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    44 Scotland Street
    44 Scotland Street
    44 Scotland Street
    Audiobook11 hours

    44 Scotland Street

    Written by Alexander McCall Smith

    Narrated by Robert Ian Mackenzie

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Welcome to 44 Scotland Street, home to some of Edinburgh's most colorful characters. There's Pat, a twenty-year-old who has recently moved into a flat with Bruce, an athletic young man with a keen awareness of his own appearance. Their neighbor, Domenica, is an eccentric and insightful widow. In the flat below are Irene and her appealing son Bertie, who is the victim of his mother's desire for him to learn the saxophone and italian-all at the tender age of five. Love triangles, a lost painting, intriguing new friends, and an encounter with a famous Scottish crime writer are just a few of the ingredients that add to this delightful and witty portrait of Edinburgh society, which was first published as a serial in The Scotsman newspaper.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 19, 2005
    ISBN9781436101110
    44 Scotland Street
    Author

    Alexander McCall Smith

    Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the award-winning series The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, and he now devotes his time to the writing of fiction, including the 44 Scotland Street and the Isabel Dalhousie series. He is the author of over eighty books on a wide array of subjects, and his work has been translated into forty-six languages. Before becoming a full-time writer he was for many years Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh.

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    Reviews for 44 Scotland Street

    3.5/5

    67 ratings51 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I can usually call a book by a quarter of the way in. And at one-quarter, I wasn't particularly enjoying this one. I'm not sure why I kept reading, but I did. At half-way, I still wasn't thrilled. But I kept reading. And by three-quarters, magic happened and I couldn't put the book down. So my imagined two stars has materialized as four, and this is why.

      Alexander McCall Smith has the gifts of keen social observation and witty, dry delivery that trump the relative uneventfullness of the book's plot. At first the story meandered along, describing the experiences of the residents of 44 Scotland Street as they went about their lives, with no particular direction apparent. I waited for a plot to reveal itself, reading impatiently until I realized that the fun was in the characters and their foibles and interactions. And what fun it turned out to be! And even better, McCall Smith finally worked in a little dollop of plot-- like clotted cream on an already delicious scone-- in the form of a hunt for a missing painting and romantic tension between two characters.

