A Chip Shop in Poznan by Ben Aitken

Seven of us gathered to discuss A Chip Shop in Poznań, and the short verdict was that this was not a well-liked read. For a renowned travel writer, Aitken’s approach felt surprisingly low-effort - more like a diary with footnotes than a fully developed travel narrative. Many of us were disappointed by its lack of depth and structure.

A particular sticking point was the book’s tone, which often came across as laddish and immature. While we appreciated, thanks to two members with first-hand experience of Poland, that alcohol is genuinely woven into aspects of Polish social life, we didn’t feel we needed to read our way through what seemed like a year of drinking and drunkenness. 

However, the evening’s conversation proved much richer than the book itself. Our “insiders” were able to confirm many incidental details. One of us had enjoyed the family wedding where food, vodka, food, games, more drink, more food, dancing (and so on) flowed throughout. Another visited Poland and shared a menu that, again, illustrated the importance of food and vodka! Most notably, we were assured that the Polish language is indeed notoriously difficult to learn, breaking the spirits of even the most enthusiastic linguists! Their insights brought humour and authenticity to our discussion, helping us appreciate the cultural fragments Aitken touched on.

Our chat then broadened into a lively and imaginative debate about where we might choose to live and work for a year. Poland didn’t make the list, but Italy gathered three votes, France one, and India one. We concluded that the idea of immersing oneself in a new place, with the intention of challenging one’s mindset and engaging wholeheartedly with local people, was very appealing. From there, we wandered into conversations about experiences in Russia and the Baltics, and somehow, in true book group fashion, this led us on to a lively chat about travel, languages, and even plastic!

As for whether we’d recommend A Chip Shop in Poznań: sorry, Ben, not really. It simply didn’t resonate with most of us. However, in the interest of balance, having read your other books, one of our group spoke highly of them and recommended we give The Marmalade Diaries and The Gran Tour a try.

That said, there were elements we admired. We were genuinely impressed by Aitken’s ability to be warmly welcomed into situations and homes by people he had never met before. His use of football as an icebreaker was spot-on and a reminder of how shared passions can transcend language barriers. And we found it interesting to learn how Poland had effectively been “put on the moon” for many years, and must have had a huge influence on the cultural and historical context encountered.

In the end, while the book may not have won us over, it certainly prompted a thoughtful, entertaining, and wide-ranging discussion. And sometimes, that’s the unexpected gift of a less-than-perfect read.