Tiny Tales: Stories of Romance, Ambition, Kindness, and Happiness

by Alexander McCall Smith, Iain McIntosh (Illustrator)

It is often said that the best things in life come in small packages; anyone in search of proof need look no further than the stories in this collection from the acclaimed author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency brief, utterly engaging tales that offer lasting surprise and delight, accompanied by charming illustrations by Iain McIntosh.

In Tiny Tales, Alexander McCall Smith explores romance, ambition, kindness, and happiness in thirty short stories accompanied by thirty witty cartoons designed by Iain McIntosh, McCall Smith’s longtime creative collaborator. Here we meet the first Australian pope, who hopes to finally find some peace and quiet back home in Perth; a psychotherapist turned motorcycle racetrack manager; and an aspiring opera singer who gets her unlikely break onstage. And, of course, we spend time in McCall Smith’s beloved Scotland, where we are introduced to progressive Vikings, a group of housemates with complex romantic entanglements, and a couple of globe-trotting dentists. These tales and illustrations depict the full scope of human experience and reveal the rich tapestry of life—painted in miniature.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Humor, Audiobook, Romance, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 4, 2021

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

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd book of decidedly tiny tales indeed, some just a page long. The cat stories were my favorites. Some were quite abrupt and didn’t seem to have much point, at all, really. Just quick reads between other books..

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiny Tales is a collection of very short stories by award-winning British author, Alexander McCall Smith. They cover a myriad of topics, many with a touch of gentle philosophy, and often laugh-out-loud funny. Subjects covered include: love, the first Australian Pope (Pope Ron) and his Australian vacation, kindness, poignancy, meeting in lifts, revenge, school life, friendship and strangeness.

Featured in these are parachute jumpers, a nun, a Thai bride, a passenger-pusher, vegans, a semaphore course, a lavatory cleaner, a failed soprano, a progressive Viking, an adopted son and his birth mother, housemates, a lonely mathematician, Parsis, a novelist, a child psychotherapist, dentists, boxers, doctors, Lord Lucan, an opera singer, arachnophobes and the French Foreign Legion.

Separating the broadly similar sections are amuse-bouche, single-page cartoon pieces illustrated by talented artist, Iain McIntosh. These feature romance and relationships, Larry Porker and friends, Children and their parents, life and its pitfalls, Geoff and his cat, Stanley, and Caesar and the world of Rome.

Some of the stories are a little silly, and the delightful Pope Ron stories are fanciful. As usual, McCall Smith can’t resist a dig at the Turner Prize.
Fans will face a dilemma: to read this collection of delicious morsels in one sitting and gorge on the pleasure, or consume them in small doses to savour the enjoyment. Classic McCall Smith that does not disappoint.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little bits of fluff from Alexander McCall Smith - amusing, nonetheless.

[Zulfiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read a collection of short stores in a HOTTTTTTTT minute that translates into years of not reading short story collections. The last one I read was The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, and it was in 2015. So it was a forgotten new territory for me, and I was surprised how easy it was. Sometimes in the past, the short stories left the feeling of incompleteness and uneasiness because of their nature to capture life in its transience, but this time, these vignettes were sweet, short, and serene. Plus, some of them were in the form of graphic short stories that made the reading experience less tiresome.

I was quite pleasantly taken aback at the mastery of concise story telling in this book. The author divided them into several groups, but to me, they were more holistic, and a story could have followed any other story with the rare exception when the groups were all about the same characters. I am somewhat surprised to see negative reviews when I sincerely thought that some stories had the Chekhovian revelations in the lives of small people. There is nothing exciting nor breathtaking in these stories as they reveal the labyrinthine inner worlds in mostly everyday people who live through their daily journeys. This is what Chekhov did - he revealed to us the microcosm of ordinary people through some very unobtrusive events.
The only noticeable character is the Pope who actually strives to be what he originally was with his longing for the things past and the things every common person could enjoy.
I can see why some people can be disappointed as the mystery of crime solving is not the focal point of those stories. Actually, mysteries and crime elements are not the point of this collection at all, but there is so much more to discover in the inner workings of human soul, don't you think?

[Ronald Schoedel III · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the variety of stories here. Some were actually really moving, some were laugh out loud humourous, and others were a bit silly. In other words, a good encapsulation of how life in general can be. Without ever being too preachy, AMcS gives us lots to think about here, in delicious, bite-sized morsels. I went back and read a few a second time just to better take them in. In various of these stories, we see how kindness and acceptance can change lives. We see how honesty with ourselves and others can bring unexpected blessings. We see the absurdities of life in a way that helps us appreciate them.

The last paragraph really summed up his philosophy, and the takeaway from these little vignettes, well: “Some things we do can bring the house down. Love, kindness, acts of generosity to those who have little in their lives, a hands on the shoulder, a look, a considerate word. These things can bring the house down.”

