by Tim S.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Remus built an empire, first as a pharmacist running a string of drug stores, then as a successful Chicago attorney, and later as an illicit bootlegger in the Midwest. He rose through the ranks with his own blood, sweat, and tears, until he reached the level where he could leverage the blood, sweat, and tears of those at his mercy to get his way. Prohibition made a rich man of George Remus; its enforcers eventually made a fool of him as well. The Bourbon King is the story of the rise and fall of George Remus, with an in-depth look at the world of bootlegging and the culture of the prohibition era. It captures the decadence of the era and the deprivation of the men who milked it for all it was worth. George Remus was no exception, in fact his way was the rule of the land: he took advantage of every opportunity no matter the cost to others, he wantonly threw money around as if it grew on trees (or magically appeared in barrels, which for him it did), and he flaunted his breaches of the law so brazenly that there was no way he could outrun it forever.

George Remus was a shrewd businessman, that much was obvious. He was also a quick study. It didn't take him long as he switched from one career to the next on his way to becoming a criminal mastermind to figure out just what it took to rocket to the top of the pack. He was not: loyal, faithful, kind, generous, or any of the other qualities that make up a good man. In fact, you'll be wont to find a single good quality in 400 pages. He was incredibly successful. He also had a hand in his own downfall, whether you consider it a product of his total disregard for the law and law enforcement or his being blinded equally by love and ego.

Bob Batchelor really digs into the time period, painstakingly painting the picture of George's own situation as well as the environment in which he thrived. He meticulously details his fashion, his living quarters, his business endeavors, and his relationships, as well as the broader picture of bootlegging and organized crime in the region. He is incredibly thorough in telling the story of George Remus. Though Remus' time at the top of the bootlegging industry was relatively short, a matter of a few years, his impact was undeniable. The author weaves together George's time as a pharmacist, lawyer, and bootlegger to show how seamlessly these careers intertwined, and how George built the success of one operation on the back of his previous career, and eventually saved his own life in the court system with the skills he'd honed throughout all 3.

The main story takes up the bulk of the book, but it is capped off by some very valuable sections. First is an epilogue which shares the fates of all the key players in George's inner circle (plus those of his archenemies), followed by a detailed timeline of the events of this book, a series of photos from the era with captions, a list explaining the various abbreviations used, and ending with a plethora of footnotes. The author takes some time to explore the myth that teases George Remus as the inspiration for The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as other possible influences on that story. Overall this is a fantastic exploration of George Remus and the world of the bootlegger during prohibition.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways.

George Remus earned the title “The King of the Bootleggers” from the era’s sensational press. While he did preside over a massive bootlegging empire, he suffered from a personal life in shambles and from the constant pressures of trying to succeed in an illegal business without rules. From the time he decided to make his millions, he suffered one thing after another. This is an excellent look at Prohibition in general, and the Roaring 20s, as well as at Remus’s life. It ultimately seems to me to be a rumination on the idea of whether money can buy happiness. It suffers at times from some confusion on the timeline, but is a well-researched and easy to read snapshot of the time.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a NetGalley early release copy of the book. I am a history buff with a special interest in the early 20th Century. I am familiar with the history of Chicago during Prohibition but knew little of the activities in the South.

I found the Bourbon King to be well written and engaging. By the time I completed the book, I felt that I knew the main characters and had a better understanding of the period.

This is not a book that is a quick read, however, the attention to detail, the storytelling, and the look at the methods and motivation of the main characters made it worth staying up late every night to compete.

[Shannon Murray · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a SLOG. I’ve known about Remus for a while and always wanted to learn more. In my research two books were recommended but this one was suggested as the better account.

I never thought a book so well researched and detailed could be so unorganized and repetitive. The author repeated quotes and phrases not just within the book but within pages of each other. The amount of names and information included in the account made it hard to follow what was important to the story.

I had to force myself to finish it and it felt like a chore. George Remus is an incredibly intriguing figure of the prohibition age, but you lose a bit of that in the constant minutia.

[Mackenzie Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good history. Poor writing.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a goodreads First-Reads winner and I appreciate the opportunity to review this book.

100 years after the passage of the Volstead Act, Batchelor wrote an engaging book of the life of George Remus. What fascinated me first about this book is that I lived a short time in Hamilton, Ohio and was a regular in Cincinnati, so I knew many of the places listed within.

