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Corduroy Mansions Audiobook
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(3.03) - 1,023 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In the Corduroy Mansions series of novels, set in London's hip Pimlico neighborhood, we meet a cast of charming eccentrics, including perhaps the world's most clever terrier, who make their home in a handsome, though slightly dilapidated, apartment block. Corduroy Mansions is the affectionate nickname given to a genteel, crumbling mansion block in London's vibrant Pimlico neighborhood and the home turf of a captivating collection of quirky and altogether McCall-Smithian characters. There's the middle-aged wine merchant William, who's trying to convince his reluctant twenty-four-year-old son, Eddie, to leave the nest; and Marcia, the boutique caterer who has her sights set on William. There's also the (justifiably) much-loathed Member of Parliament oedipus Snark; his mother, Berthea, who's writing his biography and hating every minute of it; and his long-suffering girlfriend, Barbara, a literary agent who would like to be his wife (but, then, she'd like to be almost anyone's wife). There's the vitamin evangelist, the psychoanalyst, the art student with a puzzling boyfriend and Freddie de la Hay, the Pimlico terrier who insists on wearing a seat belt and is almost certainly the only avowed vegetarian canine in London. Filled with the ins and outs of neighborliness in all its unexpected variations, Corduroy Mansions showcases the life, laughter and humanity that have become the hallmarks of Alexander McCall Smith's work.
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"Have discovered an excellent way to read a series of books - backwards start with the last and work backwards. I discovered this by accident of course as most excellent ways are found. I took two books on holiday and started the wrong one first but it's been intriguing to pick up the development of characters and in my head I'm reading two books! I love the way Alexander MCS gets into the heads of others. I'm with Freddie de la Hay the Plimlico Terrier who came in from the cold at present - anxious for his welfare and waiting to hear his next chapter of thoughts on the adventure. His novels are full of life on a small scale - the petty and the pretty - but that's life as we know it mostly. But there's a tolerance and kind understanding of others that does my soul good. Looking forward to reading the first in the series soon.........."
— Sally (4 out of 5 stars)
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… a daily laugh-out-loud treat on my journey into work.
— Bookseller
Corduroy Mansions Listener Reviews
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" The cast of characters we love from the past two Corduroy Mansions are back. Babara and Rupert continue go at it, Oedipus Snark continues to be a gobshite, while his mum Berthea continues to dislike him and worry over her brother Terrence. And of course Caroline is still trying to work out the man situation. Freddie de la Hay has a major adventure. The end brings us to several really interesting surprises. Read this series from book one. Each book is like visiting with a bunch of friends. "
— Nelda, 2/17/2014 -
" Third in the Corduroy Mansions series, and another ensemble cast production with the dog Freddie de la Hay front and center. Here's what I like about Freddie: McCall-Smith wisely, in my opinion, does not over think Freddie's inner life. Freddie is keenly interested in rabbits (and doubtless squirrels). Freddie is led by his nose. Freddie is anxious to ascertain that human affection and a nice meal are never far away. And that's about it, which seems strikingly in line with my own close acquaintance with terriers. "
— Jennifer, 2/15/2014 -
" Delightful, as usual. It always seems to me that one finishes a book by McCall-Smith feeling good about the world. It isn't that his characters are all wonderful people. On the contrary, they are all quite human and each has moments of indecision and ethical confusion. The drama is always handled with humor, "bad guys" seem to "get their due" and good seems to be rewarded, but none of this in a sappy way. I always want to know what happens next in the characters' lives... "
— Kate, 2/1/2014 -
" This series is veering a little on the outrageous side, but it's still enormous fun to read. There's so many characters to keep track of, I always worry I won't remember them all, but I did. Not quite as satisfying as an Isabel Dalhousie, but certainly a delicious way to spend a Sunday afternoon! "
— Clover, 1/30/2014 -
" As always a very enjoyable read. I already looking forward to the next book. "
— Jeannie, 1/23/2014 -
" Good bedtime reading, nice character development in this series. "
— Mary, 1/16/2014 -
" Usual fare from McCall Smith - gentle, humourous tales about interesting, quirky characters. One difference is the 'interview' with the characters at the end of the book. Great stuff! "
— Ruth, 1/12/2014 -
" Episodic & hops from character to character, but such fun! :-) "
— Abcdarian, 1/12/2014 -
" How delightful that several friendships moved on to romance, and several unsavory characters fell by the wayside. The lovable characters of Corduroy Mansions are wonderful comfortable reading, as are all of Alexander Mc Call Smith's creations. "
— Donna, 1/11/2014 -
" Charming and cute, I enjoyed all three in this series. Reminiscent of the tales of the city by Armisted Maupin, so if you enjoyed those... These are set in London. Very British, gentle humor. "
— Maggie, 12/22/2013 -
" Not my favorite series for this author. "
— Mary, 12/20/2013 -
" It was such a joy to revisit Corduroy Mansions and its residents, as they fumble through new adventures. So much humour, so many delightful twists keep me grinning as I devour this book from cover to cover. "
