Amazon.com
In The Doctor's House Ann Beattie gives us a brother, a sister, and a mother--all attempting to make sense of themselves, each other, and their tyrannical father/husband. The novel consists of three narratives. First, Nina, a forlorn copyeditor still mourning her husband's sudden death, takes an interest in her brother Andrew's past sexual exploits and relationships (he contacts ex-lovers who then seek out Nina to mull over his wayward promiscuity). Second, Nina's alcoholic mother, always distant from her children and hurt by her physician husband's self-absorption and countless affairs, offers her view. Third, Andrew analyzes his father's behavior and gives us his take on looking up old flings.
Unfortunately Nina and Andrew aren't terribly engaging: a depressed Nina trudges through life, and the majority of the novel proceeds accordingly. The mother's point of view is the most interesting. She shares hypotheses about why her children are inseparable yet estranged from their parents. The reader hears about the father only through the family's accounts of his rage, twisted logic, and proclivities, all of which easily justify the dysfunctional state of the family. Nina summarizes her family in succinct prose: "My father never smiled; my mother narrowed her eyes when her lips turned up, as if happiness caused her discomfort. Andrew did smile: a slow, almost dreamy smile, his face so relaxed he might have been falling asleep to sweet dreams as he looked into your eyes. I never saw that expression except for the times we were alone." The Doctor's House has its moments, but fans of Beattie will continue to champion her stories foremost. --Michael Ferch
Book Description
An impeccable ear for language, an eye for the smallest shifts in the cultural landscape, and a preternatural understanding of motivation and behavior -- Ann Beattie's renowned storytelling abilities are on dazzling display in The Doctor's House.
The novel opens to Nina's account of her brother's sexual appetites and betrayals, and leads into her mother's narrative. As new shadows and light are cast on Nina's story, painful secrets of life in her father's house -- the doctor's house -- emerge. In the dramatic third movement, the brother gives us his perspective. Through subtle shifts, The Doctor's House chronicles the fictions three people fabricate in order to survive their lives and showcases the keen observances of family and culture that have made Beattie one of our most admired voices.
Download Description
An ear for language of the highest order, profound compassion for characters, an eye for the smallest shifts in the cultural landscape, and a preternatural understanding of motivation and behavior -- Ann Beattie's renowned storytelling abilities, for which she won the 2000 PEN/Bernard Malamud Prize, are on dazzling display in The Doctor's House. We open this novel to a woman's account of her brother's sexual appetites and his betrayals of his lovers, which he has a need to confess to his sister. Nina, a reclusive copy editor, should have better things to do than to track Andrew's escapades. Since her husband's tragic death, she has become solitary and defensive -- and as compulsive about her brother as he is about sex. When the first movement ends, the melody is taken up by their mother. New shadows and new light fall on Nina's account as painful secrets of life in the house of their father, the doctor's house, emerge. In the dramatic third movement, the brother gives us his perspective, and as Beattie takes us into Andrew's mind, there is the suggestion that Nina is less innocent and less detached than she maintains. Through subtle shifts, The Doctor's House chronicles the fictions three people fabricate in order to interpret, to justify, or simply to survive their lives. "Few novelists," said The Washington Post, "are more adept at creating fictional atmospheres that eerily simulate the texture of everyday life."
Customer Reviews:
Dysfunctional Families.......2007-09-22
This novel is an authentic and well written story about a very dysfunctional family with real survivors. Beattie's writing is good, and she is able to create believable and likable characters the reader is always hoping will survive all the chaos.
