The Unbearable Lightness of Scones

44 Scotland Street #5

by Alexander McCall Smith

The phenomenal acclaim for Alexander McCall Smith's Botswana-set detective series featuring the 'comfortably built' Precious Ramotswe took the publishing world by storm, notably because the gentle, unforced humour of the books was such a contrast with the far grittier fare on offer from most publishers and crime authors. Of course, it's probably true that readers were ready for something a touch more ingratiating --- that's to say, crime books that didn't always end with the walls painted with blood.

The latest book in McCall Smith's highly successful career, The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, is, however, not one of his Precious Ramotswe books, but an entry in the pleasing (and undemanding) Scotland Street series, full of the good-natured charm and inventiveness that is the author's hallmark. Bertie, McCall Smith's precocious six-year-old protagonist, is still at odds with his domineering mother, Irene, but enjoying his time as a cub scout. Matthew is struggling with the demands of marriage, while Domenica has her own struggle with the loneliness that accompanies her somewhat arid intellectual lifestyle. The residents of 44 Scotland St offer a kind of Celtic alternative to the humour of Armistead Maupin's delightful San Francisco-set Tales of the City (although unorthodox sexuality has less of a place here!).

It's a something of an achievement in the often dark world of the 21st century to deliver lightweight (but intelligent) entertainment such as this. There will always be those who want more uncompromising fare, but those attuned to Alexander McCall Smith's more gentle world view need not hesitate. --Barry Forshaw

Genres: Fiction, Scotland, Humor, Audiobook, Contemporary, Mystery, Adult Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the "44 Scotland Street" series. It can be read as a standalone.

In these affable, humorous books Alexander McCall Smith follows the lives of a group of people who reside in Edinburgh's "New Town" neighborhood. Many of the characters live in apartments at 44 Scotland Street - and others are their friends and acquaintances.


________

Bertie is a sweet, bright 6-year-old boy whose mother, Irene, would win gold if 'helicoptering' was an Olympic sport. In addition to attending school, Bertie gets Italian lessons, goes to yoga, and regularly sees a psychotherapist named Dr. Fairbairn.



Irene decorates Bertie's room in pink, dictates his playdates, and almost never lets him do anything fun. Poor Bertie wishes Irene would get a hobby.....but realizes HE'S her hobby.



With a little help from his dad, Bertie fulfills his dream of joining the Cub Scouts, along with his friend Tofu. Unfortunately, the Cub Scouts are now co-ed, so classmate Olive - a supercilious know-it-all who's declared herself Bertie's 'girlfriend' (over his strenuous objections) - joins as well. Gear up for friction in the Cubbies! I thought it was fun that Bertie and Tofu met Ian Rankin (the writer) during a Cub Scout map-reading activity.



Bertie repeatedly puzzles over the fact that his new little brother, Ulysses, looks just like Dr. Fairbairn. Uh Oh!



Moreover, Dr. Fairbairn has been offered 'a chair' at a Scottish university, and is leaving town. (Bertie is bewildered....he thought the doctor already had a chair. Ha ha ha) In any case, a new psychotherapist is coming on board, which may be a good thing for Bertie.
__________

Angus is a portrait painter whose boon companion is his dog Cyril, who has a gold tooth. Cyril had 'an affair' in the last book, and Angus has been presented with six puppies. The pups cause a ruckus until a home is found for them....but the little guys might just be in peril. Concerned readers are worried ;(





Angus inadvertently becomes the custodian of a famous 'lost' (stolen) portrait that's come into the hands of Lard O'Conner - a local gangster. Lard and his cohorts know nothing about the painting's value.....so Angus hatches a plan to do right by the artwork.



Angus starts to think about marriage - and likes his friend Domenica.....but can these two independent spirits come together?
__________

Matthew, a sedate art gallery owner, marries schoolteacher Elspeth - and they go off to Australia for their honeymoon.



While enjoying a romantic walk on the beach Matthew gets swept away by an undertow - and the subsequent misunderstandings almost land him in a mental hospital.



Afterwards, Matthew visits an uncle in Singapore who (accidently) imparts news that leaves Matthew poleaxed. Matthew has a lot to think about now.
__________

Domenica, an independent anthropologist, is irked because her neighbor Antonia 'stole' her blue Spode cup and is brazenly using it (the nerve!). So, when Domenica is asked to oversee a furniture delivery to Antonia's apartment, she sends Angus in to retrieve the cup.