      I can't wait to see what the residents of Scotland Street are up to in the next series installment!
    • 4/5
      Nothing major happens in this book but it is a wonderful humorous study of characters who grow on you and make you want to follow their lives.
    • 4/5
      A funny, heartwarming story based around a collection of eccentric characters all living in Edinburgh. The story centres around Pat as she is accepted as a new tenant at No.44. There is an element of mystery as she and her new employer seek to discover whether a painting could really be a valuable Peploe but essentially the focus of the story are the characters she meets - including a brief guest appearance by Ian Rankin.Initially the exceptionally short chapters (the book was originally serialised in the Scotsman) were a distraction but in the end I felt they added to the charm.
    • 4/5
      This book is one of the coolest I've ever read. It really offers you an escape from your own life and a peek into the lives of those who live on Scotland Street. There is no "plot" in the modern sense, but the characters are so lovely and delicious that it hardly seems to matter. Will definitely be recommending it to people.
    • 5/5
      Loved it! I laughed out loud several times. The characters in this book are entertaining and surprising. Like after reading most of McCall Smith's books, I felt better about the world and the people in it when I finished.
    • 1/5
      Reading this for book group and I just can't get into it. It just doesn't hold my interest at all. I care nothing for the characters and it doesn't flow at all. I may try a few more chapters, but I have a feeling this one is lost to me.
    • 3/5
      Light and fun to read - a change. Has some very funny lines and scenes. Not my favourite book by this author, but enjoyable none the less.
    • 4/5
      Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street is not really a novel. As its preface explains, it wasn't written as one, either. Each of its one-hundred-and-ten chapters was published individually, day by day, in the Edinburgh-based newspaper The Scotsman. As such, it exists not so much as a cohesive novel, but as one-hundred-and-ten individual titbits of light amusement – exactly the kind of thing that one might be in the mood for when one sits down to read the paper on a lazy Sunday afternoon. McCall Smith has created a cast of peculiar and familiar characters, exaggerated just enough to fuel his dry, relaxed humour. His technique is quite reminiscent of the Australian mockumentary Summer Heights High, (but done in much better taste!)While it may be enjoyable, however, 44 Scotland Street suffers from a lack of something every novel needs: a plot. After finishing this book, I reread The Herald's quote – 'Cliffhanger endings, intrigue, romance, comedy . . . McCall Smith is incapable of being dull' – with more than a little scepticism. There may be comedy and romance here, but intrigue is somewhat lacking, and there are hardly any 'cliffhanger endings'. In fact, 'dull' is exactly what McCall Smith often comes dangerously close to being. The trouble with putting one-hundred-and-ten pieces of light amusement so close to each other is that they tend to roll together into one large piece of meandering tedium. There is simply not enough development, nor enough cohesion, to hold a reader's interest for any extended period of time.On the other hand, when it is enjoyed in short doses – as was originally intended – 44 Scotland Street is quite an enjoyable book. With its gentle philosophy, subtle humour and occasional poignancy, it is a perfect way to unwind and de-stress for a few minutes each day. McCall Smith spends pages and pages developing rich and detailed characters that readers will come to love (and hate!)As a novel, it leaves something to be desired, but as a newspaper serial, it is an undeniable success. Recommended especially for those who have lived in Edinburgh – locals will get an extra kick out of this book.
    • 5/5
      This new series of books were first published as a serial in The Scotsman. The book revolves around the inhabitants of a tenament house in Edinburgh. There is a good mix of characters, both sympathetic and irritating, and, as usual ASM makes you care about what happens to them. The stories are told in short chapters (reflecting the fact that the book was first published as a series of instalments).
    • 4/5
      I am a big fan of Alexander McCall Smith and this book did not disappoint. I will be honest and say that I approached reading this with some trepidation as I wasn't sure how the episodic nature of the writing would affect my reading, and it didn't. I particularly liked the epsiode around the portrait of the the Moderator of the Wee Free Reformed Presbyterian Church (Discontinued). I will be looking out for the next installment in the series.
    • 3/5
      First book by this author, and I was only just interested enough to keep going. The ending was pretty much a non-event after sticking with it ...... probably won't try another.
    • 3/5
      Decent book, not awe inspiring or a must read for me. I have gotten the second book in the series to actually see if I could figure out just what was going on in the first book. We shall see.
    • 2/5
      This is one of McCall Smith's slightest works. The characters are one-dimensional and unsympathetic, and the plot is a series of contrivances. Originally written as a newspaper serial, it suffers from having been composed in self-contained units of a few hundred words. Avoid; head to the Botswana series.
    • 4/5
