If you’re in the market for a freshly-printed history of Guinness family members and their various charitable works, smattered with factory history and fun facts, then this is the book for you.
This slim volume offers a range of information about the Guinness family pouring directly from one of their descendants, Rory Guinness. Opening with images and a personal introduction from the author to wet your whistle, it starts with the origin of the brew, beginning with the arrival of Arthur Guinness in Dublin, the construction of the factory, and an introduction to the fabled brewing method.
The next section of the book offers information about the factory’s architecture and a heady account of innovation undertaken at the firm, although statements like ‘Guinness was notable for the number of women on the board of directors from the 1950s’, provided without accompanying figures, does little to inspire the feminist within to pop out and buy a four-pack. But, emerging from some rather lifeless discussions of purchasing accounting machines, there are some interesting titbits like the origin story of the statistical t-test, developed to avoid shipping any bad batches of beer.
Moving on from history and innovation, Rory Guinness explores the branches of his family tree starting from the patriarch himself, Arthur. Probably less thrilling to most stout fans, this section offers dense vignettes of characters within the direct Guinness family and serves to hammer home the family connection to various charitable causes (in case the reader had missed multiple earlier mentions). The final, and perhaps most fun, section looks at how Guinness emerged as a global brand. It explores advertising campaigns at home and abroad, including some charming images from Guinness adverts of yesteryear.
World of Guinness feels like a light overview of the Guinness story, perhaps serving as a prequel to two other books on the family being released later this year. But a few interesting gems emerge among the wash of foam, not least James Joyce’s rejected strapline and work by then copywriter Dorothy L. Sayers, who brought the Guinness toucan into being with a last-minute change in the copy. There are also some endearing family stories like the last boat in the Guinness fleet being named Miranda Guinness for the author’s mother, a gesture considered a dubious honour by her namesake.
Overall, the range of current and historical facts about the company and insight into the factory processes would certainly be interesting to a diehard fan, and the illustrations of adverts featuring the frustrated zookeeper’s menagerie add an enjoyable splash of colour. So, if you find yourself in need of a present for one of those impossible to buy for people who enjoy a pint of the black stuff, this could be the book for you.
