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Trains and Lovers
The rocking motion of the train as it speeds along, the sound of its wheels on the rails . . . There’s something special about this form of travel that makes for easy conversation, which is just what happens to the four strangers who meet in Trains and Lovers.
As they journey by rail from Edinburgh to London, the four travelers pass the time by sharing tales of trains that have changed their lives. A young, keen-eyed Scotsman recounts how he turned a friendship with a female coworker into a romance by spotting an anachronistic train in an eighteenth-century painting. An Australian woman shares how her parents fell in love and spent their life together running a railroad siding in the remote Australian Outback. A middle-aged American patron of the arts sees two young men saying goodbye in a train station and recalls his own youthful crush on another man. And a young Englishman describes how exiting his train at the wrong station allowed him to meet an intriguing woman whom he impulsively invited to dinner—and into his life.
Here is Alexander McCall Smith at his most enchanting, exploring the nature of love—and trains—in a collection of romantic, intertwined stories.
As they journey by rail from Edinburgh to London, the four travelers pass the time by sharing tales of trains that have changed their lives. A young, keen-eyed Scotsman recounts how he turned a friendship with a female coworker into a romance by spotting an anachronistic train in an eighteenth-century painting. An Australian woman shares how her parents fell in love and spent their life together running a railroad siding in the remote Australian Outback. A middle-aged American patron of the arts sees two young men saying goodbye in a train station and recalls his own youthful crush on another man. And a young Englishman describes how exiting his train at the wrong station allowed him to meet an intriguing woman whom he impulsively invited to dinner—and into his life.
Here is Alexander McCall Smith at his most enchanting, exploring the nature of love—and trains—in a collection of romantic, intertwined stories.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
224 people are currently reading
4120 people want to read
About the author
Alexander McCall Smith
669 books12.7k followersAlexander 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,114 reviews
August 7, 2019
I traveled a lot on trains during the 1950s. When I discovered this stand-alone book about trains by Alexander McCall Smith, I just had to read it.
The book is well written. It is about four people traveling between Edinburgh to London. They tell each other stories about trains that have changed their lives. The four people were one woman and three men. The woman was from Australia, one man from Scotland, one from England and one from America. The book is the usual AMS story. It is a delightful meandering story with a moral base. I found it a charming relaxing story. I know that people either love AMS books or hate them. I happen to love them. I have been reading very long books recently so this short book was a great relief.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is five hours twenty minutes. Robert Ian Mackenzie does an excellent job narrating the books. Mackenzie is a British actor and audiobook narrator.
The book is well written. It is about four people traveling between Edinburgh to London. They tell each other stories about trains that have changed their lives. The four people were one woman and three men. The woman was from Australia, one man from Scotland, one from England and one from America. The book is the usual AMS story. It is a delightful meandering story with a moral base. I found it a charming relaxing story. I know that people either love AMS books or hate them. I happen to love them. I have been reading very long books recently so this short book was a great relief.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is five hours twenty minutes. Robert Ian Mackenzie does an excellent job narrating the books. Mackenzie is a British actor and audiobook narrator.
April 22, 2013
I will of course be recommending this to fans of Alexander McCall Smith, for they would read anything he writes, and rightly so. But Trains and Lovers comes off as a string of narratives harvested from a notebook and tossed onto the train with three men and one woman to tell them. The characters' voices and tones are almost identical, so that by the end of the book I could not remember who told which personal reminiscence. McCall Smith is at his best not only when a character speaks, but when a nicely articulated plot keeps the reader interested in the charaters themselves. Unfortuntely, in Trains and Lovers, such a plot is missing; the only thing moving the book along is the train. Sigh.
August 5, 2013
My first encounter with Alexander McCall Smith was The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. It didn't take long for me to get hooked on the adventures, or lack thereof, of Mma. Ramotwse, her assistant, the shoe-loving Mma Grace Makutsi, and her husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. I then turned to another McCall Smith series, this one featuring Isabel Dalhousie. When the clerk at Watermark Books suggested I might >Trains and Lovers, the newest McCall Smith book, I grabbed it up.
Like it I did, even though it once again features stories of people who don't do much in the way of action except ride the train together and tell their stories of love gained and lost. This book is just as gentle as the other McCall Smith books and I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed reading it. My favorite reading for fun goes along the lines of detective novels, not the gentle kind, but the Nordic, hard-boiled kind, the ones with all sorts of mayhem and intrigue.
What comes through Trains and Lovers is an intelligence that also informs McCall Smith's other series. It is not academic intelligence so much as it is the intelligence of intuition, a way of knowing about and getting around in the world. McCall Smith's background in philosophy and bioethics may have something to do with the development of his characters and through them, the plot of his books.
This book is a fast, pleasant read. Reading it won't teach you anything about changing the world, except maybe the truth in the last sentence, a thought of Kay as she leaves the train: "Loving others...is the good thing we do in our lives." Such a simple truth, yet so profound.
