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975 reviews for:
Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure like No Other
Graham McTavish, Sam Heughan
3.99 AVERAGE
975 reviews for:
Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure like No Other
Graham McTavish, Sam Heughan
3.99 AVERAGE
It's a fun adventure book. Definitely good idea to get the audiobook which gives it so much character. I've read in some reviews that it's specifically for Outlander fans. I'm not a fan and I've still enjoyed this book. Sam and Graham have such good chemistry while reading this out.
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
funny
lighthearted
Important PSA: this book has spoilers for Outlander!
Now that that's out of the way, I am so upset that I didn't like this more. I adore Scotland and history (and Scottish accents), and I enjoyed the show Men in Kilts, the making of which this book chronicles, so I was fully expecting to love this. And yet I found it a total snoozefest.
It's a weird mix of memoir/biography of our two authors, stories about the making of Outlander, the history of Scotland, and a Scottish travelogue all rolled into one, and I don't think the combination quite worked, even though on paper it sounds like it should. I haven't read or watched Outlander (although I do plan to) and I wasn't expecting so much Outlander content. Maybe that was naive of me, but I don't remember there being as much in the Men in Kilts show and I was expecting something more along those lines. There were some interesting stories about the actual creation of Men in Kilts, but not enough, in my opinion, and I really wish they would have leaned into that more.
I hate to say it, but I also just didn't find Sam and Graham that likeable. They clearly get along very well and enjoy teasing each other and spending time together, but it all came across as very bro-y and immature and just didn't endear them to me at all. Sam also frequently calls Graham a woman as an insult, which really rubbed me the wrong way. The book in general feels a lot more like self-promotion than an exploration of Scottish culture and history.
I listened to the audiobook and did really enjoy hearing their accents (although Graham has a tendency to speak in a whispery way that I found kind of grating, especially because I'd constantly have to adjust the volume up to hear him and then back down when Sam started talking). The combination of being soothed by the Scottish accents while not being that interested in what they were saying made me zone out quite a bit though, and I usually couldn't be bothered to go back and listen to what I'd missed.
Although this book sadly wasn't for me, it might be fun for you if you really love Outlander and/or Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish. And I would definitely recommend the audiobook over reading a physical copy!
Now that that's out of the way, I am so upset that I didn't like this more. I adore Scotland and history (and Scottish accents), and I enjoyed the show Men in Kilts, the making of which this book chronicles, so I was fully expecting to love this. And yet I found it a total snoozefest.
It's a weird mix of memoir/biography of our two authors, stories about the making of Outlander, the history of Scotland, and a Scottish travelogue all rolled into one, and I don't think the combination quite worked, even though on paper it sounds like it should. I haven't read or watched Outlander (although I do plan to) and I wasn't expecting so much Outlander content. Maybe that was naive of me, but I don't remember there being as much in the Men in Kilts show and I was expecting something more along those lines. There were some interesting stories about the actual creation of Men in Kilts, but not enough, in my opinion, and I really wish they would have leaned into that more.
I hate to say it, but I also just didn't find Sam and Graham that likeable. They clearly get along very well and enjoy teasing each other and spending time together, but it all came across as very bro-y and immature and just didn't endear them to me at all. Sam also frequently calls Graham a woman as an insult, which really rubbed me the wrong way. The book in general feels a lot more like self-promotion than an exploration of Scottish culture and history.
I listened to the audiobook and did really enjoy hearing their accents (although Graham has a tendency to speak in a whispery way that I found kind of grating, especially because I'd constantly have to adjust the volume up to hear him and then back down when Sam started talking). The combination of being soothed by the Scottish accents while not being that interested in what they were saying made me zone out quite a bit though, and I usually couldn't be bothered to go back and listen to what I'd missed.
Although this book sadly wasn't for me, it might be fun for you if you really love Outlander and/or Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish. And I would definitely recommend the audiobook over reading a physical copy!
funny
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
slow-paced
A blessing for our ears during a ridiculous week. I have 2 hardcover copies, but this is definitely one to be enjoyed on audio. 60% history book, 20% the narrators trolling each other, and 20% drinking and adventures, it’s 100% likely to be my favorite thing I listened to all month.
adventurous
funny
informative
medium-paced
So I absolutely loved this book. Besides the fact that I love Outlander and Sam and Graham, this was a fascinating read. I like seeing all the different areas of Scotland and hearing all the history. If you decide to read this, do yourself a favor and listen to the audio. I truly think my experience would have been so different if I didn't listen to the audiobook. Sam and Graham narrate their adventure and it's perfect.
I really enjoyed this book. I’m rather jealous of the trip they took around Scotland and the antics they got up to. I’ve been to a fair few of the places they visited and having them tell the history and they rather drunkenly weave their way through the country side is great. Despite the descriptions of Scotland’s rather violent history, it’s definitely a feel good book that shows a great friendship between the two men.