Book Description
In the life of Precious Ramotswe–a woman duly proud of her fine traditional build–there is rarely a dull moment, and in the latest installment in the universally beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series there is much happening on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road. Mma Ramotswe is experiencing staffing difficulties. First Mr. J.L.B. Mate-koni asks to be put in charge of a case involving an errant husband. But can a man investigate such matters as successfully as the number one lady detective can? Then she has a minor falling-out with her assistant, Mma Makutsi, who decides to leave the agency, taking the 97 percent she received on her typing final from the Botswana Secretarial College with her.
Along the way, Mma Ramotswe is asked to investigate a couple of tricky cases. Will she be able to explain an unexpected series of deaths at the hospital in Mochudi? And what about the missing office supplies at a local printing company? These are the types of questions that she is uniquely well suited to answer.
In the end, whatever happens, Mma Ramotswe knows she can count on Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, who stands for all that is solid and true in a shifting world. And there is always her love for Botswana, a country of which she is justifiably proud.
Customer Reviews:
Another triumph for McCall Smith.......2007-09-28
I eagerly awaited this new installment in the series, and was not disappointed, although there were a few parts in this novel that moved slowly. The situations in this novel seemed real, the types of human relationship issues we all deal with on a daily basis. Things are not always lovely, people do disagree and doubt one another, and this novel revealed this underside of humanity. I hope this series will continue, as I am anxious to find out more about Mme Makutsi and her upcoming marriage, and also about the kids, who appeared only briefly in this novel. If you have not listened to the audio, run to your public library and check it out. Lisette Lecat's wonderful voice has gotten me through many long and tedious road trips.
The Best So Far!.......2007-09-20
My husband and I listened to this on our trips to my doctor and we really enjoyed this one. It has more than one subplot, and held our attention. As always, the narrator is wonderful. This series is like comfort food - always satisfying even if it doesn't have the most substance. No profanity, no real violence--just great entertainment.
Another charmer.......2007-08-28
What can I say? This is another charming installment in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I wish Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni really existed so I could meet them. At any rate, this series makes me want to visit Botswana. If you liked the other books, you will definitely like this one. If you are starting out, read them in order from the beginning.
Earthy Wisdon.......2007-08-26
Close to the earth, close to what's real and true (if there is ever a 'true'). Very personal to me as I lived in Botswana some years ago for a few years. An authentic rendition of the ways of living and the general 'feeling' of Botswana. I have all 7 of the series and re-read the previous 6 before reading the newest one. I loved the immersion. Mma Ramotswe is wise. Her character is not unique to Botswana but Botswana offers a fine ambience for developing and displaying wisdom. Over the coming years I intend to re-read the series frequently.
Not the best in the series..........2007-08-24
This was a surprise eighth installment to a series that was supposed to end with seven. While I am a big fan of the series, I found this particular book to be disappointing for a number of reasons, most of them related to the plot.
As is his usual set-up, McCall Smith starts a series of mini-mysteries to be solved by the ever-resourceful Mma Ramotswe and/or her colorful assistant, Mma Makutsi. In this book, several characters get their own mystery to solve, some with more success than others. Some of the plot lines break down, only to be gathered up hastily with weak explanations. There is also a lack of continuity between some of the story lines.
While the subplots have some definite leaks, the author's painting of the characters continues to be what makes these books so good. The reader learns a bit more about Mr. JLB Matekoni, although the mystery behind his depression remains as such. Mma Makutsi continues to have enjoyable dialogues with her shoes as she prepares for the next phase in her life. The children, Motholeli and Puso, make only brief appearances, as does Phuti Radiphuti.
There are still a few open loops in the tale of Mma Ramotswe and cohorts, so the author might not be finished with the series. Should there be a next installment, however, I hope that McCall Smith finds a fresh supply of creative plot lines.
Book Description
From universally beloved author Alexander McCall Smith, comes this seventh installment in the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series featuring Botswana’s best-loved detective.
Life is good for Mma Ramotswe as she sets out with her usual resolve to solve people’s problems, heal their misfortunes, and untangle the mysteries that make life interesting. And life is never dull on Tlokweng Road. A new and rather too brusque advice columnist is appearing in the local paper. Then, a cobra is found in the offices of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Recently, the Mokolodi Game Preserve manager feels an infectious fear spreading among his workers, and a local doctor may be falsifying blood pressure readings. To further complicate matters, Grace Makutsi may have scared off her own fiancé. Mma Ramotswe, however, is always up to the challenge. And Blue Shoes and Happiness will not fail to entertain Alexander McCall Smith’s oldest fans and newest converts with its great wit, charm, and great good will.
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Praise for In the Company of Cheerful Ladies:
• National Bestseller
“Beloved Botswana sleuth Precious Ramotswe is back – and better than ever – in this sixth entry in McCall Smith’s bestselling series. . . . By turns laugh-out-loud funny and quietly profound, these life-affirming mysteries are fine company, indeed.”
–Booklist, starred review
“Like clove oil on a bad tooth, McCall Smith’s fiction acts on cynicism as an effective, old-fashioned balm.”
–The Globe and Mail
“May be the most compelling of the lot. . . . It begins with an incident that crystallizes McCall Smith’s skill. Ultimately it is a matter of petty thievery, but his handling of it dramatizes the moral underpinnings of these books. . . . [Mma Ramotswe’s] strength – and the source of her enormous appeal – is her understanding of the human heart, and her willingness to confront its perfidies.”
–New York Daily News
“These books offer a sunnily lit window into another world, along with a modicum of relief from certain aspects of modern Western culture. They never descend into mere escapism, though. A few hours spent with Precious Ramotswe and her friends is always time well spent.”
–St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“[The] sixth entry in McCall Smith’s consistently delightful series. . . Amid the hilarious scenarios and quiet revelations are luminous descriptions of Botswana, land of wide-open spaces and endless blue skies.”
