| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | |
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1 | Location | Book | Author | # of Attendees | Book Rating | Book Comments | Scotch/Whiskey | Scotch Ratings | Scotch Comments | ||||||||||||
2 | 2007-09-25 | Brian Fidler | Arthur & George | Julian Barnes | 3 | Overall positive-somewhat distracting to have alternating chapters on the two characters; Arthur's obsession with spiritualism also a distraction | Macallan 12 year | ||||||||||||||
3 | 2007-11-14 | Dave Riggert | The English Passengers | Matthew Kneall | 3 | Book well rec'd, most 4 of 5. Tasmania and all. Brit Lit already getting overplayed. Macallan very good, not great. Bourbon surprisingly good. | Macallan 21 year Lagavulin 16 year Surrenden Farm pre-prohibition Cedar Creek bourbon | 2 3 2 | |||||||||||||
4 | 2008-01-24 | Matt Hickox | Thunderstruck | Erik Larson | 3 | Generally pretty good, interesting to learn about Marconi, the Crippen murder sub-plot wasn't all that necessary or relevant, could have delved into more of the technology and business issues behind Marconi's work, Larson's similarly structured "Devil in the White City" is a better read | McClellands Highland Sherry Finish-12 year McClellands Highland-16 year | ||||||||||||||
5 | 2008-03-13 | Phil Francisco | The Plot Against America | Phillip Roth | 3 | Started as lukewarm reception but discussion realized that we appreciated more than originally thought | Linkwood 15 Year Speyside Scapa 13 Year Highland | ||||||||||||||
6 | 2008-05-08 | Randy Pfenninger | Human Smoke | Nicholson Baker | 1 | Book was pretty much thumbs down for everyone. One called it a "cut and paste" of New York Times articles | Balvenie 12 Year Dalwhinnie 15 Year | ||||||||||||||
7 | 2008-07-02 | Bill Ellerkamp | Seeing | José Saramago | 3 | Book got a 3.5-4 rating (out of 5). Everyone agreed it was a good change of pace. His long winded sentences left something to be desired but everyone felt he was a good writer. Good discussion on the repressive government and people's responses to it. | Laghavulan 16 year MacCallan 12 year | ||||||||||||||
8 | 2008-09-17 | Ted Lapres | The Tender Bar | J.R. Moehringer | 3 | Book got a straight thumbs up. It generated the most discussion of any book to date. We all conjectured on the relevance of it being the book for all incoming BC students to read. Everyone enjoyed the various characters in the book. | Ardbeg Famous Grouse | ||||||||||||||
9 | 2008-10-30 | Matt Foley | Appaloosa | Robert Parker | 2 | Described as pleasant and light, like sugar popcorn. Writing was sparse and Brian Fiedler, who saw the movie, described it in similar terms. Matt gave it a C+. On our rating scale, maybe a 2 or 2.5. | Glenmorangie-Original 10 year Bowmore-12 year | ||||||||||||||
10 | 2009-01-22 | John Cole | Angle of Repose | Wallace Stegner | 3 | Strong thumbs up on the book- general consensus was the best one to date | Linlithgow 21 years (Springbank) The Balvenie, Sherry Oak- 17 years | ||||||||||||||
11 | 2009-03-30 | Rae White | The Jungle | Sinclair Lewis | 1 | Interesting discussion on the meat packing industry and turn of the century conditions. Overall thumbs down or lukewarm reception to the book- the Socialist rant at the end was particularly panned | Scapa 14 year Single Malt Abelour 12 year Single Malt | ||||||||||||||
12 | 2009-05-13 | Ed McNierney | The Amazng Adventures of Kavalier & Clay | Michael Chabon | 3 | Despite competition from the Bruins, Celtics, travel, and everything else, a stalwart five-man crew met last night to review "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" and to inspect the Speyside collection. Both were reported on favorably; the book got three thumbs-up votes from the three present who had read it recently (Ted enjoyed the book a few years ago and abstained from the vote, and Dave just enjoyed the Scotch). The Scotch was also well-liked, although I heard no shouts of "Eureka!", both bottles were well-sampled and had their partisan supporters. We did an excellent job of making erudite- sounding comments about the book interspersed with commentary about computers, Eli Lilly, the Celtics, and a comparative climatology discussion on Taiwan and central Brazil in the summer. We've now made a complete pass through our membership, not counting Chris. We felt it was unfair to either volunteer Chris to serve as host before attending, or to sign up Brian in his absence. After debating the merits of just taking the summer off, we opted for something perhaps a bit shorter and / or lighter, to be selected by Dave Riggert. Dave will serve as our host on Tuesday, June 30 for our next meeting, so get that one on your calendars. | Cragganmore The Glenrothes | 2 2 | |||||||||||||
13 | 2009-10-08 | Brian Fidler | The Elegance of the Hedgehog | Muriel Barbery | Aberlour a'bunadh (sherry oak cask aged) Macallan 12-year | ||||||||||||||||
14 | 2009-11-19 | Dave Riggert | The First Fall Classic | Mike Vaccaro | 3 | Relatively good discussion on the book and baseball in the old days- No vote was taken but people generally liked the book A lively discussion followed on doing business in China and the current healthcare debate. We also the senatorial pre-vote split among 4 candidates | Duncan Taylor-29 year-Strathclyde Ardburg-Corryvreckan | 3 2 | Duncan Taylor - quite gone | ||||||||||||
15 | 2010-01-07 | Phil Francisco | Beijing Coma | Ma Jian | 3 | Overall some very good reviews on the book an on the scotch. Several said it was a book they would not otherwise have read but got a lot out of. | Hart Brothers 16 Year Glen Scotia (sherry oak) Lagavulin 1991 16 Year Distillers Ed. (sherry oak) | ||||||||||||||
16 | 2010-03-02 | Matt Hickcox | The Corrections | Jonathan Franzen | 3 | 6 out of 7 liked the book very much, with the 7th vote a thumbs down due to the depressing nature of the characters. The discussion was rich with material since we all had interesting stories of our childhood; pleasant memories and baggage all mixed into one. | Bunnahabhain 18 year old (Islay) Edradour 19 year old (Highland) | ||||||||||||||
17 | 2010-04-28 | Brian Mullins | City of Thieves | David Benioff | 3 | Reviews of the book ranged from good to great. Although a few members thought the author missed a chance to create a true epic. The single malt ratings were in a similar range - good to great - with the great ratings for the "hand imported" Linkwood. | Ardbeg Uigeadail (Islay) Linkwood Single Cask 1994 (Speyside) | 2 3 | |||||||||||||
18 | 2010-06-09 | Matt Foley | Silent Cal's Almanack | David Pietrusza | 3 | Most found the book refreshing for its variance from a standard novel and the fact that no one knew much about Calvin Coolidge. Many quotes have resonance today.The format and editing left something to be desired. Those e readers missed the wonderful collection of pictures at the end. Overall, thumbs up. The Bruichladdich was a hit. Very smooth and flavorful and unpeated for a Islay. The full bodied Talisker attacked with smoke after the smooth Bruichladdich. Some talk of trying some some Bourbon. | Bruichladdich- multivintage Talisker 10 year | 3 2 | |||||||||||||
19 | 2010-07-22 | Bill Ellerkamp | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Ken Kesey | 3 | Unanimous thumbs up on the book. The consensus seemed to be that it was the second best book we've read after Angle of Repose. Interestingly, Ken Kesey was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford. Neither of the first two Scotches seemed particularly memorable, but seemed to pair nicely. | Oban 14 Signatory Vintage 17 Year Old Old #7 | 1 1 3 | |||||||||||||
20 | 2010-09-28 | Chris Dulaney | Turning Angel | Greg Iles | 2 | The old # 7 was really good. The other was mediocre. The book was titillating. A real page turner | Basil Haydens whiskey, Some kind of Rye whiskey. | 1 | |||||||||||||