The Doctor's House.......2006-01-13
I am relieved to see that this book has only an average 2 star rating. I have read better writing in any woman's magazine. The characters were utterly boring; the plot negigible; the writing merely musings clearly from the author's,not the characters' minds. Another sad case of author reputation excusing publication. If this had been penned by an unknown writer I hope it wouldn't have seen the light of day!I keep my own rating system for books read- this rates only a 1 out of 10.
not worth my time.......2005-09-15
By the time I reached part 3 of this novel, I was sincerely hoping that some culminating event would tie together the separate parts of the novel - I was sorely disappointed. As I read the last few pages of the novel, I thought, why did I bother to read this entire novel? While the foundation and storyline were interesting and had potential, I felt that there was no development - the story never progressed into anything. I found it difficult to be empathetic to any of the characters; the only interesting part was the mother's perspective. Do not waste your time on this story.
Diagnosis: Boring.......2004-10-11
I suppose I should begin by admitting I've never read anything by Ann Beattie before. I was drawn to this novel because it promises one of those he said/she said type narratives that can be so compelling, ideally multifaceted. A sister begins narrating the story of her brother, a sex addict who has systematically begun contacting girls from high school about ten or so years down the line. The mother and the brother himself chime in to continue the story, which grows to reveal a physically abusive father, the title doctor. With all the awards Beattie has stacked, it seemed like a safe bet.
Instead, however, the book defines mediocrity. The characters are one-dimensional, the setting nonexistent, the plot overinflated, and the writing flat and lifeless. The only thing preventing me from calling this the worst book I've ever read is that I said that already and it might affect my credibility as a pathetic online reviewer.
Although there must be hundreds of characters in this book, only three really matter, the three narrators: Nina, the sister, the mother (there're so many minor little characters in this book I forget the mother's name), and Andrew, the brother. They are really the same character, however, since no distinguishing markers of voice or personality quirks mark their three separate sections of the novel. Furthermore, each is a perfectly rendered cliché. Nina is the depressed widow traumatized by her husband's death; the mother is the alcoholic doctor's wife; and Andrew is the abused son become a sex addict. None of the three narrators is insightful or compelling; you don't get the push-and-pull of the good he said/she said story, where inevitably you're supposed to be compelled to "take sides." Instead, you really can't wait for any of them to stop blithering. In Nina's section, you are quickly baffled as to why this woman actually cares about this nasty brother of hers. In the mother's section, Beattie's efforts at providing "explanations" for the bits and pieces of the family's past Nina has already recounted quickly tire you with their lack of complexity. With Andrew, you marvel that anyone could be so completely in denial about his own behavior. Beattie has no compassion for nor understanding of any of these characters. They are chess pieces in a creative writing exercise, and it shows.
Furthermore, although Beattie constantly mentions the Cambridge environment, she does little more than that, as if simply mentioning it were somehow enough to create a sense of place. Again, there's that feeling that these characters are chess pieces, none of them products of any particular time or place, despite references to generally repressive post-WWII commandments for women made to supply the place of true characterization when it comes to several frustrated housewives and unwed mothers in the story. Other than this transparent technique, all you get is much coffee drinking, and a series of generic "bars" where the characters collect to talk, and talk, and then talk some more. About the only place outside this vacuum is the mother's girlhood bedroom, which Beattie pauses in the parade of chatting to describe in some detail. But these are people who don't really work, or live in actual homes.
Other than to describe the mother's room, however, Beattie's writing seems, at best, grammatically correct. I was so starved for a cleverly twisted line, or anything remotely resembling a visual, I actually found myself happy over this: "My father looked at things so squarely, everything he saw was framed in negativity." Until, of course, I mulled it over some and realized how little squareness and negativity have in common. The dialogue is unimaginable. Beattie must have had a uniquely happy childhood to have such a poor imagination when it comes to what an abusive parent sounds like, or, for that matter, acts like.