–Publishers Weekly, starred review
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Continuing a tradition of great books..........2007-09-20
After a long string of mediocre or uninspiring books, it was such a joy to read Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. I save these books for when I'm in such a rut because I know that they will be wonderful and I'll be able to linger and enjoy them and feel good about reading again. I'll be motivated and excited about reading again. I knew I'd want to pick up my next book right away. Somehow these books reenergize me.
In this installment we have Mma Romatswe solving a blackmailing mystery, she tackles a physician who is committing fraud against his patients, she confronts voodoo, deals with the fact that her traditionally built figure is causing problems. All they while there is an underlying tension between her and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. Mma Makutsi deals with feminism and her new fiance and Mr. Polopetsi practices being an assistant to the assistant detective Makutsi...and somehow those apprentices seem to be growing up.
As in his other books, Smith addresses the issues of the traditional Botswana ways and how they are being taken over by newer more modern ways that are eating away at a civilized and logical way of addressing the world. Mma Romatswe as the central figure, always helps everyone see how they have been attracted to shiny inconsequential things and need to be more focused on what is important. I love the way she is able to feel anger or frustration and then think through whether it is worth the energy--and usually it isn't. However, when necessary she confronts people gone bad and manages to help them come around--sometimes. There are those that are "uncurable"--People who are evil--and those she realizes she has to stop.
Smith did a good job of setting up the next book. I'm looking forward to finding out what this tension is between Mma Romatswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. I can't wait to see how Mma Makutsi's love of pretty shoes develops and how her relationship with Mr. Phuti goes. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of the children as well as the apprenticeships. Was the outburst from Charlie really an expression of his burgeoning maturity. I'm so glad that book #8 is published and on my shelf so I can read it immediately when I'm next in a slump.
Another good book in the series..........2007-08-13
Although these books will never end up on a list of significant fiction, as always they are a quick and enjoyable read. This book continues the delightful story of the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency.
Blue Shoes and Happiness.......2007-08-13
Not a very exciting story. Not fast moving. Cute, very simplistic story.
The principle of "Less is More".......2007-07-10
One of the oft-heard criticisms of cozy mysteries is that "nothing much happens." If one thinks in terms of high-speed chases and blood-spattered corpses, I can see the point.
The only corpse in this book is a much-maligned bird, but its death brought tears to my eyes.
Alexander McCall Smith has mastered the subtle undertones of gentle conversation, of deftly defined characters, of landscape portraiture. Saying that nothing much happens in his books is like saying that a panther is nothing but a big housecat.
The principle of "less is more" applies here. BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS is a perfect title for a very nearly perfect book. I say very nearly perfect because that's how one rates a magnificent diamond.
Excellent Author.......2007-07-05
Keeps your interest all the way through the book, in fact, throughout the whole series.
Book Description
In the newest addition to the universally beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the charming and ever-resourceful Precious Ramotswe finds herself overly beset by problems. She is already busier than usual at the detective agency when added to her concerns are a strange intruder in her house on Zebra Drive and the baffling appearance of a pumpkin. And then there is Mma Makutsi, who decides to treat herself to dance lessons, only to be partnered with a man who seems to have two left feet. Nor are things running quite as smoothly as they usually do at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. Mma Ramotswe’s husband, the estimable Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, is overburdened with work even before one of his apprentices runs off with a wealthy woman. But what finally rattles Mma Ramotswe’s normally unshakable composure is a visitor who forces her to confront a secret from her past. . . .
All this unfolds against the sunlit background of Mma Ramotswe’s beloved homeland, Botswana–a land of empty spaces, echoing skies, and an endless supply of soothing bush tea.
Customer Reviews:
Delight in Cheerful Ladies!.......2007-08-14
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies, the sixth book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith continues to delight the reader, by allowing us to visit the enchanted world of Botswana through the eyes of the number one lady detective Precious Ramotswe. We peak into a foreign world which seems oddly familiar. It is a world we knew during days of Andy Griffith and Leave It to Beaver. This time however we see the world through African eyes.
Precious Ramotswe, is a Botswanan lady of traditional build and traditional values, even so she is modern enough to establish her own detective agency, something unheard of in Botswana. Precious is a shrewd woman with an innate sense of right and wrong . She holds to traditional Botswanan values, while solving any puzzle or predicament which her clients may present her.
She is not with out help and support. Precious is newly married to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni who is a mechanic with strong values of service and care. Also in the cast of characters is Mma Makutsi, Precious' associate. Mma Makutsi is a more modern woman, but one who values hard work. Together they create a truly delightful mix of personalities.
When the personalities combine with the everyday details of Botswana, slices of each characters life and personal dilemmas and the puzzles which the clients present , the reader can delight in a true literary dish that is not to be missed.
A reader of In the Company of Cheerful Ladies cannot help but wish to travel to Botswana and meet Precious Ramotswe.
Mystery and Laugh Out Loud Funny.......2007-08-09
O Boy! Want some mystery? Good clean humor? No violence? Precious Ramotswe, a traditionally-built woman without apology, and her pals are here for us. She and her assistant, Grace (who gets advice from her colorful designer shoes), are very entertaining and many times, laugh-out-loud funny. I read the entire Ladies' Detective series in a couple of weeks. The books average about 200+ pages each. Set in modern Botswana and written by Alexander Mccall Smith, the reader may be encouraged to visit Botswana and Her people.
Excellent Author.......2007-07-05
Keeps your interest all the way through the book, in fact, throughout the whole series.
Pumpkins, green dancing shoes, and decrepit white vans..........2007-05-16
Alexander McCall Smith has outdone himself in this book! Even if you haven't read the entire Ladies Detective Agency series, you could dive in with this one and be totally satisfied. Don't be put off by a slow start...the beginning will slow you down to Botswana time, but unexpected things soon begin to happen and by the end of the book, several different plot threads are nicely tied up with bows (except for two, which remain unresolved...perhaps for the next book).
Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi usually solve the problems of others, but in this book Mma Ramotswe has a terrible problem which at first seems insoluble. It threatens her marriage...but ultimately, with help from an unexpected source, it is resolved.