21 | 2010-11-22 | Randy Pfenninger | Travels With Charley | John Steinbeck | 3 | Generally thumbs up on the book or at least above neutral. Steinbeck is a great writer and it came through in the book. Unfortunately he lost his steam somewhere in his travels, west of Chicago and clearly by the time he reached Texas. So the book fizzled out a bit at the end. Scotch selections well received, particularly the Arbelour that was fully consumed. | Balvenie 15 year | 3 3 | |||||||||||||
22 | 2011-01-11 | Ted Lapres | Conversation in the Cathedral | Mario Vargas Llosa | 2 | Folks recognized Llosa is a good writer, as witnessed by his Nobel prize. But it was a struggle working through his complex writing style and non-linear events and dialogue. Book picked up steam later and had good characters and drama as it unfolded. Unfortunately only Matt H and Ted got to experience this section. Ted made up for his book selection with his Hart Brothers scotch selection which received rave reviews. | Hart Brothers 18 years Balvenie 15 year | 3 3 | |||||||||||||
23 | 2011-03-01 | John Cole | Plato and a Platypus walk into a bar | Cathcart and Klein | All agreed that the book was a light but fun read. We also greed that the Glenfiddich Marketing people were in overdrive with their packaging of the Snow Phoenix. That said, the Scotch was light, tasty, and gone by the end of the night. The Talisker was characteristically smoky but smooth - and also nearly gone... | Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix Talisker 18 year | 3 3 | ||||||||||||||
24 | 2011-04-28 | Rae White | What is the What | David Eggers | 3 | 10-11 Thumbs up on the book and the Irish Whiskey from those in attendance. After wiping out the Scotch at John's it appeared 3 bottles may be in order. The Redbreast was almost gone, the Bushmills 2/3 empty and the Jameson was almost half gone. The group like them all and seemed to be split between the Redbreast and the Bushmills. The book discussion was lively as we compared and contrasted the difference in the development between South America and Africa and this diverted attention from China and the NFL draft. | Redbrest Single Malt Irish Whiskey Aged 12 Years (2010 Irish Whiskey of the Year) Bushmills Irish Whiskey Aged 16 Years - Single Malt Jameson Limited Reserve Irish Whiskey (a blend) Aged 18 Years | 3 3 3 | |||||||||||||
25 | 2011-06-07 | Ed McNierney | The Tragedy of Arthur | Arthur Phillips | 2 | The book was "love it or hate it" - no one in the middle | |||||||||||||||
26 | 2011-08-08 | Dave Riggert | The Big Short | Michael Lewis | 3 | Thumbs up on the book more for the relevant discussions that it fostered rather than the inherent wit/intellect. The Blackadder was considered harsh bu most. The Oban was well received, however not much of either was left by night's end. | 1998 Blackadder - Laiphrog 12 yr Islay 115 proof 1992 Oban - 15 yrs | 2 3 | |||||||||||||
27 | 2011-10-06 | Bill Knuff | Sailing Alone Around the Room The Trouble with Poetry | Billy Collins | 3 | Thumbs up on exploring the genre, the poet, and the selections. "Sailing…" was considered the better of the two collections. It was a late night with discussions ranging from recurring themes to personal favorites. The Balvenie aged in rum casks seemed to resonate more with everyone than the big, smoky Peat Monster. | Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14yrs The Peat Monster, Compass Box Signatory Vintage - Highland Park, Island Malt 20yr Sherry Cask 46% | 2 2 3 | |||||||||||||
28 | 2011-12-06 | Phil Francisco | Let the Great World Spin | Collum McCann | 3 | Thumbs enthusiastically up for both book and whisky. As for the book, one of the resounding comments from everyone was the positive reaction to the way McCann was able to take on the voice of the different "narrators" from one chapter to the next so successfully, and how each seemed to be both a short story unto itself while also serving to complete the whole picture. There were several comments about the wonderful turns of phrase throughout the book. Brian picked up on several quotations from Yeats, and the fact that the title is from Tennyson - a poem called "Locksley Hall" whose roots go back to 6th century Arabic poetry. For those of us who have largely converted to e-book readers completely, it appears that at least in this instance, the "printed word" had distinct advantages over the Kindle version - the notes pages at the back of the hard copy book gave tremendous insight into Colum McCann's very personal commitment to this book, back to his grandfather and the falling of the towers on 9/11. The whisky - a Speyside (Douglas Lang & Co.) and an Island (Signatory) malt were very different (and "complementary", per Ted). The Lang was almost sweet, while the Signatory packed a strong, smoky punch that was softened by a drop or two of water. | Douglas Lang & Co. - "The Old Malt Cask", Speyside, 13 yr (sherry cask), 50% | 3 | |||||||||||||
29 | 2012-01-31 | Matt Hickcox | Thirteen Moons | Charles Frazier | 2 | A mixed bag review of the book, with more positives than negatives. Some frustrating aspects to the overall plot, but Frazier is a compelling story teller nonetheless and quite visual with his phrases. Those who also had read Cold Mountain felt that was a bit better than 13 Moons. Interesting view of the state of the Appalachian Cherokee Indians before and after the Civil War. The Scotch was given a solid thumbs up, at least for a straight-up (not smokey or peaty) single malt. Most also liked the tequila, quite smooth and drinkable, with Randy delivering the one dissenting vote, emphatically stating that tequila belongs in a margarita. | Scapa - 16 year old; Corzo Tequila Silver | 3 | |||||||||||||
30 | 2012-03-13 | Randy Pfenninger | Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World | Joan Druett | 3 | The scotch was enjoyed and generally liked, at least I did not hear of anything really negative. The book got positive reviews by everyone with thumbs up from all, Ted and I shared the same slight disappointment that the survival comparison between the two parties on the Island was a little oversold, but overall we liked the book. Thanks to Ed McNierney for bringing a very large map of the Auckland island, which everyone agreed was terrible in the book and not really useful. The map proved key to our discussions as a reference that one can actually read. Thanks to all for a great discussion. | Laphroaig - 10 year old Bunnahabhain - 12 year old | 3 | |||||||||||||
31 | 2012-05-09 | Dave Riggert | Mayflower | Nathaniel Philbrick | |||||||||||||||||
32 | 2012-06-19 | Brian Mullins | Memory Wall | Anthony Doerr | 3 | Stealing from Ted's blog: "Brian scored on both fronts [book and scotch], choosing a book of short stories by Anthony Doerr, called the Memory Wall. They were a wide ranging set of stories set in South Africa, Idaho, China (and the Three Gorge Dam), Lithuania, DMZ in Korea and a flashback story between Ohio and war time Germany. It was a fascinating set of stories, focused on the theme of memories, linkages to past generations and future, compelling inter-generational bonds, all driven by wonderful prose and poignant stories. I would recommend for anyone. The Scotch (Clynelish and a special one sent from his friend in France) was excellent also." Quoting Brian Fidler's absentee ballot: "On balance, this was the best "read" I have enjoyed in a long time and I imagine myself returning to several of the stories again in the not-too-distant future. Thank you for an excellent selection." | Clynelsish - 14 year old Linkwood - 14 year old | 3 | |||||||||||||
33 | 2012-09-06 | Don Fedyk | Life of Pi | Yann Martel | 3 | Brian F: I reread the book and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially two scenes...the encounter with the three religious types on the wharf and a later reflection on why anyone moves from one place to another. Matt H. Good book, interesting to learn about running a zoo, and I liked the way religion (searching for something bigger than oneself) overlaid the world Pi was growing up in. As far as the shipwreck narrative goes, I think what happened is that the second story (murder, cannibalism, etc.) is what really happened, but Pi found the only way he could rationalize what happened is by seeing the human behavior through the eyes of an animal. Pi found he could justify the terrible ordeal on the lifeboat by describing what animals would "justifiably" do since that's what animals do. Bill K. I thought it dragged until we found Pi in the water. I also loved the whole idea of the “story” as retold to the Japanese investigating the sinking. It makes one wonder what is real and what is imagined…and it is a book of fiction to boot. Don F. The details of the Zoo and the religious upbringing were interesting. I was skeptical of how a Tiger could climb into a life boat, perhaps the other story is the real part. | The Champion Single malt 21year Speyside Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition 19 year old | 3 | |||||||||||||
34 | 2012-11-13 | Rae White | Nobody's Fool | Richard Russo | 3 | Nobody's Fool was set in the fictional town of Bath NY which would be between Albany and Saratoga Springs NY. The book got a hearty thumbs up from all in attendance and for most it was an enjoyable read. There were a lot of characters in the book to discuss and it seems that most peoples favorite character was Sully's best friend Rub. There was a lot of discussion with regards to the relationships of the characters in the Book, especially among Sully and the other characters such as his father, his son Peter, his grandson will, Rub, Hattie, Carl, Mrs Peoples and Clive Junior. Everyone seemed to like the GlenGrant scotch as well as the Hudson NY Single Malt. The GlenGrant was smooth with a nice finish. The Hudson was oaky with a nice flavor left on your pallet. | GlenGrant - 16 years old - Speyside GlenDronach 12 years old Hudson NY State Single Malt | 3 1 3 | |||||||||||||
35 | 2013-01-16 | Bill Knuff | Justice | Michael Sandel | 3 | 7 years after the fact I recall interesting discussions around moral dilemmas from white lies to matters of life and death both on a personal basis as well as institutional and organizational basis. It is a good exercise for our minds and helps us understand the forces that result in arriving at difficult decisions. Everyone gave it a hearty thumbs up. | Caol Ila 12 yr, Light Peat Islay, GlenGarioch 12 yr | 3 | |||||||||||||
36 | 2013-03-27 | Ed Strachan | The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet | David Mitchell | 3 | 1799, Dutch trading post in Nagasaki Harbor. De Zoet, young clerk, deals with betrayals by his boss and his own to his fiance back in the Netherlands. Washington Post calls it an epic of sacrificial love and clashing civilizations. Most comments were favorable, centering on the writing, plot structure and historical research used in the book's construction. Both whiskies well received with the Clynelish being a slight favorite | Clynelish 15 yr-oloroso seco cask Aberlour 16 yr | 3 | |||||||||||||
37 | 2013-05-29 | Ted Lapres | The Edge of Sadness | Edwin O'Connor | 3 | Set in a fictional parish in the late 50s/early 60s (loosely Boston)- the book follows a recovering alcoholic priest, Hugh Kennedy and his childhood friends, Helen and John Carmody, along with their bullying, rich father Charlie. It was a story of middle age dreams unfulfilled, characters battling lonliness, complex family relationships and spiritual wilderness. The characters were interesting and the writing superb. book won the pulitzer prize in 1962. Discussion was lively though attendance was sparse with four people. As always, the minister from San Diego, submitted a thoughtful recap of the book to supplement the discussion of Don, Ed McNierney, Brian mullins and Ted | GlenDronach 15 year old | 3 | |||||||||||||
38 | 2013-09-25 | Ed McNierney | The Book Thief | Markus Zusak | |||||||||||||||||
39 | 2014-01-20 | Phil Francisco | The Round House | Louise Erdich | 3 | The story of a teenage Native American boy coming of age on the edges of a reservation as he and his father search for and then seek justice for the perpetrator of the violent rape of his mother. Very good discussion on the issues with the impossible maze of overlapping legal systems on Native American reservations, on the prevalence of violence against Native American females (manifest across virtually all the generations discussed in the book), on Joe's evolving view of his father and the need for action/justice over process, on the economig "trap" of the reservation and conflict between the cultural commitment as custodians to the place and how it conficts with being able to raise oneself up (again manifest across the generations in the book), the "absolute" good v. evil of the twins, on the cumulative effects of countless times that the US gov't has reneged on commitments and "deals" with the Native Americans. Thumbs were up all around on the book. Also a big thumbs up for a new scotch "find" -- we polished off the bottle of Talisker "Storm" from the Isle of Skye. | Talisker Storm (Isle of Skye) Aberlour 16 yr (Highlands - oak & sherry-oak casks) | 3 | |||||||||||||
40 | 2014-03-18 | Matt Hickcox | Orphan Master's Son | Adam Johnson | 3 | Our group took a trip to North Korea to follow the story of Jung Do, the son of the Orphan Master. But we discovered, as the author noted in the afterward, that "in North Korea your primary relationship is with the state, so your loyalties must lie with the regime first and your family second, which makes an orphan out of everyone, and the Kim regime is the true orphan master." This was a well written yet ultimately depressing account of life in a place where the story is more important than the man. All present thoroughly enjoyed the book. Also a two thumbs-up for both libations. The Speyside was surprisingly peaty, but we were forewarned on the label. The bourbon was a great warm-up to next months Kentucky Bourbon Trail road trip. | Benromach Peat Smoke Speyside (13-year old); Jefferson's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky | 3 | |||||||||||||
41 | 2014-04-25 | Fairyhouse Hall Lexington, KY | Shiloh and Other Stories | Bobbie Ann Mason | 1 | Bobbie Ann Mason is no Alice Munro! This collection of short stories set in Western Kentucky carry a common theme of strong women with weak men living out their lives on an apparent road to nowhere. While there were some memorable moments/characters, mostly they got lost in the sameness about all the stories. These people all lived in a gray space between middle class and poverty and the writing was generally thought to be equally gray. Without the structure typical of short stories, this author drops the reader into the story at a full gallop and leaves us without warning...and usually without resolution...more a vignette than story. | Ed McNierney’s Notes The four whiskeys we tasted were: Old Forester (100 proof) - a mix of 4 - 8 year old bourbons. Mash bill is 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% barley Maker's Mark (90 proof) George Dickel No. 12 (90 proof) Wild Turkey Rye Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey (81 proof) Four Roses makes 10 different brands of bourbons from 2 yeasts and 5 mash bills The “vanilla” flavor/aroma in bourbons comes from the heat-induced breakdown of lignin (an alcohol-based polymer in wood, similar to cellulose) in the toasting/charring processes. Artificial vanilla flavoring is also made from lignin. The Finger Lakes Distillery in New York makes a craft bourbon Mike recommends (McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey). I noticed they also make wheat and rye whiskeys, and two un-aged white whiskeys. http://www.fingerlakesdistilling.com Diageo produces Old Blowhard from "orphan barrels”. These are supposed to be I W Harper (overseas) scheduled to be dumped for bottling, but left around for 20+ years instead. I later did a bit of research into the “sour mash” process, by which a portion of a previous fermented batch’s mash is added to a new batch after cooking but before fermentation. This would seem like a way to add yeast (like sour dough bread), but the brewers add yeast separately. It seems that the sour mash mainly reduces the initial pH of the new batch, producing an environment less conducive to bacterial growth. Along with ensuring any slight variation in the yeast is perpetuated, this helps to maintain a high level of batch-to-batch consistency. The appellation “Tennessee Whiskey” requires that the sour mash process be used. (Above from Ed McNierney's notes) Mike Veach, our guest speaker and bourbon historian, posited the idea that the market for bourbon, as opposed to clear "moonshine", migrated north from New Orleans where French cognac was favored. This migration was in part from N/S trade routes and abetted by Union soldiers returning home. Although a Confederate state, KY was very divided on the War of Northern Aggression. GlenDronach 12 years old | 2 & 3 1 | |||||||||||||