Like it I did, even though it once again features stories of people who don't do much in the way of action except ride the train together and tell their stories of love gained and lost. This book is just as gentle as the other McCall Smith books and I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed reading it. My favorite reading for fun goes along the lines of detective novels, not the gentle kind, but the Nordic, hard-boiled kind, the ones with all sorts of mayhem and intrigue.
What comes through Trains and Lovers is an intelligence that also informs McCall Smith's other series. It is not academic intelligence so much as it is the intelligence of intuition, a way of knowing about and getting around in the world. McCall Smith's background in philosophy and bioethics may have something to do with the development of his characters and through them, the plot of his books.
This book is a fast, pleasant read. Reading it won't teach you anything about changing the world, except maybe the truth in the last sentence, a thought of Kay as she leaves the train: "Loving others...is the good thing we do in our lives." Such a simple truth, yet so profound.
August 20, 2021
“Each of us has his or her reasons for being as we are, for continuing with the lives we lead; ordinary lives, of course, but touched here and there with moments of understanding and insight, and sheer marvel.”
Lovely little read.
Lovely little read.
March 21, 2013
How I do with we could use half stars because this is a 4.5 rather than flat four. I am a massive fan of Alexander McCall Smith's work. One of the things I love about him is ability to jump from series to series and give to each a unique voice. The voice of No 1 Ladies Detective Agency is different to 44 Scotland Street and so on.
And so it is with Trains and Lovers. The voice is different, the feel is different and the flavour is different. I took this in to hospital with me when undergoing a gallbladder removal. It was the last thing in my hand as I left the ward and it was the first thing I asked for when I reentered it three hours later. I read it in one day and loved every moment.
Four strangers meet on a train and start up a conversation. The topic turns to love and each offers their own experience of it, either to the group or within themselves. A beautiful work that celebrates true love, how it is obtained and how it is kept. Wonderful.
Oh, and one aspect I really enjoyed was the story set in Western Australia. As a Perth girl who has spent time in the Wheat Belt, the East Kimberley and the Pilbara, I found the setting and circumstances offered to be spot on, a slice of reality of how it lives in our harsh West
And so it is with Trains and Lovers. The voice is different, the feel is different and the flavour is different. I took this in to hospital with me when undergoing a gallbladder removal. It was the last thing in my hand as I left the ward and it was the first thing I asked for when I reentered it three hours later. I read it in one day and loved every moment.
Four strangers meet on a train and start up a conversation. The topic turns to love and each offers their own experience of it, either to the group or within themselves. A beautiful work that celebrates true love, how it is obtained and how it is kept. Wonderful.
Oh, and one aspect I really enjoyed was the story set in Western Australia. As a Perth girl who has spent time in the Wheat Belt, the East Kimberley and the Pilbara, I found the setting and circumstances offered to be spot on, a slice of reality of how it lives in our harsh West
June 20, 2022
3.5 stars. People who happen to meet on a long train journey share some of their stories about how they or those close to them found / lost love. Some of the stories were four-five level, and one in particular wasn't really interesting, but as always, I love the sentiment behind all of AMS's works. He observes human behavior beautifully and leaves you with an uplifting feeling.
I enjoyed paper & audio versions. Robert Ian MacKenzie narrates the audio, as he does for many of this author's books.
I enjoyed paper & audio versions. Robert Ian MacKenzie narrates the audio, as he does for many of this author's books.
November 28, 2015
Good but not great. I enjoyed the Australian section but never really got into the others' stories. Much prefer McCall Smith's other series.
July 13, 2013
Trains and Lovers. What a lovely title and what a lovely book. For many, if not most, people trains have a romantic allure, of chance meetings and adventure. Alexander McCall Smith has used such a setting to gather four strangers together to reminisce about and ponder the vagaries of love in conjunction to other train rides or encounters with trains. As the wheels glide forward from Edinburgh to London, these four people will allow themselves to also flow into a rhythm of ease with one another, telling of important moments and people in their lives, lives that were in some way touched by love. A young Scotsman on his way to a job in London, a young Englishman returning to London, a middle-aged American man with a sentimental attachment to Scotland on his way back to the states, and a lone woman from Australia with Scottish roots. Each of these people experience a cathartic release in sharing their stories, and there is indeed a train connection in each. Although the author in his brief and marvelous introduction before the strangers appear on stage says that "love is nothing out of the ordinary," the love revealed in the strangers' stories exposes the insincerity of that statement. It is ordinary in that anyone can experience it, but its effect is anything but ordinary. Me thinks the author dost play with us a bit here. There is much wit and clever linking in and between the stories. One line, "so missing a train can have major consequences" has a place in two different stories in two different ways. Another favorite quote that sums up one of the stories is, "In the heart of each of us there can be many rooms, and somethimes there are." So, that by the end of this treasure of a book, we think back to the author's initial statement of love as being ordinary and realize that it is love that makes the ordinary the extraordinary. Alexander McCall Smith has given his readers a gift of love in the guise of a plain, simple account of four strangers on a train.
October 14, 2022
This was a buddy read with my dear friend Monica (who I cannot seem to convince to join Goodreads). She picked this book and it likely would not otherwise have made it into my collection.
This was my first time reading an Alexander McCall Smith book, and while his name did not initially catch my attention, I am certainly aware of his internationally well known “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series”.
This short novel is a stand alone book unrelated to his various series.
This is a nice easy read about four strangers on a train who share their experiences of taking the train and falling in love, not that one has much to do with the other, but in this case, or any case where you take the train often enough it just may. Three men and one woman each relay their stories, although one of the men refrains from telling his story aloud, and rather it is provided as a written piece. The four passengers are of varying ages so their stories are generationally different. They are also of varying length and depth.
While the writing is lovely and you finish with a fairly complete view of each of the characters and their story, it felt like something was missing. Perhaps I am just looking for something deeper than a simple story of each of the four that can be relayed over a short timespan. If that was the entire plot, then the author hit the mark, but if there was a more complex objective then I missed it.
Nonetheless this was a relaxing easy read to enjoy on a blustery fall day at the lake. I have rounded up this 3.5 star read to 4 stars, as the story is very descriptive and concisely told in a short timeframe and not too many pages.
This was my first time reading an Alexander McCall Smith book, and while his name did not initially catch my attention, I am certainly aware of his internationally well known “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series”.
This short novel is a stand alone book unrelated to his various series.
This is a nice easy read about four strangers on a train who share their experiences of taking the train and falling in love, not that one has much to do with the other, but in this case, or any case where you take the train often enough it just may. Three men and one woman each relay their stories, although one of the men refrains from telling his story aloud, and rather it is provided as a written piece. The four passengers are of varying ages so their stories are generationally different. They are also of varying length and depth.
While the writing is lovely and you finish with a fairly complete view of each of the characters and their story, it felt like something was missing. Perhaps I am just looking for something deeper than a simple story of each of the four that can be relayed over a short timespan. If that was the entire plot, then the author hit the mark, but if there was a more complex objective then I missed it.
Nonetheless this was a relaxing easy read to enjoy on a blustery fall day at the lake. I have rounded up this 3.5 star read to 4 stars, as the story is very descriptive and concisely told in a short timeframe and not too many pages.
January 11, 2014
This is what I would call a lovely, lovely book.
I only knew of the author by his lady detective series, which are such a delight, and his Isabel Dalhousie series, which I'm not crazy about. So I really didn't have any expectations for this book. I simply saw it listed in a catalog and decided I'd better see what he has to say here. It was my lucky day!
His characters -- all 4 of them -- and nice people, a seeming rarity in books any more. There is no plot to speak of: 4 passengers on a train, unknown to each other, and their conversations. Each one has a story; three stories are told and one remains in the passenger's thoughts. When the end of the trip comes, the story ends, but the feeling of the reader don't. There is lots to think about here, and I found parallels in my own life that I could relate to, and cogitate on.
I also have a lingering unresolved question about David and Bruce and the author's movement of those two.
I love any book that keeps me thinking, and this is one of them.
I only knew of the author by his lady detective series, which are such a delight, and his Isabel Dalhousie series, which I'm not crazy about. So I really didn't have any expectations for this book. I simply saw it listed in a catalog and decided I'd better see what he has to say here. It was my lucky day!
His characters -- all 4 of them -- and nice people, a seeming rarity in books any more. There is no plot to speak of: 4 passengers on a train, unknown to each other, and their conversations. Each one has a story; three stories are told and one remains in the passenger's thoughts. When the end of the trip comes, the story ends, but the feeling of the reader don't. There is lots to think about here, and I found parallels in my own life that I could relate to, and cogitate on.
I also have a lingering unresolved question about David and Bruce and the author's movement of those two.
I love any book that keeps me thinking, and this is one of them.
May 6, 2014
Alexander McCall Smith is known for gentle humour and a light touch, and he shows a great fondness for humanity, occasionally slipping over into sentimentality. One suspends judgement on that, however, because he takes you on a very pleasant journey. This book was definitely an antidote to the last book I reviewed, which takes a very dim view of humanity (Gone Girl).This book slides along on the well-oiled wheels of clarity of sentence and phrase, understatement, and introspection, as four train passengers converse and, to varying degrees, tell their stories. There are references to philosophy in there - the examined life and moral luck - for the reader to ponder on, but they are carried lightly. It is a celebration of love, but is not without its sadness as love is shown to expose our ability or failure to trust - one story with humour, one with poignancy.
It won't appeal to everyone. All the characters are self-consciously just and well-meaning, although a little abrasiveness threatens in the character of Hugh. Do there really exist persons so civilised? Probably not; but it's so nice to hope.
Part of the formula, and why it can work, is the 'strangers on a train' situation (not like Hitchcock's!). The characters tell their stories in the vacuum of the journey, in a moment of reflection away from the bustle. It's well worth taking a seat in their carriage.
It won't appeal to everyone. All the characters are self-consciously just and well-meaning, although a little abrasiveness threatens in the character of Hugh. Do there really exist persons so civilised? Probably not; but it's so nice to hope.
