Scan barcode
critterbee's review
3.0
Drinking in the Culture covers reviews beer destinations in twenty-four locations on the European Continent and in the United Kingdom, with small sections about interesting sights near each destination.
There are many valuable evaluations of popular and lesser known beer-centric travel destinations, which are written in a straightforward manner concentrating on comfort, staff friendliness, and beer quality. This is very helpful to those seeking a no-nonsense, honest and concise accounting of drinking houses.
There were some negatives. I did not enjoy the slightly condescending flavor of the writing. As a positive within the negative, that does indicate that the authors are not authors by trade, yet have written this themselves. Any ghost writing would likely have removed that tone, so this book seems to be a pure expression of the authors' experiences. That has great merit and does much to recommend this as an honestly written account of the authors' impressions. However, an anecdote about savoring the sight of fellow travelers panhandling for cash because they were unaware of local banking hours seemed overly smug and self-satisfied. To be fair, after a few minutes, the authors assisted said fellow travelers.
Having fewer travel tips would improve the book, and in this edition they are much less important than the establishment evaluations. Drinking in the Culture should be completely focused on the beer drinking aspect. The book does not benefit from the generic packing tips, pickpocket avoidance advice, and how to otherwise "make your trip almost as safe as a visit to Busch Gardens." Also included was cringe-worthy advice such as "look pitiful" if hotels are sold out, always demand to see rooms before booking them and avoid wearing flip-flops. For those who think that flip-flops are appropriate for walking on ancient walkways and suitable for cathedrals, more tips than are included in this book are in order.
The destinations are in alphabetical order rather than geographical, which I have not found to be helpful while traveling. My personal preference is to have information set up geographically so I can explore a larger area when planning. Searching for specific locations can be done using the Table of Contents or Index.
As a companion to a more thorough travel book, this would be helpful for beer hunting travelers with beer discovery as their primary motivation. I would not recommend this as the only travel guide to read before a European trip, but then again, it does not have to be the sole resource. Many people travel with or consult several guides before and during their trip, and I feel like this book would best serve in a supporting role.
Everyone has individual travel styles. My overall impression was that this book would be useful for beginner travels wanting to go on the beer path through Europe.
**eARC Netgalley**
There are many valuable evaluations of popular and lesser known beer-centric travel destinations, which are written in a straightforward manner concentrating on comfort, staff friendliness, and beer quality. This is very helpful to those seeking a no-nonsense, honest and concise accounting of drinking houses.
There were some negatives. I did not enjoy the slightly condescending flavor of the writing. As a positive within the negative, that does indicate that the authors are not authors by trade, yet have written this themselves. Any ghost writing would likely have removed that tone, so this book seems to be a pure expression of the authors' experiences. That has great merit and does much to recommend this as an honestly written account of the authors' impressions. However, an anecdote about savoring the sight of fellow travelers panhandling for cash because they were unaware of local banking hours seemed overly smug and self-satisfied. To be fair, after a few minutes, the authors assisted said fellow travelers.
Having fewer travel tips would improve the book, and in this edition they are much less important than the establishment evaluations. Drinking in the Culture should be completely focused on the beer drinking aspect. The book does not benefit from the generic packing tips, pickpocket avoidance advice, and how to otherwise "make your trip almost as safe as a visit to Busch Gardens." Also included was cringe-worthy advice such as "look pitiful" if hotels are sold out, always demand to see rooms before booking them and avoid wearing flip-flops. For those who think that flip-flops are appropriate for walking on ancient walkways and suitable for cathedrals, more tips than are included in this book are in order.
The destinations are in alphabetical order rather than geographical, which I have not found to be helpful while traveling. My personal preference is to have information set up geographically so I can explore a larger area when planning. Searching for specific locations can be done using the Table of Contents or Index.
As a companion to a more thorough travel book, this would be helpful for beer hunting travelers with beer discovery as their primary motivation. I would not recommend this as the only travel guide to read before a European trip, but then again, it does not have to be the sole resource. Many people travel with or consult several guides before and during their trip, and I feel like this book would best serve in a supporting role.
Everyone has individual travel styles. My overall impression was that this book would be useful for beginner travels wanting to go on the beer path through Europe.
**eARC Netgalley**
More...