Talk Back

[Old Man Scrimshaw]

First off, a disclaimer. At age thirty-three, I officially have no time to read. I work in marketing by day and theater by night and fill the nooks and crannies with parenting, husbanding and, in that last precious hour before I fall to sleep, the red disc shaped demon that is Netflix. So all of the “reviews” you read here are books I have heard not read. Thanks to weekly drive times, combined with mindless household tasks, I can down a modest 7 – 10 disc book in a week. I was convinced I would miss the feel of a book, the smell of the pages, the weight shifting from right to left as you near the last sentence and, well, a whole litany of precious, poetic crap… but guess what? I don’t! Having someone read to you is delightfully indulgent. And if that someone reads to you while you’re scrubbing out baby bottles or hosing down a potty chair, why, it’s downright decadent. Intellectual stimulation and sanitary living conditions? It doesn’t get any better than that.

There is, of course, a hitch. Books on CD (I don’t have a cassette player in my car) are expensive. So I am limited to what I find at the library and the small collection my wife amassed while working data entry. So far, I’ve enjoyed books from Adrienne more than the books from the Library. Apparently I have more in common with the discerning tastes of my chosen soul mate than the fickle offerings of a sterile government institution. Go figure.

I kicked off the year with one of Adrienne’s favorite books, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. This is the first in a series of books (there are five at the moment, the sixth is appearing in April) featuring the ample Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s only lady detective. Here is the blurb from the back of the book:

This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witch doctors.

Be warned, though, this is not a traditional detective story. Mysteries are solved (or more appropriately problems are solved) but the charm, humor and fascination of these books are the mundane but crucially significant moral dilemmas faced by the characters. And the most important character in these books is Botswana itself. Writers and writers who write about writers always talk about “sense of place”. Well, this book has it in spades. I know it’s cliché but, after reading these books, I feel like I’ve been to Botswana. And now, I want to go to Botswana and check this feeling of feeling like I’ve been to Botswana against the actual feeling of being in Botswana. In an interview a few years back, Alexander McCall Smith sums up the country’s appeal…

It is a very special country and I think that it particularly chimes with many of the values which Americans feel very strongly about—respect for the rule of law and for individual freedom. I hope that readers will also see in these portrayals of Botswana some of the great traditional virtues in Africa—in particular, courtesy and a striking natural dignity.

In many ways, this also sums up the appeal of what the author calls “old Botswana morality” which, throughout this book (and the entire series) clashes with decadent, shortsighted “new morality”. Interestingly enough, while Precious Ramotswe is a firm believer in the old morality she also proudly describes herself as a modern woman. As the book unfolds, the reader realizes there is no dissonance there. Like the author’s above description of Botswana, Precious effortlessly marries the courtesy and integrity of traditional Botswana with the personal liberty and justice we, at least as western readers, associate with our own time. Add to this the Christian values that have been interwoven with and run parallel to the “old” morality and this deceptively simple books reveals yet another layer of insight.

Speaking of the author, Alexander McCall Smith was born in Zimbabwe (or what is now called Zimbabwe) and was educated in Edinburgh. He taught law at the University of Botswana and is now a professor of medical law at Edinburgh. In his free time, he has written over fifty books, fiction and non. But do not fear, the man’s talent and intelligence does have its limit. He is a member of an amateur orchestra that is apparently really terrible. In fact, it is called “The Really Terrible Orchestra”. I feel better about myself already.

There is so much more I could say about this book, specifically the delightful and truly original character of Precious Ramotswe but, since I plan to read all of them this year, I want to save something to prattle about during later reviews. What I will mention though is the narrator, the sexy and superb, Lisette Lecat. After listening to her read this book I cannot possibly imagine reading it myself, hearing my sad, flat Minnesota voice ringing through my nasal cavity. As mentioned, the book is so much about Botswana and its customs and its people that having the correct accents and pronunciations is critical. Lacat also captures the thoughtful, unhurried pace of Botswana in her patient and deliberate delivery. Even if you hate the idea of “listening” to a book, consider giving this one a try, even after you’ve read it once yourself.

At the time of this writing, I’ve just started Morality for Beautiful Girls, the third in the No. 1 Ladies Detective series and my sixth book of 2005. Needless to say, I’m a bit behind on these “reviews”. Hopefully I’ll start cranking them out with a little more punctuality.

Next up: A little non-fiction in the form of The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester, the story of William Smith, the father of modern Geology.

[shaw]

Laurel loves the hell out of this book.

[Sirius]

I, too, am a devotee of the unabridged audiobook. I can't imagine a day off or a car trip without one (not to mention the dishes or a jigsaw puzzle). I'm also lucky that our (Chicago) library has a huge and wonderful supply of audiobooks, both abridged and non, but I've been a pretty awful picker of late. I saw this one and was intrigued but put it back. Now I'll get over it and get my butt back over there! Thanks for a good recommendation!

[Old Man Scrimshaw]

You're welcome...! Let me know what you think.