Remus was a brilliant psychopath, as many of our titans of business are. Batchelor covers Remus's life in full, clearly showing how his early years set him up to become such a huge bootlegger. Remus's pharmaceutical background was instrumental in his success during Prohibition and that is one of the things I most loved about this book - I had thought bootlegging was driven by the creation of illegal liquor, people making it in stills - but that wasn't what drove all of Remus's businesses. Instead, and this is cool and speaks to how messed up the Act was and how the Government was complicit in bootlegging, the liquor was often made for "medicinal" purposes (which was legal) and then taken/purchased/sold in huge quantities throughout the region. Millions of dollars were made, people were killed, and the liquor continued to flow.

Batchelor does a good job of being clear about who Remus in the context of the time. Prohibition, as a constitutional amendment, was something most people assumed would be the law of the land for quite some time, but thankfully it was repealed shortly after its creation. Otherwise, it is interesting to think about just how our nation would have progressed these last few decades.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Bob Batchelor, Netgalley and Diversion publishing for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The story of ambition, greed, daring, love, loss..The American Dream. Still don’t know if he was really a broken person, a real psychopath or just so cunning.

A few questions I have now. How did he see WWII as a German American? What cigars did he smoke?

Really enjoyed the read. A must read for Bourbon, prohibition, or local history enthusiasts. The tale of this man can’t be topped by modern celebrities. This man touched millions of lives whether they knew his name or not. Still touching lives almost 150 years later since his name is back on bottles of “the good stuff.”

Review by my husband, Douglas Pendleton

[Lisa Poor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived in Newport,Ky for many years, I gobble up anything on George Remus, and this was a good read. Very fact-based with some interesting “I wonders” at the end…I particularly enjoyed the one about Blanche…I listened to the audiobook, and it was great, the reader did a German accent for GR, but one important mispronunciation distracted me. It’s Rookwood Tile, not Rockwood, ugh. And with Remus’s and Imogene’s tastes for the best, the tile comes up multiple times. Highly recommend. The Ghost of Eden Park is another contemporary.

[Summerfire · Rating 2 out of 5]

That got pretty repetitive. I also didn't like the narrator's "German" accent - it just sounded like a guy with a speech impediment. But it was still fun I guess.

[Sophie Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed. Puts Remus in perspective of his times.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

What this book has: Booze, gangsters, businessmen, sex, g-men, corruption, upstanding citizens, and whatever else you can conjure from what you imagine the 1920s were like in the U.S.

Here's the story of a man named Remus, George Remus; a German immigrant who rose from poverty to become a pharmacist, then a lawyer, and then the King of Bootleggers during a good chunk of Prohibition. His organization, since he ran it like a business but protected it like a gang, supplied alcohol - the good stuff (until it was cut by distributors) - throughout the midwest, the northeast, and even to California. A classic antihero, Remus flouted the law, made a lot of money, spent it extravagantly, boasted about it, and ultimately married a woman who craved the spotlight. And then he killed her. And then there was a trial. Pretty exciting true crime story stuff!
OK, so that's a fairly simplistic overview, but you get the idea (I hope). Truly a good work of research into the United States' cultural and legal history, with all of Prohibition's twists and turns and characters that gave a real boost to organized crime in the U.S.
Unfortunately, in the end I'd only give the book a 2.5 -star rating if it was possible. For all of its strengths, the editing was not so great. I'm not talking about the line editing/proofreading. I'm talking about story organization. Throughout, multiple passages or chunks of paragraphs are repeated, giving the reader a sense of deja vu until one realizes that it's not just a feeling. It's the reality that you did just read those words a few pages prior.
Unfortunately, the later sections of the book also seemed disorganized, alternately dropping its linear storytelling style in favor of confusion. Here Remus did something or another, but then i the next section we go back some years to something sort of related, and then back again in the present along a parallel path, and then back to the main storyline. It ain't pretty, in that respect.
If you like a good true crime yarn, there are better ones out there. If you like true crime infused with an odd chapter in American history, it wouldn't hurt you to give this a ride. Might want to try your local library.

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

This was an interesting read. My father told me a lot about the Prohibition Era but only mentioned George Remus infrequently. So I liked getting more information on this figure of the era.

[Andrew Degruccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essentially a true crime novel, but with many additional elements, including the history of bourbon, prohibition, the Harding administration, Cincinnati, law enforcement, and the jurisprudence system. A bit repetitive at times, but otherwise fascinating.

