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Whisky Galore
Whisky Galore
Jan 17, 2026 11:26 PM

Author:Compton Mackenzie

Whisky Galore

It's 1943 and the war has brought rationing to the Hebridean islands of Great and Little Todday. When food is in short supply, it is bad enough, but when the whisky runs out, it looks like the end of the world.

Morale is at rock bottom. George Campbell needs a wee dram to give him the courage to stand up to his mother and marry Catriona. The priest, the doctor and, of course, the landlord at the inn are all having a very thin time of it. There's no conversation, no jolity, no fun - until a shipwreck off the coast brings a piece of extraordinary good fortune...

Reviews

Charming tale.

—— TheInquirer.net

Superbly plotted and paced

—— The Times

Conn breathes new life into the darkest and most dramatic of times, with a flair for both the huge scale and human interest of it all

—— Star

Exceptionally well-written and gripping

—— Stylist

Compelling reading

—— Woman and Home

A page-turning thriller

—— Mail on Sunday

Pacey and juicy, and packed with action

—— Sunday Times

An intelligent and moving examination of the traumas of war. Faulks is as accomplished as ever

—— Scotsman, Books of the Year

It’s a melancholy tale of war, love and loss that will leave you gulping back sobs

—— Observer, Books 2015 in Review

Faulks gets better and better with every book. This is surely one of the year’s best novels.

—— John Harding , Daily Mail

Faulks writes in the grand tradition of realist fiction…Fans of Faulks — and they are legion — will find a great deal to admire and ponder and sorrow at within these pages. Its aspirations are sincere and noble

—— Spectator

An elegant, thoughtful novel

—— Sunday Mirror

One of his most haunting novels

—— Mail on Sunday

What makes this such an engaging, enjoyable book to read is the depth of the ideas that Faulks explores… As usual, Faulks’ historical research creates a wholly compelling world. Every detail, from glum 1980s New York to the chaos of wartime Belgium, feels fresh and convincing and the characterisation is impeccable

—— Sunday Express

a deeply affecting portrait

—— Metro

It could well be Faulks' magnum opus

—— Gavin Haines , World Travel Guide

expect a passionate story of love lost, delivered by a master storyteller

—— Good Housekeeping

Deeply philosophical…full of real heart

—— Heat Magazine

You’re instantly hooked. There’s a touch of Graham Greene here. The story takes off beautifully.

—— William Leith , Evening Standard

Faulks, always good, describes the transaction between shrink and sex worker and you’re hooked. A touch of Graham Greene here.

—— I

Daring, ambitious and in the end profoundly moving, this is Faulk’s most remarkable book yet.

—— Best

Spins through an exhilarating array of genres. The sensational opening chapter enmeshes the reader in a rollercoaster ride of tragedy, comedy, thriller, fantasy, chicklit, plus a few pages of raunchy sex

—— David Fothergill , Guardian

The Gap of Time takes nothing away from The Winter's Tale. If anything it might add to it, or at least to its resonance and mystery. It is an impressive achievement, especially as Winterson manages the contradictions of comedy and tragedy in a way which suits both their modern likelihood and their moral implications

—— Mary Leland , Irish Examiner

A witty retelling.

—— Joanna Kavenna , Literary Review

Her new story retains the essence of Shakespeare, but filters his comedy and sentiment through feminism and technology.

—— The Culture Trip

Filled with her wit and seriously thought-provoking ideas, Winterson’s writing is a pleasure… This is a well told, beautiful, magical and wonderfully evocative story which resonates with our contemporary lives.

—— Eric Page , Gscene

Vibrates with echoes of Shakespeare’s original.

—— I

Ambitious.

—— Sunday Times

There is a lovely, lilting cadence to the novel… Stylishly done…. Winterson manages against the odds to keep us gripped.

—— Sarah Crown , Guardian

Winterson is on sparkling form in this highly intelligent and daringly imaginative reworking of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale... Witty, clever and bold.

—— Mail on Sunday

Winterson is incapable of being dull, and The Gap Of Time is a fitting addition to her uniquely inventive catalogue.

—— Ellis O'Harrison , Irish Independent

She deftly captures all the magic and raw emotion of the original.

—— Irish Times
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