Entertaining and heart-warming as always :)

***Fifth read***
I’m rereading this series with my husband, making it even better, if that were possible. If you want an escape read that will make you laugh, I encourage you to read this. The author has a brilliant sense of humor, and a sensitivity for the world at large that really endears me to him. You can’t go wrong with any of his books, but this series imo is his best. And the audiobooks are treasures. They make the books even better bc the narrator knows these characters so well and she has a distinctive and amusing voice for each that captures the personality perfectly.

***Fourth read***
I've run out of things to say about this series. I've never run into a series I feel about the way I do this one. I could read these books over and over and always enjoy them. I don't know them by heart yet. They still make me laugh and smile and wonder, sometimes.

Reading Alexander McCall Smith is like opening a window into a part of myself I haven't yet fully explored, and it makes me so happy every time I do. I don't know any better way to describe it than that. This man is part of me.

Please try this series if you haven't, yet. You may be able to download the audiobooks directly from the RBDigital app, in these Covid times. I can't think of a better remedy than that, whether you have the illness or not, or just want to press a button to send more positive energy into the world.

***Third read***
I think I may just start stapling these books to my clothing so I always have one close by. With the state of the American govt being what it is and with civility and decency seemingly in such short supply, this series is medicine for my spirit and a reminder that goodness and kindness exist in the world.

I don't think this is one of my favorite books in the series, but they all kind of read as one long story in many ways. I don't read for the "mystery" aspect, I read because I love these characters and I enjoy spending time with them. I smile quite a lot while reading/listening, and smiles are worth a lot.

A reminder to my American friends to please VOTE on Tuesday, November 6. We can certainly do better. Let's show the world this. Thank you.

***Second read***
There is so much to love about this series. The characters are not cardboard cutout, nice people. They will surprise you at times. If you are interested in learning more about a gentler culture (which IMO America could learn a lot from), and in spending time in a place where, for the most part, people take care of each other and appreciate nature, etc., give this series a try.

Keep in mind that the first book of the series (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) is almost more like a collection of short stories than the rest of the series is. So if you tried the first and weren't crazy about it, please also try the second: Tears of the Giraffe. This is one of those rare series that actually gets better as it goes along (as I'm learning, having read all of the published books and now rereading the series). Can't wait for the latest installment later this year!

Lisette Lecat does the audio of this entire series and I couldn't ask for anything more from a narrator. She is superb. You can't beat this series as a read or a listen. Highly recommended.

And if you like this series by Alexander McCall Smith, you'll most likely enjoy his other series as well.

Read in 2014

Mma Ramotswe is back on the case. This time she has been hired to help a woman in finding out where she stands with her various beaus. Mma Ramotswe is not sure she understands why a woman would want to have four boyfriends, but she is more than willing to help. The goal is to find out whether the men truly care for her or if they are only dating her because of her wealth.

Her fiance, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is also busy. After helping her out with some work on her van, it comes to his attention that another mechanic in town is doing substandard work. Beside being a betrayal of peoples' trust, doing so may also endanger the drivers and their passengers. He takes it upon himself to try and show the other mechanic the light.

He also finds himself in trouble when the local orphanage is looking to raise some money. Mma Potokwani, the woman who runs the orphanage, where he met his two foster children, is able to talk him into a skydiving event to raise money. Mma Ramotswe is not sure that the is thrilled with the possibility, but she has nothing to fear as Mma Makutsi gets involved. With the help of Charlie, one of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices, she will find a solution that will not leave him with shame and allow the orphange to still get its money.

It is always a pleasure to visit with these characters and see where the story is going to take them, and the readers along with them. The book ends with quite a surprise, and it is one that will leave you happy. This is a nice addition to the series.

I really like this series. It’s a mystery that is short on mystery, but McCall Smith write so lovingly about these characters that it is difficult not to fall for them. It’s a light read, and sometimes one just needs a light read. I have to say though, I didn’t see that ending coming, but it’s a good one.

2016 Reading Challenge #37: Sobre una cultura con la que no estoy familiarizado.

Me pareció lindo conocer, a través de una novela de ficción, la cultura de uno de los países de África. Sus costumbres, formas de tratar a las personas, saludos... pero más allá de eso no encontré otro aspecto interesante. Mma Ramotswe es detective, sin embargo en este libro no encontré nada increíble con respecto a su profesión o llegué a entender por qué era tan aclamada, pero claro, este es el quinto libro de una saga y ya supongo que esa parte pasó.

PD: Una amiga me regaló este libro en mi cumpleaños y ni ella, ni yo, sabíamos que formaba parte de una saga.

For those not familiar with the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, it is in Gaborone Botswana. These books are the coziest cozy mysteries. For instance, in The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith, the lady detectives investigate four suitors perusing a rich lady entrepreneur, while also dealing with an incompetent auto repair shop and a high-pressure charity fundraiser. Note that these description sound more dangerous than the actual events.

If you are looking for a pleasant sojourn away from the stress and challenges of the world, I can highly recommend a delightful vacation to Botswana where the biggest concern is finding the next cup of bush tea.

For my book club report see: http://1book42day.blogspot.com/2017/1...

I ran across one of these books in a little free library in my neighborhood, to which it will now be returning. I grabbed it because I had a little “space” in my reading schedule, and because I was at least a little curious, because the series had been very popular at the library I used to work as a Collection Development Librarian for. Popular, I should say, with somewhat more interesting patrons (and volunteers/staff) than the readers of James Patterson or Janet Evanovich, neither of who interest me in the least. I had some idea what to expect – a “cozy mystery” set in Southern Africa, written by a white native of the region for non-residents who can exoticize the location and its culture.

There’s plenty of hate directed against this author and his books from the anti-colonialist crowd online, and they have their points I suppose. I’d say that the experience of reading this reminds me of European gurus who go to India and decide that Hindu/Buddhist culture is profoundly enlightened, then borrow from it in creating their own, ultimately Western, paths to enlightenment. Except that the prose is better than one expects from that genre, and the insights more honest in their humble limitations. This is certainly not a “challenging” book; in fact I’d say that it goes down easy, but still has enough wit to make an intellectual feel that it’s a step up from brain candy. The characters are believable, and it’s sort of interesting to read a book in which “white” is anything but the default for undescribed characters – presumably they are all black, and no one feels any need to point that out.

That said, it isn’t really my kind of thing. I have to admit, I sort of missed the memo where “cozy mysteries” stopped being about solving murders and became about giving bad dating advice to hairdressers. In fact, so far as I can recall no crimes are committed in this entire book, except perhaps the main character’s reckless driving when she hits a tree because one of the hairdresser’s boyfriends is making her jittery. Not at all a terrible read, but not one I need to repeat.

Parachuting for charity certainly is a novel idea

Another charming book from the series of #1 ladies detective agency. Better than its previous one, Mma Ramotswe and her band of piers continue enjoying each other, get in and out of stressful commitments, cherish their land and it's cattle, contemplate the virtues of men, women and proper behavior, and of course, a cup of tea on a hot day.

This is a nice, easy going tale in which Mma Ramotswe is wondering when she will actually be marrying Mr J.L.B. Matekoni. He is more concerned with a frightening request made of him by the matron of the orphanage...how will he extricate himself from this situation! A pleasant read which really evokes a very convincing air of Botswanan life - there really is nothing to dislike about it.

This was another enjoyable read in this charming series. 3.5 stars, rounded up.