Part of the formula, and why it can work, is the 'strangers on a train' situation (not like Hitchcock's!). The characters tell their stories in the vacuum of the journey, in a moment of reflection away from the bustle. It's well worth taking a seat in their carriage.
October 15, 2014
Well, it seems that Alexander McCall Smith has redeemed himself. After
The 2½ Pillars of Wisdom
, three stories of such stupefying tedium that I would have willingly gnawed off my page-turning hand rather than read the whole thing, I was afraid to pick up anything by him again.
However, this is not at all bad: four strangers on an Edinburgh to London train share their stories and memories of love and love affairs. One young man who met his through his first job; another through a chance encounter when he got off a train at the wrong stop; an Australian woman recounted the love in her parents’ lives; and an older man the memories of a boyhood love affair. They’re touching stories, and I can well imagine the polite, reserved characters telling them. You could read this during the journey itself, a pleasant way to pass the time if there was nobody to talk to. It’s not really 3-star but I’m no longer afraid to read more of AMS.
However, this is not at all bad: four strangers on an Edinburgh to London train share their stories and memories of love and love affairs. One young man who met his through his first job; another through a chance encounter when he got off a train at the wrong stop; an Australian woman recounted the love in her parents’ lives; and an older man the memories of a boyhood love affair. They’re touching stories, and I can well imagine the polite, reserved characters telling them. You could read this during the journey itself, a pleasant way to pass the time if there was nobody to talk to. It’s not really 3-star but I’m no longer afraid to read more of AMS.
April 12, 2018
Audio book read by Robert Ian MacKenzie
I love Alexander McCall Smith. I love the way he puts together an ensemble of characters and slowly reveals their everyday lives and the little (and big) dramas hidden in plain sight.
In this novel – not part of any series – four strangers meet on a train bound for London from Edinburgh. As they get acquainted their stories come out. David, a middle-aged American businessman, sees two men saying good-bye at the station, and is reminded of the young man he met in his own youth. A young Scot, Andrew, reveals how he captured the attention of a co-worker when he noticed a problem with a painting that’s been credited to an early-seventeenth century artist. Kay relates how her parents met, married and ran a train station in the Australian Outback. Hugh missed his stop one day on the train, and met a woman he let into his life.
Each story offers some insight into the many ways that love finds us, enriches us, or disappoints us. For some of these characters the love is in the past, for others it shows promise of continuing into the future.
The audio book is masterfully performed by Robert Ian MacKenzie. He has clear diction, a good pace and is a skilled voice artist, able to differentiate the many characters.
I love Alexander McCall Smith. I love the way he puts together an ensemble of characters and slowly reveals their everyday lives and the little (and big) dramas hidden in plain sight.
In this novel – not part of any series – four strangers meet on a train bound for London from Edinburgh. As they get acquainted their stories come out. David, a middle-aged American businessman, sees two men saying good-bye at the station, and is reminded of the young man he met in his own youth. A young Scot, Andrew, reveals how he captured the attention of a co-worker when he noticed a problem with a painting that’s been credited to an early-seventeenth century artist. Kay relates how her parents met, married and ran a train station in the Australian Outback. Hugh missed his stop one day on the train, and met a woman he let into his life.
Each story offers some insight into the many ways that love finds us, enriches us, or disappoints us. For some of these characters the love is in the past, for others it shows promise of continuing into the future.
The audio book is masterfully performed by Robert Ian MacKenzie. He has clear diction, a good pace and is a skilled voice artist, able to differentiate the many characters.
July 14, 2013
McCall Smith seems to be writing books that explain his philosophical ideas more than his wit and storytelling. He concerns himself with the moral dilemmas in life -- usually not the major ones but rather those that happen in our day-to-day encounters with other persons. In this book he presents a construct he calls "moral luck" but he does not clearly integrate it into the stories.
Trains and Lovers is a book of four stories combined through a train ride. While each of the four riders present a story, each weighs what is important to tell and how their story will be received by the other three. The stories cover topics of love, home and family, personal striving, and their questions and doubts. The setting for the book is a moment in time in an isolated space allowing the author to place the individual stories anywhere in the world and with few time constraints.
The book started slowly -- I had moments of thinking I did not want to continue reading. Gradually, however, my interest in the characters increased and I enjoyed the writing.
Trains and Lovers is a book of four stories combined through a train ride. While each of the four riders present a story, each weighs what is important to tell and how their story will be received by the other three. The stories cover topics of love, home and family, personal striving, and their questions and doubts. The setting for the book is a moment in time in an isolated space allowing the author to place the individual stories anywhere in the world and with few time constraints.
The book started slowly -- I had moments of thinking I did not want to continue reading. Gradually, however, my interest in the characters increased and I enjoyed the writing.
February 19, 2021
When I finished reading this, I thought what a lovely book. It is so beautifully structured and well thought through and a really original take on the subject of love. The story follows the discussions between four people meeting each other for the first time on the train journey from Edinburgh to London. Each of them has a story to tell about a love affair, some of which are successful, others are not; and each of the stories introduces other characters, some of whom you can't help but warm to and others less so.
