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theaurochs's review against another edition
2.0
A disappointing case of "don't meet your heroes".
Iain Banks's only foray into non-fiction is a meandering memoir-style book that chronicles his journey across Scotland to find the best single malt whiskey. Now admittedly I'm not a big whiskey drinker, so wasn't expecting to get much out of it in those regards. But it's Iain Banks! Surely I'll be given a lot to think about, or enjoy his descriptions of the truly beautiful country of Scotland, or enjoy his witty anecdotes, or just his prose?
Unfortunately all of these I found wanting. I was just constantly wishing for more detail about either the whiskeys or the countryside, but we don't really get either- I imagine if you were in fact a whiskey fan you'd find this book not at all helpful, or even massively interesting. I very rarely found myself with a good picture of the landscape- a true disserve to the magnificence that I know it possesses. And I know that Banks can create these visions too, in all of his fiction there are incredible vistas presented of strange castles, grubby bedsits, bizarre spaceships and other planets. So why was he unable to do it here? The whole book has a real sense of being 'phoned-in'.
But what's more disappointing is the look we get at Banks's thoughts and life. I honestly don't know what I was expecting, but this is someone who has written some of my all-time favourite books, and just seems to have a head full of incomparable ideas. So when faced with some of the anecdotes in this book, such as "me and a mate went down the pub, got drunk, then thought it would be hilarious to go climbing walls", it's just... a bit of a let down. And maybe that's my problem, having weird expectations; obviously he was just a person like anyone else. But still.
And worst of all is the petrol-headedness of the book. Far too many pages are dedicated to describing one car or another, how it drives, how great it feels to speed along the mountain roads etc. And just as frequently there are off-hand comments about how warm it is for the season in Scotland. Hmmmmmmm. Pre-apocalyptic writing at it's unironic finest. But yeah, as much as I'm ambivalent about whiskey, I hate cars, so those whole sections were unpleasant to read.
So; disappointing, feels low effort, doesn't go into enough detail about the supposed point of the book, full of boring anecdotes. Avoid this one, and stick to Banks's fiction.
Iain Banks's only foray into non-fiction is a meandering memoir-style book that chronicles his journey across Scotland to find the best single malt whiskey. Now admittedly I'm not a big whiskey drinker, so wasn't expecting to get much out of it in those regards. But it's Iain Banks! Surely I'll be given a lot to think about, or enjoy his descriptions of the truly beautiful country of Scotland, or enjoy his witty anecdotes, or just his prose?
Unfortunately all of these I found wanting. I was just constantly wishing for more detail about either the whiskeys or the countryside, but we don't really get either- I imagine if you were in fact a whiskey fan you'd find this book not at all helpful, or even massively interesting. I very rarely found myself with a good picture of the landscape- a true disserve to the magnificence that I know it possesses. And I know that Banks can create these visions too, in all of his fiction there are incredible vistas presented of strange castles, grubby bedsits, bizarre spaceships and other planets. So why was he unable to do it here? The whole book has a real sense of being 'phoned-in'.
But what's more disappointing is the look we get at Banks's thoughts and life. I honestly don't know what I was expecting, but this is someone who has written some of my all-time favourite books, and just seems to have a head full of incomparable ideas. So when faced with some of the anecdotes in this book, such as "me and a mate went down the pub, got drunk, then thought it would be hilarious to go climbing walls", it's just... a bit of a let down. And maybe that's my problem, having weird expectations; obviously he was just a person like anyone else. But still.
And worst of all is the petrol-headedness of the book. Far too many pages are dedicated to describing one car or another, how it drives, how great it feels to speed along the mountain roads etc. And just as frequently there are off-hand comments about how warm it is for the season in Scotland. Hmmmmmmm. Pre-apocalyptic writing at it's unironic finest. But yeah, as much as I'm ambivalent about whiskey, I hate cars, so those whole sections were unpleasant to read.
So; disappointing, feels low effort, doesn't go into enough detail about the supposed point of the book, full of boring anecdotes. Avoid this one, and stick to Banks's fiction.
nilsjesper's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a curious thing in that the percentage spent specifically discussing whisky, history, the process, the specific distilleries is actually a LOT less than you'd think. Instead you get a lot of Iain Banks' own observations on his friends, sailing, cars, what makes a great road, more cars, a ton of old anecdotes, digressions on politics (the book was written as the Iraq war was getting into full swing) and a LOT of insight into various bits of Banks' previous writing and his own history.
