Tag Archives: Scotland
** The Forgotten Affairs of Youth by Alexander McCall Smith
In the Isabel Dalhousie series, The Forgotten Affairs of Youth reads almost like a detective novel since Isabel is looking for a woman’s lost biological father and finds him, eventually, after the usual detours with the fox in the garden, … Continue reading
Filed under New fiction
** How Many Friends Does One Person Need? by Robin Dunbar
How Many Friends Does One Person Need? is a series of essays originally written for scientific magazines and everyday newspapers about evolution by the namesake of the Dunbar number (150: the maximum group size for meaningful interactions). As could be … Continue reading
Filed under Non fiction
The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith
The Unbearable Lightness of Scones is the latest installment in the 44 Scotland Street series and it’s as delightful as the pastries in the title (which, actually, do not make more than one appearance in the story, and a fleeting … Continue reading
Filed under New fiction
American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson
American on Purpose is the memoir of the host of the Late, Late Show, which I have to admit I have never watched (no time for TV: how else do you think I read all these books?) Craig Ferguson has … Continue reading
Filed under True story
The Lost Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith
The Lost Art of Gratitude is the last installment in the Isabel Dalhousie series, reviewed here in the past. There’s a significant dearth of any significant mystery in this one, but the usual complement of charming toddler, perfect husband-to-be, and … Continue reading
Filed under New fiction
The World According to Bertie by Alexander Mccall Smith
The World According to Bertie is in the 44 Scotland Street series like Espresso Tales and Love over Scotland and I’m glad to report that the series continues to improve. (It was a slow day at the library, and the mention … Continue reading
Filed under New fiction
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday by Alexander McCall Smith
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday is another installment of the Isabel Dalhousie series, one of at least three series written by Alexander McCall Smith. I don’t find this particular one to be anywhere as captivating as the Number 1 Ladies … Continue reading
Filed under New fiction
Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith
Encouraged by reading Love over Scotland, the third volume of the 44 Scotland Street series, and not wanting to dwell on my disappointment with the first volume, I figured I would read the second volume, Espresso Tales and I found … Continue reading
Filed under New fiction
Love over Scotland by Alexander McCall Smith
Part of the 44 Scotland Street series by the prolific Alexander McCall Smith, better known for his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Love Over Scotland brings back many of the characters from the prior books in the series. My favorites … Continue reading
Filed under New fiction
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
Plan on a good chunk of time to read the first part of this mystery novel since it appears to start with completely unrelated characters that eventually meld into a satisfyingly complex, if necessarily contrived adventure. You need to get … Continue reading
Filed under Mystery
