44 Scotland Street

Alexander McCall Smith

Light reading, I will definitely agree with that. As an individual with an almost unhealthy...more

Light reading, I will definitely agree with that. As an individual with an almost unhealthy obsession with the city of Edinburgh (well, the whole country of Scotland really) I purchased this book because reviews remarked how this book illuminated the city's culture and personality all while focusing on this one small flat and those that live within it. In the beginning of the book, I didn't really find that it portrayed Edinburgh in any great detail, however the last half of the book did Edinburgh some decent justice: commenting on social life there, the typical personality, the traditions, the dress, the manners, even the persona of specific streets or neighborhoods. Also, as a philosophy major, I will thrilled to see McCall Smith add little snippets of philosophy in his books (after all he was a professor of Law at the U of Edinburgh). It was originally written as a serial in a newspaper, so maybe McCall Smith just needed to get his ball rolling since the last half of the book finished much stronger than the first. It has left me anxious to read the next book in this series, 'The Espresso Tales.' Overall: good read, especially if you've any interest at all in Scottish culture and ideology.   hide

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, each has its own character, style and humor. This book is based on...more

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, each has its own character, style and humor. This book is based on a daily newspaper serial, McCall Smith was asked to do after he brought up the subject in an article he wrote in the newspaper, The Herald, in Scotland. As usual, McCall Smith was up to the task and, I believe, is working on another serialized story that will eventually be put into book form. Funny, iInsightful, depictive.   hide

There is an art to writing, and an even bigger art to writing short stories. What we have here is...more

There is an art to writing, and an even bigger art to writing short stories. What we have here is the (almost) lost art of serialised writing - not one story chopped up, but a tale picked up on a daily basis. Great stuff. It is as if you are looking over the author's shoulder while he bemusedly follows his characters on a daily bais to see where they are going next, past whose door they will be walking and what new storyline he will pick up on.   hide

McCall Smith wanted to pay homage to Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, a worthy task because...more

McCall Smith wanted to pay homage to Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, a worthy task because THAT series is a fantastic serial novel and worth paying homage to. However, "homage" and "borrow" are two VERY different things. Based on my intimate knowlege of TofC I was able to guess several plot twists before they happened, and am prepared to wager money on a few more, could I be bothered with Espresso Tales. Read it if it's a rainy Sunday afternoon and there's nothing else to read. Then find Tales of the City and lose yourself completely.   hide

A very well written book on the happenings of a flat on 44 Scotland Street. Residents include a...more

A very well written book on the happenings of a flat on 44 Scotland Street. Residents include a twenty year old looking for a job and a man, a twenty five year old Narcissist, a sixty year old woman, and a five year old genius named Bertie who can speak Italian and play the saxophone with his very pushy mother and passive father. Dry humor throughout, light reading, very entertaining.   hide