At the heart of the problems with the novel is, of course, the plot, which is sketchy, at best, loosely held together by the concept that childhood abuse always makes for good drama. You marry a doctor because that's what you're supposed to do if you were born to a certain generation, and, when he turns out to be a philandering egomaniac, you drink. The children suffer. Somehow, however, in the hands of a good writer, such plots can be brought to life (Ann Tyler's The Amateur Marriage is a much better example of this sort of family, although it doesn't stoop to narrating physical abuse to create drama). But add to the triteness of the plot an obsession with high school, and you might as well be calling up Shannen Doherty to pose on your cover. Here is the rationale for following brother Andrew around as he looks up girls from high school to sleep with: "Because you maintain a real connection with those people, the same way you never really disconnect from your family. You can't renounce the people who defined your adolescence any more than you can banish family members." If you believe that, then maybe the cavalcade of Jenny-this and Patty-that and Diane-whomever that Andrew digs up will amuse you. Maybe, if Beattie had put together some plausible picture of a small neighborhood or particularly claustrophobic high school, I'd be willing to contemplate the idea (she doesn't; I've never seen anyone place so much importance on high school without ever going into the building). If you're not defined by four years of your whole life, however, you'll just be bored to death.
So glad I only spent $6.00 for the hardcover!.......2004-09-18
The jacket of this book leads you to believe there would be complex matters involved and quite differing points of views from the characters that all went through the same events of their years in "the doctor's house", however that's not the case. I was quite bored with the book as the characters never change, they never "snap out of it" and get a life. To me, it's all surface, no substance. Maybe Lifetime Channel could make a movie out of it.
Product Description
"A parcel of lazy, idle fellars, that are always smoking and drinking and lounging...a parcel of young cutters and carvers of live people's bodies, that disgraces the lodgings." Bobsawyer's lanlady in Pickwick Papers, a quote in the inside of this book.
A great medical story of the times!
Amazon.com
A.A. Attanasio presents a flamboyant recounting of the myths of Camelot in The Wolf and the Crown, which continues the story of The Dragon and the Unicorn and The Eagle and the Sword. This particular Camelot features a demonic Merlin, Hollow Hills full of tiny faeries "in nightgowns of fog and sticky halos," and a callow High King whose devout prayers to Mary close each of his viewpoint chapters. Attanasio loves the surface flash of words, and The Wolf and the Crown is as dazzling as a jeweled necklace, with occasional flaws, such as references to Brownian motion or "Bunsen blue," that intrude into the concoction of fantasy, mythology, and Arthurian lore. The myths of Camelot, dear to fantasy readers, provide Attanasio with the perfect setting for his intricate lapidary. --Blaise Selby
Book Description
The Warrior King
Arthor, Eagle of Thor, has triumphed through war. Now Britain--and destiny--are his to claim. Already rolling on the roads from Tintagel to Camelot is the great wheel that will become the Round Table.
But the perilous order promised by Arthor's victory is threatened by forces beyond human ken. For Merlin has descended into Hell, to fend with the Fire Lords who give the Universe its shimmering form. And for the young king himself, there is a sacred Graal, and an Earthly love, to seek...
A. A. Attanasio's epic retelling of humankind's most beloved legend weaves into one magnificent tapestry the hallowed warp of Arthurian lore, the shaggy woof of Druidic myth, and the shimmering strands of quantum science.
Customer Reviews:
'Wolf...' interesting but falls short.......1999-08-26
Attansio's interpretation of teh Arthurian legend is fascinating and well-written, but it took this reader nearly 100 pages to become acclimated to the author's bizarre shortened chapters. Attanasio abbeviates his scenes so that they last no longer than 1 1/2 pages at the most.
Interestingly, it doesn't appear that his work suffers because of it...yet it was still disconcerting. This was the first Attanasio book I've read. Despite what others have written, it is possible to use this as a jumping-off point into his novels.
A terrible disappointment........1999-04-16
Attanasio is one of my favorite writers - constantly innovative, frequently lyrical, and until this book he hadn't disappointed me. It's not a bad story, but it falls far below the standard of work that I've come to expect from this man. The first two books in this series are delightful, and as good as anything Attanasio's ever done. I finished this one, however, only to keep up with the series. Rerad this book if you've been drawn into the series, but by no means let it be your introduction to the work of this talented author.
