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Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster
Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster: Traveling through Scotland with Boswell and Johnson | William W. Starr
5 posts | 2 read | 8 to read
Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster is a memoir of a twenty-first-century literary pilgrimage to retrace the famous eighteenth-century Scottish journey of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson, two of the most celebrated writers of their day. William W. Starr enlivens this crisply written travelogue with a playful wit, an enthusiasm for all things Scottish, the boon and burden of American sensibility, and an ardent appreciation for Boswell and Johnsonwho make frequent cameos throughout these ramblings. In 1773 the sixty-three-year-old Johnson was England's preeminent man of letters, and Boswell, some thirty years Johnson's junior, was on the cusp of achieving his own literary celebrity. For more than one hundred days, the distinguished duo toured what was then largely unknown Scottish terrain, later publishing their impressions of the trip in a pair of classic journals. In 2007 Starr embarked on a three-thousand-mile trek through the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands, following the paththough in reverseof Boswell and Johnson. He recorded a wealth of keen observations on his encounters with people and places, lochs and lore, castles and clans, fables and foibles. Starr couples his contemporary commentary with passages from Boswell's and Johnson's published accounts, letters, and diaries to weave together a cohesive travel guide to the Scotland of yore and today. This is a celebration of Scottish life and a spirited endorsement of the wondrous, often unexpected discoveries to be made through good travel and good writing.
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Crinoline_Laphroaig
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#wannabe cottage in Scotland with a stack of books and wee dram of Laphroaig. #whiskydrinkingwoman #90sinjuly @Cinfhen @Robothugs

Crinoline_Laphroaig 😂 Got my Litsy challenges confused. #thinkthisiright 7y
Bostonmomx2 It's 100 here today. I'd gladly trade in a second 😊😬 7y
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Crinoline_Laphroaig @Bostonmomx2 94 and Humid in Oklahoma. I'm in the country Tulsa is worse. 7y
Cinfhen Love this app😍💕 7y
DarcysMom It is 106 and miserable in my neck of the woods. 🌋🌋🌋🌋 7y
Bostonmomx2 @missnavigation anything over about 80 can suck it imo 😂😂😂 7y
Crinoline_Laphroaig @Bostonmomx2 Absolutely suck it! I'm officially done with summer on July 5th. 7y
49 likes8 comments
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Crinoline_Laphroaig
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Pickpick

Great Travel Read. Author sums it up best "And how can you not savor a nation whose favorite word is numpty?"

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Crinoline_Laphroaig
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Because I've been to Ireland & planning trip to Scotland, I'm often asked if that's were my people are from. My answer is 'I don't know but much as love the whiskey/whisky I must be.' I've just learned of the isle of Iona. My grandmother's name was Iona. I know very little about her, she died when I was 5 years old. Maybe I'll take up genealogy & find out she was named for this. But for now I'm taking this as a sign. #thatsmystoryandImstickin2it

brilliantglow Iona plays a role in the Secret of the Kells. It's sort of a mystical magical place where the Book of Iona is written. (Later known as the Book of the Kells). Genealogy is really interesting. It's something that's important to both sides of my family. My mom has traced her side way back to like 1700 or something and my great uncle has our family history back to 1859 when 3 brothers moved to North America (2 to the US and 1 to CAN from Ireland.) 8y
Crinoline_Laphroaig @brilliantglow I've seen the Book of Kells in Dublin. It was fascinating. Now I must find out more! 8y
brilliantglow It's very fascinating! Ireland has a very interesting history. Scotland will have some cool and interesting things for you to see too. 8y
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Kangaj1 😀We named our daughter Iona after this place. 8y
Crinoline_Laphroaig @Kangaj1 You've add to my theory. Why else would a baby girl born in Oklahoma just before statehood be named Iona unless there was a connection? Especially when everyone else was naming girls Bessie and Rosie. 8y
ReadingEnvy I looooove Iona it's so amazing. I hope I can go back someday. If you suspect you have Scottish ancestry, the geneologists at Edinburgh Castle are very helpful and nice. 8y
34 likes6 comments
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Crinoline_Laphroaig

A friend of mine recommend this book in preparation for upcoming trip. She so gets me.
"It was already evident that Scotland has a lot of history that I was going to need to digest to get the most of my experience. But as long as there are gift shops selling single malts, I was confident that I was up to the task."
#whiskydrinkingwoman

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Crinoline_Laphroaig
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A friend recommended reading this before we go to Scotland. @RealLifeReading #scotlandtbr #nessieandlaphroaig #readjanuary #booksaboutnature 🐉

LeahBergen I want! 8y
398.2 Fun! I loved going to Scotland! You're going to have a great time. 8y
33 likes2 stack adds2 comments