This results in a 'cup crisis' AND reveals that Antonia is (apparently) a big drug dealer. Shocking.....but there may be an upside. If Antonia is arrested, Angus might be able to snag her apartment.....right next door to Domenica.

Lots of amusing misunderstandings in this plotline.
__________

Bruce, an erstwhile surveyor, thinks his spectacular good looks are his ticket to success. Bruce has become engaged to a pretty heiress named Julia and now lives in her upscale apartment, has a car and job - courtesy of her father, and has plenty of spending money for clothes, men's cosmetics, expensive meals, and so on.



Bruce views Julia as rather empty-headed - and thinks he's got it made - but he's dead wrong. After a rude awakening Bruce rethinks his lifestyle.....and might just become an upstanding guy.


__________

Big Lou is an amiable gal who owns a coffee shop.....and always gets involved with wrong 'uns.



Her current boyfriend doesn't cheat (at least) but he's involved in a bizarre Jacobite plot to bring the 'Pretender to the Throne of Scotland' back from France.....and restore him to his rightful place.

The 'Pretender' is installed Lou's apartment - where he expects to be waited on hand and foot - while the Jacobites make their plans.



There's a funny scene where the 'king' and his associate - dressed in historical togs - are mistaken for transvestites.



The book's title refers to the fact that Angus and Matthew suggest that Big Lou 'lighten up' her dense scones......but Lou has no use for feathery baked goods.



__________

This is an enjoyable addition to the series, highly recommended to fans. Even if you aren't familiar with the series, you could probably enjoy this entertaining book.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much to love in this 5th installment. What I love about this is the depth mixed with humor.

From the pithy:
"Old friends, like old shoes, are comfortable. But old shoes, unlike old friends, tend not to be supportive."

To the meaningful:
"Every small wrong, every minor act of cruelty, every act of petty bullying was symbolic of a greater wrong. And if we ignored these small things, then did it not blunt our outrage over the larger wrongs?"

To the hilarious:
[Angus] "Mind you, I did once, years ago, do a little picture of Margaret Thatcher - bless her - a tiny little miniature. Then I pasted it onto a matchbox...Then I stood the matchbox outside a mouse hole. The mouse had been bothering me - he had gnawed away at some canvas I had. So I used it as a mouse-scarer. It was more humane than a mouse trap, you see. The mouse came out and saw this picture of Margaret Thatcher staring at him and he ran straight back into the hole. It was very effective."

And:
"The early Scottish saints were, Antonia had hinted, ever so slightly bitchy, but in the nicest possible way, of course. Had anything changed?"

To commentary on humanity:
"It wore a different cloth, he thought, and was present now in the desire to prevent people from doing anything risky or thinking unapproved thoughts. Oh yes, he muttered, they're still with us, and they're still ready to carry out the burning of witches, even if we don't call them witches anymore. All that moral outrage, the self-righteousness, that urge to lecture and disapprove - it's all still there."

To the laugh out loud funny:
[Nick] " 'That's all the Latin I remember. Tempus fugit. Time flies.'
'Yes' said Bruce. 'Et cetera'
[Nick] 'Et what?'
'Et cetera' replied Bruce. 'It's Latin for whatever.'"

To the invention of new words (Angus remembering being kicked out of the boy scouts):
Dewoggled.

Can't wait for number 6 - The Importance of Being Seven - if the title is any hint, perhaps wee Bertie will finally have a birthday! I wonder what happened to the puppies...what Pat is up to...if Big Lou will find love...if Matthew and Elspeth stay happy...and if Angus and Domenica will ever take a new step in their relationship?

Whatever happens, Delightful series.

[Judith E · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Tis the busy season and a stroll down the streets of Edinburgh to meet up with friends and ruminate about their everyday lives is a welcome reprieve. AMS’s chapters are short but fulfilling and each one follows the growth of the people in this neighborhood. There is humor, love, social commentary, and always surprises, like when The Pretender is secreted into town! This series is a boost to my mental health. Rounded up from 3.75.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor hapless Matthew!

Poor Bertie!

IRENE YOU ARE TERRIBLE!

Poor Lard O'Connor!

