Ben Aitken

A good, quick little read and a good idea for a book that the author mostly pulls off. A young man in his thirties takes half a dozen coach tour holidays. Almost all his fellow passengers are pensioners for many of whom this sort of holiday is popular. It's cheap and its all inclusive. No hassle. He takes the trips not particularly for the holidays but for the opportunity of meeting and talking to older people. After some initial curiosity and defensiveness about his youth his fellow holiday makers provide good company and good conversation. Sometimes they amuse him, sometimes they annoy him, sometimes they puzzle him and sometimes they inspire him. He quotes some good one liners from random conversations and eavesdroppings. But any good travel book isn't just about the journey its about the context and what thoughts and discoveries it inspires. That's when Mr Aitken when switching from light comedy to deeper thoughts doesn't quite make it. Not enough about himself or the state of the world in which he finds himself. You get the impression that he is reluctant to reveal hidden depths. Good nevertheless.… (mehr)

I've lived in Poland for the last twelve years, and so having a chance to compare my own experiences to those enjoyed by Ben Aitken meant that this was a diverting, enjoyable read. Aitken spent a year in Poland - and for a small portion of that time, yes, he was employed in a chip shop, but this title should be taken with a pinch of salt, so to speak - and in that time he explored much of the country, and met many different sets of people. The book is presented in diary format, though the text has clearly been polished so that it reads well, and it's easy to gauge your progress through his year just by looking at each date stamp.

One minor complaint I have here is that one of the goals that Aitken had for himself was to see what it's like to live in Poland as if he too were Polish - but his lack of concern for how much he spends along the way means that much of what he sees and does would be completely unattainable for others - myself included. All in all, though, a fun little book, and well worth the time I put into reading it.… (mehr)

I can only give this two stars and say it was just "OK." I read 92 pages and then couldn't go on, so this was a DNF (did not finish) for me. This travel memoir sounded like a great concept to write about: a millennial joins senior citizens on organized travel trips to various British towns and tourist spots. The reviews were positive and the ratings were high. BUT I found it to be boring, flat, and dull. Possibly because I had just finished a fabulous murder mystery that also highlighted senior citizens (The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, as well as earlier enjoying a similar five star book featuring elderly characters called The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman), I was waiting for something to happen in The Gran Tour. Author Ben Aitken narrates his travels with British pensioners hoping that their quirkiness will come across as comical and entertaining. Imagine if you were stuck on a bus or hotel tour with a group of shallow people who only wanted to eat, drink, and play bingo. Their eccentricity is not endearing, nor is Aitken's. I can only recommend this book if you are looking for something to read to put you to sleep. It worked every time!… (mehr)

145/2020. This is Ben Aitken's third travelogue. It's themed around six coach tours to England, Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, Italy, and Scotland. It's the sort of book that revolves around the author's interactions with the people encountered, especially as Aitken boasts that he doesn't do research and backs that up by not seeming particularly interested in his holiday destinations most of the time. Unfortunately for a book that revolves around the character of the author, at the age of 33+, Aitken hasn't decided which authorial persona to adopt so he ends up trying on different self-presentations, and even differing voices, in each section. He might admire Bill Bryson's success but doesn't appear willing to put in the effort required to emulate it. That said, this is easy reading and the other characters are amusing company so, if we're being honest, it's probably about as entertaining as anyone would expect from a coach tour: an average experience moulded by our guide smoothing out any mild ups and downs.… (mehr)