It is only a short book but you come away from it feeling that it touched on deep themes that will stay with you for a long time. I particularly liked Hugh's story and wish it had had a different conclusion. In the past, I've read some of the author's books featuring Mma Ramotswe, which I've really enjoyed, but this is a totally different standalone novel highlighting the complexity of relationships and the search for love.
It is only a short book but you come away from it feeling that it touched on deep themes that will stay with you for a long time. I particularly liked Hugh's story and wish it had had a different conclusion. In the past, I've read some of the author's books featuring Mma Ramotswe, which I've really enjoyed, but this is a totally different standalone novel highlighting the complexity of relationships and the search for love.
May 31, 2018
this was a sweet dear book. it was not perfect or tied up with bows it had quiet emotion. some happy parts some sad. it is 4 stories told by 4 strangers. each story could have been its own novella. I was left wondering where they all went when they dismbarked the train.
July 29, 2013
A really nice little book. McCall at his rambling best.
March 5, 2019
L'idea di questo breve romanzo mi è piaciuta molto: quattro sconosciuti che si trovano a dividere lo scompartimento di un treno e si scambiano le loro storie. Casualmente - come se non bastasse l'ambientazione ferroviaria - ciascuna di esse è legata a treni e stazioni: il treno sul quadro considerato del XVII secolo che fa rivalutare Andrew come critico d'arte agli occhi dei colleghi; la vita del padre di Kay, capostazione della stazione isolata di Hope Springs, in Australia; Hugh che scende alla stazione sbagliata dove incontra Jenny, la donna con cui stringe una relazione; David che, vedendo due fratelli che si abbracciano davanti al treno, ripensa al suo rappoto con Bruce.
Però... però. Troppe confidenze; troppi fatti privati messi in piazza con sconosciuti che in realtà non si sa chi siano (e magari potrebbero conoscere l'amico dell'amico del tizio e del caio; sono coincidenze che capitano). Non so, questo non mi ha convinto: è vero che in certe circostanze si è più loquaci del normale, ma è difficile che si racconti la propria vita in modo così completo, per quanto lungo sia il viaggio.
E poi, si scende dal treno e non si saprà più nulla dei compagni di viaggio. Se ci sarà un lieto fine alla loro storia, se il dubbio che avevano verrà confermato o smentito. Eppure, durante quelle ore di viaggio, abbiamo condiviso una parte della nostra vita con i nostri compagni di treno.
Non fosse stato per quel viaggio in treno, questi quattro individui non si sarebbero mai conosciuti. A volte succede, coi viaggi, che ci si ricordi delle persone ancora più che dei luoghi. In questo senso, i lunghi viaggi possono essere paragonati al servizio militare, agli anni passati in collegio o perfino all’esperienza condivisa di una catastrofe naturale. E così accade che entriamo in contatto con persone che non avremmo mai incontrato altrimenti, non fosse stato per quell’attimo in cui abbiamo condiviso un momento di pericolo o d’infelicità.
[...]
Un treno può nascondere un altro treno, ma può anche nascondere ciò che avviene al suo interno: gli incontri, le rivelazioni, gli scambi di occhiate, le decisioni che prendiamo e le cose che impariamo nel corso del viaggio. I treni sono oggetti comuni, quasi banali, ma possono rivelarsi attori e vettori di ciò che di più vasto e insondabile esiste al mondo: il nostro bisogno di dare e ricevere amore nella quotidiana e universale battaglia contro la solitudine.
Però... però. Troppe confidenze; troppi fatti privati messi in piazza con sconosciuti che in realtà non si sa chi siano (e magari potrebbero conoscere l'amico dell'amico del tizio e del caio; sono coincidenze che capitano). Non so, questo non mi ha convinto: è vero che in certe circostanze si è più loquaci del normale, ma è difficile che si racconti la propria vita in modo così completo, per quanto lungo sia il viaggio.
E poi, si scende dal treno e non si saprà più nulla dei compagni di viaggio. Se ci sarà un lieto fine alla loro storia, se il dubbio che avevano verrà confermato o smentito. Eppure, durante quelle ore di viaggio, abbiamo condiviso una parte della nostra vita con i nostri compagni di treno.
Non fosse stato per quel viaggio in treno, questi quattro individui non si sarebbero mai conosciuti. A volte succede, coi viaggi, che ci si ricordi delle persone ancora più che dei luoghi. In questo senso, i lunghi viaggi possono essere paragonati al servizio militare, agli anni passati in collegio o perfino all’esperienza condivisa di una catastrofe naturale. E così accade che entriamo in contatto con persone che non avremmo mai incontrato altrimenti, non fosse stato per quell’attimo in cui abbiamo condiviso un momento di pericolo o d’infelicità.
[...]
Un treno può nascondere un altro treno, ma può anche nascondere ciò che avviene al suo interno: gli incontri, le rivelazioni, gli scambi di occhiate, le decisioni che prendiamo e le cose che impariamo nel corso del viaggio. I treni sono oggetti comuni, quasi banali, ma possono rivelarsi attori e vettori di ciò che di più vasto e insondabile esiste al mondo: il nostro bisogno di dare e ricevere amore nella quotidiana e universale battaglia contro la solitudine.
