| 44 Scotland Street | 
 enlarge | Author: Alexander Mccall Smith
Creator: Robert Ian Mackenzie
Publisher: Time Warner AudioBooks
Category: Book
Buy New: £14.99
New (11) Used (7) from £0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 485796
Format: Abridged, Audiobook
Media: Audio Cassette
Edition: Unabridged - 7 cassettes/12hrs
Number Of Items: 4
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5.3 x 4.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 1405500816
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9781405500814
ASIN: 1405500816
Publication Date: March 10, 2005
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews: Read 28 more reviews...
 Scotland Street stretto November 16, 2008
The writing in this book is often beautiful, perceptive and amusing, for example Domenica's exchange with Pat regarding Bruce and aesthetics. The insistence on the legal phrase (like "Peploe?") so charming in the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series (like "Mr J.L.B. Maketoni") palls after a few chapters. The device of the Scotland Street tunnel (real enough) with its side tunnel (so real?) leads to embarrassment for the Conservative Party. Nothing wrong there either, I suppose. But from what point of view does the author view his characters? Are they warm, human and important to him? Or do they move in the precise niceness of a traditional satire? Which characters in Edinburgh meet with the approval of the author? Are readers to understand that all characters in the book, or types in Edinburgh, are slightly suspect? I seem to recall from some Scots I have known a sardonic streak. The characters in the book all seem to have a legal edge that fits with a legal approach in the writing and requires special handling.
 Life as we know it? August 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Alexander McCall Smith has the happy knack of writing novels which are light and fun without being trashy - and the short chapters of the Scotland Street novels make them perfect for the daily commute. It's refreshing to read a novel which doesn't depend upon Big Dramatic Events to keep things moving. Instead we just get the minutiae of day-to-day middle-class life in Edinburgh and the everyday thoughts, feelings, doubts and joys of some if its inhabitants. Especially amusing is pushy mother Irene and her unfortunate 'project child' Bertie.
Delightful slice of Edinburgh middle class life August 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is gentle satire of Edinburgh middle-class Edinburgh life and being born and bred in the city I really enjoyed all the familiar landmarks and streets as well as the depictions of the foibles and prejudices of residents. The characters really come to life in the interweaving of the events that bring them together. There are some very funny scenes, especially concerning the child prodigy, Bertie. I'm looking forward to reading the follow-up books in the series to see what happens to them all.
 The Emperor's New Clothes.... July 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
More and more I find that the hype for films and books way, way exceed the actual product - and this book is yet another example of this.
Admittedly some sections were entertaining but, on the whole, the writing is dreary and concentrates on a bunch of self-absorbed people. Perhaps a matter of personal taste. I found the characters annoying and trite - a narcissistic former tenant of 44 Scotland Street, daddy's little rich girl, a feeble art gallery owner etc etc. The most interesting character is probably Cyril the dog. Probably would have been more interesting if Cyril had contracted rabies and bitten them all.
My personal opinion and I doubt I will be reading another McCall Smith book.
 snooze-fest. June 29, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
this book was bought for me so i thought i'd better read it, but i wish i hadn't bothered! i very rarely give up on books ut i came close with this one several times. after giving it several "last chances" i wish i'd gone with my first thoughts and not bothered! the only parts i came close to enjoying were the bits about "the child genius" which were mildly amusing, but otherwise a load of rubbish!
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