Book Review: The Search for Good Wine - John Hailman
I was given this book from NetGalley in promise of an honest review.
I wanted to like this book - I really did. As a wine lover, but not necessarily a wine scholar, I was looking forward to educating myself with a book that was accessible to the average wine drinker. I felt encouraged when the author expressed that was exactly what his book was about - educating the average wine lover. It wasn't going to be pretentious, which gave me a huge sigh of relief.
Not being pretentious doesn't mean it needs to be badly written, and unfortunately that is what John Hailman delivered in this book. His first wrong foot started in the very beginning - when he gave us the long and drawn out life story that he desperately wanted to fit into this book, but just didn't. The writing was very informal - it almost felt at times like I was reading a blog instead of a book. It also felt like the author was "tooting his own horn" at times - name dropping left and right. I felt like the author maybe didn't feel like he deserved to be writing this book so he was constantly trying to inflate his self image.
With that said - not all of the essays were awful. I quite enjoyed a few, and I do feel more educated about wine than I did before the book. I just feel like the author maybe needs a little bit more reigning in - either from himself or his editor.
Goodreads stars: 2/5
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