I'm sorry, is anyone going to check on that guy who took all six puppies? WTH?

Yay, Stuart!

IRENE, GET SOME HELP.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We talk, but do I actually listen, or is our conversation mainly a question of my waiting for him to stop and for it to by my turn to say something? For how many of us is that what conversation means - the setting up of our lines?"

There is the common conception that sequels fail to live up to the high standards of the original book. While this is true in some cases, I would certainly disagree when it comes to Alexander McCall Smith's novels based on the lives of fictional characters in the New Town of Edinburgh. Book Five in the Scotland Street series The Unbearable Lightness of Scones starts off with a wedding, and finishes off (as in the pattern of the preceding books) with a dinner party and a poem. In between these points we follow our well-loved characters on an adventurous Australian honeymoon, we meet a brand new "New Pretender", and Lard O'Connor visits from Glasgow - his visit bringing something of value, and also a tragedy. There are also six puppies to re-house, an issue about Spode china, a brush with Baden-Powell (and Ian Rankin!) and sleazy Bruce's rise and fall - and subsequent rise again.

Yet another fabulous read - this series just does not disappoint!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I didn't love this one but I am really enjoying this series. I'm thinking the Jacobite storyline is coming to an end which will be a good thing. Really enjoying spending time with these characters. I'm glad that the rest of the series will be first reads for me. Looking forward to that!


Original review, 2011:

As always, I'm sad on of AMS's books had to end. Really enjoying this series. Keep up the good work, AMS!

[Jenn Mattson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently went with my sister to see Alexander McCall Smith speak and it was the most delightful and hilarious evening. The lovely, bekilted man is lightning quick with his amusing observations and what makes his books so fabulous is this unerring insight into human nature and human relationships. In fact the title of this book reminds me of Smith's writing - delightful and so universally compelling. And he writes with such compassion. I love the quotidian details in the 44 Scotland Street stories: truly exciting things rarely happen and yet they are a fantastic read, anyway (although Matthew's honeymoon and Angus and Matthew's interactions with a certain Glaswegian are definitely exciting). And Robert Ian Mckenzie's narration really brings these stories to life. My favorite characters continue to be Bertie and Cyril, but I love them all. (Bertie's Ian Rankin encounter was possibly my favorite part, along with Cyril's Robbie Burns encounter.)

[Trelawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice continuation of the threads that have been woven in the earlier books. Angus and Domenica are moving closer, Matthew is married, Big Lou is once more unlucky in love and poor Bertie still has to go to therapy... at least now he has the Scouts. And Bruce! Who knew he was capable of change? These stories are populate by wonderful characters and I will be sorry when I reach the final installment.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the audio version and it didn't work for me.

It follows the tale of Bertie and his dysfunctional family. It's very British but not engaging enough for my tastes yet there are moments and great clarity about life with a humorous bent.

OVERALL GRADE: C plus.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland (& Perth, Western Australia); modern day.
This is the fifth book in the wonderful '44 Scotland Street' series and I am loving the characters and setting more and more as the various storylines develop. We see Bertie hopeful for an end to his therapy sessions when Dr Fairbairn moves away but also hoping to join the Cubs; gallery owner Matthew marries Bertie's former teacher Elspeth Harmony and they jet off to Perth, W.A. on honeymoon; narcissistic Bruce gets a shock from his fiancee and ends up on a journey of self-described and Glasgow gangster Lard O'Connor springs a surprise on Matthew....
There are many different storylines in the book involving the various characters but all demonstrate a wonderful portrait of Edinburgh life and human foibles with just the right amount of moral 'instruction' to make this a worthwhile and thought-provoking read - 9/10.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

The format of this series of novels – continuing episodes for serial publication – determines that the story will bounce among the various plot lines. The reader can follow suit by picking up and setting down these books, reading casually. This lovely quality is what keeps me coming back for comic relief.

Occasionally I am suspicious that McCall Smith creates a plot turn which he can’t quite resolve. Things seemed fragmented in Book 5.

Some people endure: Angus, Big Lou, Domenica, Matthew, Bruce, the beloved Bertie, and the hated Irene. We’re used to being left hanging while he pursues another character’s travails, but occasionally the novel doesn’t come back. What happened to the puppies? Will we ever find out?

Perhaps he got tired of Bruce; I know I did. So he reformed this legendary cad. Can a narcissist actually reform so quickly? Or did the author need to move on?

So I had a few nits to pick with this book.

On the other hand, I get great joy from the large doses of whimsy. It seemed for Book 5 that the topic du jour in Edinburgh was moisturizers for men. An amusing counter balance to the earnest quest for good relationships, and possibly a jab at the vapid preoccupations of uninspired people.

[Adriane Devries · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unbearable Lightness of Scones is a lovely little novel by the bestselling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, perfect for a summertime read. You will be transported by delightfully quirky characters and their everyday interconnectedness among the halls and streets surrounding 44 Scotland Street in Edinburgh. A newly married couple has a brush with death on their honeymoon. A missing Spode teacup and saucer show up in a friend’s cupboard. A notorious gangster brings a painting to pawn at a local art dealer, who recognizes its national significance. Drug dealing intrigue and even death do not threaten the civilized society represented in this charmingly stereotypical neighborhood. Beneath the civil and sometimes fusty exteriors of its inhabitants lies something almost undefinable that moves to the surface once in a blessed while. These friends acknowledge their own typecast roles and concede that they may be trapped by society’s bourgeois rituals; but in the end, they know that love itself is bourgeois, and it is the one thing worth preserving.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who could resist a title like "The Unbearable Lightness of Scones", but if you haven't read the other books in the 44 Scotland Street Series, perhaps you should start at the beginning.

All of Alexander McCall Smith's books are what I think of as "pleasant books", but don't think of that as faint praise, I just mean that the characters are so well drawn that they seem like old friends. Old friends that ponder the philosophical questions of everyday life.

In this book, Angus Lordie's dog Cyril, with his "unresolved personal freshness issues" has also fathered six puppies that Angus must deal with.

Six-year-old Bertie is at long last rid of his crushed strawberry dungarees and is into a cub scout uniform - much to his over-bearing mother's chagrin.

Dominica, Matthew, Big Lou and even Glasgow gangster, Lard O'Connor make an appearance. The narcissistic Bruce is trying to turn over a new leaf, but can it last? And have we heard the last of those puppies? We'll have to stay tuned.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another "44 Scotland Street" book. If you don't know what these are, stop reading now. If you do and have read the previous four, you'll like this one. I don't know how Mr. McCall Smith manages to stay so prolific at such a high quality, but I don't care.

This is a series about nothing -- just characters and what happens to them. Matthew and Elspeth get married and honeymoon in Perth; Angus is given puppies; Domenica covets a lost teacup; Bruce finally grows up; and Bertie, poor, poor Bertie, continues to suffer at the hands of his overbearing mother and spineless father. But they become friends over the course of the novel. Every year I get to spend a little more time with them as Smith releases another book in the series.

(If you're reading this, Mr. McCall Smith, you have to promise me that, before the series ends, Bertie manages some form of escape.)

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book on CD performed by Robert Ian Mackenzie.


Book number five in the 44 Scotland Street series, featuring the residents of a particular apartment building in Edinburgh, as well as a few of their neighbors. All the regulars are here: Bertie, his mother Irene, his dad Stuart, Matthew, Elspeth, Brian, Angus (and his dog Cyril), Domenica and Big Lou. There’s a wedding, a possible romance, and a breakup. Bertie joins the scouts, but still can’t get away from Olive. Angus tries to help Domenica with a neighbor dispute and just gets in deeper. And Cyril, that scamp, has fathered a litter of SIX puppies!

I really enjoy reading these books; they are just a lovely summer delight for me. It’s like visiting with old friends. This one, like all the episodes in the series, bounces around from character to character, so the reader gets a glimpse of Bertie, then of Angus, then of Matthew, etc. It’s the same way we frequently experience our friendships. You don’t learn someone’s entire life story in one sitting but get snippets here and there before you eventually truly feel you know him or her.

Robert Ian Mackenzie does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. He has a lot of characters to deal with and he is up to the task.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 44 Scotland Street novels were written in serialized installments in The Scotsman, one of Edinburgh's daily newspapers. Perhaps because of that, I found them compulsively readable. Each short chapter ended just where I didn't want it to, and so I had to keep reading.

