Whisky Galore

By: Compton Mackenzie

Narrated by: David Rintoul

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 jollity, no fun - until a ship-wreck off the coast brings a piece of extraordinary good fortune.

©1947 Compton Mackenzie (P)2010 Hachette Digital

Entertaining but a curiously unsatisfying finish.

A Scottish island has reluctantly been plunged into a state of sobriety due to a whisky shortage cause by WWII. As luck would have it, a ship bound for the USA, and laden with the finest Scottish whisky, is shipwrecked on the island's coastline.
This tale has a great deal of the customary Compton Mackenzie charm with various minor stories of island life and love interwoven with the main plot. I must say though, that I found the book ended abruptly. In fact, I thought there had been a mistake and the recording had somehow jumped a chapter, but no. I felt the book needed a little more finishing but obviously Mackenzie didn't agree.
In all, it is an entertaining, frothy listen well presented by David Rintoul. However, it does leave you with the feeling that the vast majority of islanders must be alcoholics if Mackenzie's portrayal is accurate!