Iain Banks - Raw Spirit - whisky AND cars
Iain Banks - Raw Spirit - whisky AND cars
Author
Discussion

GingerNinja

Original Poster:

3,989 posts

287 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all

Hi,

Like Iain Banks?
Like Iain M Banks?
Like whisky?
Like cars?

Read Raw Spirit - it's Iain hooning around nearly all the whisky distilleries in Scotland in his various cars and trying most of them. Halfway through the book so far and he's been out in his LWB 11 seater Defender, his M5, and currently in his 1965 Jag Mk II 3.8. Lots of stuff about cars, driving and the great roads, not to mention lots of great stories about his past - he's been a bit of a caner!

I really must get my car up to Scotland for a proper highland tour.

JonRB

80,009 posts

301 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
One of the things on my "list of things to do before I die" is a grand tour of the Scottish distilleries. yes

Taking an entire year off to attend every F1 GP in a season is another. I think that may have to wait until I retire.

sneijder

5,231 posts

263 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Read it a while back !

Now know what to get my whisky guzzling father for christmas, thanks for the reminder. I was amazed at the fact when copper stills are repaired, any dents formed over the years are put back in to ensure the taste is exactly the same.

Read the Wasp Factory after that and felt all itchy.

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

263 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Do his cars have Feersum Enjinns?

glazbagun

15,341 posts

226 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
i wondered at Banks car background when I was reading The Bridge, and the way the protagonists cars featured more prominently than his relationships.

TimJMS

2,584 posts

280 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Parrot of Doom said:
Do his cars have Feersum Enjinns?
Not any more
Wikipedia said:
In February 2007, Banks sold his extensive car collection, including a bottle green 3.2 litre Porsche Boxster, a burgundy Porsche 911 Turbo, a 3.8 litre Jaguar Mark II, a 5 litre black BMW M5 series and a daily use diesel Land Rover Defender whose power he had boosted by about 50%. Banks traded all of the vehicles for a Lexus RX 400h hybrid - since replaced by a diesel Toyota Yaris - and vowed in future to fly only in emergencies.
There's a turn up for the books. So to speak.

Prof Beard

6,669 posts

256 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
TimJMS said:
Parrot of Doom said:
Do his cars have Feersum Enjinns?
Not any more
Wikipedia said:
In February 2007, Banks sold his extensive car collection, including a bottle green 3.2 litre Porsche Boxster, a burgundy Porsche 911 Turbo, a 3.8 litre Jaguar Mark II, a 5 litre black BMW M5 series and a daily use diesel Land Rover Defender whose power he had boosted by about 50%. Banks traded all of the vehicles for a Lexus RX 400h hybrid - since replaced by a diesel Toyota Yaris - and vowed in future to fly only in emergencies.
There's a turn up for the books. So to speak.
Oh Dear! Do you think he is going ga-ga?

Pigeon

18,535 posts

275 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Oh no, Banks has been greenslimed...

69elan+2

14,173 posts

242 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
sneijder said:
Read the Wasp Factory after that and felt all itchy.
I read 'Walking On Glass' thumbup Great book.

nerf

991 posts

260 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
GingerNinja said:
Hi,

Like Iain Banks?
Like Iain M Banks?
Like whisky?
Like cars?

Read Raw Spirit - it's Iain hooning around nearly all the whisky distilleries in Scotland in his various cars and trying most of them. Halfway through the book so far and he's been out in his LWB 11 seater Defender, his M5, and currently in his 1965 Jag Mk II 3.8. Lots of stuff about cars, driving and the great roads, not to mention lots of great stories about his past - he's been a bit of a caner!

I really must get my car up to Scotland for a proper highland tour.
bloody marvellous book, as is all his stuff.. theres a chap on here called Horza, who is one of banks' best characters....... i believe the Porsche is no more, though... some spirited driving in said scotland put paid to that.....

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

263 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
Diziet Sma is the best Banks character smile Horza is a selfish twit smile

Famous Graham

26,553 posts

254 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
Parrot of Doom said:
Diziet Sma is the best Banks character smile Horza is a selfish twit smile
Amen biggrin

Whenever I see the bridge (both from the air, coming into land from England, or from the road bridge), I can't help but think of The Bridge. I might have to seek him out if that sale story is true, and put him right.

