Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Alexander McCall Smith - Is He Pure Genius?

34 replies

expatinscotland · 01/02/2006 23:17

Have to admit, until tonight, I'd never read any of his work. Read his short 'The Unfortunate Fate of Kitty da Silva', part of the 'One City' anthology.

LOVELY stuff!

Would you recommend more?

Ah, f*"k it, I'm going to read him anyway, but will it pass the '50 page rule' (50 pages and if it sucks it's used to kill roaches)?

Is this another series to get excited about?

OP posts:
hannahsaunt · 02/02/2006 09:53

Wonderful, wonderful stuff; all of it and for different reasons each time. The Sunday Philosophy Club is the only thing to have made me feel homesick since leaving Scotland it's so evocative of Edinburgh. And he is the most adorable, delightful man to listen to in conversation; he chuckles and it's very funny.

And my dad plays in the Really Terrible Orchestra with him too! Quite odd as I studied his text books when I was a student and thought he was fab then just writing legalese...

Hausfrau · 02/02/2006 09:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mummytosteven · 01/02/2006 23:25

the joy of MN eh Soren - completely diverging opinion expressed authoritatively and definitively by both parties

SorenLorensen · 01/02/2006 23:22

But of course if you liked them that's OK

SorenLorensen · 01/02/2006 23:22

I adore the Precious Ramotswe series - set in Botswana. The No1 Ladies' Detective Agency et al (write another one, dammit!)

But I really didn't like the Scottish ones - can't remember the heroine's name, she's a kind of amateur detective - I was so disappointed. Found them Joanna Trollopey Aga Saga-y pompous twaddle.

mrsflowerpot · 01/02/2006 23:20

Just finished 44 Scotland Street this evening - also lovely.

Everything of his I've read I've loved, it just really gets under my skin.

Original poster
expatinscotland · 01/02/2006 23:19

He captures Edinburgh perfectly in this short. Well, at least, Edinburgh to the expat.

OP posts:
mummytosteven · 01/02/2006 23:19

I like the Scottish stuff (Sunday Philosophy Club, 44 Scotland St etc) a lot more than the Ladies Detective Club series. I find the Scottish stuff a bit more acerbic, less saccharine. Never read any of his short stories though.

Original poster
expatinscotland · 01/02/2006 23:17

.

OP posts: