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Pint-Sized Ireland: In Search of the Perfect Guinness
by
Evan McHugh
One man's tour of Ireland on tap; a rollicking travelogue in the tradition of Round Ireland with a Fridge and McCarthy's Bar.
"Regret" is the word that best describes Evan McHugh's first taste of Guinness. For an Australian raised on Vegemite, Ireland's black brew is very much an acquired taste. But the travel-writer is committed to acquiring it. Determined to discover exac...more
"Regret" is the word that best describes Evan McHugh's first taste of Guinness. For an Australian raised on Vegemite, Ireland's black brew is very much an acquired taste. But the travel-writer is committed to acquiring it. Determined to discover exac...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
March 6th 2007
by St. Martin's Press
(first published 2001)
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"Maybe it's just me, but I suspect that most men dream of having women fight over them. In The Laurels, that dream was nearly fulfilled." (p 98)
I like the author's historical asides, particularly one in which he describes Ireland's origins. Instead of travelling around killing people and conquering places, in the 6th century, a bunch of Christian monks decided to basically just go to this island and read, read, read. They influenced the pursuant settlers, and Ireland is now the best read country...more
I like the author's historical asides, particularly one in which he describes Ireland's origins. Instead of travelling around killing people and conquering places, in the 6th century, a bunch of Christian monks decided to basically just go to this island and read, read, read. They influenced the pursuant settlers, and Ireland is now the best read country...more
I liked the premise of this book. It's about finding the perfect pint of Guinness. And in order to do this, the author reasons, you have to go to Ireland. I can get on board with that. The first third of the book is fun. It details his arrival in Ireland, and the many pubs his Irish friends and guides take him to. The remaining two thirds of the book is literally a travelogue. Mind you, it isn't terrible. It's just that the theme deviates a little. At the start, it's all about the beer and the p...more
now *this* is what I was expecting (and didn't get) when I picked up 'McCarthy's Bar'.
Australian Evan McHugh goes to Ireland with his girlfriend of sorts (who he'd later marry) Twidkiwodm/Michelle and travels around the country. The main point of his trip is to find the 'perfect Guinness' so he visits a *lot* of bars, where he often gets friendly with the locals and other travellers from all around the world - several of whom he and Michelle actually meet more than once. But whichever bar he go...more
Australian Evan McHugh goes to Ireland with his girlfriend of sorts (who he'd later marry) Twidkiwodm/Michelle and travels around the country. The main point of his trip is to find the 'perfect Guinness' so he visits a *lot* of bars, where he often gets friendly with the locals and other travellers from all around the world - several of whom he and Michelle actually meet more than once. But whichever bar he go...more
The book opens with the author and his eventually-to-become-his-wife travel partner taking the ferry from Wales to Ireland. “Choosing a ferry for our first taste of Guinness was a classic right time, wrong place situation. I know this now. Wrong. Very, very wrong. The taste was of something that had died a horrible death…. For a horrifying moment I suspected there had been a terrible misunderstanding of my pronunciation and what I had actually asked for was the ferry’s bilge. I was sure I knew...more
I've wanted to read this book for quite some time, and I'm glad that I finally got the chance to do so. I love Guinness, I've always wanted to go to Ireland, and this appeared to be a book about both of those things - what's not to like? And though the book differed from my expectations, it's still incredibly entertaining.
I've read quite a few books about people traveling in Ireland (and quite a few about Guinness), and this ranks as one of the better ones, certainly right up there with Round Ir...more
I've read quite a few books about people traveling in Ireland (and quite a few about Guinness), and this ranks as one of the better ones, certainly right up there with Round Ir...more
As a travelogue this is brilliant..humorous, insightful, and colorful. There were many things I loved about this book, (written by an Australian who hitchhiked through Ireland a few weeks), but most of all I loved that he spelled the words that the Irish spoke to him as they sound, such as Dooblin for Dublin, ejeet for idiot, shoot oop for shut up, moit for might, dere for there etc. I loved this book so much, I've already ordered my own copy.
Pint-sized Ireland is a fun and engaging read. The author shares his vacation around Ireland that evolves into the search for the perfect pint of Guinness.
Evan and his traveling companion go from the worst Guinness they can imagine to finding the answer to where to find the perfect pint. Their journey takes them up one side of Ireland and back down the other.
Along the way they are carted, cajoled, and cared for by the locals and fellow travelers. They find that Ireland has more pubs than hotel...more
Evan and his traveling companion go from the worst Guinness they can imagine to finding the answer to where to find the perfect pint. Their journey takes them up one side of Ireland and back down the other.
