"Fans of food writing, travel writing, history and global culture will be satisfyingly intoxicated by this fascinating exploration of connections between spirits and the spiritual."
Tom Morton’s Holy Waters: Searching for the Sacred in a Glass is the ideal gift for drinkers and thinkers – an exquisite blend of scintillating story-telling and anthropological adventure that’s as smooth and satisfying as a peated single malt.
Investigating the many connections between religion and alcohol, from impulses to prohibit or moderate its consumption, to the ways it’s been appropriated for use in worship, this wittily personable book leads readers on a fascinating journey around the world, and through history.
Sharing stories of everything from a whisky-swilling, 6th-century Gaelic saint, an ancient Sumerian beer goddess, wassailing witches imbibing cider brews, and Haitian voodoo ceremonies fuelled by potent rum, Holy Waters is infused with personality and intriguing information. What’s more, each chapter ends with evocative tasting notes that bring booze to life.
| Primary Genre | Cookery, Food and Drink |
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A fascinating read over a wide range of topics. There's the history of brewing, holy wells, wassailing and voodoo. A great gift for a whisky lover.
In Holy Waters, Tom Morton investigates the connections between various drinks and religion. Spirits and spirituality are closer linked than we might think, although he does turn his attention to some less and even non-alcoholic beverages occasionally.
He travels the world, taking in places as diverse as India, Mexico, Germany and Martinique, and an equally wide ranging variety of drinks such as sake, rum and mead. As is befitting of a Scottish author however, there is a heavy bias towards Scotland and whisky.
It's a fascinating read over a wide range of topics. There's the history of brewing, holy wells, wassailing and voodoo.... Read Full Review
A wonderful book for anyone who wants to know what to stock up their bar with, but to also learn some great stories, sit back, relax and take a sip.
Tom Morton's Holy Waters is a wonderful book for anyone who wants to know what to stock up their bar with, but also for a book to add to the shelf for you to sit back, relax and take a sip.
Touring far and wide we travel along with Tom trying out different spirits, and learning a little more about the depth and history of the drink. These are accompanied by easy-to-understand tasting notes, and recommendations for bottles which will give you quality but without breaking the bank (Mostly!).... Read Full Review
Alcohol, Spirituality, History, Travel
Tom Morton’s book is hard to categorize. It’s autobiography, science, social and cultural history, travelogue, comparative religion, and a tasting guide to a wide range of drinks, not all of them alcoholic. Each chapter looks at a different stage of the author’s global journey to investigate the links between alcohol and spirituality, and is accompanied by tasting notes for the drinks consumed along the way.
He writes with an obvious sense of humour and a deep interest in the places, people, and drinks he visits. The huge amount of research done is worn lightly and gives a real insight into history and the human condition. It’s a book dense with information but which is easily accessible and rewards close attention.
To use an apt metaphor, it’s a book for sipping, not gulping.... Read Full Review