Grace decides to go to dancing school -- to dance, certainly, but also possibly to meet a cultivated man. She does meet someone. If you have ever done likewise, you will love the description of the first dance lesson, Grace's feelings at what transpires, her decision to be kind even though she gets stuck with someone who seems to have no dancing ability whatsoever. McCall Smith is unparalleled at setting up moral dilemmas full of the complexity and the humor of everyday life, and resolving them in ways that warm the heart and delight the brain.
The relationship between Grace and Precious (glimpses of their differences and their mutual judgments of each other, coexisting with their loyalty and devotion) takes on new depth in this book, as does the relationship between Precious and J.L.B. Matekoni, and between J.L.B. and Grace, who make a surprising discovery together (one of the two plot threads left unresolved).
Several lesser subplots twine around these stories like morning glory vines. At the end of the last chapter, Grace says to Precious, "We have never had so much happen all at the same time. It is better for things to happen separately." Precious agrees...but I think the reader may disagree! McCall Smith delights us with his plot juggling and I for one can't wait to see what comes next.
If this is your first time reading the series -- it's wonderful. Otherwise, repetitive & tedious........2007-04-28
The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series is charming. This is the sixth installment I've read. Unfortunately, 60% of the content of this edition has been covered in the first three books, which I found frustrating.
If you have read other novels in the series, you may skip wholesale passages of this book -- literally turn over pages and just scan them. The plot is not advanced, and the book is cluttered by the repetition. I became frustrated with the lack of plot movement over entire chapters. What was sweet and tender in the first three books has become tepid and stagnant by the sixth.
However -- if this is your first time reading the series, you may become entranced and probably will want to read the rest as fast as possible. Read the first three books next.
Amazon.com
Penzler Pick, July 2001: Working in a mystery tradition that will cause genre aficionados to think of such classic sleuths as Melville Davisson Post's Uncle Abner or Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee, Alexander McCall Smith creates an African detective, Precious Ramotswe, who's their full-fledged heir.
It's the detective as folk hero, solving crimes through an innate, self-possessed wisdom that, combined with an understanding of human nature, invariably penetrates into the heart of a puzzle. If Miss Marple were fat and jolly and lived in Botswana--and decided to go against any conventional notion of what an unmarried woman should do, spending the money she got from selling her late father's cattle to set up a Ladies' Detective Agency--then you have an idea of how Precious sets herself up as her country's first female detective. Once the clients start showing up on her doorstep, Precious enjoys a pleasingly successful series of cases.
But the edge of the Kalahari is not St. Mary Mead, and the sign Precious orders, painted in brilliant colors, is anything but discreet. Pointing in the direction of the small building she had purchased to house her new business, it reads "THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY. FOR ALL CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND ENQUIRIES. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED FOR ALL PARTIES. UNDER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT."
The solutions she comes up with, whether in the case of the clinic doctor with two quite different personalities (depending on the day of the week), or the man who had joined a Christian sect and seemingly vanished, or the kidnapped boy whose bones may or may not be those in a witch doctor's magic kit, are all sensible, logical, and satisfying. Smith's gently ironic tone is full of good humor towards his lively, intelligent heroine and towards her fellow Africans, who live their lives with dignity and with cautious acceptance of the confusions to which the world submits them. Precious Ramotswe is a remarkable creation, and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency well deserves the praise it received from London's Times Literary Supplement. I look forward with great eagerness to the upcoming books featuring the memorable Miss Ramotswe, Tears of the Giraffe and Morality for Beautiful Girls, soon to be available in the U.S. --Otto Penzler
Book Description
This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency received two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.
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This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency received two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.
“The Miss Marple of Botswana.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“The author’s prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. His descriptions leave one as if standing in the Botswana landscape. This is art that conceals art. I haven’t read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time.”
ANTHONY DANIELS, THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
“The writing [is] very accessible, yet the prose so beautiful.... I choose books that give me pure joy, whose world I want to stay in for a long time.”
AMY TAN, FOR THE TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB
“General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book just as much if not more than mystery readers.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Smart and sassy...Precious’s progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once.... Thoroughly engaging and entertaining.”
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
“One of the best, most charming, honest, hilarious and life-affirming books to appear in years.”
THE PLAIN DEALER (CLEVELAND)
Customer Reviews:
A Kid's Review.......2007-10-08
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
By Alexander McCall Smith
If you're looking for an engaging, well written book with unpredictable plot twists, than The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is absolutely perfect for you. This mystery follows the ups and downs of the life of Precious Ramotswe, starting in the present and containing flashbacks to childhood and adolescent years in her country of pride and joy, Botswana. Each memory reveals a tad bit more about the independent and smart personality of Precious Ramotswe, the reason for which she eventually settles down and opens the first detective agency run solely by a woman in all of Botswana. Although slow at first, business catches, like a spark held to gasoline. Throughout unimaginable mini mysteries, including a confused crocodile, an unknown double-identity and a dangerous case involving witch doctors, Precious Ramotswe uses sharp intellect to figure out the absurdly impossible.
Out of five stars, I rate The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency a four. This is because though the plot drew you in and left you hanging at each chapter, I feel that even more descriptive words could have been selected at times. Something I can relate to in the book is the fact that Precious is constantly having to put up with the doubts from various men that she, a lady, can run a business. Although I have not encountered this in such an extreme form, the "Men are better than woman" idea is still relevant at times even in more modern countries such as the U.S. One reason I really enjoyed this book is because I encountered a style of writing which is new to me. I found it very interesting that the author conveyed Precious' past through snippets and small chapters interspersed throughout the book, instead of merely starting at the beginning of Precious' life. This way the past is revealed slowly as opposed to all at once. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a flavorful book that should be added to your repertoire of reading today!
Blah.......2007-10-06
The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency is the first story in a series of mystery novels about Mme. Ramotswe and the detective agency that she opens with the money left to her by her dying father. The catch here, if you hadn't noticed from the title, is that she is a woman, and not only that, the first woman detective in all of Botswana. If you missed that intricate plot detail, never fear, the main character will remind you of it during the course of the story. Again, and again, and again....