January 16, 2017
I started this book while on a train myself and I definitely wish that I had carried on reading it on the train just to be absorbed into the experience further. The story follows 4 strangers on a train come together to share their experiences of love. I really loved this plot idea and the way that it was written with segments on the train and then sections which are focused on the specific memory of the person. This writing style kept the story following and continually interesting to read. I also liked the contrasting opinions of the characters and how they perceive love but also from who they think of instantly when they think of love, with one person having their own experience and another thinking about their parents. I thought this was really interesting and made each character really unique. It was a really well written and descriptive novel and this made it a really enjoyable and fairly light read. Definitely one to be read on a train!
July 9, 2013
Another wonderful story by Alexander McCall Smith. He is always writing a new wrinkle into humanity each book and how he is able to do this just amazes me - his characters never seem to repeat. This book is a story of four people who are riding a train together and begin to share bits of their lives. I love that McCall Smith is able to share the back story of each person and then also add in their doubts and assumptions about the other three seated in the spots beside and across from them. He has such crazy insight into a person's worries and insecurities but he writes it all in a gentle and very funny way. It's as if each word is carefully weighted in the sentences he writes, nothing extra or frilly.
I think that, with publishing a book like this, he must have characters and books just swimming around in his head all the time and has to write them down. The people he populates his series with - like Isabel and Precious - must be like constant companions for him and then something like this pops up (perhaps on a train journey or after hearing of one) and he has to put it all down just to clear his head for the next one. He doesn't include a pile of descriptive text in his paragraphs and yet I always feel like I am in the same place as his characters - every time! I enjoy that a book written by Alexander McCall Smith is like reading someone's journal with a little bit of extra detail about the setting thrown in, these people have things going on in their lives that are embarrassing or joyful, so the reader gets to feel a part of it. Like a movie, really.
I understand that there are library patrons out there that are not fond of Alexander McCall Smith and have heard from some that one or another of his series isn't their favourite but this Trains and Lovers is a good place for a reader to start. It's a book club book because there are 4 perspectives to enjoy here so the chance of finding something to talk about his high. It's a pretty fun summer read as well. I know that I'll pick it up again, probably on a dreary February day, and be again so thankful that this strange lawyer and professor of medical ethics is somewhere out there taking a few minutes of his day to knock out another book to cheer my day.
I think that, with publishing a book like this, he must have characters and books just swimming around in his head all the time and has to write them down. The people he populates his series with - like Isabel and Precious - must be like constant companions for him and then something like this pops up (perhaps on a train journey or after hearing of one) and he has to put it all down just to clear his head for the next one. He doesn't include a pile of descriptive text in his paragraphs and yet I always feel like I am in the same place as his characters - every time! I enjoy that a book written by Alexander McCall Smith is like reading someone's journal with a little bit of extra detail about the setting thrown in, these people have things going on in their lives that are embarrassing or joyful, so the reader gets to feel a part of it. Like a movie, really.
I understand that there are library patrons out there that are not fond of Alexander McCall Smith and have heard from some that one or another of his series isn't their favourite but this Trains and Lovers is a good place for a reader to start. It's a book club book because there are 4 perspectives to enjoy here so the chance of finding something to talk about his high. It's a pretty fun summer read as well. I know that I'll pick it up again, probably on a dreary February day, and be again so thankful that this strange lawyer and professor of medical ethics is somewhere out there taking a few minutes of his day to knock out another book to cheer my day.
May 23, 2016
Andrew, David, Hugh, Kay. Four people meet on a train and hold a conversation with one another. Some unseen force urges them to tell one another about the great loves in their lives.
If I had to pick one word to summarize this book . . . Pudding. Overall sweet and smooth. But bland. Great for bedtime.
Question: "So what is this love that comes with being married?"
Answer: "Being fond of somebody... Being nice... Wanting them not to go away..."
*makes confused face.* This is my first Alexander McCall Smith book. Is this a typical type of exchange for his characters? Because if so, he either hires young children to write his dialogue, or he has been writing for so long, he forgets what emotions feel like.
But we do have moments of brilliance. We see a boy's description of a girl... He was not sure whether he really liked her, but he thought he did. . . . "She's obsessed." "Obsessed with what?" The boy shrugged. "I haven't found out yet." Jeezie peets, girls ARE exactly like this. Honestly.
And also there is a lover's tiff that made me giggle:
"Well, I need emotional space to think about this. So please don't pressurise me."
"Pressurise you? Now you're sounding like . . . the instruction manual for an inflatable mattress." Aww, just kiss and make up, kids.
I just have one big quibble. If you give a character a chance to tell a story, they need to tell their OWN story. Kay, being the sole female storyteller in this book, has the chance to make things interesting. It would be nice to see a female character's perspective instead of being viewed by the man who fancies her. But nope, she ends up telling her father's story instead. Bad form, McCall Smith.
If I had to pick one word to summarize this book . . . Pudding. Overall sweet and smooth. But bland. Great for bedtime.