42 | 2014-06-17 | Randy Pfenninger | Lawrence in Arabia | Scott Anderson | 3 | The book was universally enjoyed by all and elicited long thoughtful discussions about the impact of WWI on the Middle East; as well as the possibilities what might have been. The scotch was especially enjoyed, as the Glenmoragie was completely consumed and the Wilford Reserve was nearly consumed as well. “The research is impeccable. The story is fascinating and unforgettable. And the characters are so compelling that they seem to have been plucked from a novel. During World War I, the course of the modern day Middle East was set by a handful of young, low-ranking actors who exerted oversized influence on the region. Anderson focuses our attention on four men: a minor German diplomat and spy, an American oilman descended from the Yale family, a Romanian-born agronomist, and T.E. Lawrence himself. As we witness the western nations attempting to carve up a region that they were never able to master, these adventurous and often duplicitous men come to full life--none more so than Lawrence. The amount of research it must have taken to write this book is astounding. But there is no filler here: this is the kind of detail that causes the narrative to pop, that makes it live and breathe, and it will keep you reading long into the night”. --Chris Schluep | Glenmorangie 12 year aged in port barrels, this was an exceptional Scotch and turned out to be the first of it's kind. The Wilford Reserve Bourbon was also tasted and enjoyed, but not quite as much as a small amount remained. | 3 | |||||||||||||
43 | 2014-08-12 | Brian Mullins | All the Light We Cannot See | Anthony Doerr | 3 | The Willet 4 Year was one of the favorites of the samples we had the first night in Ky. And it was popular again here. The bottle was polished off well before closing. The Bowmore Small Batch, not so much. The book was described by most as beautifully written. Dave Z thought it was sappy. | Willet 4 Year Bourbon. Bowmore Small Batch. Meh. | 3 1 | |||||||||||||
44 | 2014-10-29 | Dave Riggert | The Half That has Never Been Told | Edward Baptist | |||||||||||||||||
45 | 2014-12-17 | Don Fedyk | A Constellation of Vital Phenomena | Anthony Mara | 3 | The Scotches were all Thumbs up. The Balvenie double cask was a variation we had not had before. The Scapa was on the list from before. People who took the Boubon tour knew the Woodford reserve by visiting the distillery (for me it was new). For the money the Bourbon was pleasant and had a rich flavor.The Book was enjoyed by all. The character development was good and believable. The book was an easier read than some others we had. We had several discussions about that part of the world where war and the atrocities still linger. Ed had passed around a reference to the article about house burning and how it was real and we dicussed that. We also discussed how easy it is to buy mercenaries when there is poverty and pondered if that is how ISIS etc do it. | Balvenie, Double Oak 17 Years Scapa 16 Year Highland Woodford Reserve (Bourbon) | 3 | |||||||||||||
46 | 2015-03-03 | Dave Zeiler | The Lowland | Jhumpa Lahiri | |||||||||||||||||
47 | 2015-04-21 | Rae White | Station Eleven | Emily St. John Mandel | 2 | Despite having a lot of great reviews the the book received mixed reviews from GBGS. It was definately a mixed bag as some liked it and some did not. It was a quick read and a page turner but a lot of things were left loose at the end. The book spent a lot of time dewlling in the past (pre apocalypse) rather than coming to a conclusion. Even one of the main characters died in the beginning of the book and there were a lot of flashbacks to his past and former wives. A weak part is no real character development of the prophet and his cult. It was a different take of the postapocalypic genre and perhaps more appreciative of things we take for granted today like infrastructure. | 1) Gunpowder Rye Whiskey by New England Distilling 2) Cask Finished Bourbon Whiskey by Berkshire Mountain Distillers 3)Fifty Stone Handmade American Highland Style Single Malt Whiskey by Maine Craft Distilling. | Mixed for the Fifty Stone (2) Some liked that it was earthy and not Peaty. Cask finished bourbon (3) and for the Gunpowder Rye a 2. People also enjoyed the QUEEQUEG spiced rum, | |||||||||||||
48 | 2015-06-22 | Bill Knuff | Dead Wake | Erik Larson | 2 | The Scotches fared better than the book. Generally, an enjoyable summer read but not Larson's best work. Many felt several themes were left undeveloped including the conspiracy theory, character study of the two captains, changes in the way war at sea was waged. The Wilson theme was felt to be a distraction and better had Larson spent more time developing the other aspects of the story. Observation made about the author being constrained by the single source (Schweiger's Log entries) for life aboard U20 versus the wealth of sources from Lusitania leading to a lack of balance given the "parallel story" lines. Question about whether the civility and honorable behavior among passengers would be found in a similar situation today prompted discussion about change...in mores, in waging war, in politics, and other aspects of life today. The confluence of these factors left several wanting after having finished the book. Issues with the book notwithstanding, it was a very enjoyable evening and much the better for having Brian Fidler in attendance. | Yamazaki 12 Yr Japanese Single Malt, Bruichladdich Islay Barley Rockside Farm Single Malt 2007, Bib & Tucker 6Yr Small Batch Kentucky Bourbon | High marks all around | |||||||||||||
49 | 2015-09-23 | Ed Strachan | Waterloo, The History of Four Days, Three Armies, and Three Battles | Bernard Cornwell | 2 | Some liked the book because of previous lack of exposure to military history. Lavishly illustrated, the hard copy was needed to appreciate it. Several felt the publisher came to the author with an idea for a best seller to commemorate 200th anniversary and the author did a quick job of it. Observations were made about tactics, Napoleon's mistakes, effect of weather, and medical care for wounded. | Benromach 15 yr-exc, Glen Dronach cask strength,Laphroaig 15 yr, Knob Creek Rye, Cody Road 100% Rye | Benromach & Cody Road-excellent | |||||||||||||
50 | 2015-11-10 | Ted Lapres | Gilead | Marilyn Robinson | 3 | Overall pretty favorable review; people found it to be a beautifully written book, like poetry. The reflections on life, family, religion and spirituality were thought provoking and let to extensive discussion. The format of writing a letter to his son was interesting and the comparison of religions vis a vis Ames and Boughton. Some thought it lacked plot but others found a somewhat interesting plot develop with Boughton's son. All in all, the group enjoyed the book and had, paired with the whiskeys, a spirited discussion on the book and other topics. | The Hakushu 12 year Japanese whiskey; Glen Garioch 1797 Founders Reserve; Bookers Bourbon- fire water 130.8 proof | Hakushu-excellent, Glen Garioch-Good, Bookers-lightning | |||||||||||||
51 | 2016-01-20 | Ed McNierney | Infinite Jest | David Foster Wallace | 2 | The book was a challenge, and responses fell into three categories: "I loved it", "I hated it", and "I wouldn't say I liked it but I'm glad I read it". The format just did not work for several readers, who stopped after 100 - 400 pages. Others really appreciated certain scenes or situations; several readers thought a chronological order would have been far better. Ed said stuff about metempsychosis and Hercules and whether brilliance coupled with mental illness would survive if the illness were treated/cured. Moral: pick a book you think will be interesting, one that you would like to read. Don't try to please everyone. Part of the benefit of a book group is getting to read books you would have never thought to read yourself. | Cardhu 12yo (Speyside)Edradour 10yo (Eastern Highland) | Not bad, but thoroughly mediocre. I tried out some modestly-priced ($50-ish) single malts that had good reviews. The consensus was that spending an extra $25 - $40 on a bottle is worth it. | |||||||||||||
52 | 2016-03-21 | Phil Francisco | The Sympathizer | Viet Thanh Nguyen | 10 | 3 | There were big thumbs-up all the way around, although Randy felt frustrated that the returning spy was treated so harshly on his return to Vietnam after doing all that he had been asked to do for his mission and having been open about what he was doing. In general, people felt the perspective from the Vietnamese viewpoint and the reality that for many of them through the war and beyond life was all about dual allegiances. Kudos all around for Viet Nguyen's writing style, wit, humor, and plot twists, especially as a first time novelist - though some of us found that he overreached with the ornamentation of his language a little too often. Don's note about the book was insightful, calling into question the "goodness" of the Narrator/Captain as someone who seemed more driven by events of the moment than any sense of mission or commitment. Others felt that the steps the Captain took, with the possible exception of the emotionally-laden killing of Sonny, were required to maintain his overall mission. In the end though, it was clear that his blood oath to Man and Bon were the Narrator's only true lodestar. The carricatures of the Americans -- professor, politician and Hollywood "auteur" -- were excellent synopses of the abysmally shallow, self-centered understanding of Vietnam, particularly in light of all the killing and maiming that were done there. And we finished with a toast to my last day at IBM (March 22nd) and my coming employment at Dyn in NH, even if the concept of paying for a domain name and unique website for our group (and the home of this logbook) assaulted some of our sensibilities. ;-) | Glenmorangie Milsean Private Edition (no age) - aged in bourbon and then wine casks The Hakushu Japanese Whisky (12yo) Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (12yo, cask strength - 115 proof) | Glenmorangie -- excellent, finished the bottle Hakushu - excellent (regrets that this was such a quick repeat from Ted's selection) Redbreast -- too harsh, burned on the palate and throat of alcohol | ||||||||||||
53 | 2016-05-10 | Matt Hickcox | Beautiful Ruins | Jess Walter | 10 | 2+ | The book was generally considered to be a good read, with overarching themes of how one experiences life and how one finds happiness, but what kept it from earning the much coveted "3" score was its simple prose (our previous two reads spoiled us with very rich and dense word smithing, which this book clearly did not attempt to emulate), and the authors desire to neatly wrap up all story lines in the final pages. Apparently less can be more with this book group. | Aultmore Speyside (12yo) Caol Ila Islay (12yo) | 3,2 | ||||||||||||
54 | 2016-06-21 | Randy Pfenninger | The Light Between Oceans | M.L. Stedman | 11 | 1+ | The book was generally considered not to be great, with the situation too contrived. The book also may have violated the rule of "No books about women by women", however, the host claimed the book was more about Tom than about Isabel. A consensus was reached in which it was generally agreed that a violation was not committed with this book, although it was close (wew!). | Macallan 12 year - double aged in Oak and Port Casks Lagavulin 10 Year | 3,3 | ||||||||||||
55 | 2016-08-16 | Brian Mullins | Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen | Christopher McDougall | 11 | 2+ | I forgot to ask for a rating, but based on the comments I'm giving it a 2+.The general consensus was that the book exposed a lot of things that most of us had never heard of, the Tarahumara indians, the region, running technology and some wild characters. Criticism was that it was a bit disjointed, that he should have developed some themes in more detail and that his writing style grated on some people. | High West A Midwinter Night Dram Straight Rye Nashoba Valley Winery 5yr Old Rum Koval Single Barrel Bourbon | 3,2,1 | ||||||||||||
56 | 2016-10-18 | Dave Riggert | On the Road | Jack Kerouac | |||||||||||||||||
57 | 2016-12-05 | Don Fedyk | Resilience Imperative | Michael Lewis (the other one) and Pat Conaty | 9 | 1+ | Well the book was a bit of a "text book" and the group mostly did not read all of it. However many people commented on the subject as one very stimulating and thougt provoking. We talked about the book for a good time. The book was full of information, examples and ideas but the group did not buy in to the full model. However many aspects and aruments resonated with people. I chose the book becaue I felt we often broach the subject of how will the world manage in a crowded low growth economy. Several in the group felt the economy would still have growth and were optomisitc the world is better. I promise a lighter subject next time. | Aberlore A'Bundah Cask Strength The Hive Wemyss Malts 12 Year The Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year | 3 For the Aberore (120 proof) rated as a totally Drinkable High-Proof Liquor 3 for the Hive 2 for the Balvenie (Not bad just the other two were better) | ||||||||||||
58 | 2017-03-06 | Dave Zeiller- held at Ted's house | Ethics in the Real World | Peter Singer | 10 | 2+-3 | This was a book of essays; it generated strong discussion on a series of the essays. Matt noted that it was a rare book that we could toggle from something in the essay to a current event and back to another essay, seamlessly all night. Provided some thoughtful reflection on certain topics. | Bruichladdich Distilled in 1992- The Unfiltered Collection; Balvenie 12 years- martured in two casks | Bruichladdich got one of our highest rating in the history of hte book clubs; folks raved about it; Balvenie got a solid 2+-3 | ||||||||||||
59 | 2017-04-19 | Rae White | Exit West | Mohsin Hamid | 10 | 3 | The book and the whisky's received thumbs up from everyone. Everyone thought the author wrote very well and concise without wasting words. The book is timely based on what is going on in Syria today. The idea of using doors as a time saver to then spend more time on the destination and the relationships rather than the journey worked well. Everyone agreed that it ended abruptly like the publisher had a deadline. | Tamdhu 10 Year Speyside matured in Sherry Casks Glen Breton Rare 14 aged 14 years (Canadian Single Malt Whisky from Cape Breton) | Both Whisky's were thumbs up. The Breton Rare was smooth according to most. | ||||||||||||