I debated between one and two stars for this one. It wasn't a total waste. It had some charm to it... some. In the end I give it one star simply because I had much higher expectations for it, and it was a let down. Wow, and what a let down it was! I honestly really thought I would enjoy it. I was interested in the mystery aspect of it. I like a good mystery novel. I have a fascination with Africa, and being set in Africa, I was thinking "this looks like a winner."
One of the main problems I had with is was the way in which the dialog of the characters was written. Another reviewer described it as "baby talk", and really, I can't think of any better way to describe it. I keep trying to come up with reasons for why it was written in this manner, but none of them make any sense to me. It just makes the characters come across as stupid, as though African people are incapable of using any words longer than five letters long or expressing themselves with any sort of eloquence what-so-ever.
There's also the plot. Mme. Ramotswe solves several cases throughout the story with a certain finesse of Inspector Gadget. SPOILER ALERT! There is the case of the missing Christian husband, who Ramotswe is convinced has run away with another woman ("Men are stupid, LOLZ!!!1" is a major theme of the book). Turns out he was swallowed whole by a crocodile. Of course! There's the case of the 16 year old girl, who actually outsmarts Ramotswe. The girl is actually the only character in this book that I liked. There's the doctor with seemingly inconsistent talent. Like a plot twist straight out of a daytime soap opera, it turns out he has an identical twin brother who is getting to substitute for him in hospitals so he can hold down two jobs and earn twice the money. Wow! That makes so much sense... wouldn't he spend twice as much since he has to have two places to live? Other than that, I'm sure this is totally probable. And then there is the heart breaking case of a missing boy which challenges Ramotswe the most, and puts her in the most danger... or so says the back cover of the book. Allow me to paraphrase this climax of the book for you:
Ramotswe: Your husband murdered a boy for Muti!
Witchdoctor's Wife: Not he didn't. The boy is living on a cattle ranch.
Ramotswe: Show me.
Wife: Okay
(drives to ranch)
Ramotswe: Are you the boy who was kidnapped from the school teacher.
Boy: Yes
Ramotswe: Okay, I'm taking you home now.
(drives to the boys house and drops him off)
Seriously, if you blink, you might miss this climatic ending. I have watched episodes of Scooby Doo with more drama and suspense.
In conclusion. Don't read it. Really, just don't waste your time. The No. 1 Detective Agency furthers my belief that it is now possible for anyone to get a book published.
The End.
simple, fresh and enjoyable.........2007-09-18
Hats off to the author for attempting to deviate from the mainline sleuth stories (with protagonist being a gent that is tech savy or a martial art/sharp shooting expert chasing around in expensive cars in a story where atleast a dozen people end up dying).
This is quite very different, with a not so attractive single woman running a detective agency solving cases that are simple and almost realistic. The African setting without any of the typical 'gods have left Africa' theme makes it even more interesting. I will definitely be reading few more books in this series.
-Santhosh.
African Wisdom.......2007-09-12
Written by a man, The No1 Ladies' Detective Agency has enough of a feminist persepctive for me to feel I was reading something actually written for me, rather than feeling as I usually do when reading, that I am trying to take pleasure in literature created for an audience of which I am not a part. McCall Smith' s feminism is simple but fundamental : men should not beat their wives, the better fathers are those who encourage their daughters to be independent and realise their dreams, women have a right to happiness.
These beliefs are just part of the basic philosophy of the central character, Mma Precious Ramotswe, the first lady detective in Botswana, who imparts her basic moral philosophy at the same time - murder is worse than lying, relationships are more important than money, intuition is a kind of knowledge. While all of this philosophy may seem clichéd, as perhaps it is, it appears naturally in the book as part of the character and helps us to understand her approach to solving the cases brought to her.
Woven throughout all of this is a picture of Botswana, considered by Ramotswe, and presumably McCall Smith, as the best and most successful country in Africa. Independent from the British since 1966, there is enormous pride in her accomplishments, and only the ongoinging black magic practices of some of the country's witchdoctors cast a shadow on the shining accomplishments of Botswana's diamond-fueled progress.
Most powerfully of all, it is the love of the land that sings throughout the book. Botswana - stretching from the Kalahari desert to the Limpopo river, a country where « there is a place for me, and for everybody, to sit down on this earth and touch it and call it their own ». A country with its distinct riches - « that was what her country was so rich in - emptiness...those empty spaces, those wide grasslands that broke and broke the heart ». With its thorn trees that know how to survive in the searing heat and the birds and snakes of Mother Africa. Where nature is a family member and where the rising of the sun and its setting at the end of day are events to be savoured in the daily rhythm of life.
I read this book in a relaxed afternoon, and felt I had passed my time with a pleasant companion, who had painted pictures for me of a place I might otherwise never visit.
Simple, But Ever So Sweet.......2007-08-29
The problems Botswana's Lady Detective, Mma Ramotswe solves aren't solved in a masterful way, ala Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmses. Yet there is a sweetness to this story that pervades. The relationships amongst the people are deep, and dear.
Would that the protagonist had more complex problems to solve. Or that the one difficult problem wasn't abetted in a contrived situation. How interesting is it to read about someone being followed and a problem being solved just like that!
Nevertheless, the patois seems authentic. There is a lyrical quality to the dialog that is enchanting. It's also a relief to read about any African country without hearing stories of bloodshed and depravity.
I'm going to read some more books in this series.
Customer Reviews:
great items and service!.......2007-09-04
Very happy with this seller and their products!
Books travelled across the world and arrived not only in record time but also well packed and in excellent condition!
I hope to buy from you again. Keep up the good work, thanks!
Tuddles.......2007-07-16
Book 1 started slow for me. I'm use to books taking place in the US so some of the words were hard to say but by the time I was through the 2nd chapter I was hooked. I read book 2 and that was great and am looking forward to starting on book 3.
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.......2007-05-09
Great series of books. Quick read, interesting setting and characters.
Looking forward to reading the additional books in the series.
