I read the first book in this series a few years ago and, from what I saw of my Goodreads review and the slight tickle in my brain, I enjoyed it. I was interested in picking up a straightforward mystery and remembered this series and moved on to book two. It was fine. Precious Romatswe is referred to in many reviews as the Miss Marple of Botswana, and if you enjoy a homey mystery with a vibrant cast of characters, than you may want to […]
7: The Kalahari Typing School for Men
I’ve so been enjoying my foray into the Mma Ramotswe books, especially since I have never done a re-read with the series, or even finished reading the series. This is going to be a great reading year, I can tell. As always, there is a specific formula to the series, but Alexander McCall Smith knows how to balance the familiar and surprising all at once. And that’s perfectly fine by me. With The Kalahari Typing School for Men, we find out more about Mma Makutsi. […]
6: Morality for Beautiful Girls
Alexander McCall Smith addresses pertinent issues that face people around the world, and he does so in a way that is both funny and tender, so that you don’t feel too raw at once. This time, he looks at depression. And while his solution may not ultimately be practical—after all, we can’t all just pack up our loved ones to an orphanage for a few weeks for treatment!—he does examine the mindset that many of us have when it comes to mental illness. This book […]
5: Tears of the Giraffe
Two books into the Mma Ramotswe books, and I’m just as much in love. Not all of the books follow the exact same pattern (large overarching mystery and several smaller mysteries), but that’s part of what makes them so enjoyable. Smith knows a winning formula when he sees one, but he also knows how to provide a little variation when necessary. And that brings me to Tears of the Giraffe, which I have not re-read ever. Mma Ramotswe is trying to build a sturdy client […]
4: The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
I last read The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency about two and a half years ago for my ENGL 2000 class, and which I reviewed for CBR 7 (aka, the only time I ever managed more than a triple cannonball, which gets more exhausting to reach each year). I have never made it through the entire series yet, but that’s one of this year’s goals. I was excited to read it again, because I find the gentle humor to be soothing in a time where […]
A lovely start to my semester.
My aunt first introduced me to Alexander McCall Smith several years ago, when she bought me the first four books in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. I thought they were charming and made for perfect bedtime reading. And so I devoured them, not realizing that I would have to WAIT for the next books to come out. That’s the problem with a series you like…the waiting. Thankfully, Mr. McCall Smith is a productive and voracious writer, so you don’t have to wait too […]