60 | 2017-05-29 | St Andrews, UK | Stone of Destiny | Ian Hamilton | 11 | 3 | Of the two books chosen for the Scotland trip this was the more accessible. The historical appreciation was heightened when we stumbled on the actual Stone of Destiny in Edinburgh Castle. Not great literature but a good primer for an evening spent savoring the beverage, countyside, cuisine and history of Scotland. | Scotch sampler provided by Kenny Hanley along with explanation of process and a history of the beverage in Scotland. Everyone had their preferences but the overall opinion was that they were all quite good. The evening futher developed the group's appreciation for the namesake beverage. Risk of becoming "Scotch Snobs" was noted. | |||||||||||||
61 | 2017-06-01 | Granton-on-Spey, UK | Trainspotting | Irving Welsh | 11 | 1 | Written in the Scottish vernacular it was very difficult to read and follow the story. The story was unredeeming and led nowhere. While generally not liked, it was agreed that this was a better listen (books on tape) than read. | ?? Ted, did you record the Scotch from this evening? | |||||||||||||
62 | 2017-08-02 | Bill Knuff | A Gentleman in Moscow | Amor Towles | 10 | 3 | Beautifully written, great character development, humorous..."Best book selection this year." "A book to savor." See Brian F's comments on separate sheet. | The Hive 12 yr Blended Scotch Whisky Wemyss Distillery / Egans 10 yr Irish Whisky, Tullamore / Old Potrero 2yr6mo 18th Century Style Single Malt Rye Whisky / Mad River Bourbon Whiskey, Batch 11-Bottle #284. Aged 1 year. | The Hive = 1, Egans & Mad River = 2, Old Potrero = 3 | ||||||||||||
63 | 2017-09-20 | Ed Strachan | The Good Soldier | Ford Madox Ford | 10 | 2+ | Ranged from 'very good book' to 'never really got to me' | The McPhail Collection Glenturret Distillery 11 yr. Glenfiddich 14 yr Bourbon barrel reserve | 2,2 | ||||||||||||
64 | 2017-11-07 | Ted Lapres | Destined for War | Graham Alison | 3 | Given our China obsessed discussions somewhere in the evening of most meetings, it was no surprise that this book engaged folks. The rest of the title was CAn America and China escape the Thucydides' Trap which essentially postulated that virtually every time in the past 500 years that an ascending power began to challenge the dominant power, war resulted. The book was well researched and well written and kept us discussing China the whole bookclub | |||||||||||||||
65 | 2018-01-16 | Ed McNierney | Why We Make Things and Why It Matters Draft #4 | Peter Korn John McPhee | 2/3 | Split decision - "Why We Make Things and Why It Matters" raised some interesting discussions about making and the relationships between the made and various people (maker, client, etc.). But it mostly seemed a biography of a whiny trust fund hippie who kept getting bailed out by wealthy parents. "Draft #4" was quite popular, and a comprehensive picture of McPhee's approach to writing. It's essentially a summary of the creative non-fiction course he's taught at Princeton forever. | Most likely a Tomatin bought back from the Scottish trip but this entry is going in three years after the fact | ||||||||||||||
66 | 2018-03-21 | Phil Francisco | Pachinko | Min Jin Lee | 10 | 3 | Everyone really seemed to really enjoy this book (and the Korean-themed fare beforehand). A book that is at once very dark -- describing the hardships of Korea under Japanese rule and the difficulties and racism that Korean immigrants to Japan faced (still face?), a tortuous and difficult prison term -- and yet gives reason for hope and optimism. "Pachinko" is the story of a Korean survivor woman (Sunja) who fell prey to a Japanese gangster (Hansu) and her half-Japanese/half-Korean son (Mozasu), emigrating to Japan and navigating this difficult, anti-Korean environment there by selling the most delicious, eventually sought-after, kimchi in Tokyo and Mozasu growing into a kigpin in the extremely lucrative, extremely shady pachinko parlor business in Japan. | Robert Graham Treasurer Collection - Ledaig 2018 Kurayoshi 12 year Matsui Whisky Hakushu 12 year Single Malt Ty-Ku Korean Soju | 3 2, maybe 2.5 2.5 1.5 | The Soju was a "throw in" from the book for authenticity and the Hakushu was a remnant bottle from a previous book club. | |||||||||||
67 | 2018-04-30 | Matt Hickcox | Cod: A biography of the fish that changed the world | Mark Kurlansky | 9 | 3 | We started the evening by eating cod since I wanted to get everyone into the proper mind set. We had grilled cod filets and cod chowder using salt cod I had mail ordered. We had been discussing the book for about an hour and a half before I played a 17-minute excerpt from a phone conversation I had with my cousin's husband, a commercial fisherman out of Scituate. It was perfect timing because his comments about the changing regulations, and the resulting business decisions that needed to be made, fit in with the direction the discussion was already going. | Glen Moray 15 yr & Jura 10 yr. Both were fairly decent but not outstanding. Jura was a tad smokey and peaty and a tad sweeter. More of the Glen Moray was consumed so it must have been preferred. | both maybe a 2.5 | ||||||||||||
68 | 2018-06-27 | Brian Mullins | Ali: A Life | Johnathan Eig | 12 | 3 | Spey Fumare, Craigellachie 13, Laphroaig Lore | 2, 2.5, 3 | |||||||||||||
69 | 2018-08-28 | Dave Riggert | Undaunted Courage | Stephen Ambrose | |||||||||||||||||
70 | 2018-10-15 | Don Fedyk | Dark Matter | Blake Crouch | 10 | 2 | The book was a definite thumbs sideways. The idea of experiencing the result of life choices was the positive side of the book. Character develpopment was good and the book is an easy read. The book is loosely based on an iterpretation of the Multiverse. (aside Dark Matter is another real theory altogether) but the main theory Quantum Mechanics is the root of both theories. However the fact that every decision can lead to a new reality is hard to take. I did note that with the size of the universe that matter from the big bang seems to be taking a very large set of permuations (many parrallel lines) but it is not continually splitting just taking a large set of paths. Some felt it read like a movie script and indeed there is a plan to make a movie about it. | Macallan 12 year (in the book) Macallan 15 year (substitute for the 25 year @ 1/10 the price) The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve Rational for the whiskies was that in the book in one reality the 25 was what his sucessful friend bought and in another the same friend called for the 12 in plastic cups . | 2, 2.5, 3 | All whiskies were rated good but in the order listed | |||||||||||
71 | 2018-11-28 | Randy | In The Hurricane's Eye | Nathaniel Philbrick | 12 | 3 | Great book, although a few commenters agreed that the book may have been too kind to George Washington as military leader, getting too much credit | 12 Year Inchmurrin | 2 | I thought the Scotch was little harsh | |||||||||||
72 | 2019-02-19 | Ed Strachan | The Fighters | CJ Chivers | |||||||||||||||||
73 | 2019-05-30 | Rae White at Dave Riggerts | A Brief History of Seven Killings | Marlon James | 9 | 2+ | A couple way thumbs up, A few sideways thumbs and 1 thumbs down from somebody who did not finish the book. We all realized that we were lacking in our knowledge of Jamaican history. Most were glad they read it | Edradour Sauternes Cask Matured Glenmorangie Signet Aberfeldy Highlands 12 yrs old | 3 2.5 2.5 | Signet had coffee notes | |||||||||||
74 | 2019-07-30 | Ed McNierney | A Memory Called Empire | Arkady Martine | 11 | 2 | Bruichladdich - The Classic Laddie (unpeated) Port Charlotte 10yo ("heavily" peated) Angels Share Bourbon (finished in port casks) | 1.5 2.5 3 | The Bruichladdich improved a bit with water, but was harsh and alcoholic-tasting (100 proof). The Port Charlotte was much smoother and seemed to have a pretty "normal" level of peat: not overwhelming at all. The Angels Share was the best of the bunch. The Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte were both modestly priced: around $60 each. | ||||||||||||