Smith is a generous writer. Even the most narcissistic, unpleasant character has his chance to change, and the unbearably dull are redeemed by their kindnesses. Smith really feels that there's hope for all of us. Besides that, he is well-read, but wears his education lightly, and doesn't rub our noses in it. He's also very polite, and I feel that's the right way to put it. These novels are polite. You feel you're in good hands - you know this is going to be a light, comic novel and certainly things happen, but no great tragedies or harrowing dramas. In The World According to Bertie, one of the characters reflects that "for most of us, nothing very much happens." And if that's true, Smith knows how much there can be to "nothing very much."

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted when this fifth in the 44 Scotland Street series came out because I had thought that maybe # 4 was all there would be since some of the multiple intertwined stories of life in present day Edinburgh seemed to have come to some sort of resolution. In # 5 much more is revealed! Needless to say, little Bertie has some minor triumphs combined with the inevitable setbacks (Someday I hope to see his awful mother get her comeuppance..) A major character who was loathsome right from the start seems to have made a major change, will it last? Human nature, philosophy, matters of life and death, and light comedy (Especially funny are the continuing sagas of the Spode teacup and the "Pretender".)its all here. Can't wait for # 6 when hopefully more will be revealed concerning a certain unsettling story line...(I don't want to give any spoilers!) This series must be read in order.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in the 44 Scotland Street series. The first book I thought was just OK, but by the second one I was hooked. These books are such an enjoyable read. If you ever been to Edinburgh and want the oportunity to go back, even if it is just vicariously, I suggest you pick these books up, devour them as I did, and then suffer the regret that there aren't more to read.

[Nigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty, eloquent and philosophical tales about several loosely connected characters in Edinburgh. Part of a serial novel, definitely to be read in order. This one keeps up the very high standard, has you chuckling along, all very light-hearted. A nice change-up

[MaryE · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters in this series are growing and developing so well. In this book I felt a distinct advance in each person’s maturity. What a delightful bunch to spend some afternoons with! Ready for the next installment.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This book was well-written. I loved the dialogue between the characters. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Edinburgh. This is a fitting continuation of the series. Highly recommended.

[Vio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably again a strong 3,5* read.

My observations about this book - I had some thoughts, to find them confirmed in the foreword of the next volume (#6) by the author: while time passes for the others -apparently 4 years or so had passed, little Bertie is still 6 years old and going strong. :)
I was very surprised by the change in the character of Bruce. And where is Pat, anyways? Hope to find more in the next book.
I have to mention that the adventures of Matthew in Australia made me skip some 30 pages to see if the author went crazy (!!!). After reading the denouement, I came back to where I was with my reading.

So, yes, I already started the next volume in the series, as you probably already understood. :) For me, choosing 44 Scotland Street in these stressful times was absolutely the best decision. :)

[Gláucia Renata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quinto volume da deliciosa série 44 Scotland Street e seus personagens maravilhosamente cativantes.
Ler seus livros virou parte de minha rotina de leitura e seus temas e narrativa leves servem pra me fazer sorrir.
Não gostei do arco de Bruce, não condiz com o personagem essa mudança tão brusca, assim como o tresloucado pedido de casamento. Mesmo assim só consigo dar nota máxima a esses capítulos curtos que me fazem respirar com mais leveza na correria do dia-a-dia.



Histórico de leitura
20/10/2019

"American football did not seem like a game at all, but an orchestrated fight. But that is what so many men want to do, or at least see done. They want to see conflict and competition, which was what sport was all about."

"The wedding took place underneath the Castle, beneath that towering, formidable rock, in a quiet church that was reached from King's Stables Road."

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great week with the fabulous Edinburgh locals that make up the 44 Scotland Street novels. This time with the added excitement of them visiting my home city of Perth. That's Perth, Western Australia, not Perth, Scotland. He's clearly been here because he knew the ins and the outs of a very particular culture.

As I've said previously, Sandy McCall Smith's views on life and society show through his characters and some of those views are not my own. This doesn't affect my absolute joy in reading his intricate observations of life in this beautiful city.

I'm looking forward to reading book 6 when next I need a week of relaxed reading.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's nothing more enjoyable to a voracious reader than a prolific author!

