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Summary: Tales of Karmic Debts and Spiritual Healing
Review: The Kalahari Typing School for Men continues as the fourth installment in the fine series about Botswana's first lady detective, Mma. Precious Ramotswe, which was begun in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and followed by Tears of the Giraffe and Morality for Beautiful Girls. Alexander McCall Smith does a fine job of providing the background from the first three novels in the opening of this one, and the book is almost as stand-alone as The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The Kalahari Typing School for Men continues several themes in the prior books including the superiority of women over men, the importance of being organized and diligent, following your heart and spirit to do the right thing . . . in the right way, and intriguing questions about what is moral behavior in complex situations. The book continues its humorous backdrop as Precious finds herself up against an experienced male competitor who opens the Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency. The competitor proves to be very annoying to Precious, and she struggles to maintain her optimism in the face of this new trial. With Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni back working energetically at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Mma. Makutsi finds herself dissatisfied. She's really operating as a secretary to both companies rather than as an assistant detective and acting manager, as she had done before. When a new client shows up and insists on speaking with Precious alone, Mma. Makutsi's unhappiness grows. But she shakes herself off, and finds a new opportunity in establishing The Kalahari Typing School for Men, the most unique educational establishment you will probably ever read about. Precious deals with two client cases . . . neither of which is really a mystery in the normal literary sense. But deciding how to represent her clients' best interests provides weighty challenges of Biblical proportions. I was a little disappointed in the book, though. Unlike the earlier three books, it lacks the powerful presence of wild Africa to add character and spice. Increasingly, I felt like I was reading just another comic novel about a woman who is trying to juggle all of the balls at once without dropping one. While that is certainly entertaining, this book lacked the uniqueness that made the other books such continuing and pleasant surprises. As I finished the book, I thought about the special relationship between novelists and their readers. When a novelist establishes a character and a setting for a series of novels, readers expect that what makes that character and setting precious to them will continue. When a book attempts to go off in a new direction, readers should be glad of the author's willingness to experiment. But I do think that the author should provide a valuable substitute if precious elements are left behind. For example, if this novel had been set in an intriguing new locale because Precious had to move, the pleasure of learning about that locale would have made the book's switch in direction worthwhile. Novelists, keep your implicit promises to your readers!
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Summary: A hugely popular cozy mystery series
Review: Precious Ramotswe, founder of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana is faced with several problems in this, the fourth and latest volume of the international best-selling series by Mr. Smith. First of all, Mma. Ramotswe has competition when another detective agency comes into town run by a man who feels women are second rate. His credentials are a bit suspect. I.e.. He claims to have had detective training in some large cities including New York. Second, her assistant, Mma. Makutsi, has started a typing school for men and has met a wonderful man who claims to love her. The question is who is he and is he trustworthy. These problems will all be solved prior to the ending of this delightful little novel.
The term "cozy" was made for this type of book. There is no bloodletting or violence of any kind. It is purely character driven and what charming and polite characters they are! The books are slight enough that we get to know the characters, the problems they must solve, and the resolution before the book ends in a length perfect for one sitting. I fully understand the popularity of these books. They remind the reader of the Golden Age of mystery fiction.
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Summary: Can't wait for more
Review: I've read the first 3 books in this series and can't wait for more. I can't remember laughing so often reading through a book. They are delightful, life-affirming...all those corny words. The characters restore your faith in the human race, something I at least need these days living as I do in Jerusalem. These people are the kind of people I hope to be. They just get through life being kind and loving and caring for people less fortunate than themselves. Goes to prove that novels don't have to be able sick twisted people to get an audience.
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Summary: I love these books: Great writing not bound by genre
Review: "The Kalahari Typing School for Men" continues the story of "lady detective" Precious Ramotswe, her fiance, Mr. J.L.B. Maketoni, and the assistant detective/secretary, Mma Makutsi. McCall Smith is an outstanding writer, not bound by genre. His descriptions of the Botswana countryside are as evocative as any "nature" writer's, and his ability to create interesting, entertaining, and complex characters is unparalleled. Precious, Mr. Maketoni, and Mma Makutsi are so clearly drawn that you would know them instantly if you met them on the street. In "Kalahari," we particularly get to know the plain, bespectacled, but utterly self-reliant Mma Makutsi better, when she starts her own typing school. My one caveat for series neophytes is that there is very little detecting going on in these books; in fact, McCall Smith appears to have given up clues, discovery, and the like entirely in favor of more character development. But he's so very very good at it, you mustn't miss it!
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Summary: More Botswanan Delight
Review: Another little burst of delightfulness from the world of Precious Ramotswe, her husband to be Mr J. L. B. Maketoni and their assistant Mma Makutsi. Here there are all sorts of new developments. J. L. B. is over his depression of the previous book but problems are arising with the behaviour of Puso, the younger of their adopted children, which is becoming stroppy and difficult. Then there is the nasty development of a rival in the detective business, flashy, male, ex-CID and publicly quite contemptuous of the female competition. J. L. B.'s difficult apprentices remain as oversexed as ever but one of them gets religion. It is he who proposes "Learn to Drive with Jesus" as a name for the new business venture Mma Makutsi proposes to embark on in a bid to save her floundering finances. In the end however she gives up on the driving school idea and proposes to address the worrying lack of typing skills among her male compatriots. Meanwhile Precious and J. L. B. are getting a bit concerned that their enterprising assistant may be lonely and thinking how good it would be if she could find herself a man... What with all this excitement there isn't much time for being a detective and indeed the whole detective business is somewhat sidelined here. Two cases nonetheless come Precious' way, the most substantial of which is no mystery but simply a commission to track down some people the client wronged many years in the past to whom he now wishes to apologize and make amends. This central story of a middle aged man, Mr Molefelo, and his search for personal redemption, needs a very sure literary touch to keep credible and interesting. But McCall Smith's touch is very sure indeed and it is entirely credible and rather moving. As is the whole of this supremely readable book.
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Summary: A delightful, gentle book.
Review: This is a book I did not want to see end, and certainly look forward to the next in the series. Smith develops the characters in this series so the reader feels a personal relationship with them. The stories are delightful, and the descriptions of life in this part of the world is wonderful. A great book, hard to put down!
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Summary: Not really a mystery, but, excellent...
Review: A cute, sleepy private eye story told form the perspective of Precious Ramotswe, and narrated well by Lisette Lecat. In this episode, we find Precious investigating two cases: that of a philandering husband, and that of an older man who once committed a crime and wishes to make amends. What's good about this series is not the mystery. It's the characters and settings. I really got the flavor that I was in a small town in Botswana, and I enjoyed reading about Precious and her cohorts. If I have any criticism about this novel at all, there was a lack of suspense. The investigation was almost a non-event, and there was a bit too much dwelling in the past for my taste. Part of me wanted to tell the client: GET OVER IT ALREADY. The past is over and done with. Still, a cute story, sure to delight readers who want a slice of African life without too much gritty realism.
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Summary: Another Great One!!
Review: This is the fourth book of Smiths i have read over a period of a few weeks. I was hooked after the first one. Smith really paints a picture of life in Africa and gives great details about each character. I would love to meet Precious!! Cant wait for the next one in the series. A great short read!!!
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Summary: Superb continuation of a most enjoyable series
Review: Mma Ramotswe seems almost to step back a bit in this book as her trusty aide-de-camp moves into Botswana's entrepreneurial spotlight. But the stories are engaging as ever and Smith somehow manages to continue steady development of all the characters in this marvelous series. Start here or start with any of the previous books; you will be fascinated and ultimately engrossed by the people and the world the author describes.
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Summary: It should be 6 stars for this magnificent book!
Review: It really ought to be 6 stars for a book as wholesome, fun, enjoyable and utterly delightful as this one. The books are just getting better and better and we in England have already been able to enjoy this book's just as good sequel (with more coming from this author in 2004!) Give everyone 10 copies of this book for Thanksgiving and then find 10 more friends to give it to for Christmas - it really is THAT good! Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003)
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