Clanlands: Whiskey, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other
Written and narrated by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish
Published: November 2020
Summary from Goodreads:
Two Men. One Country. And a lot of whisky.
As stars of “Outlander”, Sam and Graham eat, sleep and breathe the Highlands on this epic road trip around their homeland. They discover that the real thing is even greater than fiction.
“Clanlands” is the story of their journey. Armed with their trusty campervan and a sturdy friendship, these two Scotsmen are on the adventure of a lifetime to explore the majesty of Scotland. A wild ride by boat, kayak, bicycle and motorbike, they travel from coast to loch and peak to valley and delve into Scotland’s history and culture, from timeless poetry to bloody warfare.
With near-death experiences, many weeks in a confined space together, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Graham and Sam’s friendship matures like a fine Scotch. They reflect on their acting careers in film and theatre, find a new awestruck respect for their native country and, as with any good road trip, they even find themselves.
Hold onto your kilts … this is Scotland as you’ve never seen it before.
Confession:
First off I have to confess that I have never read the Outlander books, nor have I watched the show. I know very little about the books or show except for the basic premise that it involves time travel, Scotland and a romance. So why would I pick this book up? Well, I have always been interested in Scotland, I went there on my honeymoon 30+ years ago, and I love learning about its history and culture. So this was just the kind of book I would enjoy. Plus I enjoy road trip stories, so this is a win all around. I did enjoy this book, but I do sort of wish there had been more history and a little less shenanigans between the two narrators and talk about Outlander.
Both Sam Heughan and Graham Mctavish have wonderful voices that I could listen to all day and never get tired of. They obviously have a wonderful relationship and I loved how they interrupted each other. That said, their voices are similar and it was hard sometimes to know who was talking. I would love to listen to a fiction book narrated by either of them. They would be great.
The parts of the book I enjoyed the most was the history of the Highlands with the focus on the events that inspired the Outlander books. They visit the battle sites and talk about the clan wars which lasted centuries, as well as the wars and battles with England. The Scottish history is just as difficult to follow with all of the different names as the english, but these authors did make it entertaining. Even though the english tried to wipe out their culture, they did persevere and it is great that many of their traditions are returning, including their language.
The road trip aspect of the story had more to do with their show Men in Kilts, which sounds very entertaining. It reminds me a bit of Top Gear, where the hosts have a great relationship and visit interesting places. It is a show that I will have to check out at some point.
If you are a fan of either the books or the show, this is a nonfiction book that will interest you. I especially recommend that you listen to the audiobook as they have fantastic voices and do a wonderful job with narrating the book.