A detailed account of Arthur's first year as king........1999-04-01
The Wolf And The Crown is a beautiful weaving of the classic story of Arthur, except now the tale has an original factor to it. Attanasio is a very talented author; he combines legend with his own mythology. I loved it because Attanasio used characters from several beliefs; he didn't just focus on Christianity. You may believe this weird, but I think that his stories compare with The Wild Road, mostly because King's and Attanasio's details are similar. Such as: They both describe the weather, surroundings, features of an animal or person, and attitudes very thouroughly. I reccomend this book to everyone in the universe!!!
Fantastic, not-to-be-missed!.......1998-11-28
The third book in AA Attanasio's fabulous telling of the King Arthor myths, the Wolf and the Crown follows the young king through the first year of his reign. He must prove to his subjects that he is a worthy king, and must prove to himself that he is a good man even though he fell prey to his witchy half sister's seductions. This book, as all of Attanasio's, is very different from its predecessors. The chapters are short, perfect two-page cliff hangers that whirl the reader between the various characters and situations. In some ways, this book is much more horrific than the ones that came before, but it is leavened with great humor. It focuses on Arthor's humanity, but has the elements of the strange and magical we've come to expect from Mr. Attanasio. Gods old and new, ghosts, witches, demons, angels, vampires, dwarves, a monkey, elves, stolen and misplaced souls, the hell that is our present day, the fabulous world tree that is the magnetic field surrounding the earth, the hollow hills above the dragon at the heart of the earth, heroic adventure, and selfless sacrifice, it is all there weaving a tapestry of magic and realism. Attanasio is not bound by any of the old tellings of this myth, he takes the characters and elements and makes them uniquely believable, uniquely his own. As in many of Attanasio's books, such as his fantastic first novel Radix and the rare The Moon's Wife, the heros are flawed by their own humanity and must take on painful journeys of self-discovery and change. Don't miss this book, I can't wait for the next ones. I hope he follows the King to Avalon and on, to that far future day of need that is predicted for the King's return.
Deeply Innovative and Imaginative *****.......1998-09-22
This is A. A. Attanasio's third book in a truly unique retelling of the legend of Arthur (or Arthor in this case). Attanasio brings to this new interpretation all the tools at his considerable disposal and they are extremely well used. This series is a slight departure in form in several ways from much of his earlier works since it is meant to be read as a whole; the books in the series draw heavily one upon the other and to read the second and third without the first is to do the series and yourself a terrible injustice... Some may be a bit confused at this unfamiliarity, but it is a result of a thorough attention to detail and the fantastic imagination which readers of Attanasio have come to expect. The series is not a string of stand alone books - it is a real multi-book epic. The plot of this, the third book in this Arthurian series, takes Arthor to the age of budding manhood. So far the boy king has been exactly that - a boy king who has been a lowly servant all his life, with all of the limitations which his lack of age, experience and aspirations would give him in such extraordinary circumstances. But, Arthor is only really a small part of this saga. The story is infinitely more complex than it's "main" figure. Attanasio has again pushed the limits, but this time in the realm of fantasy rather than sci-fi. Those who are looking for the phenomenal leaps of imagination and the amazing worlds which his sci-fi displays like no other's, will perhaps find this a bit sedate, but it is written with a very different intent and should not be judged in the same way as a work from the sci-fi genre. Fantasy is not sci-fi, though Attanasio blurrs the distinction with wonderful skill and those seeking the stimulation of the realm of ideas will NOT be disappointed if they look at the work for what it is. Meticulous research has gone into this series to bring home the amazing diversity and fantastic clash of cultures and their religions which was the very real scene in the British Isles of the 5th century A.D. In most of the books one reads about this part of the world at that time, eveything is candy coated and the truly potent (and completely alien to the modern industrial world/age) intensity of what living in those times would mean is completely lost in a false dream of an age which never existed except in the minds of hackneyed idealistic dreamers. Attanasio has tried valiantly to infuse this dream with a much needed breath of reality and boundary stretching all at once... Some readers may not stretch as well as others, but for a deeply thought provoking and attentive read - this book and series is a masterpiece. I honestly think this is some of his best work to date. I would hazard that if you do not find the book rewarding it is perhaps because you are reading too fast and missing the ideas! And remember that every life goes through stages... This story is describing such a journey and some will find different aspects of a coming of age story more interesting than others... and this story isn't ended with this book...