75 | 2019-09-25 | Ted Lapres | Say Nothing | Patrick Radden Keefe | 10 | 2+-3 | We had a lively discussion on the book and thumbs up rating. Most agreed that this was a topic they knew about generally but didn't really know about in specifics. The book provided more depth and context to the complex issue. The fact that there was a link with the BC History department and our esteemed memer, David Zeiler had taken a course from one of the key people from BC made for a good "small world" connection. Keefe is a good writer and the book read almost as a suspense novel. | Glenfarclas 21 year Donna Tules- sipping mezcal Jamesons Irish Whiskey | 3 3 1 | The Glenfarclas was a classy single malt-big favorite Donna Tules was a mezcal aged in French Oak barrels- big favorite of the crowd Nothing special but we needed an Irish whiskey for the book | |||||||||||
76 | 2019-11-19 | Dave Zeiler | We Were Eight Years in Power | Ta-Nehisi Coates | |||||||||||||||||
77 | 2020-01-15 | Phil Francisco | Night Boat to Tangier | Kevin Barry | 10 | 2.8 | Part aging Irish gangster story, part humorous philosophy story in the "Waiting for Godot" tradition, this follows the story of Maurice Hearne and Charlie Redmond as they wait overnight at the ferry terminal in Algerciras, Spain hoping, in vain (or was it a fleeting view?), for Maurice to reconnect with his adult, estranged daughter, Dilly. Like "Waiting for Godot", this novel is all about the wait and the reflections of two West Cork thugs' earlier lives, Maurice's mistreatment of both his wife and daughter, etc. People seemed to really enjoy the stories and the humor overlaying the sadness of Maurice on relfecting on all he had lost/pushed away through his wayward ways. Almost all thumbs up, with 1 or 2 sideways thumbs (2.8 average). | Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 18 - an homage to last day of our Scotland outing West Cork Black Reserve Irish Whiskey - as a sense of place for the principal book characters, Maurice and Charlie Hart Brothers 16 | 3 2 3 | Overall, the Loch Lomand seemed to score highest with folks, though the consumption levels seemed to indicate Hart Brothers was the winner. Pre-meeting noshes included a thick, cold soup known as Salmorejo (akin to Gazpacho, but with more focus on tomatoes and garlic) and a selection of Spanish tapas, because when in the south coast of Spain, do as the Spanish do. | |||||||||||
78 | 2020-03-18 | Matt Hickcox | The Wall | John Lanchester | 10 | 3 | This was our first and hopefully last GBGS meeting held by videoconferencing. We all managed to observe good social distancing practices, expecially Rae and Brian F who joined in from FL and CA, presectively. The Wall is one of those books that said a lot by saying little. Who were the Others? What was the Change? Something happened to the world, and our generation was responsible, which of course led to a great conversation about how we are already seeeing the world change. Having the coronavirus interrupt our normal face-to-face meeting was an added bonus as far as the book's storyline goes. The book received two thumbs up, not as much for its crafting of prose as for the subject matter and how it challenges all of us to think of how we are impacting future generations of Earth's inhabitants. | Craigellachie 13 Year Tamdhu Batch Strength No 004 | 3 2 | Due to circumstances, Matt was the only one able to drink and evaluate these Scotches. The Craigellachie was really good, not smoky/peaty, not too sweet, nice and smooth, while the Tandhu was also pretty decent but not quite as pleasing. | |||||||||||
79 | 2020-05-14 | Bill Knuff (Zoom) | Moby Duck | Donovan Hohn | Most | 1.375 | We learned that a remote coastline of the Aleutians collects more than its share of ocean debris. I recall most of the group found it an easy read with some interesting facts about ocean currents and the amount of debris from container ships but overal the book was not great. It was not lost on anyone that the author left his pregnant wife to chase rubber ducks. | Fielder's Choice?? | |||||||||||||
80 | 2020-08-18 | Dave Riggert | Tenth of December | George Saunders | |||||||||||||||||
81 | 2020-10-08 | Brian Mullins | Deacon King Kong | James McBride | 11 | 3 | The book was a hit with almost everyone. Ed S said, "it was the most hopeful book he'd read in a long time." Multiple people commented on the rich character development and that it was laugh out loud funny at times. I was struck by the overall inventiveness and the language. | The Balvenie 17 Year Old DoubleWood Auchentoshan Three Wood V5 Bourbon, Smoky Quartz Distillery | 3 3 2 | The two single malts got high marks. Not everyone tried the boubon. | |||||||||||
82 | 2020-12-07 | Don Fedyk | Elon Musk | Ashlee Vance | 12 | 3 | Zoom Meeting The book was well recived. A few people felt the author was too much of a fan, but all agree the subject was a facinating and extrodanary individual. The topics ranged from the deep knowledge of Musk to the fact that he took on industries such as car manufacturing and private sspace flight and he suceeeded by taking big risks. Our group marveled at his technical accomplshments. Many agreed that he was a hard man to work for demanding the utmost from employees. Some wished there was a bit more about Musk's father who was himself a risk taker. The discussion was also about how making things in america is often lost these days with vertical manufactiing and how Musk decided many times to make components in America where other had not or would not. It was definitley a techie book though and getting a little dated but the predictions had mostly come through and this is a high time for Musk as both Test and Spacex(literally) are flying high. | Old Camp Peach Pecan Whisky - Online Recommened by Musk self rated a 1 Glenorangie The Quinta Ruben - Save for when we meet | |||||||||||||
83 | 2021-02-04 | Randy Pfenninger | The Storm Before the Calm | George Friedman | 10 | 3 | This was also a Zoom meeting. Book had mixed reviews as being somewhat pessimistic and predictable, however, recent events have shown that the book proved rather prescient. Update notes after meeting: The January 6 riot followed our meeting just two days later so things have gotten worse before getting better, and many experts see worse things to come (note Slate Podcast "The new king of Conservative Media"). | I enjoyed a Lagavulin 16 as well as a Macallan 12 | |||||||||||||
84 | 2021-03-17 | Ed Strachan | The Club | Leo Damrosch | |||||||||||||||||
85 | 2021-05-17 | Rae White | The Association of Small Bombs | Karan Mahajan | 9 | 2+ | The sideways thumb was probably the prevailing sentiment but with a few thumbs up (or part way up). it painted a depressing picture of life in India. It was somewhat topical with what is going on in gaza right now between the Palestinian and the Israeli's. It seemed the end of the book was a bit rushed together by some in the group. Some thought the characters were introduced but then not well developed. The book did create some engaging discussion that kept us busy for quite a while. | ||||||||||||||
86 | 2021-07-14 | Ed McNierney | Underland | Robert McFarlane | 12 | 3 | Very well-received book from an author new to the group in our first pandemic-era meeting since Brian's in October 2020. McFarlane's style was popular, and the structure of fairly independent chapters made it easier to read in sections and to like the book as a whole despite a less-appealing chapter or two. | ||||||||||||||