The titles in this collectio are..........2007-04-04
Nowhere in any description or review of this boxed set could I find a list of the books, so here they are: 1) The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency 2)Tears of the Giraffe 3)Morality for Beautiful Girls 4)The Kalahari Typing School for Men 5)The Full Cupboard of Life
This is a wonderful collection; heartwarming, sweet, and simply written. One of the few series (along with Jan Karon's Mitford books and James Herriot's non-fiction veterinary set)suitable for young readers as well as adults. I highly recommend these books and hope that you read them soon!
GIFT.......2007-03-18
It was a gift. I have not heard anything about its value or its arrival.
Book Description
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
For All Confidential Matters and Inquiries
Satisfaction Guaranteed for all Parties
Under Personal Management
The phenomenal success of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency continues with the bestselling Kalahari Typing School for Men, the fourth book in the series.
Mma Precious Ramotswe is content. Her business is well established with many satisfied customers, and in her mid-thirties (“the finest age to be”) she has a house, two adopted children, a fine fiancé. But, as always, there are troubles. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has not set the date for their marriage. Her able assistant, Mma Makutsi, wants a husband. And worse, a rival detective agency has opened in town—an agency that does not have the gentle approach to business that Mma Ramotswe’s does. But, of course, Precious will manage these things, as she always does, with her uncanny insight and her good heart.
Download Description
Alexander McCall Smith is a professor of medical law at Edinburgh University. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and taught law at the University of Botswana. He is the author of more than fifty books: novels, stories, children¿s books, and specialized titles such as
Forensic Aspects of Sheep. He lives in Scotland.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Another Fun Volume of the Ladies' Detective Agency.......2007-08-13
This is a solid edition to the collection which means this will be a short review! The only thing I will note about this book is that I felt the ending and the resolution of one of the "mysteries" was a bit too easy. That being said; the book on a whole is just as enjoyable as the rest of the series. I can't wait to get into the 5th book!
the least mysterious so far.......2007-06-28
At this point, entering the fourth book in the series, we are all accustomed to Mma Ramotswe and her alternative brand of mystery. One or two mysteries carry through the book, with a couple more short ones in the midst, balanced with a healthy serving of Mma Ramotswe's wisdom and her reflections on the greatness of Botswana. Always relaxing and mildly suspenseful.
This one has a subtle difference: there are no actual mysteries. The agency takes on two cases: one involves tracking down some old acquaintances, and the solution to the other is apparent to the reader within a few lines of the client walking through the door.
What does that leave us with? Mma Ramotswe has competition in the form of a rude man who sets up a rival detective agency (Trust your problems to a _man_!, says the ad). The foster children experience growing pains. Mma Makutsi seeks a way to earn some extra cash. Mma Ramotse dispenses wisdom and reflects on Botswana.
This is still a very pleasant read, Mma Ramotswe has some good insights to share, and the developments in the characters' personal lives are interesting. If you are lucky enough to have access to the audiobook, Lisette Lecat's narration is excellent and soothing as always. I'm glad I read it, but don't come looking for mystery.
I'm totally hooked!! .......2007-06-04
Having found this series a little less than a month ago, I find myself totally hooked on the characters and setting that Mr. McCall Smith describes. I found this book rich and "meaty" with tremendously uplifting references to the African culture and Botswana. I am thankful that this is a prolific author as my thirst for his writing is tremendous!!! It is wonderful to feel this way again, it doesn't often happen.
Dusty Days In Boswana.......2007-05-14
Another polished gem where the No1 Ladies Detective Agency unknot the thorny problems of life over cups of bush tea. Precious has her sturdy feet firmly on the ground and her very traditional build projects the air of confidence that is so soothing to the callers passing through their door. The interplay between the two women is always a joy and deftly done. Precious is keen to see that her assistant should find true happiness in her life. Much the same as she has, but then she isn't hampered by a difficult complexion and very large glasses. Not to mention a prickly personality, although her assistant is a very good person with a good heart.
Meanwhile her assistant often yearns for just a little more glamour and excitement in her life, she knows she is not one of the pretty girls who get easy lives and rich husbands. Not only that, she is always in need of extra money even though her boss pays her as well as she can, so to make up the shortfall she sets up the Kalahari Typing School For Men. Reasoning quite rightly that men don't want to be shamed by having the ladies outshine them. The classes prove a great success and before too long teacher finds she is being wooed by one of her pupils. But sadly he isn't quite what he seems to be. There are others masquerading as something else and they must also be unmasked. But our ladies are up to the tasks, Precious never loses sight of what is important and knows just when to step in and when to hang back.
Problems are solved, hearts eased and things are put back to rights without too much harm done. So life trundles on and Precious carries on pottering about in a tiny white van that one day must surely die. Just not yet.
Once you get to know these books am sure you will also love to reading and re-read them as it is like sharing a cup of tea with a dear friend. More to the point it is tea with a friend full of good advice and accumulated wisdom.
a whole new meaning to the term "sleeping with a man".......2007-05-01
I love this book and this series. The dialouge is witty, the stories are creative. I love the way that Mma Ramotswe thinks and handles problems. I also really enjoy all the other charachters. I loved seeing Mma Makutsi open up her school and feel successful. I reccommend this series to everyone that I know.
Book Description
Here is the fifth novel in the internationally bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency hit series. Once again we are transported to Gaborone, capital city of Botswana, and into the world of Mma Ramotswe and her friends.
THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY.
FOR ALL CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND ENQUIRIES. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED FOR ALL PARTIES.
UNDER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT.
Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni are still engaged, but with no immediate plans to get married. Mma Ramotswe wonders when a wedding date will be named, but she is anxious to avoid putting pressure on her fiancé. For indeed he has other things on his mind -- particularly a frightening request (involving a parachute jump) made by Mma Potokwani, the persuasive matron of the orphan farm.
Mma Ramotswe herself has weighty matters on her mind. She has been approached by a wealthy lady to check up on several suitors. Are these men interested in her or just her money? This may be difficult to find out, but it’s just the kind of case Mma Ramotswe likes and she is, as we know, a very intuitive lady.
Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi -- plucky assistant detective and deputy manager of the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors garage -- is moving. Her entrepreneurial venture, the Kalahari Typing School for Men, is thriving and with this new income she has rented two rooms in a house. Her spare time is occupied with planning the move, the décor and her new life in a house with running water all to herself.
In the background of all this is Botswana, a country of empty spaces and echoing skies, a country so beautiful and entrancing that it breaks your heart. Mma Ramotswe has prepared the bush tea and is waiting for us to join her.
Download Description
Here is the fifth novel in the internationally bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency hit series. Once again we are transported to Gaborone, capital city of Botswana, and into the world of Mma Ramotswe and her friends.
THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY.
FOR ALL CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND ENQUIRIES.
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED FOR ALL PARTIES.
UNDER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT.
Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni are still engaged, but with no immediate plans to get married. Mma Ramotswe wonders when a wedding date will be named, but she is anxious to avoid putting pressure on her fiancé. For indeed he has other things on his mind—particularly a frightening request (involving a parachute jump) made by Mma Potokwani, the persuasive matron of the orphan farm.
Mma Ramotswe herself has weighty matters on her mind. She has been approached by a wealthy lady to check up on several suitors. Are these men interested in her or just her money? This may be difficult to find out, but it’s just the kind of case Mma Ramotswe likes and she is, as we know, a very intuitive lady.
Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi—plucky assistant detective and deputy manager of the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors garage—is moving. Her entrepreneurial venture, the Kalahari Typing School for Men, is thriving and with this new income she has rented two rooms in a house. Her spare time is occupied with planning the move, the décor and her new life in a house with running water all to herself.
In the background of all this is Botswana, a country of empty spaces and echoing skies, a country so beautiful and entrancing that it breaks your heart. Mma Ramotswe has prepared the bush tea and is waiting for us to join her.
Customer Reviews:
a pleasant journey with those who have now become old friends.......2007-08-26
When I read the previous book in the series (The Kalahari Typing School for Men), it was clearly the least mysterious of the books in this series to that point: it had the fewest detective cases, instead moving forward the personal lives of the major characters (especially Mma Kutsi). With this, the fifth installment, Smith lowers the mystery quotient even further. The book contains only one detective case (albeit a fun one: find out which of a rich woman's suitors will make the best husband!) and spends relatively little time even on it.
This time, the focus returns to Mma Ramotswe's and Mr JLB Matekoni's personal lives. Despite the lack of mystery, the book is a pleasant escape into one of Africa's best-governed and wealthiest countries, with characters you can enjoy and respect. And the book has a fine ending!
I made the mistake of reading this installment just a couple of months after the last one: it's better to leave a more time between books in this series, else Mma Ramotswe's musing on the marvels of Botswana (especially the OLD Botswana) can start to feel tired. But given a little rest, this is a relaxing ride back to Jaborone. I'll read the next book, just not right away.
If you're new to the series, don't start here: go back to The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. This isn't Agatha Christie: the detective's history actually matters here. And I always listen to the audiobook version (published by Recorded Books), narrated by Lisette Lecat. She is a pleasure to listen to.
Another lovely story.......2007-08-10
I think the thing I like most about this series (other than the consistently good writing) is that there is no straining to put the detectives in dangerous situations, no effort to up the body count or indeed to have a body count in each book. This detective does the things that most detectives do--evaluates character, looks for lost things and most importantly lives her life. It's the views into her life that keep me coming back. I had wondered how long the engagement would go on before Precious Ramotswe would ask when she would cease to be an engaged lady and become a wife. That's one of the focuses of this book and I'm not going to tell you what happens. I'm looking forward to reading the sixth book.
Getting a bit slow, but still fun.........2007-03-20
This is the fifth No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel, and by now author Smith has gotten the formula down pat. He has a series of things which never seem to change from book to book: the main character, Precious Ramotswe, and her sidekick Mma Makutsi. Mma and Rra are apparently Mrs. and Mr. in Botswana. The author adopts the conceit that there's no need for him to explain things like this to you; you should already know. This is similar to the late Patrick O'Brian, who never explained any of the terms, nautical or just obsolete, that he used in his Aubrey/Maturin novels. Usually, in each of these books, there's a problem, perhaps two or three, and the author follows the characters around as they deal with them.
In the current story, as much as there's a detective story here it's that Mma Ramotswe has been hired to investigate a series of suitors for the hand of a local, wealthy businesswoman. In a separate story-thread, there's the question of whether Mma Ramotswe's fiance, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni (he's always referred to that way) should jump out of an airplane with parachute attached for the purpose of raising money for the local orphanage, where he does chores for the woman who runs the place, fixing machinery and so forth. And lastly there's the question of the impending marriage between Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and when that will occur (if ever).
Smith is rather practiced at this now, and this is a worthwhile entry in the series. It's not the most exciting book in the series, and the series isn't the most exciting one in the book world by any stretch of the imagination, but the books are fun, including this one.
gentle and Clever, a book of mysteries, but not as you would expect.......2007-03-02
Precious Ramotswe and her number one Ladies Detective Agency are back in this wonderful observation on life. As one would expect of a Ladies Detective Agency, much of the mystery to be discovered is gentle, who is the apprentice in J L B Matekoni's Tlokweng Rd Speedy Motors seeing? A Rich married lady it seems, but what is happening at Mr J L B Matekoni's old house, and why is her car going there? Who has broken into Mma Ramotswe's home, and where did the large pumpkin come from. Just what happened to Mma Ramotswe's wonderful van, and why is there someone from her life come back again, and what does he want.
This is lovely observation of life, and on lives well-lived. Some of the mysteries in this book are suble, and the outcomes equally so. It is never tacitly explained who broke into Mma Ramotswe's home, but it is fairly clear by the end if you read between the lines. There is also a very philosophical bent to these novels which is touched on at the beginning when Mma Ramotswe sees a burglary in progress. Sometimes things aren't as they seem, and while the thief gets away, she herself stands accused - this situation happens later in the novel, and Precious is able to transfer that feeling to the accused and assist him. Good deeds bring good things, generally.