I've just finished The Unbearable Lightness of Scones. In the past I would have said that the "44 Scotland Road" series wasn't one of the best, but I found this book to be quite a treat. The plot has always been a bit complex, weaving strands of characters' lives in and out throughout the books. This book adds characters who have started to come into their own. Young Bertie is of an age when his insights are quite astounding. Awkward Matthew has found love and with that has become more engaging and confident. Domenica is a similar kind of over-thinker as Isabel Dalhousie in Alexander McCall Smith's other Scotland series, but her misadventures are more amisuing. Even smarmy Bruce gets his comeuppance in this book. All in all, I really liked it.

Now I need to go back to the library to see if I've missed some books. I'm not sure I've read , or one in "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, or two others about Isabel Dalhousie! Nothing more satisfy than books waiting to be read when you've got lots of time to read them!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being hot makes me cranky and cross. It is the only explanation for my initial irritation with The Unbearable Lightness of Scones. And I was annoyed for a goodly way into the book. Too much over thinking. How much inner philosophizing must one be subjected to before one just tosses the book back into the library bag? To my horror I found myself skimming whole sections of Angus and Domenica and Matthew yammer on in their heads. However. I persevered and my mood and the heat wave both lifted. I snapped out of it, realized there is, per usual, some great stuff in these little books and remembered why I love this series.

Matthew gets married, Bertie gets a new therapist and is allowed to join Cub Scouts, Cyril's ill begotten puppies are dumped on Angus as promised, the dreadful Bruce finally gets what's coming to him with surprising results, The Blue Spode teacup incident resolves, a dinner part is enjoyed with a poem. All while the bigger topics of relationships, communication, civil behavior and moisturizer for men are discussed.

And by the by, I find myself wondering how it's been 4 years since Bruce was fired from his surveyor's job and yet Bertie is only 6? Perhaps this will be addressed in the next volume?

[Come Musica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stelle.

“Angus abbassò lo sguardo, in segno di modestia. «Cari amici» cominciò, «il mio cuore è colmo...»

E continuò:

Ma non troppo colmo per parlare d’amore,
la parola più vera, la più sincera, in ogni lingua
e in ogni circostanza.
Possiamo, noi che abbiamo la fortuna di conoscere l’amicizia,
trovarla sempre nel nostro cuore
pronunciarla e farne il fulcro di tutte le nostre azioni;
e proclamarla, anche,
nostra luce guida nel crepuscolo della moralità.
L’amore sana, completa,
ristabilisce il delicato equilibrio
che tanto tempo addietro andò perduto,
quando odio e sospetto
manifestarono il loro seducente ghigno primevo.
Sono uno scozzese, un patriota;
amo il mio paese, così com’è,
mi commuove il suo paesaggio di glen silenziosi
mi commuovono i puri torrenti e fiumi,
i mari blu e le isole bluastre.
Amo tutto questo e i suoi abitanti;
e amo anche chi non è a noi vicino;
mai godrò delle loro sconfitte
né celebrerò le loro umane difficoltà;
perché, francamente, qual è l’alternativa?
Non vedo altro modo.
Nessun altro modo, che non sia l’amore.”

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This USA publication of this book is a few months away, but I picked up a copy in London recently. As with the other books in this series, it's a touching collection of glimpses into the lives of neighbors and friends from a neighborhood in Edinburgh, Scotland. The characters have come to feel like personal friends of mine, even the ones I love to hate. :-) The author employs some very subtle humor, making a bit of fun of human nature. I really hated the book to end, and eagerly await the next installment. Long live Alexander McCall Smith!

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I was prompted to do some thinking on why I read the 44 Scotland St. books as my 'light reading,' and I discovered that what I find most likeable about these books is that they're about the every day. There's just a bunch of people who really could be anyone, living lives that aren't off-the-wall. What makes these books fun is that the characters' lives aren't worth writing a book over, and so, you feel right at home in the story. This one is no different.

[Andie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fifth novel if the 44 Scotland Street series finds Bertie longing to join the Cub Scouts, Matthew marrying Bertie's teacher Elsbeth Harmony, Domenica feeling lonely, and Angus dealing with the outcome of his dog Cyril's romantic entanglements (6 puppies). Pat is not in this volume, but Bruce is back in all his narcissistic splendor. He gets engaged to a wealthy woman and thinks his life is made until it all falls apart and he has to reconsider his life.

McCall Smith has constructed a lovely world full of gentle, good-hearted people. In our troubled times, I wish we could actually transport ourselves into this world.