[Mercedes Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover blurb for this book about the notorious George Remus was tantalizing, and I think it would have made a fabulous historical novel. As a straight biography, however, I kept thinking of Dragnet: “just the facts, ma’am. Only the facts.” Mind you, I watched Dragnet religiously when I was a teenager, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But I found the book pretty dry—and I kept missing the potential drama promised by the back cover. However, with that being said, the book was obviously well-researched. George Remus was a self-made man; apparently everything he tried he excelled at. And his past professions held him in good stead once he found himself lured into a life of crime, given the opportunities presented by the Volstead Act. Experience as a successful pharmacist gave him the cover to sell bourbon as a legal medicinal (at least for part of his immense operation), and his theatrical presentation as an attorney—always defending criminals—gave him the legal know-how to skirt the law. It also served him well when defending himself from execution after murdering his cheating wife (the second half of the book).

We do get a juicy description of his rum-running operation: “The criminals who made these harrowing trips were quick to draw weapons and faster on the gas pedal. Some were in it for the speed or the thrill of violence, in addition to cash. One reporter, speaking to Conners, called it the ‘clamor of flight and battle as a powerful automobile thundered through the night with one man at the wheel and another firing his repeating rifle over the back of the seat at pursuing pirates.’” It seemed that between a massive bribery circuit and a clever knack for buying desperate distilleries—loaded with hundreds and thousands of barrels of useless whiskey—Remus could do no wrong. But, like any successful criminal, he made lots of enemies and the law finally caught up with him. That’s when his life fell apart—in more ways than one. As if prison wasn’t bad enough, his wife betrayed him and ran off with another man. And willfully squandered his vast financial empire. No wonder he killed her in cold blood!

For me, this is when things got confusing. Up to that point, I thought I understood what Remus was about: clever, enterprising, charismatic when needed, fairly stable overall. All of a sudden he became unpredictably violent. A bully. He had to be held back whenever his wife’s name was mentioned. Honestly, if she did all the things he accused her of (and by all reports in the book up to this point, she was guilty) you had to feel sorry for the guy. She really screwed him over. But was he a bully all along? Aside from the occasional hint, I hadn’t really absorbed that. Later on in the book, the author starts to waffle; did his wife Imogene really have an affair with Franklin Dodge, the crooked Prohibition agent? When trying to discuss the agent’s perspective, the author states, “The authenticity of the relationship between Franklin and Imogene remains largely a mystery.” Huh? I thought plenty of witnesses proved their relationship? They allegedly depleted Remus’s fortune together. There was enough back and forth in the last part of the book to muddle what I thought was a straightforward story, and it felt like the author had lost his way. But overall we get a good overview of this bootlegger who became America’s hero.

[SundayAtDusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, what a long story this was about Prohibition and a bootlegger named George Remus. George Remus was born in Germany and came with his family to the United States as a child. Since his father was an unsuccessful breadwinner, he went to work as a teenager in his uncle’s pharmacy. By his early 20s, he not only had a pharmacist license, but bought his uncle’s pharmacy, plus another one. It all wasn’t challenging enough for Mr. Remus, however, so he decided to become a lawyer. A lawyer he did become, a very dramatic defense attorney, at a time when courtrooms had no shortage of dramatics.

It was in those courtrooms that George Remus saw how bootleggers, who were found guilty, would simply walk up to judges, pull out a roll of money, and pay their fines. It didn’t matter how high the fine happened to be, they always had enough money. Desiring an even more challenging life, Mr. Remus decided both his careers as a pharmacist and an attorney could give him an upper hand in the bootlegging business; since liquor could still be purchased as a medicine with licenses; and he knew how to manipulate laws. He soon became a very, very successful bootlegger.

While he was always highly successful in his business life, his personal life was another matter, however. His first wife would divorce him, and he would then marry a woman named Imogene who liked the good life as much as he did. The good life they had until Mr. Remus gets sent to prison, and Imogene decides a supposedly incorruptible G-man was the man for her. Boy, the details and drama of it all. Sometimes the details about bootlegging were a bit too much, and the drama even became a bit too much towards the end of the book. Nevertheless, it’s a well-researched, highly educational read, which leaves the distinct impression that Prohibition did nothing but create a lot of crime, criminals and corruption.

(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.)

[Bonnie_blu · Rating 3 out of 5]

George Remus must have been an absolutely fascinating person to know. He was extremely intelligent, driven, and versatile. However, he was also insecure and absolutely dependent on the admiration of others. His positive qualities enabled him to succeed as a pharmacist, lawyer, and bootlegger. His negative qualities led to his abject failure.