Average customer rating:
- Let's see more of Sam Crown in the future.
- A well-rounded, fun to read story of deception and love
- Outstanding Book!
- CROWN'S LAW is page-turning entertainment!
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Crown's Law: A Sam Crown Mystery/Thriller
Wolf Wootan
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0595677967 |
Book Description
The three men went into the house and he could hear women screaming. If all the guests did as they were told, give up their jewels, then maybe there would be no shooting-or killing. Sam got to the rear of the van and pulled his gun. He had jacked a shell into the firing chamber when Carole had left him. He cocked it, made sure the safety was on, then walked swiftly down the driver's side of the van. The driver was watching the front entrance, which was on the passenger side. He never knew what hit him. Sam yanked open the door and hit him in the back of the head with his gun. He retrieved the duct tape from beside the still unconscious guard and taped the man's hands to the steering wheel, then taped his mouth. He secured his ankles with tape and took the keys from the ignition and pocketed them. For good measure, he found a twig and let the air out of both tires on the driver's side. Now what? He thought. Where the hell are the cops?
www.wolfwootan.com
Customer Reviews:
Let's see more of Sam Crown in the future........2007-09-24
Are you an aspiring detective (in your dreams)? Do you fantasize about an action-packed job with intriguing relations, impending danger, dangerous contacts, and, of course, wild sex. Then, you need to find your favorite imagination spot, pour a drink, and open the pages of Crown's Law. Once again, Wolf Wootan has captured the mind of the reader with the intriguing adventures of an ace detective as he and his family become personally involved in cracking a case involving very powerful influential crooks. The book is based mainly in the OC where Wolf resided for a number of years. This familiarity with settings draws the reader into searches for biker bars in Santa Ana, walks on the beach around Dana Point, and ventures into Little Saigon. I am looking forward to following Sam Crown as he brings out the Walter Mitty in me during the upcoming years of enjoyable reading.
A well-rounded, fun to read story of deception and love.......2007-01-06
Wolf Wootan is a bit of a dude himself, having been an Air Force pilot. He also has more thanforty years as a computer geek. He has written hundreds of articles for government and private industry, and published EDGE OF TOMORROW, a techno-thriller. Wootan has degrees in Mathematics and Astrophysics.
Sam Crown comes from a wealthy family, with a socialite mother and a father who is ex-CIA. Crown joined the Marines on a lark after high school, which pushed him in the direction of law enforcement and private investigation work. He found he couldn't "help people" while being constrained by law enforcement rules and regulations. Sam is connected and well-respected.He is forty-eight and still is the rich playboy, but isn't quite ready for Becky...a genius waif from the streets whose sister is killed by thugs. Sam takes Becky in and his parents quickly becomeco-parents with Sam, as they educate and develop Becky's considerable intellectual talents. Little do they know that Sam's dummy investigation firm, Mickey Malone Investigations, will be the launching point for a murder that leads to International espionage and FBI agent Rainbow "Bo" Trout. Sam's life will never be the same as he and Bo identify the killers:
"'Well, Big Brother does screw up now and then,' laughed Sam. 'But I have a possible solution. You won't tell me anything about your case, so I'll do some guessing. Since you are looking for Mickey, your case must involve that guy Jackson, who was shot-the guy who had Mickey's business care. Since you seem to have been poorly briefed, maybe you don't know that Jackson has been identified as William Winston. The cops here didn't get far on finding his killer because you Feds swooped down and took all the evidence and the case. Now, finally, you show up. It must be your case now, right?'"
