My colleague and I have recently groused together that a certain novelist who writes a certain set of trashy novels to which we are both addicted, is such a poor writer that even though the novels are set in Lousiana, when we read the dialogue what we hear in our minds' ears are the voices of people just like us who live in the Pacific Northwest. And upon reading these admittedly addicting trashy novels, I have no reason to picture the heat and damp and mosquitos with which I know Louisiana must be afflicted, because the author does nothing to help me imagine the setting.

Nothing can be further from the writing of Alexander McCall Smith, author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, of which The Kalahari Typing School for Men is the first book I've read. When I read the words on Mr. Smith's pages, I hear the measured lilt of a Botswana accent, and his characters have such rich inner lives that I am able to nod with satisfaction that each is behaving according to his own character. Mr. Smith's writing is beautiful and wonderfully evocative; I can imagine the garage, the house, the bush, the little white van, the cattle with their beautiful eyes, and the field with its endless sky. The pace of his story was slow, as measured and lilting as a Botswana voice must surely be, and the story's arc was satisfying. I will read more books in this series.

As with all of the books in this series, I liked this gentle, humorous adventure. Threatened with the arrival of a rival detective agency, Mma Ramotswe proves her worth. Mama Kutsi starts a typing school and finds out that some men find her attractive, which comes as a surprise and delight.

Once again, while I find most of the story to be humorous and engaging, there are a few problems that seem to be thrown in for no reason. I understand that the stories of the clients come and go, but they are always resolved and a satisfactory conclusion is reached. I was discombobulated with the rival detective agency that appeared for apparently no purpose except to add a little bit of drama, and disappeared for no apparent reason. I was hoping that Mma Ramotswe would investigate this interloper and find that he was really a crook or a con artist, but that did not happen.

I fell across this book when going through boxes of my parents stuff after they died. First I read a few pages, then quickly engrossed I whipped through to the end. It was thoroughly enjoyable, filled with wit and observations of human beings as they wend their way through life and relationships. Then I looked up the author, Alexander McCall Smith, and found out this book was part of a series, and that he has written several other books as well. I will be reading more of his work as it is an excellent diversion during these days of global tension. I'm so happy to have had this serendipitous find!

Πολλοί χαρακτηρίζουν τα βιβλία της σειράς αυτής ως chicken soup for the soul, ή βάλσαμο για τη ψυχή, κι έχουν απόλυτο δίκιο. Οι χαλαροί, νωθροί ρυθμοί της αφήγησης, η απλοϊκή (σχεδόν παιδική) γλώσσα κι οι σοφές συμβουλές της καλόκαρδης κυρίας Ραμότσουε πάντα καταφέρνουν να μου μεταδώσουν μια αίσθηση ηρεμίας κι αισιοδοξίας. Αν περνάτε δύσκολες ώρες, μια επίσκεψη στην βεράντα της Πρέσιους Ραμότσουε για να φιλοσοφήσετε τη ζωή πίνοντας τσάι από βότανα της ερήμου κι αγναντεύοντας τον ουρανό της Μποτσουάνα, σίγουρα θα σας φτιάξει τη διάθεση.

I liked this book but found it lacked a main plot… Following the happenings of the main characters I’d good and all but the main climax of the book was 50 pages from the end, felt a bit off balance wise, almost that the plot was forgotten in places to favour the main character development, although the development itself was minimal.
Instead of a mystery book like the previous books in the series it felt more like a commentary of local life with a slight element of mystery.
Despite this, I love the writing style and characters and setting, just the plot line was severely lacking.

This is my 4th of this series and I enjoyed it, but I feel like it's time to stop having also every character called by their full name all the time. I'll be doing these as filler between other books; I bought a bunch when they were on sale on Audible for $5 each. It was worth it. I've copied some parts of the past reviews to save time.

Precious Ramotswe is a Private Inspector and founder of the "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". She has an assistant and that is where the typing school comes into play. The mysteries here are interesting and I loved this one because I could relate.

Although Alexander McCall Smith is a white man, he did grow up in the area and he seems to understand a lot about issues and traditions. I would like to see how some local people think about these books.

The narration is excellent and I look forward to the next book in the series. The narration is 5 stars!

Все така колоритна е историята на Маа Рамотсве, но с всяка следваща част преводът и редакцията са на все по-ниско и направо разочароващо ниво.

Oh Precious, you sly ole girl. I love these stories. They're real but also ideal. Bad things happen but Precious always says and does the right thing. I'm glad the world was righted in the end and that some men got their asses handed to them.

The Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency has opened across town, and it is drawing attention. The brusk owner Cephas Buthelezi, who claims to be ex-CID, is polite to Mma Precious Ramotswe, owner of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency when she comes to visit her new competition, but he is rude to Mma Makutsi, her partner and assistant manager. It is worrisome that a man of such credentials has opened a detective business in the small town in Botswana, a country of 2 million people.

Ramotswe is not really earning enough to stay in business, but she and Makutsi have already helped so many people, earning trust and good will. With the agreement of her fiancé, Mr. J. L. B. Matekobi, proprietor of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, she maintains a very clean and inviting office in the back of Matekobi's garage and keeps her doors open with enough clients that there is much mutual advantage for all. However, there is not enough cash being earned. Perhaps she should push Matekobi to get married at last?

Her two foster children are a worry as well, especially Puso, the boy. He killed a hoopoe with a stone, and he is unaccountably sullen and angry. Could it be something at school? She makes a note to herself to visit with the orphanage and Mma Potokwani and get advice.

Mma Makutsi has started a third job for herself. Besides being Mma Ramotswe's assistant and also Matekobi's assistant in the garage, she opens a typing school for men. It is going very well, and one of the men has taken a personal interest in her! The problem is Mma Ramotswe has learned from one of her clients that the gentleman is hiding a very important fact about his availability for marriage - he has a wife.

The problems seem without solutions unless Mma Ramotswe can find a way for everyone to save face with minimum harm - it is unthinkable to her to cause unnecessary pain. Everyone has sins on their conscience - but she knows the confession of sin is not what saves the day, but it is in the fixing of the damage that makes it right.

I’m not sure how many of the books I have read in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. Maybe just one other one. The Kalahari Typing School for Men is number four in the series. It can, of course, be read as a stand alone. The mysteries dealt by the ladies are not suspenseful and thrilling, but instead take you on a journey into the culture and streets of Botswana. It is a slower pace, with lots of domestic details and carefully drawn characters. It is easy to find yourself pulled into these books even if you are used to the faster-paced mystery thrillers.

more of the very enjoyable same

There's a lot going on, most importantly, a rival detective agency has opened.

Sometimes these books are like boating down a gentle river, but this one never really gets going enough to take you out of the dock.