Lovely listen

The combination of Mr. McCall Smith’s storytelling and Davina Porter’s narration is wonderful. It is always a treat to listen to these stories.

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Wonderful

Alexander McCall Smith never disappoints. This was beautiful. Thank you. God bless you, Mr. Smith. You are a treasure.

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Wish publishers would publish more intellectual women’s mysteries

For the most part, I have looked forward to Alexander McCall Smith’s Isabel Dalhousie installments, though I know there will be maddening segments in which she rants and pronounces self-righteous judgments like an aging Anglo-Saxon Protestant man raised in an African colony. Still, I like Edinburgh and can’t afford to travel there, and as a literature professor and editor who has to publish analyses that include philosophy, this character gives me familiarity with a pleasant level of escapism. Unfortunately, there are times when the author’s masculinity of perspective not only shines through but grates on the story, such as when Isabel used to whine on and on about how lucky she was to be providing an upper class lifestyle for the impoverished musician, Jamie, who is now the henpecked father of her two sons. Some experiences and perspectives simply don’t translate across gender and ethnicity divides in a culture as hierarchical as the British and Anglo-American. This problem arises again in The Quiet Side of Passion. Three young women come precipitately into Isabel’s life and home, where she keeps her lovable little sons and supposedly delectable husband, and all three are sexually incontinent and emotionally dishonest. Yet, the gender indistinct Isabel not only is slow to suspect or condemn the obvious foul plays all three of these women are perpetrating, involving and exposing her innocent sons, but she goes to two men for sympathetic advice or support. Seriously? Does an editor read these Dalhousie mysteries before they are published? Can we strive for just a little verisimilitude ? At some point, even the most determined fan has to speak up for characterization . I am wildly grateful that a mystery series is published with an intelligent female protagonist in a beautiful city following human interest stories with minimal or no blood and guts for readers to slog through. I wish my support of Dalhousie had inspired publishers to publish more series like this, perhaps even written by women (imagine that!), so the characterizations might be refreshing instead of incredibly annoying or even tension-inducing. I will continue to support the concept of Dalhousie because her city is charming, her philosophical musings are engaging even when Eurocentric, and she too is a highly educated woman in a badly misogynistic environment. But how I wish competing publishers would seek to capitalize on Dalhousie’s legacy!

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34 people found this helpful

Lovely book, well narrated

A M Smith did it again. A very well written book, that was a pleasure to listen to.

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Lovely!

Alexander McCall Smith is one of my favorite authors. I love the Isabel Dalhousie series, and I am looking forward to the next one.

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loved this story!

Such a wonderful look at the internal discussion we all have going on in our heads. Loved the characters almost as much as the Botswana Ladies:)

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The Narration Was Inconsistent

I have enjoyed this series for several years and the narrator, Davina Porter, has always been a joy to listen to. However, I noticed that something had changed in Ms Porter's narration around Chapter 17 of this book. It sounds as if she had had a stroke or had been drinking. Since the latter doesn't make any sense, I can only guess that Ms Porter had a stroke or other malady before she had finished narrating this book and came back to finish the reading once she received a doctor's OK. However, it is very evident something had drastically changed. Her narration became very slow and she was slightly slurring some words. It actually became a bit disconcerting and I'm having trouble listening to the rest of the book as a result. Whatever happened to her, I pray it was of short duration and that she has been restored to more of her normal self. She was/is a very good narrator usually.

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Engaging

I enjoy the Isabel Dalhousie series. It is one of those book readers either love or hate. I am one that loves the series. Smith has created an interesting twisting plot. Each book in this series provides a discussion of a moral problem/dilemma. The characters are all old friends now. When each new book comes out, I feel as if I’ve dropped by Isabel’s for a cup of tea and a time to catch up.

Alexander McCall Smith is a master storyteller. He is a prolific writer and all his series seem to be quite different. I cannot wait until my next visit with Isabel. The book is nine hours. Davina Porter does a superb job narrating the book. Porter is on of my favorite narrators. Porter has an elegant voice. Porter is a multi-award-winning narrator.

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Isabel Dalhousie is back

Charlie is now attending nursery school, and Isabel and Jamie take turns delivering him and picking him up. Thus it happens that Isabel is there at the gate one day, to meet Charlie's new friend, Basil Phelps, Jr., and his mother, Patricia, a musician whom Jamie occasionally works with.

Patricia seems unusually eager to make friends.

That night, Jamie shares the unexpected information that Basil Phelps, Jr., is rumored to be the unacknowledged son of a prominent organist, Basil Phelps. Jamie has worked with each of them, and they are both well known in the Edinburgh music community.

The next few weeks are a flurry of confusing events. Professor Lettuce has an unexpected proposal for her. She's increasingly feeling the burden of being the owner, editor, and only staff of the Journal of Applied Ethics and mother of two young children, even though Jamie more than pulls his weight a householder. Grace happily shifts her efforts to child care, especially of young Magnus, but as a result, is not doing nearly as much cleaning.

Jamie encourages her to get an au pair to help out with the house, and also to consider hiring a part-time assistant for the Journal.

When she stumbles across evidence that Basil Jr. may really not be the son of Basil Sr., who is paying child support, Jamie also encourages her to not get involved. Yes, maybe Phelps the organist is being taken advantage of, but Isabel can't put the whole world right.

Of course she is not much restrained by the second piece of advice, although she does heed the first advice, about getting help.

Predictably all of this gets very, very complicated.

Isabel, Jamie, and all their friends, including Isabel's often difficult niece, Cat, owner of a deli, continue to be our old friends, while continuing to grow and develop. Most importantly, Isabel continues to seek to do the right thing by everyone within her social circle, and to give much careful thought to what that is. This remains true even if I do think that she overlooked the obvious regarding hiring an au pair: adding to the household staff is a thing that would work much better if she discussed it with Grace first, and had Grace's knowledge, input, and agreement on who was being hired to do what.

Also, of course, Grace can balance out Isabel's tendency to want to believe the best of everyone, and not ask enough questions before something happens.

It's another good addition to the series, and will be enjoyed by anyone who usually enjoys these books.

Recommended.

I bought this audiobook.

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Thoughtful , Provocative & Sweet

Never underestimate the power of words put to paper from Alexander McCall Smith . He writes gentle yet truly beautiful books !
This book was a delicate blend of a Scottish family with a bit of mystery & fun all weaved well together .
I love all of his books !

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