Remus great desire for fame and wealth led him to develop one of the biggest and most efficient bootlegging organizations during Prohibition. He approached building this enterprise as he did everything else in his life. He found mentors, leveraged his skills from previous careers (pharmacist and lawyer), and used his great intelligence to design a system that made him extremely wealthy. Unfortunately, his need for recognition led him to want even more.

His dependence on admiration also led him into a toxic relationship and marriage with Imogene, a sociopathic con woman, who abandoned him and pillaged his fortune. It can be argued that her betrayal was more devastating to him than the loss of his empire.

Bachelor's book is thoroughly researched and gives an in-depth analysis of how Prohibition set the stage for organized crime in the U.S. George Remus may not be a household name like Capone, but he was a major player in the business, and his impact can't be overstated.

So why only three stars? I rated it three stars because the book bogged down in various places throughout, and the text became tiresome. Even so, it is an interesting story, and readers interested in the history Prohibition, bootlegging, and the origins of organized crime will find it rewarding.

[Greg Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bourbon King is a riveting tale about one of the kingpins of anti-prohibition named George Remus. Those of you that have watched the HBO series Boardwalk Empire might be somewhat familiar with Remus. He along with Enoch Johnson, Al Capone, Arthur Rothstein, etc... had a death hold on illegal distribution of alcohol in the Roaring 20's. While Remus might not have been as familiar as someone like Capone, that shouldn't be a reflection of how important or prominent he was during that time. It can be argued that George Remus was a bigger influence on the bootlegging business than any of the names listed above. His network of illegal alcohol distribution had a reach that was born in Cincinnati, Ohio but grew throughout the midwest and farther.

I was really intrigued by this story since, I preside in Northern Kentucky where he called home. I am excited to go visit some of the old haunts that were connected to this icon.

If you are into the mafia or organized crime, give The Bourbon King a read. It will tell a tale of greed, success, failure, deceit, and murder. It is 2020 and it is hard to believe this was exactly a century ago.

My only complaint is that the actual read is a bit chunky and not the easiest to absorb. A little too wordy for my taste, but that is a small nitpick. I loved Bob Batchelor's The Bourbon King.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost love this book. The story is amazing and the people involved feel larger than life. If I didn't know this was nonfiction I would have thought it was a made-up story. George Remus was one of the bootlegger kings. He started out as a pharmacist and then became a lawyer and then prohibition happened and he ended up being an incredibly successful bootlegger. He did get convicted and while he was in jail everything went bad on him. His wife screwed him over pretty hard and then hooked up with a prohibition agent; it feels like something out of a soap opera. A good chunk of this book covers what happens after that when she is trying to get the divorce from him and subsequently he shoots her. But at the beginning of the book we do get a lot of how he built up his bourbon empire and who he was before all that. I love this part of history and this was good but it felt like there wasn't always a smooth transition between chapters or even within a chapter. It made it a little difficult to get into a good flow reading it. Like it was really close to being great, but didn't quite make it. But overall it is good, it's really interesting, and if prohibition and bootlegging interest you it is worth a read.

[Amelia.S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bob Batchelor’s The Bourbon King is a masterful reconstruction of America’s most intoxicating era where glamour and greed collided under the false piety of Prohibition. Through George Remus, Batchelor gives us a portrait of genius gone wrong: a man whose brilliance in law and business mutated into moral decay and unrestrained ambition.

Remus’s story is Shakespearean in scope a pharmacist turned bootlegger who built an empire on the “Bourbon Trail,” corrupted officials, and lived like Gatsby before Gatsby existed. Yet beneath the glitz lies the chilling unraveling of a man undone by love, power, and obsession. When his empire falls and his betrayal becomes personal, the resulting crime of passion shocks a nation and redefines the madness of the age.

Batchelor’s prose brims with cinematic detail and historical precision. He doesn’t merely recount Remus’s empire; he resurrects it. The reader smells the whiskey soaked decadence of the Jazz Age and feels the moral vertigo of a man who believed he could outwit the law, love, and fate itself.