CROWN'S LAW is a mystery/thriller rich in plot and characterization. Wootan's knowledge of mathematics and astrophysics leaks through in his tale, and his career as an Air Force pilot fills in the rest to form a well-rounded, fun to read story of deception and love. Wootan is a bit of a romantic himself, which makes for a fairytale ending and the promise of a sequel. This reviewer is totally hooked and can't wait until his next book comes out. Get writing Mr. Wootan!
Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer
Outstanding Book!.......2006-12-13
Reviewed by William E. Cooper for Reader Views (11/06)
Historically, I have not been a big reader of mystery novels. As a career police officer I've often found the portrayal of law enforcement to be, at best, inaccurate and unreliable. As a result I haven't invested much in these types of books. Having read Mr. Wootan's book, I've changed my mind. Not only is this book far more realistic, it's an outstanding read. It is a genuine page turner, and one of the better books I've read in a long time. The book is so well written, the reader can place himself/herself in the shoes of the characters. It mixes suspense with emotion in such a manner that the reader's attention is never lost.
Mr. Wootan takes the characters and develops them and their relationships extremely well and in a most believable sense. The plot of "Crown's Law" is also well developed and unusual. The combination of these elements results in an outstanding book. If Mr. Wooten produces additional San Crown mysteries, he can count me as a reader. I've been sold on your work sir. Well done!
CROWN'S LAW is page-turning entertainment!.......2006-10-12
Sam Crown enlisted in the Marines in 1970 in a fit of drunken pique. He became a fearless warrior, garnering the nickname of "Crazy Crown" by taking risks fighting the Viet Cong during some of the tough times of the Vietnam War. His valor and bravery earned him the Medal of Honor and a honorable discharge in 1973.
When Sam returned to the States, he went to college and received a degree in Criminal Justice. His "Crazy Crown" tactics came in handy during his tenure with the Orange County Sheriff's Department as a homicide investigator. After some disagreements with superiors and an especially bad domestic incident case, Sam decides to turn in his badge and go the private investigator route. He works for Mickey Malone Investigations, which does a lot of pro bono work for the more upscale Investigations International. There is a running joke about the fact that there is no Mickey Malone.
During his work as a PI, Sam finds Rebecca Rogers aka Becky, after coming upon men assaulting and killing her older sister. Sam and his parents take Becky in and nurture her amazing intelligence. Becky is a math whiz at thirteen, despite her abusive past.
As part of a case, Sam meets Rainbow Trout aka Bo. Bo is an FBI agent who has been wrapped up in her career. She is attracted to Sam, but she is leery of his womanizer reputation.
There is plenty of suspense, action and romance in this latest thriller by Wolf Wootan. The author takes the reader on a break-neck ride to an exciting denouement. Things are nicely tied up, but there is still an opening for a sequel.
Although thrillers are often more plot-based, Mr. Wootan has done a masterful job in developing characters you come to care about. Sam may have his "Crazy" side, but Becky and Bo seem to take off his rough edges and help him mellow. The reader sees both Becky and Bo bloom with the changes in their lives.
CROWN'S LAW is page-turning entertainment and sure to garner Mr. Wootan more fans. I highly recommend his earlier book, EDGE OF TOMORROW, to all who enjoy thrillers.
Roberta M. Austin
Reviewer for Romance Junkies, Murder & Mayhem Book Club, Amazon.com, A Romance Review
Customer Reviews:
A treasure.......2005-03-10
This collection gave me the opportunity to reread the great Fredrick Brown novels, which I had not read since my youth 25 or 35 years ago. I always loved the better known works "What Mad Universe" and "Martians, Go Home," but I was surprised at how powerful and emotive "The Lights in the Sky are Stars" is.
Invites both newcomers and prior fans.......2002-11-11
Martians And Madness is the second of a two-volume set gathering all of Frederic Brown's fine science fiction writings, and holds the complete novels What Mad Universe, Martins Go Home, Rogue In Space, Lights In The Sky Are Stars and The Mind Thing - plus the two novelettes Gateway To Darkness and Gateway To Glory, which were rewritten to become "Rogue In Space". Brown's satire, drama, and solid plots shine forth to invite both newcomers and prior fans.