GingerNinja

Original Poster:

3,989 posts

287 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
TimJMS said:
Parrot of Doom said:
Do his cars have Feersum Enjinns?
Not any more
Wikipedia said:
In February 2007, Banks sold his extensive car collection, including a bottle green 3.2 litre Porsche Boxster, a burgundy Porsche 911 Turbo, a 3.8 litre Jaguar Mark II, a 5 litre black BMW M5 series and a daily use diesel Land Rover Defender whose power he had boosted by about 50%. Banks traded all of the vehicles for a Lexus RX 400h hybrid - since replaced by a diesel Toyota Yaris - and vowed in future to fly only in emergencies.
There's a turn up for the books. So to speak.
Don't really believe that Wikipedia entry - sounds like a joke to me.

maddog993

1,220 posts

269 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
GingerNinja said:
TimJMS said:
Parrot of Doom said:
Do his cars have Feersum Enjinns?
Not any more
Wikipedia said:
In February 2007, Banks sold his extensive car collection, including a bottle green 3.2 litre Porsche Boxster, a burgundy Porsche 911 Turbo, a 3.8 litre Jaguar Mark II, a 5 litre black BMW M5 series and a daily use diesel Land Rover Defender whose power he had boosted by about 50%. Banks traded all of the vehicles for a Lexus RX 400h hybrid - since replaced by a diesel Toyota Yaris - and vowed in future to fly only in emergencies.
There's a turn up for the books. So to speak.
Don't really believe that Wikipedia entry - sounds like a joke to me.
no it's true - he was on BBC Breakfast quite a few months ago talking about it

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

263 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
GingerNinja said:
TimJMS said:
Parrot of Doom said:
Do his cars have Feersum Enjinns?
Not any more
Wikipedia said:
In February 2007, Banks sold his extensive car collection, including a bottle green 3.2 litre Porsche Boxster, a burgundy Porsche 911 Turbo, a 3.8 litre Jaguar Mark II, a 5 litre black BMW M5 series and a daily use diesel Land Rover Defender whose power he had boosted by about 50%. Banks traded all of the vehicles for a Lexus RX 400h hybrid - since replaced by a diesel Toyota Yaris - and vowed in future to fly only in emergencies.
There's a turn up for the books. So to speak.
Don't really believe that Wikipedia entry - sounds like a joke to me.
You didn't click the reference link then....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article14...

(little number on the end of the quote)

TimJMS

2,584 posts

280 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
He hasn't eliminated his carbon footprint, just transferred it. If this really was his reason for getting rid of his uber fleet then perhaps he should have seen to it that the vehicles were recycled into different products, rather than simply selling them which seems disingenuous.

Mekon (Green)

4 posts

225 months

Friday 21st December 2007
quotequote all
sneijder said:
Read it a while back !

Now know what to get my whisky guzzling father for christmas, thanks for the reminder. I was amazed at the fact when copper stills are repaired, any dents formed over the years are put back in to ensure the taste is exactly the same.

Read the Wasp Factory after that and felt all itchy.
I bought the book after hearing the serialised version on radio 4's 'Book of the week'. (A few years ago now). Not a bad read. After he (Banks) raved about the Glenfiddich Havana Reserve, I bought my Dad a bottle for his Xmas. He raved about it - said it was the nicest dram he's had in a long time. I'd have bought some more, for special occasions - it was about £65 a bottle - but I can't find it anymore. So if anyone knows where I can get some more............

Lefty Guns

21,166 posts

231 months

Tuesday 27th January 2009
quotequote all
Sorry for the gratuitous thread resurrection but I just read this book and it's awesome.

Having said that - I do have two issues with it. Cullen Skink is NOT from Fife, it's from Cullen (!)

And Ledaig in gaelic is pronouned Lay-Check.

Great book though and despite his like for Capitalising Too Many Words I think I may try reading some of his fictional work.

And I want to tour every distillery in my Land Rover. And I want to buy an M5.

wadgebeast

3,856 posts

240 months

Tuesday 27th January 2009
quotequote all
I want his modded Mk2 Jag - modern brakes, suspension, tuned engine, standard shape car. cloud9

My wedding car was a Mk2. Bloody lovely.

JonRB

80,009 posts

301 months

Tuesday 27th January 2009
quotequote all
wadgebeast said:
I want his modded Mk2 Jag - modern brakes, suspension, tuned engine, standard shape car. cloud9
That'll be a Beacham then. Well, I dunno if Banks' is a Beacham, but that's what they do.

Racing Green had a gorgeous Mk2 Jag that was a S-Type R under the skin. Mmmmmm.

The Beacham E-Type that they had wasn't as effective, I thought, because it used the modern dashboard and interior from its XKR donor car, which pretty much made it a re-bodied XKR rather than an E-type, in my opinion.

Edit: See http://www.beacham-jaguar.co.nz/

Edited by JonRB on Tuesday 27th January 12:32