Question: "So what is this love that comes with being married?"
Answer: "Being fond of somebody... Being nice... Wanting them not to go away..."
*makes confused face.* This is my first Alexander McCall Smith book. Is this a typical type of exchange for his characters? Because if so, he either hires young children to write his dialogue, or he has been writing for so long, he forgets what emotions feel like.
But we do have moments of brilliance. We see a boy's description of a girl... He was not sure whether he really liked her, but he thought he did. . . . "She's obsessed." "Obsessed with what?" The boy shrugged. "I haven't found out yet." Jeezie peets, girls ARE exactly like this. Honestly.
And also there is a lover's tiff that made me giggle:
"Well, I need emotional space to think about this. So please don't pressurise me."
"Pressurise you? Now you're sounding like . . . the instruction manual for an inflatable mattress." Aww, just kiss and make up, kids.
I just have one big quibble. If you give a character a chance to tell a story, they need to tell their OWN story. Kay, being the sole female storyteller in this book, has the chance to make things interesting. It would be nice to see a female character's perspective instead of being viewed by the man who fancies her. But nope, she ends up telling her father's story instead. Bad form, McCall Smith.
July 16, 2013
One of my favorite parts of traveling has always been the people I meet along the way. Much to the amusement or chagrin of friends I've travelled with, I'm known to strike up conversations with passengers seated around me, particularly prone to over-sharing and delving deeply into as much of their own lives as they will allow. After all, as Smith points out in this book, who are your passengers but strangers who are likely to disappear in a few hours, never to be met again?
In Trains and Lovers Smith presents us with four particular people, each carrying a history (as all of us do) that allows them to connect in a seemingly random pattern that later proves to be an intricately woven fabric of the emotions that make us all human. And though, in truth, the common thread that runs through them is rather weak and a reach at times, each individual story is so intriguing, its easy to forgive the jarring jumps from character to character as the tales are propelled along by turn.
If I'm to be utterly honest, I devoured the Precious Ramotswe stories at alarming speed by couldn't get through even the first chapter of the Isabelle Dalhousie series. This book is somewhere in between. The characters are sweet and familiar in their bumbling heartfelt ways, and the setting ensures that everything moves along fast enough that no one is stopping for tea and sandwiches in between.
In Trains and Lovers Smith presents us with four particular people, each carrying a history (as all of us do) that allows them to connect in a seemingly random pattern that later proves to be an intricately woven fabric of the emotions that make us all human. And though, in truth, the common thread that runs through them is rather weak and a reach at times, each individual story is so intriguing, its easy to forgive the jarring jumps from character to character as the tales are propelled along by turn.
If I'm to be utterly honest, I devoured the Precious Ramotswe stories at alarming speed by couldn't get through even the first chapter of the Isabelle Dalhousie series. This book is somewhere in between. The characters are sweet and familiar in their bumbling heartfelt ways, and the setting ensures that everything moves along fast enough that no one is stopping for tea and sandwiches in between.
July 12, 2016
On a train from Edinburgh to London, 4 complete strangers begin to talk and share. Their conversations revolve around love. Andrew talks about his first love while David thinks about his unrequited love. Hugh shares his experience with trust issues with his sweetheart. Kay, the only woman shares her reason for being on the train and that is her love for her parents. At the end of the ride at King's Cross station all the questions are answered and the final outcomes revealed. My best quote comes from Kay,
"Loving others, she thought, is the good thing we do in our lives."
Quick read but inspirational and chocked full of emotions===most especially love. This is a stand alone novel for Alexander McCall Smith and it is a real joy.
"Loving others, she thought, is the good thing we do in our lives."
Quick read but inspirational and chocked full of emotions===most especially love. This is a stand alone novel for Alexander McCall Smith and it is a real joy.
June 27, 2014
There are some books by Alexander McCall Smith that I have enjoyed a great deal (The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency) and some noticeably less (44 Scotland Street), but I am giving this book, perhaps, an extra half star because of how he surprised me with this story.
The premise is that, in contemporary U.K., four strangers board the same train in Edinburgh heading for London. They share the same compartment and pass the time by discussing relationships central to their lives. Love, friendship and forgiveness are presented, discussed and examined.
Smith is an excellent storyteller and this is quite entertaining. Some stories are more convincing than others. He is at his weakest in presenting same sex love. But, overall, the result is very satisfactory.
The premise is that, in contemporary U.K., four strangers board the same train in Edinburgh heading for London. They share the same compartment and pass the time by discussing relationships central to their lives. Love, friendship and forgiveness are presented, discussed and examined.
Smith is an excellent storyteller and this is quite entertaining. Some stories are more convincing than others. He is at his weakest in presenting same sex love. But, overall, the result is very satisfactory.
June 12, 2013
I have never read McCall Smith before and this probably was not the best one to start with. Strangers on a train, only these strangers are not planning a murder, but recounting their different experiences with love. Okay so......first you have to believe that on a train, from Edinburgh to London, a group of four strangers, three men one woman, manage to get close enough to the others that they feel comfortable exchanging these types of confidences. Okay, that would not be me but if one can keep their pessimistic nature in check, they will be treated to a rather comforting, if bland discourse.
