#the sunday philosophy club by alexander mccall smith | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theologiedansleboudoir · 1 month

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“She was made for untidy rooms and rumpled beds.”

―Alexander McCall Smith, The Sunday Philosophy Club

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araekniarchive · 2 years

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hello, can i request something about city living, if you haven't already done it yet? love your webs <3

Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities

Ed Sheeran, The City

Noor Unnahar, New Names for Lost Things; ‘Return’

The Great Gatsby (2013) dir. Baz Luhrmann

J. G. Ballard, High-Rise

Alexander McCall-Smith, The Sunday Philosophy Club

Olivia Laing, The Lonely City (via The Guardian)

Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms

Christopher Morley, Where the Blue Begins

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sneezemonster15 · 5 months

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You always so informed and smart in analyzing. Do not let hate get you down. Is there anything books you can recommended

That's so kind of you. Actually I constantly feel I know very little. Sometimes I feel like I will never have enough time to learn things that I want to learn. I am self assured about some things, but I second guess myself a lot more than you would think. Hehe.

Okay this is the second time I have gotten such a message. What hate though? There has been nothing like that in my asks. Just the usual.

What kind of book recs are you looking for? I am more of a fiction person and the recent book I read was a suspense thriller. Before that I was reading Camus. One of my favourite authors is Alexander McCall Smith. Reading his books is like lying down under the shade of a mahogany tree, while a bubbling brook flows alongside, as the rays of sun warm my cheeks, a gentle breeze blows and I just get lost in my thoughts. It's peaceful. I like his Sunday Philosophy Club series the best. I also like the Scotland Street series. The no 1 ladies detective agency series is also a good one. I like his humor, his humanity, his little observations about life, his generosity for his characters. Heh.

I like classics a lot. Chekhov is one of my favourites. I like Russian classics, although yeah, they can get quite depressing. But like, there's no match for the content. I also like Austen and Bronte sisters. Yeah, I know it's cliche, but I love Jane Eyre, despite all its problems. The chapter where Helen died haunts me still...

I happen to love O Henry and Maupassant. Reading their stories is just so inspiring and entertaining. I also love Manto and Dahl.

I also read a lot in my native language, it really has some of the best literature in the world. I also write poetry when the mood strikes. But I doubt that counts here.

#ask #sweet anon

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wiproaringreading · 1 year

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December Goals for December 1 of the Just One More Page BPC. Getting ready for my 2023 challenge of only reading yellow books, by reading lots of blue and red.

Books Featured

Finlay Donovan is Killing it by Elle Cosimano

It’s a Christmas Thing by Janet Daily

Candy by Luke Davies

The Kids are Gonna Ask by Gretchen Anthony

A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings

The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall-Smith

Providence by Max Barry

The Patron Saint of Liars by Anne Patchett

Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri

A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry

Throne of Glass by George R. R. Martin

In Love With John Doe by Cindy Kirk

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn

#books #jompbpc #finlay donovan is killing it #the patron saint of liars #realm of ash #it's a Christmas thing #Candy #a brush with love #providence #the kids are gonna ask #the Sunday philosophy club #a thousand moons #game of thrones #in love with John Doe #the twelve days of dash and Lily #anfisa #among us #snoopy #pig

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chattingwiththelightkeeper · 2 years

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She was made for untidy rooms and rumpled beds.

Alexander McCall Smith, The Sunday Philosophy Club

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fuzzysparrow · 2 years

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Which British author wrote "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series of books?

"The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" is a series of novels by the British author Alexander McCall Smith. The series began in 1998, and by 2021 there have been 22 novels. The stories are set in Botswana where the main character Mma Precious Ramotswe established a detective agency using the inheritance money from her father. In each book, Mma Precious Ramotswe has a new mystery or crime to solve, but the stories focus just as much on her life, adventures, and the foibles of other characters.

Alexander McCall Smith was born in 1948 and raised by his British parents in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). After working as a Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh, McCall Smith became a fiction writer, starting with children's novels before moving on to "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". He has since written several series of books, such as the "44 Scotland Street" series (2005-present), "The Sunday Philosophy Club" series (2004-present), and the "Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainments" series (1997-present).

In 2004, McCall Smith published the sixth book in "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency", which won him the Author of the Year award at the "British Book Awards". Later that year, McCall Smith began dramatising the series for radio, which ran until 2019. The first book was filmed for television in 2008, starring American actress Jill Scott (born 1972) as the main character.

