My selection of travel and history books inspired by drinking culture and drinks.
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Following on from the previous foodie edition last season, this instalment of Armchair Travel is heading to the bar and ordering a cocktail, inspired by books about drinking cultures around the world and by travellers discovering the world through the bottom of a glass. So read on for a selection of drink-themed travel books and some stories inspired by alcohol-fuelled adventures. There are also a couple of non-alcoholic options on the menu too.
Here are 10 of my favourite books inspired by drink and travel.
Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram – Iain Banks
The premise of the book is simple, Banks, an appreciator of single malts and classic cars, tours the back roads of Scotland visiting distilleries, sampling Scotch, and sharing stories over a quality dram with friends. The knowledge of his subjects, from Scottish history and urban climbing to global geopolitics and the technical side of the whisky-making process is worn lightly, and anecdotes are shared with genuine enthusiasm and excellent writing, making him seem a more convivial Bryson. This is the only non-fiction work by one of my favourite authors and for fans of Banks, as close to an autobiography as we’ll get. Buy it here.
The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee – Stewart Lee Allen
Backpacker Allen traces the journey of coffee, from its origins in the mountains of Ethiopia over the Red Sea to Yemen, where coffee was first grown commercially, then through the threads of trade across the Ottoman Empire, to Turkey, where coffee house culture originates. The Ottomans again bring the drink to Europe, to the coffee houses of 1600s Vienna, along with a more enlightened and intellectual outlook born over coffee house debates, and to Italy, where a group of monks give rise to the drink we know today as cappuccino. Allen ships out to Brazil, working his passage, then picks up the journey from plantations to the roadside diners in the U.S.A. Get it here.
Cooking with Fernet Branca – James Hamilton-Paterson
A snobbish English author takes a secluded hilltop villa in Tuscany to work in solitude on his latest project, as the ghostwriter of celebrity autobiographies, while indulging in culinary experiments with local produce. The peace is shattered when another resident moves in, a brash film score composer from an ex-Soviet state, who may or may not have connections to organised crime. What follows is a classic odd-couple tale filled with misunderstandings and hilarious misadventures, and horrendously assembled meals designed to drive each other away, always washed down with copious volumes of the bitter herb liqueur of the title. Buy it here.
McCarthy’s Bar: A Journey of Discovery in Ireland – Pete McCarthy
Travel broadcaster and writer McCarthy explores the west coast of Ireland from Cork in the south to Donegal in the north, with no specific destination in mind, but at all times obeying the rule “never pass a bar that has your name on it”. In McCarthy’s bars up and down the country, he finds interesting and eccentric characters, and through sharing their often hilarious stories, he gains insights into the history of Ireland from the Great Hunger to the War of Independence and the impending Celtic Tiger, and how that has shaped the national psyche. Find it here.
French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew – Peter Mayle
Though Mayle will be forever associated with Provence though his series of heartwarming books about the life of an English ex-pat in a small rural village, this book ventures further afield to explore the regional food and drink fairs and festivals of France. He’d drawn by things which seem as alien to the British palate as possible; truffles, frog’s legs, snails, but mainly the wine. He indulges in delicious meals with good company, samples various vintages, and participates in the famous Marathon du Médoc (as a spectator), where runners break for wine rather than water. An easy, enjoyable read. Find it here.
Oranges – John McPhee
Inspired by a glass of juice at breakfast in the 1960s, McPhee planned to write a magazine article on the orange industry at what was a transformational time, as increasingly juice concentrates were produced and the future of the harvest looked towards mechanisation. The result was this distinctive book, a classic of non-fiction reportage. McPhee traces the journey of the fruit, from its origins in South East Asia, the royal connections which brought it to the shores of Andalucia, and across the Atlantic to the citrus groves of Florida. Along the way, he interviews people involved in the sector from orange pickers and individual growers, to citrus agro-scientists, factory owners and corporate heads. Get it here.
Wine and War: The French, The Nazis, and the Battle for France’s Greatest Treasure – Don Kladstrup and Petie Kladstrup
While many of us will be familiar with the WWII history surrounding the Allied invasion of Normandy, less well known is the parallel invasion in the south of France, spearheaded by the Free French forces, landing around Nice and fighting through the Rhône valley. Battles in the invasion were directed toward vineyards of inferior quality, preserving the superior crop with an eye to economic recovery, and reclaiming the character of the beleaguered nation. This history book is an easy read with an unfamiliar take on a well-covered topic, looking at the role of wine, and winemakers, often key members of the French Resistance, on the Nazi occupation of France. Get it here.
Whisky Galore – Compton Mackenzie
A gentle comic tale set in the Western Isles of Scotland at the height of WWII, which gave rise to the classic Ealing comedy. Rationing has affected the fictional islands of Great and Little Todday, long-term rivals on either side of the religious schism that crosses the Hebrides, brought to a head when the local whisky supply runs dry. The SS Cabinet Minister, laden with whisky, grounds on the reefs surrounding the islands, and the locals take advantage of the situation before the arrival of Customs authorities from the mainland.
This novel is based on real events. In 1941, the cargo ship SS Politician ran aground on the island of Eriskay with a cargo of thousands of cases of whisky, destined for the American market. Locals who “liberated” the salvaged goods were later charged with theft, though most were released with a not proven verdict. Get it here.
Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause – Tom Gjelten
Journalist Gjelten gives a comprehensive account of the history of Cuba in the lead-up to the revolution led by Fidel Castro, viewed through the lens of the Bacardi family. Facundo Bacardi, an immigrant from Spain arriving in Cuba in 1830, revolutionised the production of rum, turning a rough cane spirit into a smooth, blended spirit. His son, Facundo Jr., refined the process further, developing a premium product with high demand. His son, Emilio, used the company operations, and finances, as a front to support efforts for Cuban independence from Spain, initiating a long political affiliation for the family and the company. Find it here.
Withnail and I: The Original Screenplay – Bruce Robinson
The original screenplay of one of my favourite films. A dark comedy with sharp, brilliant dialogue (which, if you’ve seen the film, no doubt you can quote verbatim). Withnail and Marwood (the “I” of the title) are out-of-work actors, who leave their squalid flat in Camden Town for a cottage in the Lake District for a retreat designed to revitalise their careers. That does not happen, but the following drunken misadventures are alternately hilarious, bleak and bittersweet. Filmed in 1987, the movie is a cult classic and stands up to the test of time. It’s absolutely worth checking out too. Buy it here.
Do you have any drink-inspired travel books to recommend to me? Leave a comment below.
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