87 | 2021-09-30 | Ted Lapres | The Committed | Viet Thanh Nguyen | 10ish | 2+ | This book was the sequel to the acclaimed 2016 Pulitzer prize wining The Sympathizer that we all totally enjoyed at the time. Whether we tired of his writing style a bit or just simply didn't enjoy the violence, sex and general cynicism, the book didn't get as well reviewed by our group as the original. He remains a remarkable who captures the life of ex pat Vietnamese (in this case, in Paris) so exquisitely. As he did so well with America in the Sympathizer, he skewers the French and their hypocrisy and pretentiousness with a skill equal to some great French satirists he mentions. All of that helped salvage the final rating of the book | Bowmore 18 year- triple thumbs up on this, coupled with some 12 year Macallan and 12 year Ancnoc | Bowmore was one of the big winners of the past couple years | ||||||||||||
88 | 2021-11-18 | Dave Zeiler | The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) | Katie Mack | |||||||||||||||||
89 | 2022-01-24 | Phil Francisco | Fracture | Andrés Neuman | 11 | 2+ | Fracture -- the title stemming from the practice of kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with powdered gold - is the fictional story of Yoshie Watanabe, a Japanese businessman who through luck survived the atomic bombs at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and who, after the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami in 2011, takes a journey to that devastated area in order to understand his and his nation’s history of survival and trauma. It's told, in part from Watanabe's perspective and in part through a journalist's 'interviews' with Watanabe's lovers in Paris, New York, Buenos Aires, and Madrid. People didn't feel a lot of empathy for Watanabe for the way he treated the women in his life, nor necessarily some of the women themselves. But there were largely thumbs up from the majority of folks in the meeting, 2 sideways thumbs and one thumb down (or, 2.45 👍). Somewhat predictably, the discussion also featured an excellent review of just how important having nuclear energy is to any sort of sustainable energy program that's not based on fossil fuels, the difficulty with dealing with nuclear plant waste and the need to seal it away forever, and the potential promise of fusion energy that seems always to be "just 10-20 years away". It also included a discussion of whether nuclear fusion power, at scale would arrive before or after quantum computing, at scale. Though QC seems currently to be in the lead, there was some doubt about either/both of them getting there. | Tomatin 18 -- the last of the bottles I brought home from the Scotland trip Highland Park 18 Viking Pride Hatozaki Small Batch -- to honor the locale of Mr. Watanabe's story | 3, 3, and 2.5 in order | The winner of the grouping seemed to be the Highland Park. Judging from the "damage" done in consumption, we had about a "dead heat" of likeability. Pre-meeting noshes included come Spanish and Japanese-themed "heavy hor d'ouevres", and a bit of sake. | |||||||||||
90 | 2022-04-05 | Matt Hickox | Townie | Andre Dubus III | 10 | 2 | Receiving probably the widest distribution of votes yet, with three up, four sideways, and three down, the largest issue was with the accuracy of Dubus' recollections in this memoir. Could it all really have happened as Dubus described? There was a good discussion about father figures and what it means to be a present vs. absent father. Several GBGS members knew of someone who knew someone connected to the author and his family, including Dubus being a little league coach. A true townie. | Benromach 15 year (Speyside) & Highland Park 15 year "Viking Heart". | 2+ & 2+ | Both liked, with a nod toward the Benromach. | |||||||||||
91 | 2022-06-28 | Bill Knuff | The Horde | Marie Favereau | 8 | 2 | With 7 thumbs up and 3 thumbs sideways (includes 2 absentee votes), this book received mixed reviews. Generally, there was an appreciation for what we learned about the Mongols and the Horde with recognition that the author's writing style made it a much more painful exercise than it needed to be. | Glenturret Triple Wood (Maiden Release), Glerngoyne 10yr, Dewar's 19 (US Open Release), Midleton Irish Whiskey | 3,2,1,3 In order | The pick of the night was Ed McNierney's Irish Whisky followed by the Glenturret. The others, not so much. | |||||||||||
92 | 2022-09-07 | Brian Mullins | Madhouse at the End of the Earth | Julian Sancton | 9 | 2+ | Madhouse got two thumbs from everyone in attendance. But one or two of the remote reviews thought the writing was just okay. | Yamazaki 12, Glenmorangie 18 Extremely Rare | 3 and 2.5 | ||||||||||||
93 | 2022-11-17 | Dave Riggert | The Spectator Bird | Wallace Stegner | Scapa "the Orcadian" 16, Oban 14, Aberlour 1990 20 | ||||||||||||||||
94 | 2023-01-09 | Don Fedyk | Chip War | Chris Miller | 12 | 3 | Almost unanimously most really liked the book. The history of the transitor and the industry was at the right level to understand. Our many Electrial Enginneers thought it was nostalgic. Everyone agreed the the subjetct was current and timely and show the true global nature of the industry. We got to talk china and Russia and the far east. The one slight negative was that the book seem to be a bit biased towards early influencers rather than more recent influncers. Discussion of the book led to many recounting their stories about where they were affected by or intersected with the industry. Dave Riggert won the prize for the oldest functional Transister device a 1960s Tektronics Oscilloscope. Matt got specail recogniton for some Museum worthy Transistors. (While probably fucntional they were not currently working.) | THE GLENLIVET Triple Cask Matured Distiller's Reserve, Nashoba Valley Spirits Stimulus Eleven, Wayne Gretzky No 99 Ice Cask Whisky | 3 and 2 and 1.5 | The Glenlivet was a standard and liked by all. The Local Nashoba Valley had some mixed review - not bad but not great. The Wayne Gretzky Rye was the low one here while it did get a few Thumbs up it was not a winner with sevarl thums down. | |||||||||||
95 | 2023-04-24 | Randy Pfenninger | The Chaos Machine | Max Fisher | 10 | 2 | Pretty much a mixed review, but generally leaning positive. Subject was good and I think everyone agreed we learned about the depths of socail media | Grangestone 12 yr Highland Shieldaig 12 yr Speyside No 14 Vermont American Bourbon | 2 and 2 and 1 | Both bottles of Scotch were consumed and 1/2 of the Vermont Scoth was consdered average, Bourbon was too sweet | |||||||||||
96 | 2023-03-07 | Scott Hilton | The Midnight Library | Matt Haig | 10 | 1 | Consensus - Great Discussion, poor book. The book focused on replaying alternate lives of a suicidal person. Concerns raised on the treatment of mental health in the book. The book did do a good job on the negative hold Regret can have on your life. It also created a great discussion on the serendipty of our life experiences and how much luck, circumstances and Nature/nuture play into our paths. | Arran Suternes Cask Finish Single Malt, Glenglassaugh TORFA Richly Peated, Mad River Revolution Rye Whisky | Voted on using blind taste testing (Penny method) Arran - 70% - 3 Glenglassaugh - 27% - 2 Mad River - 3% - 1 | Arran was a smooth, fruity Scotch, Nice on tongue. We killed the bottle Glenglassaugh, highly peated Highland great taste experience. Mad River - pretty standard Rye, nothing rave about | |||||||||||
97 | 2023-06-06 | Ed McNierney | Demon Copperhead | Barbara Kingsolver | 13 | 3 | Laphroaig 10, Bowmore 15 (sherry cask), Lagavulin 11 (charred oak cask) | 2+ all around | |||||||||||||
98 | 2023-08-01 | Ed Strachan | All the Pretty Horses | Cormac McCarthy | 10 | 3 | Most thought the book worth reading. Seemed to be accurate depiction of violent culture of Texas and Mexico in early 1950's. | Mortlach from Dufftown, 20, 16, and 12 year. | 3,1,2 | ||||||||||||
99 | 2023-09-18 | Mark Gerath | A Time of Gifts | Patrick Leigh Fermor | 12 | 2+ | Lagavulin 11yo Charred Oak Cask Offerman Edition Bowmore 15yo Islay Single Malt Laphroaig 10yo Islay Single Malt | ||||||||||||||
100 | 2023-11-16 | Dave Zeiler | The Outlier | Kai Bird | Balblair 12yo Highland Single Malt Bendromach 15yo Speyside Single Malt The Dalmore 12yo Sherry Cask Select |