The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

[aromaannie]

I want to find a new author who writes about the same character and I was thinking of trying this series. What are peoples thoughts on the books and is there a similar style author.

[Maureen]

aromaannie, I think a lot of authors are doing that (using the same character) There are some comments about that in the featured authors section, as our featured author this month Stephen Booth uses the same characters in his books.

thread (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=2595)

you may even want to have a look here.

[happyanddandy]

I want to find a new author who writes about the same character and I was thinking of trying this series. What are peoples thoughts on the books and is there a similar style author.

I have read the first of this series a while ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is gentle and flows along - you can feel the heat of Botswana and Mme Ramotswe is a fab character with a devious brain to solve mysteries. I have several of the follow up books to be read and look forward to reading them.;)

[Purple Poppy]

I haven't read any of the series yet, but I listened to an audio book of his short stories and enjoyed them very much.

Pp

[aromaannie]

Thanks for the replies so far. I still haven't made my mind up yet. I'm not sure about thr names of people in the books. I sometimes find that if there are a lot of characters with unusual names I tend to get them mixed up:blush:

[JudyB]

I want to find a new author who writes about the same character and I was thinking of trying this series. What are peoples thoughts on the books and is there a similar style author.


I loved this series - number 8 is out very soon. They are lovely heartwarming stories and life is so simple and straight forward in them - quite an antidote to today's complicated lifestyles. My favourite novel by Alexander McCall Smith is the 'Two and a Half Pillars of Wisdom' in which the main character is a professor and is very funny.

[TammyRich]

Just want to put another vote in for these books. I wasn't sure I would enjoy them being set abroad and with characters with names in a different language and yet soon overcame this as I was caught up in the stories and the characters. They are what you might call easy reading and yet the crimes which the main character sets out to solve are not easy to guess. The books also include some tragedy as well and can be thought provoking. I have read 3 so far and there is an on going story through them so I would advise people to read them from the start to throughly enjoy them.

[Gyre]

A lady I should to work with read them all and really enjoyed them, I never really thought it before, but I might invest x

[Essexgirl]

I've read all of them and thoroughly enjoyed them. They are an easy read, very pleasant and I find I do get caught up with them. There is an excellent interview with Alexander McCall Smith in today's Daily Mail magazine

[Liz]

I've also thought about giving this series a go. Looks like they could be quite good.
I'll look out for the first book - that's another one to add to the TBR pile...:blush:

[Danna]

I can't say enough positive things about this series... granted, some of the names might be difficult to keep straight... although, the characters are so different that you will soon be able to differentiate between them. Alexander McCall Smith also has another series that is set in Edinburgh, which features the Isobel Dallhousie's Sunday Philosophy Club. The names might be easier to keep straight... if that is a major consideration for you.

Danna

[maclsj]

We were discussing Alexander McCall Smith at the reading group I was at on Wednesday. A couple of the ladies had tried and not got on with his books. Interestingly everyone who said that had tried reading the ones set in Scotland. I must admit I started by reading the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and was hooked. When I tried the Edinburgh ones they just did nothing for me. So if you want to try Alexander McCall Smith pick up No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency first!

[JudyB]

There's also The Scotland Street series - best character is 6 year old Bertie (child prodigy) and The 2 1/2 Pillars of Wisdom trilogy (very funny).

[Danna]

Judy,

Isn't Bertie the cutest little thing? I won't pull a spoiler here... but, if anyone hasn't read the 44 Scotland Street/Espresso Tales books... wait until you meet Bertie... I still smile when I think of his Italian description of his teacher....

[Janet]

I bought my Mum No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for mothering Sunday a few years ago, but she was really disappointed with it (I asked for her opinion - she wasn't being rude - I said I'd sooner know what she thought to avoid buying more if she didn't like them) - and it put me off reading them.

Apparently (I don't know if this is true or just folklore) he churns out two books a year!

[JudyB]

Judy,

Isn't Bertie the cutest little thing? I won't pull a spoiler here... but, if anyone hasn't read the 44 Scotland Street/Espresso Tales books... wait until you meet Bertie... I still smile when I think of his Italian description of his teacher....


The next book in the Scotland Street series is called The World According to Bertie.

[Danna]

Judy,
Thanks so much for letting us know. I am looking forward to it. I can only imagine how Bertie sees the world!
Danna

[JudyB]

I was really pleased today as one of our readers has just discovered Alexander McCall Smith and so I was telling her about the different series that he has written. I mentioned that my personal favourite was The 21/2 Pillars of Wisdom and so she gave it a try. When she came in today she made a point of telling me how much she'd laughed at it and 'bored' her family with constant commentaries about the funny bits. I love it when I recommend a book and then people come back to tell me they've enjoyed it.