So: if you're expecting a straight up book about Whisky and know nothing about Banks himself, this would probably be pretty disappointing. If you're a fan of Banks, his style of writing and humor, whisky AND are willing to bear with him through a billion fun digressions, then this is absolutely a great read (and coincidentally informative regarding single malt whisky). With Banks now tragically gone, this was actually as close as we might have gotten to an unintentional memoir or a look into the author himself behind the fiction so for that I really enjoyed it.
So: if you're expecting a straight up book about Whisky and know nothing about Banks himself, this would probably be pretty disappointing. If you're a fan of Banks, his style of writing and humor, whisky AND are willing to bear with him through a billion fun digressions, then this is absolutely a great read (and coincidentally informative regarding single malt whisky). With Banks now tragically gone, this was actually as close as we might have gotten to an unintentional memoir or a look into the author himself behind the fiction so for that I really enjoyed it.
tatablack's review against another edition
3.0
It's a book about whisky as much as it is about Scotland. The author literally drives you along roads of all kinds, all the while talking about the places he's going through, their history, their whisky and distilleries. And since he's the one doing the traveling, usually with friends or family, you'll find plenty of personal anecdotes, which add background to his character and a pleasant accompaniment to the trip.
All in all, a good read, though maybe a bit slow. Just take your time, and then maybe bring the book with you if you happen to visit Scotland in the future.
All in all, a good read, though maybe a bit slow. Just take your time, and then maybe bring the book with you if you happen to visit Scotland in the future.
thisbookishcat's review
I really did try to get through this since it was recommended to me, and at times I found the author to be quite funny, but it isn't at all what I'd hoped. This was written in a way that droned on about the man and people he knew and less about the dram itself. This is something I'm sure some people like, but as someone who is in agricultural and food business, this was not at all what I wanted.
alexsiddall's review against another edition
3.0
This turned out to be a very expensive book to read, as it made me want to buy bottles of scotch. So even though the book was only £2 from a charity shop - sorry Mr Banks, no royalties from me this time - it's cost me nearly £100 so far, and likely to be much more.
This is an easy and charming read, if you identify with Iain Banks' warm and ebullient style. He reminds me of Bill Bryson in his relaxed, friendly, erudite writing. It's a loving tour of Scotland and many of its distilleries, with plenty of personal anecdotes. Recommended for petrolhead, rock-music-loving, whisky-drinking, left-leaning caledoniphiles everywhere.
This is an easy and charming read, if you identify with Iain Banks' warm and ebullient style. He reminds me of Bill Bryson in his relaxed, friendly, erudite writing. It's a loving tour of Scotland and many of its distilleries, with plenty of personal anecdotes. Recommended for petrolhead, rock-music-loving, whisky-drinking, left-leaning caledoniphiles everywhere.
justasking27's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
It's strange but over the years I have only read three Banks books and two of them I would class as brilliant namely 'The Wasp Factory' which was wonderfully blackly comic and The Crow Road which I loved and I also enjoyed the BBC adaptation. Last year I read Stonemouth and really enjoyed it so I wonder why over the last twenty years haven't I read more especially as i have had this book sat on my shelf unread for ages. What leads me to this digression is that I read this self indulgent road trip of Iain Banks around the distilleries of Scotland and just thought what a great bloke he was, just the sort of person I would like to share a few drams of single malt with.He wrote it as the 1993 invasion of Iraq begins and he and his wife have torn up very publically their passports and the book is peppered with his views on politicians and the missing WMD's and the laying down of British political morality to 'Dubya's' ambitions, but overall this is a book that is about friendships both now and past, food and drink and the pleasure of the same, family, and the wonder of Scotland its scenery, culture ,its roads and most of all its national drink. It is a bit heavy with technicalities re whisky making and it is not a linear journey ,and also it is a bit petrol heady (I'm not really a car person) although the idea of driving the highland roads in his porsche, bmw, or landrover does appeal but it is worth reading if you can enjoy 360 pages of someone extolling whisky and life wghich I did. My only slight criticism is the lack of map or photos and perhaps the risk that I am sorely tempted to max my credit card buying various single malts. Most of all I guess is the thought that this is an author who has now died that I probably didn't properly enjoy when he was alive but seemed such a nice normal man. Anyway another trip to plan for when I retire!!
lozymandias's review
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Part travelogue, party whiskylogue, and part diatribe against Blair and Bush. Interesting and romantic without ever being too heavy.
blacksentai's review against another edition
3.0
This is a very fun memoir. If you're coming for a book about whiskey turn back, but if you're okay with a book about cars, Scotland, drunken hijinks, distilleries, british politics, the Iraq war, motorcycles, camping, and writing then this will be right up your alley.