I'll be honest, I never finished watching the Outlander series because my Starz subscription expired and I didn't renew it. So a lot of the references in this book are lost on me. I picked up this book because Scotland is on my bucket list and I hope one day to visit. So if you're not a fan of the Outlander series, you will still find this book worth reading.
The book follows Sam and Graham, who worked together on the series, as they take a major road trip around the Highlands of Scotland stopping at historically significant places (such as Glencoe). Since the two men are good friends there is a lot of bantering back and forth and jokes. The antique motorcycle incident at the end of the book was amusing thanks to Big Tam until Graham runs into trouble.
Graham seems to be an expert on Scottish history and I thoroughly enjoyed his explanations on the various battles (such as the Battle of Culloden). In addition, there are discussions with experts and guides throughout which offer lots of good history or knowledge. For example, there's a small bit about Rob Roy MacGregor toward the end and where he may or may not be buried with several email exchanges to Graham.
I also enjoyed learning bits of Scottish Gaelic that is sprinkled throughout the book. There's even a two page spread of "Sam's Scottish Slang" midway through the book with some interesting phrases.
On page 49 is a nice "Key Dates in Scottish History". Page 238 has a nice "The House of Stuart" family tree of those who ruled England and Scotland from 1603 through 1714.
Interested in the movie making process? There's plenty of educational bits throughout the book.
Sam Heughan has ventured into the whiskey making business with his own brand, Sassenach. There's some interesting discussions of whiskey making as well as different types of whiskey and alcohol.
Overall, this is an entertaining read especially for anyone interested in Scotland or Scottish culture. Try to find it at your local library if you can. My library had a waiting list so it took a few weeks before I could check it out. I guess there are still people out there who loved the Outlander shows or books.
Please note that this book does contain some adult language and themes. Also this book was published in 2020 so be sure to verify locations before setting out as accessability might have changed.
Title: Clanlands: An Unforgettable Journey Through Scotland’s History, Legends and Whisky
Author: Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish
ISBN: 978-1529342024
Pages: 359
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