In The Gatsby Code, cultural historian Bob Batchelor—award-winning author of acclaimed biographies and expert on American mythmaking—offers a masterful deep dive into one of literature’s most enduring icons: Jay Gatsby. As The Great Gatsby turns 100, Batchelor delivers a revelatory chronicle of the novel’s past, present, and future impact, weaving cultural history, literary analysis, and philosophical inquiry into a riveting exploration of why Gatsby still matters.
Read more3 REASONS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SHOULD READ THE AUTHENTIC LEADER
The workplace is undergoing constant change. As a result, young professionals are stepping into roles that demand adaptability, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose. This type of people-first leadership is at the heart of authentic leadership.
The Authentic Leader: The Power of Deep Leadership in Work and Life is a guide for anyone who aspires to lead with integrity and impact, no matter what stage they are at in their career stage. Here’s why young professionals should read this book and the lessons they’ll take away.
1. Leadership Starts Before the Title
Many young professionals assume leadership begins with a promotion, but The Authentic Leader teaches that leadership is a mindset, not a job title. Leadership starts with self-awareness, responsibility, and the ability to positively influence others—whether you’re managing a team or contributing as an individual.
Lesson Learned: Great leaders take ownership of their work, build trust, and inspire those around them long before they reach the executive suite. By embracing leadership principles early, young professionals set themselves apart and create additional opportunities for growth.
2. Authenticity Builds Long-Term Success
In a world that rewards personal branding and social media presence, it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to be who you think others want you to be. The Authentic Leader emphasizes that real success comes from being authentic, aligning your values with your work, and building trust through transparency.
Lesson Learned: The strongest leaders—now and throughout history—have been those who remain true to their values, communicate honestly, and foster real connections. Young professionals who develop these habits early will build lasting credibility and meaningful careers.
3. Emotional Intelligence is the Key to Influence
The workplace is filled with diverse perspectives, challenges, and moments of uncertainty. The Authentic Leader highlights the power of emotional intelligence in navigating relationships, resolving conflicts, and creating positive workplace cultures.
Lesson Learned: Young professionals who practice empathy, active listening, and emotional self-awareness will be better equipped to collaborate, lead, and create a lasting impact in their industries.
Final Thought
Leadership isn’t something you wait for over days, months, and years. It is your responsibility to develop the necessary skills every day. The Authentic Leader provides the tools and insights young professionals need to become confident, purpose-driven leaders in a fast-changing world. By understanding these principles early, they can build careers that are not only successful, but also deeply fulfilling.
Are you ready to take the first step toward authentic leadership? Pick up The Authentic Leader and start shaping your leadership journey today.
The Authentic Leader by Bob Batchelor
THE AUTHENTIC LEADER: FAQs
The Authentic Leader: The Power of Deep Leadership in Work and Life by award-winning cultural historian and biographer Bob Batchelor explores the concept of deep leadership, which emphasizes authenticity, transparency, and empathy in the workplace and beyond. Batchelor argues that traditional leadership models, often characterized by command-and-control styles, are no longer effective in today's rapidly changing work environments.
Read moreNEW BOOKS NETWORK PODCAST -- INTERVIEW WITH JEROME CHARYN
The author of more than 50 novels, biographies, histories, graphic novels, and collections, Jerome Charyn once proclaimed that his ultimate goal in writing novels has been “to make the reader cry...to break the reader’s heart.” With its stunning, unforgettable portrayal of the forces of light and darkness, Ravage & Son delivers on the author’s aim, presenting humanity in its fully formed depravity, but also capturing life’s poignancy.
The interview focuses on Ravage & Son, but Charyn and I discuss other aspects of his renowned career, including discussion of writing style, research, literary influences, and more. Charyn is arguably the most famous writer most readers have never heard of, a bestseller in France and other parts of Europe, and a true “writer’s writer” who continues to publish acclaimed books while being lauded by major authors including Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Chabon, Don DeLillo, and a long list of others. He is a distinctive voice in American literary history.
Bob Batchelor is an award-winning cultural historian and biographer. His latest books are Roadhouse Blues: Morrison, the Doors, and the Death Days of the Sixties and Stan Lee: A Life. Visit him on the web at www.bobbatchelor.com or email at bob@bobbatchelor.com
Read moreJIM MORRISON ARRESTED -- AGAIN
With Miami Indecency Trial Looming, Jim Morrison Arrested on Flight and Faces Federal Charges
Jim Morrison couldn't stay out of trouble, especially when actor Tom Baker was instigating. They got really drunk and rowdy on a flight to Phoenix to see the Rolling Stones, but instead, got arrested and in serious jeopardy when charged with felony offenses.