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a joy to read Alexander McCall Smith's gentle, but acutely perceptive, reflections on life and human behaviour and this collection of thirty very short stories, which is divided into nine sections, with each separated by a graphic style 'Amuse-bouche', didn't disappoint. Examples of kindness, tolerance, friendship and love are recurring themes and, as always, the author's humour is never cruel. In a world which presently feels so divided and intolerant, these tiny tales provide a wonderful antidote to suspicion, aggression and cynicism.

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I think Alexander McCall Smith is the Shakespeare for our age. (Which would actually make him Christopher Marlowe and a vampire, but let's save that particular little theory for another time, shall we?)

The sheer quantity alone of the man's fictional creations boggles the mind; factor in that they are of such high quality, and his genius seems nigh-on mystical.

Now, that said, not everyone is going to be a fan of his quirky, sometimes kinda and kindly preachy, ways. But boy am I ever! The little slice-of-life stories/vignettes/cartoons in Tiny Tales were absolutely delightful, albeit so very different from one another in particular ways. They were just what I needed to remind myself that there are so, so many other worlds out there other than the one I know.

And for that, we should be grateful.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subtitle: Stories of Romance, Ambition, Kindness and Happiness

This is a lovely collection of short stories and cartoons on a wide range of subjects, set in a variety of locations. Some focus on romance, involving meet-cute scenarios, or long-term relationships. Others focus on career and ambition (or lack thereof). Most reference happiness and satisfaction with one’s life.

I like Smith’s writing and the way he ponders philosophical questions. He doesn’t seem to take himself, or life, all that seriously, choosing to find joy and happiness in everyday life. I loved the "moral lessons" at the end of the cartoons; some really tickled my funny bone.

Like all such collections, this is probably best enjoyed as one of those volumes you pick up now and again, to read one or two stories, rather than reading the entire book as one would a novel.

[Lovely Day]

DNFd at 8% (about 4 stories in)

I am new to short stories, so maybe I’m just missing something, but the stories had no point….I was very bored

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the bestselling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency comes a collection of short tales that will delight readers with their wit, absurdity, and delight. From a pope wanting to visit his native country of Australia to a woman looking to meet people skydiving to four dentists going on vacation together (with disastrous results); the breadth and scope of these stories will amuse and engage listeners. Thirty tiny tales are broken into sections on love, revenge, kindness, strangeness, and other manners of emotion. These brief stories are brought to life in inventive and amusing ways by a trio of narrators. Narrated beautifully by: Brian Nishii, Jamie Jackson, and Robert Ian Mackenzie, all of whom voice cleverness, banter, and hilarity with every breath. As Aesop said, "good things come in small packages" and this oddly unique collection is certainly proof of that.

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this but not sure I'll remember a single thought from it in a few months. And that's okay, it was a nice diversion while reading a string of nonfiction & memoirs.

Alexander McCall Smith creates quick character studies, little stories that are easy to read & often cause a chuckle (Pope Ron from Australia was my favorite). Occasionally there's a zinger at the end, usually just a reminder that the world is a better place if we all practice gratitude and kindness.

[Tristan Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

0 stars. Y’all, do NOT waste your time with this. These dull tales were attempting to be whimsical? Witty? I picked this book up thinking “cute ! I like short stories!” The book quickly caused an adverse reaction in my mind like eating olives is to my tastebuds. Yuck. The little comics started to annoy the heck out of me more and more until I lost it at pg 97 and skim read the rest. The humor or whatever isn’t for me. Speaking of pg 97, here’s the narration of a short comic on that page:

“As a boy, Robert had several imaginary friends. They accompanied him to university. Robert’s girlfriend gave him an ultimatum: pay more attention to me or it’s over. Robert found an imaginary girlfriend and went off with her. Substance isn’t everything.”

.... sigh .... Now, if this strikes you as interesting. Go off. I don’t like it. The format was interesting with the short stories/little comics and it had potential in that regard, but it wasn’t good. The preacher story was ok, but nothing felt really memorable.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong, Alexander McCall Smith is one of my very favorite authors, but this one just didn't have my name on it. The premise is fun - cartoons, short essays, funny character studies, but the result was strange stories, ho-hum characters and people I didn't much like. The book is beautiful! I loved the feel of the cover, the size of the book, the font, and clever format. I was sure I would love it that I actually bought it vs. borrowing from the local library. You live and learn.

[Corinne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collection of discarded writing ideas that should have been developed into full novels.