The thing I love most about these books is the gentle way things are resolved. Sometimes through doing almost nothing things become clear. There are no gun fights, no car chases (as such anyway) and generally no horrible suspense, yet there are mysteries to be sloved, and issues to be resolve, and they are done in the traditaionl African way.
Lovely gentle humour - a really fun and satisfaying read. I would highly recommned this series!
delightful read for a summer day.......2007-02-24
I don't read much fiction -- and mysteries, not at all-- so I had ignored earlier volumes in this series about Lady Detective Mme Ramotswe. Then I found "The Full Cupboard of Life" on a half-price sale & decided, since it was set in Africa, to give the author a try.
I'm so glad I did! What a delightful read for a hot summer day under a tree in the back yard. It also brought back happy memories of my travels in Africa. Since the focus is more on character & setting than on plot or mystery, it was especially enjoyable to me.
Now that I have made the acquaintance of Mme Ramotswe so late in the game, I am determined to get her life story straight by getting all the other books in the series and reading them in the correct order.
So much one hears of Africa is doom and gloom, hopelessness, poverty & war; it is a nice change to read about its people having what we westerners would consider a normal life.
Book Description
In
Morality for Beautiful Girls, Precious Ramotswe, founder and owner of the only detective agency for the concerns of both ladies and others, investigates the alleged poisoning of the brother of an important “Government Man,” and the moral character of the four finalists of the Miss Beauty and Integrity Contest, the winner of which will almost certainly be a contestant for the title of Miss Botswana. Yet her business is having money problems, and when other difficulties arise at her fianc?’s Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, she discovers the reliable Mr J.L.B. Matekoni is more complicated then he seems.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Author.......2007-07-05
Keeps your interest all the way through the book, in fact, throughout the whole series.
Warm, loving and human.......2007-06-22
I just love the series of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. What has always impressed me about these books is how no person is simply a one-dimensional character. Maids, cooks, Important Government Men, fiancees, children and garage apprentices all have complex motives and emotions. How human.
Morality Is Not A Movable Feast.......2007-05-06
This is another wonderful slow amble through Botswana, but do not be deceived, badness is like a Mamba snake in the brush, waiting to catch you unawares. Pretty faces can hide bad thoughts and even worse morals. Or a total lack of morals. Even on the African plain where life should be serene it is not so, a brother is being poisoned and there is much unhappiness and suspicion in the household. A lost boy child smelling of lion turns up in the middle of a safari hunting party, so is given over to the orphan farm, where he will be coaxed back to health. With a little help from Mr.J.L.B. Matekoni, who also needs some nursing as he suffering from depression. So the two help each other.
Back in town beauty queens turn out to have feet of clay and to cap it all the fiance of Mma Ramotswe is turning his back on his beloved engines. Hence his rest cure out at the orphan farm. But the business cannot run itself, what if those useless boys take a hammer to an engine again? What would happen to the reputation of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors?
Action is required all round and the ladies of The No.1 Detective Agency don't fail us.
This is not the book to read if you like fast-paced thrillers, this is more Miss Marple but instead of Darjeeling she is sipping her cup of red bush tea on the veranda of Zebra Drive thinking about how the daddy, that fine judge of cattle would have solved these manifold problems.
I love each and everyone of these books and I commend them to you all for some much needed calm and peace in a bustling world. They are also written in the most beautiful english and are a joy to read.
Morality, mysteries and a bit of mayhem in Botswana.......2007-04-06
This series of books has been a favorite of mine since they were first published, long may they continue.
In this the third in the series of books about the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency we are drawn into several little mysteries, some more serious than others, like the important man who thinks his brother's wife is poisoning his family, the man who wants to make sure that all the girls in a beauty pageant he is holding have good morals and are not "bad girls".
Also there is the worrying mystery about Mr Matekoni's strange illness, is he sickening for something or does he have a strange illness called depression and if he does have depression, how can it be treated? And who is the strange little boy in the Orphan camp who can't speak, only growls and why do people think there are lions about when lions are only found in the Kalahari?
Add to this a smart secretary from the Botswana Secretarial school with a passion for shoes who got 97% in her exams, along with a plethora of delightful and understated characters, including the enigmatic and shrewd Mma Precious Ramotswe who knows what makes the human mind tick, and you have yet another wonderful book from the Master author Alexander McCall Smith.
Hooray Mma Makutsi!! .......2007-03-18
The adventures of Mma Ramotswe, the strong, feisty, proud but compassionate lady detective (the only in Botswana, maybe Africa) continue in MORALITY FOR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, the third novel of the No.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY series. Things are not going too well for Mma Ramotswe - the agency is facing money problems, and her fiance, the kind and up-till-now ever reliable Mr. JLB Matekoni starts behaving very strangely and looses all interest in everything, including his passion, being a mechanic at his business Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors.
While Mma Ramotswe is juggling these personal problems, she is yanked into solving the complex case of an Arrogant Government Man who fears that his greedy sister-in-law wants to poison his brother for money. How much can one lady detective handle?
Helping save the day is Mma Ramotswe's former personal secretary, now promoted to Assistant Detective, Mma Makutsi. Mma Makutsi, who is 'too dark,' has glasses that are 'too big', and whose hair just is never 'quite right' really comes into her own in this novel - she becomes 'Assistant Manager' of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, whipping it into shape with the force of her personality so that its in a much better condition than even when Mr. JLB Matekoni ran it.
She also continues her duties as Assistant Detective, ably proving herself as she handily solves a case of determining which finalist in 'the Beauty and Integrity contest' actually has integrity- and thereby receives big bucks which keep the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency afloat.
Like its predecessors, this book is not your typical "who dun it" detective story. As Mma Ramotswe flatly tells the Government Man, "We help people with the problems in their lives. We are not here to solve crimes."
Along with helping people with the problems in their lives, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi continue in this book to have hilarious but often wise insights about gender, beauty, marriage, weight, criminology, treatment of elders and servants, cows, and a number of other topics, all highlighted by the ever-wise old Botswana Morality.
