August 2010
The King of Vodka is the WINNER of the Saroyan International Prize in Writing

May 2010
The King of Vodka has been book shortlisted for the 2010 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing

April 2010
The King of Vodka shortlisted for James Beard Award
— Jackie Burrell, Contra Costa Times
The tale of Pyotr Smirnov — son of a 19th century Russian serf who rose to power and prestige as the head of a vodka empire — reads more like vivid cinematic script than meticulously researched nonfiction. But the dramatic surges and ebbs, the tales of Bolshevik revolution, lavish palace dinners and prison escapes is all true — and it has put former Wall Street Journal and Business Week writer Linda Himelstein on the shortlist for a 2010 James Beard Award.

March 2010
The King of Vodka been awarded a silver medal by the Axiom Business Book Awards.

The James Beard Foundation announced its 2010 Award Nominees. The King of Vodka has been nominated in the Book Category/Beverages.

The King of Vodka was named a finalist by the International Association of Culinary Professionals

December 18, 2009
The King of Vodka was named one of the 50 notable Bay Area books of 2009 by the San Francisco Chronicle

December 17, 2009
The King of Vodka makes the Bay Area Reporter booklist of 2009

December 3, 2009
The King of Vodka was named one of the best books of 2009 by BusinessWeek

August 17, 2009
ABC's "Milliionaire" meets "The King of Vodka"
ABC's "Millionaire" $4,000 question was "Ninteenth century Russian businessman Pyotr Smirnov is the subject of a 2009 biography titled "The King of _______"?
A) Ballet
B) Chemistry
C) Rifles
D) Vodka