#Trivia #Alexander McCall Smith #The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

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quoteoftheweekblog · 11 months

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK 5/6/23 - EDITH WHARTON

' "Ah, in New York, is she?” ‘ (Wharton, 1991, p.203).

REFERENCE

Wharton, E. (1991 [2005] ) ‘The house of mirth’. London: Everyman’s Library. *****

FROM OUR NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT

‘ “Oh, dear I’m so hot and thirsty - and what a hideous place New York is!” ‘ (Wharton, 1991, p.5).

LOVING IT IN ALL WEATHERS

AND LOCATIONS

20th STREET AND 3rd AVENUE MANHATTAN

AND SOHO

…

AND AT ALL TIMES

7 AM WHEN COOLER

AND QUIETER

*****

SEE ALSO

‘ “I’m not really a collector, you see; I simply like to have good editions of the books I am fond of.” ‘ (Wharton, 1991, p.11).

SADLY CHEWED BY MR DUSTY

NOW IN DISGRACE

SORTED

*****

TO OUR NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT FOR THE LOCATION SHOTS

(AND TO MY SON FOR OUR CORRESPONDENT SHOT)

24 DEGREES TODAY

27 DEGREES TOMORROW

XXXX

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/post/702087368645148672/quote-of-the-week-281122-kiley-reid-the

*****

FOR BOOK GROUP

LAST MONTH OUR TOP READER LEADER …

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-blessing/nancy-mitford/alex-kapranos/9780241974728

‘This month I have finished The Blessing, by Nancy Mitford …

https://www.waterstones.com/book/dont-tell-alfred/nancy-mitford/sophie-dahl/9780241974704

… and Don’t Tell Alfred, the fourth in the series. This had a lot of parody of political events – clever and amusing, but I enjoyed it less than the others.’

&

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-enchanted-april/elizabeth-von-arnim/salley-vickers/9780141191829

‘ … which, like it’s name, is enchanting … ‘

&

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-book-of-joy/dalai-lama/desmond-tutu/9781786330444

‘ … continuing … ‘

&

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/344972

‘ … very slowly … ‘

&

https://www.waterstones.com/book/glamorous-powers/susan-howatch/9780006496922

‘ … just started.‘

…

OTHER MEMBERS HAVE ALSO READ (OR ARE READING) …

https://www.waterstones.com/book/st-clares-collection-1/enid-blyton/9781444934823

‘ … I have just started reading Enid Blyton’s St Clare books! They are extremely dated, but light and easy and provide a form of escapism. I remember enjoying them when young.’

…

‘I have read books 22 and 23 of the Morland Dynasty and am reading 24 (out of 35). I love these. They are fiction but the historical element is true to fact.’

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mirage/cynthia-harrod-eagles/9780751525465

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-cause/cynthia-harrod-eagles/9780751525380

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-homecoming/cynthia-harrod-eagles/9780751525311

…

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-sunday-philosophy-club/alexander-mccall-smith/9780349139418

I decided to take something light to Cornwall for our holiday, which I had read before.’

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-darkness/ragnar-jonasson/victoria-cribb/9781405930802

‘That was contrasted by The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson which was a dark crime novel set in Iceland.’

https://www.waterstones.com/book/espresso-tales/alexander-mccall-smith/9780349119700

‘Since returning home I read Espresso Tales also by A McCall Smith - this was first published in episodes in a newspaper and as such felt bity.’

WHILST THE OTHER HALF …

‘I’m not sure … although he has started the Jonasson.’

AND PROBABLY FINISHED

https://www.waterstones.com/book/any-human-heart/william-boyd/9780141044170

…

https://www.waterstones.com/book/sister/rosamund-lupton/9780749942014

‘It was a very easy and gripping read, but apparently I've completely missed a very clever device which I'm still trying to unravel.’

&

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-other-boleyn-girl/philippa-gregory/9780006514008

‘The plotting and deviousness is very difficult to cope with (perhaps it still goes on) and the early marriages and therefore births are quite upsetting.’

…

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-silk-roads/professor-peter-frankopan/9781408839997

‘I’ve got as far as Hitler … Interestingly he was after the grain of Ukraine amongst other things … And the oil of the middle east. Nothing changes.’

…

https://www.waterstones.com/book/before-the-coffee-gets-cold/toshikazu-kawaguchi/geoffrey-trousselot/9781529029581

‘Strange time travel in a cafe but as uplifting as the reviews suggest.’

*****

BOOK GROUP 2023

JANUARY - JODI PICOULT - ‘WISH YOU WERE HERE’

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/post/707162386989219840/quote-of-the-week-23123-jodi-picoult-and FEBRUARY - LUCY WORSLEY - ‘JANE AUSTEN AT HOME - A BIOGRAPHY’

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/post/709807520542277632/quote-of-the-week-20223-lucy-worsley-there

MARCH - NANCY MITFORD - 'THE PURSUIT OF LOVE’

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/post/712878877446373376/quote-of-the-week-27323-nancy-mitford

APRIL - FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT - 'THE SECRET GARDEN’

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/post/715330809248235520/quote-of-the-week-24423-frances-hodgson MAY - EDITH WHARTON - 'THE HOUSE OF MIRTH’

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/post/719215188629389312/news-story-of-the-week-6623-edith-wharton JUNE - TRACEY CHEVALIER - 'A SINGLE THREAD’ JULY - E.M. FORSTER - 'A ROOM WITH A VIEW’ AUGUST - DAMON GALGUT - 'THE PROMISE’ SEPTEMBER - ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH - 'THE HOUSE OF UNEXPECTED SISTERS’ OCTOBER - ARAVIND ADIGA - 'SELECTION DAY’ NOVEMBER - BONNIE GARMUS - 'LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY’ DECEMBER - JULES VERNE - 'AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS’

*****

AND THIS IS WHAT WE READ EARLIER

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/bookgroup

*****

QUOTE OF THE WEEK 2011 - 2023

11 EPIC YEARS

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/references

FROM THE ARCHIVE

https://quoteoftheweekblog.tumblr.com/post/678686834123063296/httpswwwtheguardiancombooks2022mar02shirl

*****

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oldshrewsburyian · 3 years

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Hello! Would you ever write a medieval whodunit? Would you ever write a retelling of a fairytale for adults? If so, which one? On a different topic, if you have the time and inclination, could you give me some fiction recommendations? I have insomnia due to some meds I'm having to take and need easy to read, cheering (or at least not too dark) books to turn to in the night. I just read Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and it was ideal! Thank you :-)

Hello!

To your first question: I have thought about it, and it has been suggested. What makes me hesitant to say “probably, someday; where else am I going to put all my archival trivia about medieval neighbors?” is that doing research often feels like solving or plotting out a whodunit. Why is X angered by Y? Why does Group A desire Outcome B? Etc. etc.

To your second question: I think I’d be far more likely to write a YA fairy tale retelling, honestly. Fairy tales as they are are fully complicated, ambiguous, and sexy enough for adults. And I can’t think of one where I’d want to do a twist or reconceptualizing dramatic enough to justify the retelling.

As for reading: I also love Pym’s Less Than Angels, and find it hilariously funny. For gentle, easy reading I’d also recommend either the Sunday Philosophy Club books or the 44 Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith.

#asks and answers #book recommendations #barbara pym #alexander mccall smith

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generalblizzarddreamer · 3 years

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April TBR

- Northhanger Abbey by Jane Austen

- The Sunday Philosophy club by Alexander McCall Smith

- Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

- A Million Junes by Emily Henry

- The Spirit of Cattail County by Victoria Piontek

- If We Were Villains by M.L Rio

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magical-book-lush · 3 years

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Qotd: What are your most anticipated reads of the month??? Aotd: My anticipated reads are in the picture. So hello people🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️...just clicked my own pic. Until now I used to edit books on pictures I used to get on the Pexels app. I am super scared and very nervous about this pic. This pic shows my TBR this month. I had to suddenly change my whole TBR because of a crazy decision my family took and here I am with only paperbacks so give me the pleasure to introduce you to all the books. We have: 💙Hold Tight by Harlan Coben (buddy read with @soul_e.x.p.o.s.e.d @if_pages_could_talk_95 @sourindita). 💙The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. 💙Dear Fatty by Dawn French. 💙Encounters of a Fat Bride by Samah. 💙Flour Babies by Anne Fine 💙The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith 💙Zikr by Husna (Finished already) 💙Shadows of the Past by Jeena Papaadi. 💙Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett for #omnilegentbookclub (currently reading) 💙Catacombs by Madeleine Roux (ordered already). So these are the books I will be reading this month and this was my first ever clicked picture that has me a nervous wreck!!! P.S. that pic in the picture is of my favourite K-pop band idol Jung Ilhoon and it was gifted to me by @ink_slinger_shivangi as belated birthday gift as she knows I love BTOB!!! Do tell me how the pic is and what I can do to make it better in the comments. #firstpicture #currentread #tbr #tbrpile #tbrpost #bookblogger #bookstagrammer #bookstagramreads #btob #btobbookclub #jungilhoon (at Ahmedabad, India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTsYichhGwb/?utm_medium=tumblr