Book Description
From grain to glass, Whiskey tells you everything and anything you'll ever want to know about whiskey, from storing and serving whiskey, whiskey cocktails, to pairing whiskey with food. Whether interested in the story behind aromas and flavors, what makes certain distilleries unique or how weather and environment influence taste‹this is the most fascinating illustrated examination of whiskey on the market.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Whiskey Book.......2007-08-15
Michael Jackson attempts to tackle a broad subject and does so fairly well. Although, because of scope, little space is dedicated to any one distillery or bottling, none the less if you're a Whisk(e)y enthusiast it's a fun read and a great coffee table book---the pictures alone make it worth the read.
Devin
Head Drinker
[..]
Wonderful Reference.......2006-08-05
Michael Jacksons books seem to be of two basic types;the handy reference size or the coffee table sized folio or tome.This is one of the later. A large book even by his standards, it will probably be considered the definitive work on Whisky for years to come and take it's place with Gary and Mardee Regans Work "The Book of Bourbon" as the standard reposistory of all knowledge and wisdom on the subject at least for the masses if not the cognescenti of whisky for years to come.Generously illustrated and well written it is a cornerstone addition to a whiskey book collection. That being said,while a great attempt to cover the field of whisky and full of very useful and entertaining information, it lacks the details of his and others more specialized books on the subject that some may wish to ferret out.
Worthwhile addition.......2006-02-16
To me, this book is a little more 'coffee-table-book-like' with great info and nice pictures of most of the worlds whiskeys & their environs. there are some guidebook-like reviews of tastings but not as much as MJ's "Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch" which should be part of your collection already! i would go for these two before i went for the 'whiskey bible' which is just tasting notes, jmho,,,,
Beautiful and informative........2006-01-09
This book describes the whiskey making process very thoroughly and has many beautiful pictures of the process from barley fields, to coopers, to the stills. Also, the pictures of the various countries (and distilleries) in which whiskey is made are beautiful and evocative. Although this book is not intended to be a buyer's guide, I do wish that he were a bit more opinionated in his tastings (he describes the aromas and flavors, but doesn't often make a judgement about the overall quality of the whiskey) and that he included some indication of price range of the whiskies that he describes. All in all, a beautiful book that will likely delight anyone (even relative newbies like this reviewer) interested in the whiskies of the world.
He Discussed My Favorite Brands, Ergo a Good Book.......2005-09-21
First off, this Michael Jackson is note THAT Michael Jackson. This Michael Jackson is a consulting editor for Whiskey Magazine, and this book is a summary of years of study of what else -- whiskey.
The first couple of chapters give a general introduction to whiskey. What it is, how is made, the stuff it's made of, just about every aspect. This section goes into pretty good detail giving the interested reader a pretty fair understanding of the whole process.
The back part of the book, and by far the biggest part is called The Whiskey Countries. Beginning with Scotland, and then on to Ireland, Canada, The United States, Japan and the rest of the world he discusses not all of the whiskey's produced, but spends more time on the higher quality brands. I went to look at my favorite brands first, and they were all there.
The problem with these 'best bourbons' is that they are sometimes very difficult to get once you go very far from home. Tomorrow a friend is coming to visit from Virginia. He has promised to bring a couple of bottles of Virginia Gentlemen Small Batch.
Books:
- The Donkey Show (Commonplace Jernt)
- The Duchess and the Commoner
- The First Quarter Of The Moon
- The Honeymoon's Over: True Stories of Love, Marriage, and Divorce
- The Ice Beneath You: A Novel
- The Illusionist
- The Iowa Baseball Confederacy: A Novel
- The Lost Chronicles of Terra Firma (Secret Weavers Series, Vol 10)
- The MacGuffin
- The Matter of Desire: A Novel
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