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Alexander McCall Smith - 44 Scotland Street


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44 Scotland Street

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

ISBN # 0349118973

Publisher: Abacus

1st Published: 2005

326 pages

 

Welcome to 44 Scotland Street, home to some of Edinburgh's most colorful characters. There's Pat, a twenty-year-old who has recently moved into a flat with Bruce, an athletic young man with a keen awareness of his own appearance. Their neighbor, Domenica, is an eccentric and insightful widow. In the flat below are Irene and her appealing son Bertie, who is the victim of his mother

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  • 1 month later...

I have just finished reading this and have to say I skimmed a lot of it. Although knowing parts of Edinburgh did find it quite amusing. Loved the chapter when they end up in the charitiy shop in Morningside...could just imagine where they were. Also I actually worked in the Braid Hills Hotel as a receptionist way back too. :)

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  • 9 months later...

I've read an enjoyed these - I think they have a feel of The Tales of the City series which was also written originally in serial form - although TTotC are darker.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Judy,

 

I had never heard about The Tales of the City (not to be confused with the Two Cities!) until you posted the above letter. I just looked at Amazon, and see that it actually is a series of books. (I should have known that as "library lady," you would know!) Since both of us like the 44 Scotland Street happenings so much, I am thinking that I would probably like the Tales of the City series, also.

 

Thanks for posting about them...

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Judy,

 

I had never heard about The Tales of the City (not to be confused with the Two Cities!) until you posted the above letter. I just looked at Amazon, and see that it actually is a series of books. (I should have known that as "library lady," you would know!) Since both of us like the 44 Scotland Street happenings so much, I am thinking that I would probably like the Tales of the City series, also.

 

Thanks for posting about them...

 

 

I started reading the series during the 90's - think I finished one and two and got part way through number 3. They are not as innocent as The Scotland Street series but I think they had a similiar atmosphere plus they too started life as a daily story in a newspaper. It would be nice to continue with them sometime especially as Armistead Maupin has recently written a novel about one of the main characters.

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Judy...

 

You probably think I'm following you from one Alexander McCall Smith thread to the next!

 

Now you have piqued my interest in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. (Would the Tale's book character you are referring to happen to be Michael Tolliver?) I'm off to order the first Tales of the City... your taste for Alexander McCall Smith suggests that I might just enjoy Maupin!

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Danna - hope you do enjoy them

 

Louise - hmm think my wishlist/tbr has just got longer again! I feel like I'm going to have to read The Tales of the City series again first to re-acquaint myself with the characters.

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Danna - hope you do enjoy them

 

Louise - hmm think my wishlist/tbr has just got longer again! I feel like I'm going to have to read The Tales of the City series again first to re-acquaint myself with the characters.

I was quite surprised as I read them about 20 years ago and I remembered them! Mouse and Mrs Madrigal wow!

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  • 1 year later...

I really enjoy the 44 Scotland Street novels. For me, they're the literary equivalent of a soap opera (something I don't watch on TV), and I find them utterly charming!

 

I love the mix of different characters, and how their stories overlap, and because the story was originally written as a daily newspaper column, it means the author has had to make sure that each chapter has enough content to keep you interested, and include a cliff hanger to make you want to come back and read again the next day.

 

As with all Alexander McCall Smith's novels based in Edinburgh, it gives a generally warm, romantic view of the city, much like Richard Curtis does for London in his films - very good for the tourist industry, I suspect!

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