Amori perduti di gioventù

Isabel Dalhousie is sanctimonious bitch! She is condescending to her housekeeper. She slut shames her niece. She is a snob about her so-called work which she never seems to do. She thinks her 2 year old son is a food snob because he likes olives, sardines and gherkins. She justifies her buttinksky behavi Leggi tutto

Am in the midst of this book! I read McCall Smith for pure pleasure. It is refreshing to pick up a book and know that you really don't have F=to pick it apart! Finished it; loved it; calm except for Cat who was, once again, choosing incorrectly from mushrooms to men.

Alexander McCall Smith spent part of his childhood in Botswana. That's how he came to write the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. When it became a runaway success he was a law professor -- in Edinburgh, I think. He became a literary phenomenon, turning out free-standing books, books for childre Leggi tutto

3.5 stars. Something really terrific takes place at the end of this novel and I don't want to say more than that. I've been really enjoying this series because the main character edits a philosophical journal and the questions we ponder are those that come up in everyday life. I can always count on

Reading one of the Isabel Dalhousie books is like visiting an old and dear friend. Just for a few days, I am taken away to Edinburgh and enjoying walks around town, visits to the deli owned by Isabel's niece, Cat, and sipping cups of tea in the warm, toasty kitchen. Each book is time to catch up. Is Leggi tutto

This is the second book in the Isabel series I've read -- I can't remember any details from the first one, which is telling. I'm not sure why I read to the end of this book, since I ultimately found it to be very boring, but I'm glad I did, because it got better toward the end. My biggest complaint

This is the 8th book in the Isabel Dalhousie series. It is my least favorite. I was disappointed in the wandering of thoughts in Isabel's mind. Though she is a philosopher I felt the thoughts went too far afield for the scenes. It happened too many times and I got the feeling that the author was sim Leggi tutto

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth is the 8th of the Isabel Dalhousie series by Alexander McCall Smith. As always, Isabel’s life is full: she has articles to read for the Review of Applied Ethics, an instance of nepotism by Professor Lettuce to deal with, decisions to make about rising journal productio Leggi tutto

I love Isabel Dalhousie, loyal citizen of Edinburgh, philospher, owner and editor of the Review of Applied Ethics. I admire her philosophy summed up in this quote: "...she would never accept things as they were. That was what made her do what she did--practice philosophy--and what made her, and ever Leggi tutto

Apparently I'm re-reading this book now, but since I don't remember reading it the first time and i didn't review it, here are some 2014 thoughts: Casual racism within the first few pages. Repeated once or twice elsewhere in the book. Tedious and not-interesting philosophizing. One long yawn re: relati Leggi tutto