The Bourbon King stands as both history and cautionary tale a riveting account of America’s thirst for excess and the extraordinary man who poured it.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Remus was actually the Prohibition King. He was richer than any of the mob and his influence even went as far as officers of the revenues, the ones who were ordered to destroy his operations as well as others. Having them on his side he knew when a raid was happening and when to move his supply. He was able to buy distilleries because of a loophole in the Volstead act and him being an attorney and a pharmacist this was legal for him. At one time he owned some of the most famous ones as well. He also threw elaborate and twice give the women who were leaving the party cars as gifts.
Once he was taken down he made his wife power of attorney and while in prison he found out that she was with another man. When he got out he went after his wife and shot her in a park and was able to get off because of a lack of witnesses coming forward. This was a fascinating story of a man who took the law and made it work for him for some time until like everything greed and deception took over. A very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I apologize for a late review as I have been traveling out of the country.

I had heard about this story from my mother who was reminded about it when she read the NY Times review. My family is from Cincinnati and many still live there. After reading the NY Times review, I thought it would be fun to read a little of the Queen City's history plus I love a good Bourbon.

Batchelor has done great research on the inter-workings of the bootlegging "industry" as well as painting larger than life characters. As the saying goes, "everyone has a price" and this holds true for those who were to uphold the Volstead Act and the law going up the food change to US Cabinet members.

While I enjoyed the book, I think another edit is in order. There were areas where too much repetition occurred. A sentence for the reader to flash back onto what was explained earlier in the book would be enough reference.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

You couldn’t make this up! Pharmacist turned Attorney turned Bootlegger turned Millionaire turned Murderer- who is found not guilty! Batchelor’s book chronicles George Remus’s story and most interestingly Cincinnati and the country’s dark underbelly of the Prohibition 1920’s. The book is a bit tedious at times but it provides fascinating insight into Remus’s criminal mind and his wife Imogene’s scheming and betrayal. Throw in the President’s Cabinet, a federal agent turned Imogene’s lover, the Taft family and assorted criminals and gangs and there is quite the cast of characters. What really stood out to me was how “easy” it was to deceive others in the non-digital age when one’s word and paperwork were all that was necessary to take on a new identity or flee from the law. Cincinnati, Newport and the country has come a long way over the past 100 years. Raise your glass!

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

George Remus was a wild man with no conscience. He was very intelligent and a business mastermind with an eye for the end game, but did not use his talents for the public good. This was an interesting look at life in the early 20th century. Besides prohibition (and all the ways to kind of legally skirt the law), I was fascinated to learn about his drug store and becoming an eye doctor, and his obsession with swimming. But he was a BAD man, and those closest to him seemed to be very bad, too. I do not want to celebrate his mobster legacy, and that Cincinnati had just the right blend of naivetee and geographic location to be his chosen center of industry. It can be a useful exercise to occasionally read about the true life Lex Luthers so we can identify them and curtail their influence as they walk amongst us.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have watched Prohibition by Ken Burns or followed the HBO series BOARDWALK EMPIRE then you may be familiar with the name George Remus.

George Remus took advantage of his background as a Pharmacist, Lawyer and extreme hustler to become one of the most noted figures in the early days of Prohibition. In today's dollars, his net worth was estimated to be 400 million.

Unfortunately, he became entangled with a gold-digging female who took advantage of his time away in prison to siphon off his considerable estate.

If you enjoy bourbon the George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey is reasonably priced and IMO mighty tasty.

[Ashley Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy for review from Netgalley.

This was an interesting, deep read about one of the biggest personalities in prohibition. The story was deep, well researched, and engaging. This is one you will want to re read, because there’s a lot to unpack in this- but that’s what’s great about this. Sometimes you can read once and be done, but this is still good on the next read as you see the intricacies as they come and know what to pay attention to the next time through.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I agree with the other reviews that say this has too much detail, not enough focus on a story. It's just kind of shapeless and rambling at times. It's a slog for me. In it's defense in what I managed to get through there were some good facts and I never seem to enjoy stories about organized crime as much as others. I think the drama gets lost in the details of their organization's day-to-day and constant legal wrangling, which is kind of the point with those groups.

[Joe Hauglie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story about a long-forgotten (overlooked?) character in the 1920s. Plus side: story is pretty darn engaging. Negative side: Author should have engaged a better editor. There are multiple repetitious passages, almost like a chapter was pulled as an excerpt for some publication and then reinserted without thought given to removing all of the background info that gave context to the standalone excerpt.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5…This is definitely a thorough and encyclopedic study of the life of Remus. I would argue that past his early years, it is maybe too much so, and could use maybe a hundred pages of tightening up. Still, a fascinating tale.