About the Program
Linda Himelstein recounts the life of Pyotr Smirnov (1831-1898), a Russian serf whose vodka became world-renowned. Smirnov, barely literate, built a fortune worth $130 million but incurred criticism from the likes of Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov who supported a Russian sobriety crusade. His life and his company's ascent mirrored the ever-changing political and social landscape of pre and post revolutionary Russia. This event was hosted by Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, California.