Espresso Tales

3.5 stars This is the second book in the "44 Scotland Street" series. It can be read as a standalone. In these lighthearted stories, Alexander McCall Smith recounts the activities of a diverse circle of folks who live in Edinburgh's "New Town" neighborhood. Many of the characters live in apartments at......more

I’m somewhat reluctant to proclaim my enjoyment of this series because Smith’s writing of gentle, everyday people that are full of everyday human foibles seems, on the surface, to be uncomplicated. But as the reader familiarizes themselves with these characters it becomes clear that this author has......more

OK, I finished another Alexander McCall Smith book, what can I say, I just love this guy and his writing style. I love how he gets into the brains and thoughts of so many of his characters. I can tell that he uses certain characters to ruminate on his own philosophies of life...in the case of these b......more

I actually just finished the 3rd in this series: Love over Scotland, which I will review shortly. For my first ever GoodReads review, I wanted to start with this one, not because it was better or worse than the first or third, but because it does have an interesting aspect that sets it apart--not jus......more

Oh, my! NUDISTS! HAVING PICNICS! And of course, pointing out how difficult it is to be a "naturalist" in Scotland! And Bruce gets his comeuppance! Sort of! Frankly, I could read just the bits about Bertie, his poor dad, and his terrible mother. And, while I know that the parts with Ramsey Dunbarton......more