— Gail, 12/12/2013 -
" Although I generally prefer non-fiction, I am a fan of Alexander McCall Smith and have read all of his books. As usual, this book is full of quirky characters, dry wit and entertaining plot lines. I don't think it is one of his best, but I enjoyed it. "
— Janice, 11/29/2013 -
" Sweet little vignettes of others' lives, viewed with a dry sense of humor "
— Sara, 11/20/2013 -
" Wonderfully crafted characters in Corduroy Mansions. A bit of mystery makes this series fun and entertaining. "
— Carolyn, 10/4/2013 -
" I never miss an opportunity to read A. M. Smith. Kindness, good nature, & humanity are rare qualities impossible to ignore. "
— J., 9/30/2013 -
" This book follows some residents from a set of flats. But I found it jumped about from character to character to much and don't think that the ends were tied off. Not even cliff hanger style just ok done purchase my next book. "
— Natalie, 9/24/2013 -
" Another enjoyable book from my favorite author! "
— Laura, 9/4/2013 -
" This one was just "okay"; however, I enjoyed the first two books in this series. "
— Linda, 1/7/2013 -
" I enjoy Alexander McCall Smith's series set in Scotland and feel the characters are warm, whilst the series set in London I feel there is less understanding of life in London and the lives people lead. Saying that I enjoyed this book and enjoy seeing where they are from the last book. "
— Claire, 11/20/2012 -
" Again we read of the adventures and mis-adventures of the residents of a London apartment house. My favorite is Freddie de la Hay (cover photo), but Oediopus Snark's transmogrification was miraculous!!! Alexander McCall Smith always writes an amusing book. "
— Robin, 10/31/2012 -
" I like the characters in this book A LOT more than I like the characters in the 44 Scotland Street series. They're just good ordinary people going about their lives. But, really, how many times can one dog get lost/stolen? "
— Melissa, 10/20/2012 -
" Freddie is a delightful creature. "
— Vincent, 10/16/2012 -
" A pleasant read, as always. "
— Kathleen, 1/19/2012 -
" How charming! I haven't read any of the other Corduroy Mansions books but will be sure to pick them up. Loved the quirky characters and the way their lives entwined. "
— Mary, 11/25/2011 -
" Entertaining observations and character development makes this the best book (yet)in this series! Won this from First-Reads giveaway and read it from cover to cover in a day. Thank you AMS for yet another wonderful read! "
— Vitrine, 10/4/2011 -
" A nice, comfortable read. I do enjoy AMS. "
— Patricia, 9/27/2011 -
" A fun book. If you liked his other series you will like this one. Doesn't have the magic of the #1 Ladies Detective. "
— Marianne, 8/26/2011 -
" This "Corduroy Mansions" and McCall Smith's "44 Scotland Smith" are my favorites of his. They just feel good. "
— Katina, 8/7/2011 -
" Although I did enjoy the story, I didn't enjoy this story as much as the first two - just a few things that were a bit far-fetched for me and not enough connecting between the stories. But still enjoyable and light-hearted. "
— Kathie, 7/9/2011 -
" Tried to like it. I should give it only one star because I didn't even get half-way through it, but I typically save my one star rating for the truly awful. "
— Rachel, 6/25/2011 -
" Fun read, although one has to wonder why Smith's books are always shelved under mysteries. Full review on Blogcritics. "
— Jack, 6/23/2011 -
" i loved this book. reminded me of tales in the city. can't wait to read the next in the series "
— Angela, 6/20/2011 -
" Hmmm...I think I'm going to take a break on this one, as it's not really sucking me in. I do like Freddie de la Hay, but I feel like not much is happening with the plot. "
— Anne, 6/15/2011 -
" egad, I just saw that there are 2 more Corduroy Mansions books! Have loved every AMS book I've read and I don't think I"ve read the latest Ladies' Detective book yet. "
— Maryann, 6/15/2011 -
" Ok book. Slow reading for me. Author is very wordy when describing scenes or feelings. Not a favorite read for me. "
— Pam, 6/5/2011 -
" It took awhile to get into this book. There were lots of characters and it was hard to see the relevance in some of them. The plot was slow in showing itself. I almost didn't finish it but decided to and was glad I did by the end. "
— Lyn, 6/3/2011 -
" One reason I particularly like Alexander McCall Smith's fiction is that his characters' musings on life, philosophy, and ethics cause me to think and reflect too. This book did not disappoint. "
— Laura, 5/31/2011 -
" Not my favorite of his. The ending is just so abrupt. But a comfy little read nonetheless. "
— Jennifer, 5/22/2011 -
" Only read 60 totally uninteresting pages. "
— Kim, 5/7/2011 -
" Loved, loved, loved these characters! I'm looking forward to the next installment. "
— Sherri, 5/3/2011 -
" Light, entertaining title that introduces the author's latest series. Features a variety of characters, including a feisty little Pamlico Terrier, who share accommodation in Edinburgh, similar to McCall Smith's other series, 44 Scotland Street. "
— Okanagan, 4/26/2011
About Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie series, 44 Scotland Street novels, Corduroy Mansions series, the Perfect Passion Company novels, and more. He has also written stand-alone novels, books for children, and nonfiction works. In 2004 he was named the British Book Awards Author of the Year and Booksellers Association Author of the Year. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served with many national and international organizations concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and taught law at the University of Botswana.
About Simon Prebble
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.