Filled with mayhem, mountains of illicit cash, and rivers of bourbon, “Tales of the Bourbon King” presents the life and crimes of George Remus, bootleg king of the Jazz Age, a dazzling true crime spectacle. With gunfights and fisticuffs, he turned America into his violent playground, grafting his way into Warren Harding’s White House. A model for Jay Gatsby, Remus’s story epitomizes the spectacular 1920s – until it came crashing down in an improbable tale of deceit and rage, centered on the dastardly G-man who stole his wife, leading directly to a fateful gunshot that ended her life.
Read moreTHE BOURBON KING NAMED 2020 BEST HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY
THE BOURBON KING NAMED 2020 BEST HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY
Cultural Historian Bob Batchelor Wins Independent Press Award® for true crime biography of George Remus, America’s 1920s “Bootleg King”
Cincinnati, May 4, 2020 – Love, murder, political intrigue, mountains of cash, and rivers of bourbon! The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius (Diversion Books) by cultural historian and biographer Bob Batchelor is a grand spectacle and lens into the dark heart of Prohibition. As one Jazz Age journalist put it, “Remus was to bootlegging what Rockefeller was to oil.”
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” (making billions of dollars in today’s money) and used his other profession, as a pharmacist, to profit from legal loopholes. He spent millions bribing officials in the Harding Administration.
Remus created a roaring lifestyle that epitomized the Jazz Age over which he ruled. F. Scott Fitzgerald used Remus as one of the models for Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby (celebrating its 95th anniversary this year). That is, before he came crashing down in one of the most sensational true crime murder cases in American history: a cheating wife, the dastardly G-man who seduced her and put Remus in jail, and the plunder of a Bourbon Empire. Remus later murdered his wife in cold-blood and then shocked a nation winning his freedom based on a condition he invented—temporary maniacal insanity.
The Independent Press Award is an international book competition judged by experts from different functions within the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers, and professional copywriters. Selected award winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.
In 2020, the Independent Press Award had entries worldwide. Participating authors and publishers reside in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, India, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, and others. Books submitted included writers located in cities such as Austin to Memphis to Santa Cruz; from Copenhagen to Mumbai; from Albuquerque to Staten Island; from Boise to Honolulu, and others.
“We are thrilled to announce the winners and distinguished favorites in our annual 2020 Independent Press Award. This year included a myriad of excellent independently published books. It is clear that independents are prospering in every corner of the earth. We are so proud to be highlighting key titles representing global independent publishing,” said IPA Awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak.
For more information please visit independentpressaward.com; and to see this year's list of IPA Winners and Distinguished Favorites, please visit the website pages:
2020 WINNERS:
https://www.independentpressaward.com/2020winners
2020 DISTINGUISHED FAVORITES:
https://www.independentpressaward.com/2020distinguishedfavorites
ABOUT BOB BATCHELOR
Bob Batchelor is a critically acclaimed, bestselling cultural historian and biographer. He has published widely on American culture and literature. In addition to The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius (Diversion), Bob wrote Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, the first full-scale biography of the Marvel legend. He has also written books on Bob Dylan, Mad Men, John Updike, and The Great Gatsby, among others. His next book is Rookwood: The Rediscovery and Revival of an American Icon--An Illustrated History (September 8, 2020, Rockport/Quarto)
Bob graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in history, philosophy, and political science. He earned an M.A. at Kent State University under the tutelage of the eminent historian Lawrence S. Kaplan. His doctorate is in English Literature from the University of South Florida, where he studied with Phillip Sipiora. He has taught at universities in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as Vienna, Austria. Bob lives in Cincinnati with his wife Suzette and their teenage daughters.
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92 Years Ago Today -- George Remus Murders Imogene in Cincinnati's Eden Park
92 years ago in 1927, George Remus murdered his wife Imogene in Eden Park, just outside Cincinnati.
The gunshot that indian summer morning capped a tumultuous period of mayhem, betrayal, and embezzlement. The subsequent trial would be followed by millions worldwide!
The accompanying February 1928 insanity trial transcripts provide insight into what Remus thought about his wife and the murder.
Below is a portion of the February 1928 insanity hearing transcript. Remus answers questions about his early days with Imogene and admits that they engaged in “illicit relations.”
February 1928 insanity hearing transcript — George Remus answers questions about his early days with Imogene — “illicit relations”
Remus admits that he hoped to catch Imogene and Franklin Dodge together — so he could kill them both!
Remus admits that he hoped to catch Imogene and Franklin Dodge together — so he could kill them both!
George claimed he married Imogene to bring her up from poverty…and that she owed him as a result. The betrayal with Dodge was too much. The affair and that it became common knowledge in the criminal underworld, disgraced him, and — in his mind — forced action.
George claimed he married Imogene to bring her up from poverty…and that she owed him as a result. The betrayal with Dodge was too much…
Given his ability to manipulate juries, Remus declared he would defend himself, giving him direct access to the 12 people who held his life in their hands.
Given his ability to manipulate juries, Remus declared he would defend himself, giving him direct access to the 12 people who held his life in their hands.