Jim Morrison -- Arrested Again
Between March 5, 1969, when acting Miami police chief Paul Denham took warrants out on Jim, and the start of the trial on August 10, 1970, the federal government, the state of California, and the state of Florida tried several legal maneuvers to get the Doors front man to submit. At the same time, Jim’s attorney, Max Fink, fought these efforts, including filing several motions to dismiss the case.
"Too High in Sky" -- Jim Morrison Arrested & Jailed in Phoenix
While the wrangling sped along, Morrison’s personal life continued to unravel. He was arrested twice more in that seventeen-month span, first in November for causing a disturbance on a flight and then later the next August for public drunkenness in West Hollywood (when a sixty-eight-year-old woman found him sleeping on her porch and called police). According to Ray Manzarek, "Between Miami and Phoenix, Jim was facing a maximum of over thirteen years in prison."
"Between Miami and Phoenix, Jim was facing a maximum of over thirteen years in prison."
— Ray Manzarek
For more great stories, interesting analysis, and an in-depth look at the Doors and Jim Morrison, check out Roadhouse Blues: Morrison, the Doors, and the Death Days of the Sixties (Hamilcar Publications)
Roadhouse Blues by Cultural Historian Bob Batchelor
30% Discount on Stan Lee: A Life by Cultural Historian Bob Batchelor
Stan Lee: A Life is the epic tale of one of the world’s most important creative icons. With Spider-Man, the Avengers, Black Panther, and countless other Marvel superheroes he co-created, Stan introduced heroes that were complex and fallible – just like all of us. Championing Marvel for parts of ten decades, Lee revolutionized global culture.
Read moreYoung Readers Edition of Stan Lee Biography
In this young adult edition of Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, award-winning cultural historian Bob Batchelor offers an in-depth and complete look at this iconic visionary. Batchelor explores how Lee, born in the Roaring Twenties and growing up in the Great Depression, capitalized on natural talent and hard work to become the editor of Marvel Comics as a teenager. Lee went on to introduce the world to heroes that were complex, funny, and fallible, just like their creator and just like all of us.
Read moreStan Lee: A Life Explores American History through Lens of Creative Icon
The definitive biography of Marvel legend Stan Lee, celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth. Stan Lee's extraordinary life was as epic as the superheroes he co-created, from the Amazing Spider-Man to the Mighty Avengers. His ideas and voice are at the heart of global culture, loved by millions of superhero fans around the world. In Stan Lee: A Life, award-winning cultural historian Bob Batchelor offers an in-depth and complete look at this iconic visionary.
Read moreSigned And Personalized Copy -- The Bourbon King: The Life And Crimes Of George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius
The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius is the epic tale of 1920s “Bootleg King” George Remus, one of the greatest criminal masterminds in American history.
You can order a signed and personalized copy of The Bourbon King via www.bobbatchelor.com/store.
Overview
Prohibition didn’t stop George Remus from cornering the boozy, illegal liquor marketplace and amassing a fortune that is rumored to have eclipsed $200 million (the equivalent of $5 billion today.) As eminent documentarian Ken Burns proclaimed, “Remus was to bootlegging what Rockefeller was to oil.”
Author Bob Batchelor has unearthed a treasure trove of untapped historical archives to cover the life, times, and crimes of the man who ran the largest bootlegging operation in America—larger and more powerful than that of Al Capone—and a man who was considered the best criminal defense lawyer of his era.
Remus bought an empire of distilleries on what is now The Bourbon Trail and used his other profession, as a pharmacist, to profit from loopholes in the law. He spent millions bribing government officials in the Harding Administration, directly tied to Attorney General Harry Daugherty and Harding’s “Ohio Gang.” And he created a roaring, opulent lifestyle that epitomized the Jazz Age over which he ruled. So extravagant was this Bourbon King’s lifestyle that his lush parties served as an inspiration for The Great Gatsby.
But Remus came crashing down in one of the most sensational murder cases in American history. After serving a brief prison sentence, he was driven mad by his cheating wife Imogene and Franklin Dodge, the G-man who not only put him in jail, but also seduced her before stealing all his riches. Remus murdered his wife in cold-blood, setting loose the most media-saturated trial of the Jazz Age. Claiming a condition that he invented – temporary maniacal insanity – Remus took on Charles Taft, son of former President and current Chief Justice William Howard Taft, in a trial that grabbed national headlines. Remus won over the star-struck jury with lurid allegations about his lost millions at the hands of his two-timing wife and the federal agent who stole her away.
Love, murder, mountains of cash, bribery, political intrigue, rivers of bourbon, and a grand spectacle like few before it, the tale of George Remus transcends the era and provides readers with a lens into the dark heart of Prohibition’s Bourbon Trail, the thirst of the American people, and their fascination with crime.
THE 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”