The residents and neighbors of 44 Scotland Street and the city of Edinburgh come to vivid life in these gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive serial novels, featuring six-year-old Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy-just ask his mother. Featuring all the quirky characters we have come to know and love, The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, finds Bertie, the precocious six-year-old, still troubled by his rather overbearing mother, Irene, but seeking his escape in the Cub Scouts. Matthew is rising to the challenge of married life with newfound strength and resolve, while Domenica epitomizes the loneliness of the long-distance intellectual. Cyril, the gold-toothed star of the whole show, succumbs to the kind of romantic temptation that no dog can resist and creates a small problem, or rather six of them, for his friend and owner Angus Lordie. With his customary deftness, Alexander McCall Smith once again brings us an absorbing and entertaining tale of some of Scotland's most quirky and beloved characters--all set in the beautiful, stoic city of Edinburgh.
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"If I just rate books by how much I enjoy reading them then, I give both the Scotland Street books and the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency books highest marks. They are just so charming! Nothing much happens, but I am so fond of the characters & just happily slide right in to their little worlds: worlds populated with very nice, very quirky people!" — Adrienne (5 out of 5 stars)
"If I just rate books by how much I enjoy reading them then, I give both the Scotland Street books and the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency books highest marks. They are just so charming! Nothing much happens, but I am so fond of the characters & just happily slide right in to their little worlds: worlds populated with very nice, very quirky people!"
“It is impossible to come away from an Alexander McCall Smith novel without a smile on the lips and warm fuzzies in the heart.”
“Delightful…Sweet…Graceful…Wonderful…Alexander McCall Smith writes faster than most people read, which is good news for [his] legions of fans who rarely have to go more than a few months without a new fix of his gentle but powerfully addicting fiction.”
" loved the characters, never wanted it to end. Will be looking for the next in the series, so hurry up and write it "
" I probably shouldn't have jumped directly into the middle of this series, but this was the book I acquired. I like Smith's dry humor, and the vivid characters he created, but there really wasn't a story line running through the entire book. It's more like a continuing look at these characters lives as they evolve. From a character standpoint I enjoyed it, but I couldn't really find the "story." "
" Rather silly. Cardboard characters. Full of unfunny fat jokes. "
" Book number 5 is just as good as the rest. You gotta love Bertie! "
" I'm enjoying this, but definitely a "light" read. Not my favorite... "
" Love, love, love almost all of the Alexander McCall Smith books, especially the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series and the 44 Scotland Street series! Can't wait for the next installment of both series! "
" Another Wonderful addition to this series. Loved it "
" Really enjoyable. I haven't read the other books in the series, though I plan to. The series is written in a Dickensian, serial style with a large cast of interesting characters. You never get bored and there's a lot to think about. "
" Still not my favorite series. "
" Another book by Alexander McCall Smith that was interesting, light and a good read. A bit of philosophy, humor, good portrayal of characters. I love all books written by this author and this book did not disappoint me. "
" Bruce is cured of his narcissism, Angus and Domenica steal a blue Spode teacup and then return it and Bertie's psychotherapist leaves Edinburgh and Matthew is washed out to sea on his honeymoon - only to be saved by a dolphin! "
" I love this series that comes from a newspaper serial in an Edinburgh newspaper. As with the previous volumes, it made me laugh out loud. "
" This series by Smith is beginning to remind me of Wodehouse. Delightful stories with quirky Scottish characters. Light, fun reading without lowering IQ. Highly recommended. "
" This is my favorite McCall Smith series. However, I didn't like it as much as the earlier ones. "
" This series is like comfort food - Love all his stuff "
" though i didn't like this series as much as the number 1 ladies detective agency, the characters have grown on me & i look forward to the next book. "
" Another in the 44 Scotland Street series with Bertie, Mathew, Domenica, Angus, etc. all of whom have become very familiar. Nice, quick snippets of each character's story with plenty of room for continuation. "
" Typical of al Alexander McCall Smith's delightful light hearted and insightful novels. Amusing easy reads. Bertie continues to struggle with his domineering mother. Lard passes over. Bruce discovers there is more to life than himself!!!!. Loved it "
" These are fun and I really enjoy the characters, but this series is dragging on a bit. "
" Fifth in the 44 Scotland Series. I really enjoy the Bertie character and what he must endure. "
" Read it while traveling in Scotland. Chuckled throughout the book. I love the characters. "
" I couldn't get into this so I gave up on it. "
" Where's Pat? I want more Dr. Sinclair. "
" I think the series ran out of gas. One of the main characters is missing in action, while the story lines of the others have lost the snap of the other books. Plus, there is the heartbreaking hope and then failure of help for poor little Bertie. "
" Disappointed that Pat was dropped from the story-line... "
" up to CD 8, from library "
" I think the formula is melding with me and hope that the author writes daily to knock out even more of these books! "
" I love reading anything by McCall Smith. I love his gentle humour, his utter lack of meanness, his characters who almost always have some redeeming value - well, almost always. "
" Just so pleasant! This 44 Scotland Street had quite a few capers and scrapes for the cast of characters to face. I really love that Ian Rankin made an appearance! As always, a delightful break from reality. "
" Bruce reformed? Agnes and Domenica falling in love? Big Lou threw over the shyster Robbie? I'm already looking forward to the next installment! "
" Good light reading for a rainy day. "
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, 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.
Robert Ian Mackenzie, Earphones Award–winning narrator, became an actor after holding a wide variety of other jobs, including everything from London policeman to water ski instructor in Greece. Since then, his acting career has encompassed straight theater, musicals, opera, films, television, voice-overs, commercials, and recorded books.
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