      The many short chapters determined by the original publication of this novel as a series of daily newspaper columns does not diminish the work as a single book. I found the many characters to be richly engaging and the result stands the obvious comparison with Maupin's Tales of the City.
    • 4/5
      Incredibly readable and perfect for dipping into on the move. It's full of great character studies and vivid images of Edinburgh.
    • 3/5
      The gentle, slow pace of his writing is perfect for a slow afternoon when nothing else is going to happen. He develops his characters slowly, tantalizing us with the psyches of a very disparate group of residents. I'm particularly fond of little Bertie, the precocious saxophone playing, train loving 5 year old with an absolutely obnoxious mother. Bertie just wants to find another 5 year old friend, and detach from his momma - not learn Italian and all the other silly things his mom has in store for him. I definitely want to follow these adventures to see what happens to Bertie. I finished this in two afternoons, and am now anxiously awaiting my next trip to the library to pick up the second in the series.
    • 3/5
      Having enjoyed Alexander McCall Smith's other books I looked forward to 44 Scotland Street, not least because I was living in Edinburgh at the time that I read the book, and its always nice to read novels set somewhere that you know well. Unfortunately I found it quite dull and I really struggled through it. I have previously like McCall Smith's other novels for their easy reading, engaging characters and interesting situations. However 44 Scotland Street really let me down. I felt that nothing was achieved. I also only liked two or three of the many characters involved and even then became irritated by their actions or the feeling that some outside force was placing hardship after hardship in their way just to demonstrate their character. I suppose it felt like the characters were being showcased, rather than we were joining the characters in their world. I was disappointed, but I would be willing to give the sequels in the series a shot, perhaps further development of the characters would solve the issues I have with this novel.
    • 4/5
      I love McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, I like the Isabel Dalhousie series, and I thoroughly enjoy the Professor von Igelfeld books. This was my first foray into the 44 Scotland Street series. It provided a different reading experience than the books I've read from the author's other series.I found this book harder to put down at the end of a chapter when I needed to move on to other activities. The novel was originally serialized in the Scotsman newspaper, and in the preface McCall Smith discusses how he adapted his writing style for the serial format. The chapters are shorter than those in his other novels, and there are more of them -- 110 in all. Each chapter ends with an unresolved situation in order to keep newspaper readers hooked and eager for the next installment. I found myself reading in longer stretches than I intended to because there didn't seem to be a good place to stop!The book reminds me of a soap opera, where all of the characters are connected in some way to 44 Scotland Street. Some of the characters live there, and the others are connected to one or more of the residents by work, social, or family ties. Just as in a soap opera, some plot lines are more interesting than others. The two threads I liked the most involved Pat, the 20-year-old girl who has just moved away from home, and Bertie, a 5-year old prodigy. Both of these characters are learning how to make their way in the world -- Pat as a newly independent young woman taking on adult responsibilities and forming adult relationships, and Bertie chafing under his mother's pressure to excel while all he really wants is to be like other boys his age. I look forward to reading more about Pat and Bertie as the series progresses!
    • 3/5
      If you're looking for a companion series to No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, this isn't it. The only thing in common is the author. However, if you want a light and gentle read with some lovely funny characterizatons, this IS it. I'm several books behind on the sequels, but looking forward to catching up.
    • 4/5
      I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this, I expected to miss the backdrop of Botswana, but once the story got going I was perfectly happy with Edinburgh! Written originally as a serial, this has a soapy feel, an extensive cast, and a pleasing hint of farce.There was a lot that reminded me of the 'Ladies' Detective Agency' series - not least the air of Granny's Homespun Wisdom which creeps in from time to time, and the simplistic style in which it is written. It could almost be a children's book but for the sly adult humour, which finds its mark particularly well when aimed at the various political parties and personalities of Scotland.Several strands of the story are left partially unresolved, and mysteries not yet explained, so there is plenty to look forward to in the next instalment of this series, and I'm pretty sure I'll be reading it.
    • 4/5
      This is a neat collection of stories about the people who shared the rental of 44 Scotland Street in Edinborough and their connections, friends, and neighbors. The subjects range from the gap year of a young woman and her job in an art gallery to a handsome but conceited young man, to an elderly rich woman making a life among artists and intellectuals, to the education of a somewhat gifted child and the foolishness of his parents' ideas for child rearing. There is also a small cast of interesting background characters who have memorable stories that further reveal the human condition. It is quite a good character study, and Smith wrote it well. Sentences flow, and there are no unnecessary details. Although not really exciting, I can hardly wait to read more.