December 31, 2013
Although the page count won't make it seem novella length, the large print and small pages make this book a breeze, perfect for the last book of 2013!
This is a sweet (too sentimental, possibly?) story of four strangers on a train, traveling from Edinburgh to London, and telling the stories of their lives to each other. One man keeps his story to himself, but the reader gets to read it. It's all about strangers, friends, and love. And maybe at the end of a rough year, it was a nice sendoff.
This is a sweet (too sentimental, possibly?) story of four strangers on a train, traveling from Edinburgh to London, and telling the stories of their lives to each other. One man keeps his story to himself, but the reader gets to read it. It's all about strangers, friends, and love. And maybe at the end of a rough year, it was a nice sendoff.
September 23, 2013
In a word, CHARMING. A wonderful, cosy little story for a chilly afternoon. Afghan and cup of tea optional.
December 20, 2020
I borrowed this from an outdoor community library books box. Most of the other options had acquired mould, so I didn't have a lot of choice. I was worried this might be, judging by title and cover, a bit over-sentimental. But it surprised me, it was intelligent and enjoyable. It's four strangers on a train sharing parts of their lives, and their stories and reflections are really interesting.
I would say that I kept thinking it was set in the 70s or 80s, for me it had an old-fashioned sort of feel to it, partly due to the way the dialogue was, so I kept forgetting that it is supposed to be present day. But a great read, brief but with impact.
I would say that I kept thinking it was set in the 70s or 80s, for me it had an old-fashioned sort of feel to it, partly due to the way the dialogue was, so I kept forgetting that it is supposed to be present day. But a great read, brief but with impact.
June 14, 2019
This was a lovely little book. I think I would have preferred a physical copy - that way it would be easier for me to flip back and forth and refresh on the characters and their stories. I really enjoyed McCall Smith's way with words. I've read two of his books now and I will probably read more.
June 24, 2013
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
So this is my first Alexander McCall Smith book, and I've heard a lot of great things about his other books but they are all series and I wasn't ready to get into a new one. Well after reading this book I think I may need to check out his other books (even though they are series) because his writing is so absorbing and real that you just have to fall in love with the story. Honestly, with this book the cover was the first thing that caught my attention, and it's not really what I thought it would be about, and yet at the same time it kind og was.
This book tells the tale of four people who are sitting together on a train and as time goes on, each of them start sharing their stories of love and romance. This book has so many beautiful quotes that it's hard to pick one to share... but I knew after reading the first chapter of this book that I would be in love by the end. Alexander McCall Smith describes what love is to different people in that first chapter, and from there begins a journey of four different people and their experiences with love.
Each of the stories that are told are about a chance encounter with a person, and the stories all revolve around trains in one way or another. I was really interested in how McCall Smith wrote this book, one person begins their story and something about that story sets another person off into their tale, but eventually we come back to how each of these stories end... some are happy and some are not, but they all learn something new about what love is to each of them.
By the end of this book many readers will look over what they think about love and how they see relationships. And the one thing that really got me with this is don't let yourself be scared to say something because in the end it will eat you up, and you will always wonder what could have been. This is a short book (and it's actually smaller in size than I expected) and this is hard to put down because you love reading about each of these love stories and how they came about. And you will want to keep going to find out how everything ends for each of the characters.
This book is so real, I can see myself having a random conversation with a person on a long train ride and learning so much about them. Alexander McCall Smith has warmed my heart with this adorable book.
So this is my first Alexander McCall Smith book, and I've heard a lot of great things about his other books but they are all series and I wasn't ready to get into a new one. Well after reading this book I think I may need to check out his other books (even though they are series) because his writing is so absorbing and real that you just have to fall in love with the story. Honestly, with this book the cover was the first thing that caught my attention, and it's not really what I thought it would be about, and yet at the same time it kind og was.
This book tells the tale of four people who are sitting together on a train and as time goes on, each of them start sharing their stories of love and romance. This book has so many beautiful quotes that it's hard to pick one to share... but I knew after reading the first chapter of this book that I would be in love by the end. Alexander McCall Smith describes what love is to different people in that first chapter, and from there begins a journey of four different people and their experiences with love.
Each of the stories that are told are about a chance encounter with a person, and the stories all revolve around trains in one way or another. I was really interested in how McCall Smith wrote this book, one person begins their story and something about that story sets another person off into their tale, but eventually we come back to how each of these stories end... some are happy and some are not, but they all learn something new about what love is to each of them.
By the end of this book many readers will look over what they think about love and how they see relationships. And the one thing that really got me with this is don't let yourself be scared to say something because in the end it will eat you up, and you will always wonder what could have been. This is a short book (and it's actually smaller in size than I expected) and this is hard to put down because you love reading about each of these love stories and how they came about. And you will want to keep going to find out how everything ends for each of the characters.
This book is so real, I can see myself having a random conversation with a person on a long train ride and learning so much about them. Alexander McCall Smith has warmed my heart with this adorable book.
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