[Danna]

My husband and I both read 44 Scotland Street and Espresso Tales at the same time. We live close to the college both of our children were attending, so we tried to get up there every weekend to take them to lunch. We did exactly what you described... We would tell them all of the wonderful Bertie happenings while en route to the restaurants. I was very surprised when my son decided to read both of the books, and my daughter is reading the first one right now. (My son reads only science fiction, so these books were departures for him. And, yes, he enjoyed them. Although there is something to be said about telling prospective readers all of the great moments in a book.)

[JudyB]

It's been wonderful to see the pleasure that Alexander McCall Smith's books have brought the lady that came in the library.

[Ruth]

Had to respond to this thread! I read The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency last month (after it had been sitting on my tbr pile for far longer than I care to remember), and absolutely LOVED it!! It was quirky and very charming. Being the book addict that I am, I now have three of the 44 Scotland Street books (I think there actually are only 3 of them) and about the next four in the Ladies Detective Agency series. I only wish that I hadn't waited so long to read the first one.

[Danna]

Ruth,
If you like Alexander McCall Smith as much as it sounds.... you are really in for a lot of reading fun... He also has the Professor Doctor Moritz Maria Von Igelfeld trilogy! It's a little different than the others, but very enjoyable.
I started reading the Ladies' Detective Agency series before trying his Philosophy Club series. I prefer the Ladies' series over the Philosophy Club, but I wonder if that is because I started with that one. My husband started by reading the Ladies' Philosophy, and he prefers that one.
My daughter is now reading the Philosophy Club books...

[Ruth]

Thanks for the info:)

I hadn't heard of the Professor Doctor Moritz Maria Von Igelfeld trilogy, but will definitely keep my eyes open for it!

[NiceguyEddie]

At the risk of being flamed, I find the series all a bit lacking in any substance. They are easy reads & all that, but for me any way, that's about it.

[happyanddandy]

Consider yourself flamed!! :lol::lol:

[aromaannie]

At the risk of being flamed, I find the series all a bit lacking in any substance. They are easy reads & all that, but for me any way, that's about it.

I agree but it's nice to have an easy read every now & then. I look out for them in charity shops as I don't enjoy them enough to pay full price

[JudyB]

They are light and easy reads but I found their simplicity very refreshing in the context of the busy and complicated lives we often lead. The Ladies' Detective Agency series are wonderful at getting the reader back in touch with what's important in life - a bit like The Little House on the Prairie series which I loved as a child. Oh dear I'm starting to get profound!:lol:

[Ratna]

I think his books are very amusing. They can make me laugh on a bad day. I haven't read all books in this series, but I have all on my to be read list.

[wrathofkublakhan]

I am about halfway through this book, the first of a series.

Ever have one of those experiences where a book title keeps popping up in your life? I first noticed the title here in the forum (now where is that thread about if titles sell books?) and since then I seemed to see this title everywhere.
Finally I just had to buy it and give it a go.

I like the slow pace of the book, it seems to reflect the long hot days in Botswana. The cases that Precious solves are not always what one expected to result to be - so I like the surprises too.

[JudyB]

It was those gorgeous covers that initially caught my eye.

[wrathofkublakhan]

It was those gorgeous covers that initially caught my eye.

I totally agree. Beautiful cover, well designed.

I enjoyed the book!
It seems my recent reading has had an international flair with The No. 1 Ladie's Detective Agency in Botswana, Bangkok 8 in Thailand, The Kite Runner in Afghanistan, Zorro in Spain and Bless Me, Ultima on the US/Mexico border. Mebbe I should've joined the Olympic Challenge (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1353)!

[JudyB]

It seems my recent reading has had an international flair with The No. 1 Ladie's Detective Agency in Botswana, Bangkok 8 in Thailand, The Kite Runner in Afghanistan, Zorro in Spain and Bless Me, Ultima on the US/Mexico border. Mebbe I should've joined the Olympic Challenge (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1353)!


Yes I keep contemplating that. I love reading about different countries and it's encouraged me to find out about their histories.

[Esiotrot]

I borrowed the 1st in the Ladies Detective series from the library today - looking forward to reading it. I have the second on my bookshelf - Tears of a Giraffe - but cant remember why or where I aquired it!

[JudyB]

I read somewhere that they are going to televise The No1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

[supergran71]

Yes they are, I saw a trailer on BBC 1 for it tonight. I think its on over Easter. Looking forward to that

[JudyB]

Did it look good Supergran?

[Danna]

I think his books are very amusing. They can make me laugh on a bad day.

Ratna, I'm with you on this!

And>>>
Have they already aired the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency movie in Great Britain? If so, I will try to track it down here in the States.

[lovesreading06]

This is a book i hoping to read one day.