    • 3/5
      This book was originally published as a daily serial for a newspaper, inspired by meeting Armistead Maupin at a party, the author of the "Tales of the City" books. As in Maupin's "Tales of the City", it is centred around the occupants of the flats in a single house, although this house is in Edinburgh rather than San Francisco. An easy read, but neither as interesting nor as funny as the No. 1 Ladies' Detective agency series.Another Edinburgh novelist, Ian Rankin, appears as himself in the book, so I wonder if Alexander McCall Smith will turn up in one of Rankin's books one day, maybe as a murder suspect.
    • 4/5
      The book was originally published as a daily newspaper seriel - with each chapter containing some action, yet remaining short.I involves a group of people living in old apartment building at 44 Scotland Street, Edinbourgh, Scotland. The plot is slow and really goes nowhere, but the characters are generally interesting.
    • 5/5
      This is my visit to the 44 Scotland Street books and it just confirms my reason for choosing Alexander McCall Smith as one of my favourite autors. It is easy going but draws you into the lives of the characters. You could almost live in Scotland Street - grinning at Bruce's narcissim; feeling for Pat's unrequited love and wishing desparately to look through Big Lou's book collection!
    • 3/5
      It is a strange coincidence that I began reading this at about the same time as "Mr Golightly's holiday". While the subject matter is very different, the format is the same: start with one character and then expand outwards geographially to include all that character's connections. In many ways, this book was just as annoying. Normally I wouldn't have bought it, because I got the idea from the sample, but Wendy had highly recommended it, so I decided to take a risk.I've never finished the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, because although I wanted to know what happened, the style started to feel a bit repetitive for me. But I did at least find those books more enobling than condescending. This book was the reverse, and I struggled with to empathise with most of the characters. There were a few exceptions, however, and I did rather like Angus' poetry. Angus and Domenica, and, of course, Cyril, were the best parts of the book for me. I'm afraid I probably won't be going back for more though.
    • 3/5
      The reminded me a lot of Tales of the City. Although it was published as a serial, I could see that McCall Smith had written a lot of it all at once, parsed it out, and then got a little frantic near the end to add to the story (as he mentions in the Intro). The characters certainly have many faults, but I like that it ends on a positive note, even when it directly follows a disaster!
    • 3/5
      This is my first McCall Smith and I was disappointed in it. I thought the characters were boring and the plot was dull. I was tempted many times to stop reading. The ending was slightly better than I expected. It will be a long time before I can bring myself to try another book of his.
    • 2/5
      I'm not entirely sure what I think of this book. It was written as an experiment in serializing a novel daily, which accounts for its short chapters and episodic structure. I don't get the impression that it was planned. It was also published in the Edinburgh paper, and I can tell that there are a lot of in-jokes that are going way over my head.Smith (or McCall Smith, I'm not sure which), has a very distinctive style. It is very spare, very descriptive. It works extremely well in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency books, and doesn't work at all in the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series. I'm of two minds about it here.On the one hand, this really isn't so much a novel as it is a collection of people. The detached tone lends the work a slice of life versimilitude. On the other hand, I think that is part of what keeps it from coming together as a novel - there is no central plot or theme, simply a lot of people, doing things.I gave it a two-star rating because it wasn't particularly compelling, but I would probably read the next book in the series. I won't seek it out, but I won't avoid it, either.
    • 4/5
      What a delightful read of the people living at 44 Scotland street and all the people that they are involved with. My favorite characters are a very wise 5 year old and a 60 year old woman who seems to love life.
    • 3/5
      I am not as enamoured with the Scotland Street series as The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency; it might be as simple as my not being remotely interested in more than three of the fifteen or so recurring characters (a ratio that makes the whole book seem wildly overpopulated). The author’s writing is still engaging, but without the depth of character, there is nothing to pin this interest on. More disappointingly, the philosophy with which The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency was so redolent is either missing from Scotland Street, or stale in its execution. The characters that do work are very well written; and certain patches of introspection on the principal character’s part make her less cardboard that she might otherwise seem – and the ‘serial’ feel of the chapters is interesting (and probably what kept me reading). As I have a copy of the next book, I will probably read it… but unless it really picks up, I won’t be hunting down any more of this particular series. Not my cup of tea.