Along the way they are carted, cajoled, and cared for by the locals and fellow travelers. They find that Ireland has more pubs than hotel...more
The book is 10 years old, but then, it sounds like nothing much changes in Ireland, so I took notes on pub names in case we're in some of the same towns on our up-coming trip. McHugh ran into, or almost drowned with, some interesting characters, such as the German bagpiper in the rowboat.
I look forward to drinking Guinness in Ireland, but doubt I'll have as many as McHugh and his friends did.
I look forward to drinking Guinness in Ireland, but doubt I'll have as many as McHugh and his friends did.
My nephew recommended this as I love Guinness. I loved the book, especially because it was also a tour of Ireland, so I saw some of the country through it. There was a bit too much drinking in it for me personally, but I should have expected that from the title. A fun read.
I really enjoyed this book, and the author's style. Though its title is about finding the perfect pint of Guinness, the book is quite a lot more with vivid descriptions of people that they met, and the places that they went while travelling around Ireland.
Funny and entertaining, this light read gave me some things to consider on my next tour of the the Emerald Isle. Certainly, I will be heading to Croagh Patrick, as well as searching for the perfect pint - it's moothers milk!
Excellent book to read in preparation for a trip to Ireland! This funny Australian author details great scenes of the pubs he visits, and the characters he runs into. Very well-rounded and covers major cities.
"The perfect Guinness is really just a matter of being in the right place at the right time." This is a fun book, The author is going around Ireland drinking Guinness at any pub. Even though there are better Irish stouts than Guinness, the above quote from the book still holds true.
I read this before our trip to Ireland in 2008, and it helped me plan our trip in a more enjoyable way than just reading travel guides could do. I liked the author's sense of humor.
This book was the last book my mother gave me. She knew of my love for my heritage and it contains the last inscription before she died.
This book was a fun read and I will cherish it.
This book was a fun read and I will cherish it.
I didn't think I would like reading about someone else's vacation, but I definitely enjoyed this book. It's funny, has great characters, and is a fun, informative read.
A great book to read before heading to Ireland. Aslo recommend "A Course Called Ireland."
Although I don't drink Guinness (this book almost makes me want to drink it), it's a great travelguide to some of the best places to see in Ireland.
Funny, though too short. I could have read lots more. Very nice, quick book about Ireland & stout.
Pretty hilarious travelogue. It doesn't really break new ground, but it's a quick, fun read.
Fun read! As satisfying as a good Guinness in a pub! If you've been to Ireland, all the better.
May 05, 2008
David
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
armchair-tourist,
nonfiction
A description of a tipsy tour of Ireland, complete with a little map decorated with iconic glasses of Guinness at each of the stops. McHugh writes a little like Bill Bryson. I like the style.
When I flipped the book open in the store, this is the paragraph that caught my eye and landed it in my hand to go home with me:
"Another term the Irish use to describe Guinness is 'moother's milk'. Considering it resembles liquid coal capped with a layer of densely packed froth of a colour one normally assoc...more
When I flipped the book open in the store, this is the paragraph that caught my eye and landed it in my hand to go home with me:
"Another term the Irish use to describe Guinness is 'moother's milk'. Considering it resembles liquid coal capped with a layer of densely packed froth of a colour one normally assoc...more
A literary pub crawl layered with enough glimpses into Irish culture to keep it from sliding into an Aussie's wry take on the locals. Rooit!
Was a good read. It makes me yearn for my next trip to Ireland. Which won't be soon enough in order to do my own search for the perfect pint of Guinness. :-)
It was a delightful jaunt around Ireland.
This is a humorous journey through the pubs and historic sites of Ireland as Evan McHugh and his companion Michelle search for the perfect pint of Guinness. A very enjoyable book that’s easy to read. The spellings of the Irish accents brings the language to life!
Fun book. I read it while traveling in Ireland. Don't expect anything too serious, but great for travel reading.
This was a charming little book. Now I really want to go to Ireland.
Started off shaky
A great trip with fun stories
Let's go have a pint.
A great trip with fun stories
Let's go have a pint.
I saw this book in Davis Kidd, drawn to it by its cover(I'm a sucker for Guinness). I got it for my birthday and started reading it that night...only to hit a slump. It was OK. I love Ireland, craic, pints, traveling, but McHugh was a man and an Australian to boot. Somehow, his writing and my absorption didn't connect. His best writing was in the final chapter "last drinks" where I found I couldn't agree with him more. The best pints of Guinness are found...well, read it and find out! Slainte!
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Feb 06, 2008 12:40pm
Feb 06, 2008 03:54pm