Reread, which made some of the stories sound familiar. The beginning of the book didn't make too much sense, but the latter stories became more entertaining. It was nice that the stories were so short that it was easy to avoid boredom that some of the full-length drag on so long. The Stanley the Cat sections were the most entertaining.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice little "getaway" from life. Alexander McCall Smith does not disappoint. He's a treasure, and he writes delightful short stories. This little book had comic strips/cartoons as well as stories encompassing romance, ambition, kindness and happiness. There is nothing I've read of this author that I didn't love.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories were great but some of them I really wanted to know what happened next - they gave you just enough to make you want to read more and then they were finished!

[Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky little stories that warm the heart. Interspersed with clever cartoon vignettes. All infused with McCall Smith’s quiet and empathetic humour.

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never before read Alexander McCall Smith.
And now I have.

[Varsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very amusing and very calming!

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dear little book, funny and wise in the manner of the blessed and inimitable Alexander McCall Smith, with various tiny stories in prose and pictures that boil down to take responsibility and cut the bullshit. It may not have changed my life (only creepy television evangelists and very rich Indian gurus living in Malibu can do that) but it confirmed my chosen directions while making me laugh.

Gift it for Christmas to your discerning loved one (being lovable and being discerning almost never reside in a single individual), who will treasure it, and to someone you hate, who will immediately (over a fifty year period) donate it to a library or the Goodwill so that discerning others like us can read it for nothing.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are indeed tiny stories. I wasn't sold at first, but they definitely grew on me. I love this author's humor and there were stories in this collection for nearly every emotion. Half of the stories are simply stories and half of them are comic panels and it was a fun mix. One even brought a tear to my eye. Mostly they just made me laugh though! One of the cartoon panels about the death of the English language hit really close to home. There was one quote that I wanted to remember, "Pope Ron thought about St. Francis, and the work that kindness did in this world. Everything was stacked against it, he thought, but it continued. It never stopped. It was there. Always. In spite of everything." I do so want to believe that about kindness.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't liked other works by this author, but I found these to be pleasant tales to read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although short stories are not my favored format, I won this title by a favorite author after telling my own tiny tale, related to finding one of his bookmarked books on my mother's side table shortly after she passed away unexpectedly. Like all of his books in my favorite series (The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency), each tiny tale in this collection by Alexander McCall Smith was witty and well-written, and some of them packed an important message into very few pages. Definitely recommend!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having recently listened to Alexander McCall Smith's "Confessions of a Serial Writer" I became aware of just how light-hearted and funny Smith can be. In his speaking engagement at a university in the United States, it was one uproarious comment after another which amused the audience to no end. Although I'd found humor in many of his books, it became clear that he is a very witty, clever and funny man. Tiny Tales confirms this discovery even more. It is a composite apparently of ideas he's had for stories that once written, didn't take off and go anywhere, but he nonetheless decided to publish. Many of the stories or tales are ironic, surprising and hilarious. If you are a Smith fan, you'll enjoy having this book around where you can pick it up, have a quick read, and have a smile on your face the rest of the day.

[Donna Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of shorts was so sweet and such an easy read. I thoroughly loved it. Just sweet, short stories. They weren’t profound. They just left me with a lovely feeling, like eating a bit of something delicious. Also, I got such a relaxing sense of well-being. I adore this author.

[Thomas Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I've always been thrilled by short stories. I've never been quite sure why they haven't caught on amongst the general public.

Think of this: beautiful narratives that are barely longer than a bus journey. Shouldn't that appeal? Short stories are the jellybeans of literature!

In our age of short attention spans and small screens it seems perfectly suited, as a form, to capture the spirit of an age.

But then the same could be said of poetry and modern poets have utterly failed to defend its virtue either. They've reduced that form to a smattering of easy sentences about empty causes and bled it dry of any deep meaning. Instapoetry. Gross.

Alas, the short story has a little time to wait before it becomes a popular form. Perhaps a celebrity should endorse it? Anyway, to the review!

My favourite story is called By Post. About a man who orders a bride from abroad. It choked me up at the end, I don't mind admitting.

The whole collection is tight and quirky. The illustrations for the comic panels are delightful. The subjects are universal.

So, the negatives? Sometimes it's a little too quirky for its own good and rather than being adorable it comes across as a little too overt and purposeful. The poignancy is a little tarnished by that over-lean into a world that's a little too wacky to really invest in.

[Andie · Rating 3 out of 5]

McCall Smith explores romance, ambition, kindness & happiness in 30 extremely short stories (most are less than 5 pages), some done in graphic form The authors wry sense of humor shows itself in his tale of the Australian Pope who returns to Perth hoping to find some peace and quiet, an untalented aspiring opera singer who finds romance while she is onstage as an untalented member of the chorus, and my favorite – words of wisdom from Geoff’s cat Stanley.

This is a quick read that will make you smile.

[wonderwomand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of short stories

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

what wonderful tiny stories

[Greta Bruneel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story about the arachnophobia support group had me giggling for days. I thought this was a sweet gem of a book for mindless, amusing reading. Fun summer read!