#omnilegentbookclub #firstpicture #currentread #tbr #tbrpile #tbrpost #bookblogger #bookstagrammer #bookstagramreads #btob #btobbookclub #jungilhoon

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annesnevilles · 3 years

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books on deck

the blue castle - lucy maud montgomery

the sunday philosophy club - alexander mccall smith

far from the madding crowd - thomas hardy

#kat reads books #a loose theme for this lot #when someone says touch grass

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registrarism · 5 years

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Philosophical crime capers

Philosophical crime capers - very brief review of a diverting McCall Smith outing with a distinctive sleuth.

The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith

Amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher who also uses her training to solve unusual mysteries. Isabel is Editor of the Review of Applied Ethics – which addresses such questions as ‘Truth telling in sexual relationships’ – and she also hosts The Sunday Philosophy Club at her house in Edinburgh. Behind the city’s Georgian facades its…

View On WordPress

#Alexander McCall Smith #Book #Review

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bookyallen · 7 years

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"There was a distinction between lying and telling half-truths, but it was a very narrow one". – Alexander McCall Smith, The Sunday Philosophy Club . . . “These sociopaths,' he said. 'What do they feel like? Inside?' Isabel smiled. 'Unmoved,' she said. 'They feel unmoved. Look at a cat when it does something wrong. It looks quite unmoved. Cats are sociopaths, you see. It's their natural state” – Alexander McCall Smith, The Sunday Philosophy Club

#alexander mccall smith #scotland #scottish #edinburgh #crime #novel #fiction #philosophy #bookworm #reading list #reading #literature #bookshelf #books #bookstagram #suspense #funny

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devandclom · 7 years

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Books I've bought this month

Okay, even I think I've overdone it a little

The Three Monarchs, Anthony Horowitz

The House of Silk, Anthony Horowitz

Skulduggery Pleasant: Books 1 - 3, Derek Landy

Tripwire, Lee Child

Die Trying, Lee Child

High Heat: A Jack Reacher Novella, Lee Child

The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexander McCall Smith

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith

Havana Blue, Leonardo Padura

Pilgrims, Garrison Keillor

Magpie Murders, Anthony Horowitz

Dark Dawn Over Steep House, M.R.C. Kasasian

Trigger Mortis, Anthony Horowitz

Happy, Derren Brown

#books #books are the best #about me

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crecimientopersonalcoaching · 5 years

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Novelist Alexander McCall Smith: ‘I love writing people’s … – PostBulletin.com

Novelist Alexander McCall Smith: 'I love writing people's …PostBulletin.comBut he also sets books elsewhere, including Scotland, where he lives. The Sunday Philosophy Club series stars an Edinburgh philosopher named Isabel Dalhousie, and the 44 Scotland Street series has an ensemble cast of characters centered on an … Libro La Semilla Libros Autoayuda y Crecimiento Personal source http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=es&usg=AFQjCNGoIgylUy39gTtXNtwCaH3D1Kg0FQ&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=g9PiW_CkLYyS3QGHhLHgDg&url=https://www.postbulletin.com/entertainment/novelist-alexander-mccall-smith-i-love-writing-people-s-conversations/article_a3dd66c2-26e0-5289-85dd-cfda7aa5b34c.html

#Self-Help Books #Personal Growth Books #Libros Autoayuda #Libros Crecimiento Personal

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the-travelling-hobbit · 7 years

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Roadtrip to Cape Town - Part 1

On our last day in Gonubie, we met some friends for breakfast at Lavender Blue, took one last walk along the Boardwalk to the beach and stopped at the petrol station to say goodbye to our dear friend Emmanuel, which made me quite sad. At 11, we jumped into the car and begun our roadtrip which would lead us to Cape Town over the next week. Driving out of East London, I tried to commit the past 2 ½ weeks to memory: the heat of the sun, the humidity, the taste of strawberry milkshakes, toasted sandwiches and the sweetest pineapples. Walking barefoot most of the time, sand under my feet and the salty smell of the ocean air. The conversations with old friends, drinking coffee with my dad and laughing about things we used to do, a strange longing for days gone by when we visited my old school. Gonubie, and East London, has a special place in my heart, and though I wasn't born there and only lived there for two years, it will always be a piece of home and happiness, and I can't wait to go back again!

