The Bourbon King

More about the book

On the 100th anniversary of The Volstead Act, this epic narrative unveils the life of a man who dismantled the Prohibition system, becoming a wealthy criminal mastermind and an inspiration for The Great Gatsby. George Remus's story is filled with love, murder, political intrigue, and vast fortunes, offering a glimpse into the dark underbelly of Prohibition. Despite Congress enforcing Prohibition in October 1919, Remus amassed a fortune equivalent to billions today. A Jazz Age journalist noted, "Remus was to bootlegging what Rockefeller was to oil." Author Bob Batchelor vividly recounts the largest bootlegging operation in America, surpassing even Al Capone's, led by a man renowned as the best criminal defense lawyer of his time. Remus acquired a vast empire of distilleries along Kentucky's "Bourbon Trail" and leveraged his pharmacy background to exploit legal loopholes. He lavishly bribed officials in the Harding Administration and embraced a flamboyant lifestyle that defined the Jazz Age. However, his downfall came with a sensational murder case involving a cheating wife, a G-man who seduced her, and the collapse of his Bourbon Empire. Remus's cold-blooded murder of his wife led to a shocking trial where he claimed temporary maniacal insanity to secure his freedom.