Book Description
Precious Ramotswe is the eminently sensible and cunning proprietor of the only ladies’ detective agency in Botswana. In
Tears of the Giraffe she tracks a wayward wife, uncovers an unscrupulous maid, and searches for an American man who disappeared into the plains many years ago. In the midst of resolving uncertainties, pondering her impending marriage to a good, kind man, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, and the promotion of her talented secretary (a graduate of the Botswana Secretarial College, with a mark of 97 per cent), she also finds her family suddenly and unexpectedly increased by two.
Customer Reviews:
What's not to love???.......2007-06-04
Loved it! This author writes with clarity and passion such that I find myself immersed in his work. Truly a don't miss!
A Beautiful Life.......2007-05-31
An enchanting book for all ages, of a good, quiet, content, polite world. No violence, no sex, no sadness. Characters are satisfied with the way they look, and the way they live, and have plenty to give! This book encourages moral, social, and family ties. It promotes the almost-forgotten concept of active involvement in bringing happiness to others, and hence to oneself. In this novel, Africa is forever warm, colorful, friendly, and proud.
Outstanding Stories.......2007-04-06
I have read everyone of Alexander McCall Smith's books of life in Africa and I loved everyone of them. Alexander McCall Smith is a great story teller and his characters come to life. His talent in describing the everyday events in the life of his characters is nothing less than brilliant. Do yourself a favor, read any one of his books and you will be transformed into the life of
people you don't meet everyday.
The Adventures of Mma Ramotswe continue.......2007-03-03
In TEARS OF THE GIRAFFE the wonderful sequel to THE NO.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY, Mma Ramotswe, the strong, feisty, proud but compassionate lady detective (the only in Botswana, maybe Africa) faces new challenges both in her life and in her work. Upon her engagement to the kind, reliable mechanic, Mr. J.L.B Matekoni, she ponders a possible move, negotiates the purchase of her engagement ring (diamond, of course!) and suddenly finds herself a new mother of two children. She is also called upon by an American mother to resolve the mystery of her son, who disappeared in the desolate Kalahari Plains many years ago, and track the modern, 'wayward' wife of a honest butcher.
Like its predecessor, this book is not your typical "who dun it" detective story- in fact, the detective element figures in this story even less than in the first novel. Mma Ramotswe only solves two cases- actually, she solves only one, as the other is solved by her able, newly promoted Assistant, Mma Makutsi. Rather, the novel focuses on developing solid characters (apart from Mma Ramotswe, we get much more insight in this novel into the characters of Mr. J.L.B Matekoni and Mma Makutsi) and highlights life in Botswana and the views of its proud people.
Unlike its predecessor, this book has more of a focus on ex-pats and development workers, which I found interesting as an ex-pat development worker in Africa. Mma Ramotswe comments that Ex-pats often do not have good manners (ie, would shake with one hand, leaving the other hand free for 'mischievous activities') and do not understand simple, obvious issues such as the fact that the dead are always with us. Ex-pat development workers, although well-meaning, are always coming up with bizarre, idealistic theories and schemes. They are always giving advice, always trying 'to change the world.' But, as Mma Ramotswe says, vegetables just were not meant to be grown in the Kalahari desert! Furthermore, "Africa needs its own solutions."
This novel also focuses on moral issues: Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B Matekoni both lament the loss of 'the Old Botswana morality' which promotes hard work and a respect for elders. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi struggle with moral questions such as, does the end justify the means? Ie, is it okay to lie, manipulate and blackmail to get a desired, even just, result? The novel ends on a beautiful note, suggesting that in order to heal after loss, compassion, understanding and reconciliation maybe more important than strict justice.
love the detective agency.......2007-01-24
I love the descriptions of the life and places in these books. Very rich.
Book Description
The first three books in Alexander MCCall Smith's beloved bestselling series, featuring Mma Precious Ramotswe, the traditionally built, eminently sensible, cunning proprietor of the only ladies' detective agency in Botswana, are now available in a beautifully designed boxed set.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent reading!.......2006-08-28
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time - I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
The NO. 1 Ladies Detective Agenc Box Set.......2006-03-10
I love the box set . It is a great gift for any young adult or adult. I have finished " The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency" and really enjoyed it. I would recommend these books to anyone.
as fresh as a palm tree in spring.......2006-01-08
This is a great collection of books, light, fresh and funny enough, and the writing is cheerful and simple. 5 stars is not enough, plus, it feeds the love for one's country and values.
The world's most non-stop pleasant novel series.......2005-10-23
Need to calm down, cheer up, chill out or get happy? You can't go wrong with any of the books in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. They are reliably interesting, likable and uplifting. These are the stories of Precious Ramotswe, a substantial lady of extreme common sense and compassion who makes other people's problems are her own. I highly recommend these books; can't imagine anybody who wouldn't like them!
An Outstanding Series!.......2005-08-30
Anyone wanting to read a fascinating book about life in Africa with "homespun" wisdom that is extremely relaxing and enjoyable to read will love this series about Precious Ramotswe and her life in Botswana. She is a delightful character, experiencing life's sorrows, troubles, and joys while maintaining a deep reverence and gratitude for life. After reading this set, I could hardly wait to read the next three - "The Kalahari Typing School for Men," "The Full Cupboard of Life," and "In The Company of Cheerful Ladies." I now can only hope that Alexander McCall Smith will write more books in this delightful series!
Books:
- The Good Neighbor: A novel
- The Historian
- The History of Love: A Novel
- The Hunt Club
- The Jungle is Neutral: A Soldier's Two-Year Escape from the Japanese Army
- The Known World
- The Last Templar
- The Map of Innovation: Creating Something Out of Nothing
- The March: A Novel
- The Old Man And The Sea
Books Index
Books Home
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- The Wisdom of Wallace D. Wattles - Including: The Science of Getting Rich, The Science of Being Grea
- Continuing Math for Business and Consumers
- The Capitalist Philosophers: The Geniuses of Modern Business--Their Lives, Times, and Ideas
- Let That Be the Reason
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Blue Shoes and Happiness (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 7)
The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel Dalhousie Mysteries)
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
A Thousand Splendid Suns