Our first stop was a small place called Bathurst, not too far from Grahamstown and Port Alfred. On our way we stopped at Kidd's Beach, close to East London – it's a beautiful beach, and a favourite beach of our family friend Edith- so we stayed a bit to give it her love :) On this trip, my DadTg outdid himself booking the places we stayed at, and arriving at our accommodation in Bathurst, we were welcomed to Kingston Farm by the lovely owner: a beautiful farm with Apaloosa horses roaming the fields, two cats and some dogs and geese, and a beautiful garden full of roses, rosmary, thyme and fruit trees. While drinking some coffee at the bar of the main house, the lovely owner told us about the renovation of the house, her love for cooking (she's also a chef!), her husband's horses and a lot more. We stayed in a beautiful small apartment which was lovingly decorated, and a lovely verandah to read and drink coffee.

After drinking some coffee on the verandah and reading a bit, we wanted to explore the village, but as Dad picked up something from the floor, he really hurt his back and could hardly because of the pain. Luckily, walking helped after a while and we walked about the village, which was full of beautiful English looking houses and trees and flowers blooming. We went in a second-hand bookshop (and left with “The Sunday Philosophy Club” by Alexander McCall Smith), small shops selling second-hand things an then had coffee at the oldest pub in South Africa, The Pig and Whistle. In the evening after reading for a while, we had dinner at the restaurant that was part of the farm. Once again, you could really see the love and effort the owners put in the farm, and the food, and it ended up being a really lovely day (apart from Dads back pain).

The next day, after a quick stop at the doctors who luckily helped Dad with his back, we continued on our road trip, this time our destination was a place near Addo called Kududu Farm. The sky was blue, the sun shone and beautiful scenery passing by. Kududu Farm was beautiful, a working orange and lemon farm, and driving in we were greeted by some Kudus. We had a lovely cottage with a view over a stunning valley, and sitting on the balcony in the evening it proved to be a good place for star-gazing.

The next day, we went to the Addo Elephant Park, which we'd both been looking forward to. For the first half hour of driving through the park, we didn't really discover any animals, and we were getting a bit fidgety. As we drove around a bend and bush gave way to fields, my heart skipped a beat: clustered around a waterhole, with others dotted around the field, there they stood: about 15 Elephants. We parked next to other cars, and watched for a while, and it made me really happy. We continued driving for a bit, spotting some giraffes in the distance as well as Impalas, Nyalas and other game, before stopping off for lunch. Afterwards, we decided to have another drive around before going home. Driving towards the field we'd been at before, we couldn't believe our eyes: one elephant after another was walking through the bush onto the field, and by the end there must have been about 50 elephants, standing by the waterhole and scattered about. Watching them, we soon also saw warthogs running about between the elephants, elegant zebras striding around and buffalos grazing. Some of the elephants began crossing the field and the road, ignoring us people in the cars, to get to the acacia trees on the other side of the road-it was amazing seeing these giants with kind eyes searching for food, but also engaging with each other, watching out for other animals while drinking, playing with each other and taking care of their children. We were mesmerized and watched the animals for a long while, and it made me a little sad to think of the elephants and zebras in zoos when they could live their lives in the wild. We left thankful for having seen so many animals, and made our way out of the park when we saw a big safari car stopping at the side of the road. I couldn't see why to begin with when Dad suddenly said: “There's a lion!” An so it was: On a stone between the bushes stood a young lion (basically Simba at the beginning of The Lion King). Dad and I could't believe our luck-what is the chance that we were at the right place at the right time? I truly got goosebumps when the young cub crossed the road in front of our car, sitting down in the grass next to my window-and seeing the lions so close, looking him in the eyes is a moment burned into my memory. Behind him in the bushes lay his mother, relaxing in the shade with the cubs brother or sister. It was the perfect end to a perfect day I will never forget, a dream come true :)

#southafrica #addoelephantpark #elephants #africa #safari

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