44 Scotland Street 44 Scotland Street Book 1 (Audible Audio Edition) Alexander McCall Smith Hilary Neville Hachette Audio UK Books
Download As PDF : 44 Scotland Street 44 Scotland Street Book 1 (Audible Audio Edition) Alexander McCall Smith Hilary Neville Hachette Audio UK Books
The story revolves around the comings and goings at No. 44 Scotland Street, a fictitious building in a real street in Edinburgh. Immediately recognisable are the Edinburgh chartered surveyor, stalwart of the Conservative Association, who dreams of membership of Scotland's most exclusive golf club. We have the pushy Stockbridge mother, and her prodigiously talented five-year-old son, who is making good progress with the saxophone and with his Italian. Then there is Domenica Macdonald who is that type of Edinburgh lady who sees herself as a citizen of a broader intellectual world. In McCall Smith's hands such characters retain charm and novelty, simultaneously arousing both mirth and empathy. 44 Scotland Street is vintage McCall Smith, tackling issues of trust and honesty, snobbery and hypocrisy, love and loss, but all with great lightness of touch. Clever, elegant and funny, this is a novel that provides huge entertainment but which is underpinned by the moral dilemmas of everyday life and the characters' struggles to resolve them.
44 Scotland Street 44 Scotland Street Book 1 (Audible Audio Edition) Alexander McCall Smith Hilary Neville Hachette Audio UK Books
I have always loved stories about the different people in a contained community like a boarding house ( Pere Guriot by Balzac), Amsted Maupin's "Tales of the City" or a neighborhood , a book by Maeave Binchy. This collection started out , like Maupinis books as a serialized story in the news papers . It is similarly delightful! I love the character development that happens over the chapters and have already started the second book in the series. If you like that sort of story telling, I highly recommend it. I am getting to know the city and customs of Edinburgh. I am also getting a glimpse into the Scottish nature and it is interesting.Product details
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44 Scotland Street 44 Scotland Street Book 1 (Audible Audio Edition) Alexander McCall Smith Hilary Neville Hachette Audio UK Books Reviews
I loved everything about this book---its premise of people bound only by the fact they share the same apartment building, the witty dialogue, the colorful characters who make you cheer them or boo them, the book's format---everything worked together for a truly enjoyable reading experience.
Since most apartment dwellers hardly know their neighbors, it gives the reader a warm feeling to know that true friendships can be found behind the closed doors in a big city. And what interesting people these doors are hiding! The main characters are Pat, the twenty-year old who is somewhat embarrassed to be floundering through her second gap year; Bruce, her narcissistic flatmate whose favorite activity is looking at himself in the mirror; Domenica, the wise widow who offers a friendly welcome; Irene, the overbearing mother determined to turn her five-year-old into a child prodigy with endless lessons in saxophone and Italian; and, best of all, there is Bertie, the winsome child wonder himself who is wise beyond his years and desperate to be a normal kid. Fortunately for the reader, the author has captured all the characters with their beauty as well as their warts.
The short, cliff-hanging chapters are fast-clipped and easy to read. It was not surprising to discover this novel was originally serialized in 110 installments of a Scottish newspaper, but like others have mentioned, I'm glad I didn't have to wait 110 days to enjoy this tale. I predict you will be as well. From the moments you will laugh out loud to those that will break your heart, this is a book that will leave you anxious to read the next installment because these characters are addictive and you will love being a fly-on-the-wall of 44 Scotland Street.
This book is filled with character development that lets you know them well by book’s end. You may not like them, you may disagree with them, you may admire them—but you definitely know them. Written as a serial, at first the chapters seem to lack flow, but eventually a pace is established that makes sense. At times I felt bogged down with some of the conversations. However, it was that character’s style and the discomfort was mine to handle.
This book was originally published in daily parts over 6 months, and the 110 installments build up a delightful, wry portrait of Edinburgh and some of its quirky denizens. Insightful, sad, thought-provoking, and sometime laugh-out-loud funny, this is a wonderful book, and I will definitely be moving on the the next book in the series, Espresso Tales.
"44 Scotland Street' is an address in Edinburgh, Scotland that has multiple interesting tenants. In a book, similar to "Tales of the City" by Armistead Maupin, the lives of the tenants is told to us in short chapter style as it was published in the newspaper 'The Scotland' as a serial.
Besides the enjoyment of being able to read as much or little as you wish at a time, the individual tales hold you captive in their ability to make you want to know what happens next.
There is Pat, a 20 yr old, second year gap student, trying to make her way in the city. She leases a shared flat with Bruce, a clerk with a surveyor company. Bruce is very aware of his beauty to all. Pat attains a job with Matthew, an art gallery owner with his own issues.
A lovely widow, Domenica lives across the way and befriends Pat with her tales of life and adventure.
Downstairs, is a family, Stuart, Irene, and their five year old Son, Bertie. Bertie is a genius, according to Mummy, and is forced to play the Saxophone (tenor at that,) and learn Italian. Bertie? Well, he loves trains.
We meet characters from outside the apartment house as well. Big Lou, owner of the coffee house who reads everything she can, and Angus, a portrait painter with his pooch, Cyril (who sports a gold tooth and love of ale.)
I read this first volume in a day. It was a compulsion to see what happened next. Not to mention to figure out the mysterious painting...
Indulge yourselves and share in a good gossip. It is a guilty pleasure in this case.
An interesting bunch of characters. Pat, a young woman, who is just starting out in her own life. Bertie, the preschooler, who just wants to be a kid. Irene, Bertie's mother, who, like all first-time mothers, is a bit neurotic - wanting what's best for her child but not seeking what the child wants. Bruce, the man who loves looking at himself. I can't wait to see what they are up to next.
Having read Alexander McCall Smith's The #1 Ladies Detective series, I was happy to purchase the first of another of his series. This one didn't disappoint. It is about a bunch of eclectic individuals who live in an apartment complex in Edinburgh. Each has his or her own flaws and strengths. Mr. Smith writes with such descriptive prose, you won't have to worry about missing out on any character developments. From Pat, the 20 year old who is on her 2nd "gap" year; Bruce, the narcissistic brutally handsome roommate; Domenica an elderly woman who is grounded and gives great advice, to the parents of 5 year old Bertie, there is someone who will interest and amuse you. I did bog down in a few areas when the subject matter turned to events and people I didn't know. Still, a completely enjoyable book and I will probably invest in the next of the series.
I was disappointed. The characters were interesting, but the plot seemed non-existent. It reminded me of a television sit-com with vignettes and humor, but no real story.
I have always loved stories about the different people in a contained community like a boarding house ( Pere Guriot by Balzac), Amsted Maupin's "Tales of the City" or a neighborhood , a book by Maeave Binchy. This collection started out , like Maupinis books as a serialized story in the news papers . It is similarly delightful! I love the character development that happens over the chapters and have already started the second book in the series. If you like that sort of story telling, I highly recommend it. I am getting to know the city and customs of Edinburgh. I am also getting a glimpse into the Scottish nature and it is interesting.
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