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    The Colors of All the Cattle
    The Colors of All the Cattle
    The Colors of All the Cattle
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Colors of All the Cattle

    Written by Alexander McCall Smith

    Narrated by Lisette Lecat

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Precious Ramotswe dips her toe into the world of politics in the newest addition to the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the City Council, Mma Ramotswe is at first unsure. But when she learns about the proposed construction of the flashy Big Fun Hotel next to a graveyard, she allows herself to be persuaded. Her opponent is none other than Violet Sephotho, who is in the pocket of the hotel developers. Although Violet is intent on using every trick in the book to secure her election, Mma Ramotswe refuses to promise anything beyond what she can deliver-hence her slogan: "I can't promise anything-but I shall do my best." To everyone's surprise, she wins. As it turns out, politics does not agree with Mma Ramotswe. Though everyone is supportive, she eventually resigns. She thinks there will be a new election, but she discovers that the rules state that in such an event, the runner-up automatically takes the seat. Violet is triumphant, and sure that she will get the Big Fun Hotel planning application through without a hitch. But Mma Makutsi and Mma Potokwane are not about to make it easy for her. Through it all, Mma Ramotswe uses her good humor and generosity of spirit to help the community navigate divisive issues, and proves that honesty and compassion will always carry the day.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateNov 6, 2018
    ISBN9781501998942
    The Colors of All the Cattle
    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 The Colors of All the Cattle

    4/5

    145 ratings11 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I’ve only given 4 stars to this volume of my favorite book series of all time because I believe one must have read most of the previous volumes to appreciate the meaning of much of what transpires within this one. But McCall Smith shines like a beacon of well wishes in my life as always, in this painting of a beautiful world.
    • 4/5
      “The Colors of All the Cattle” (2018), the 19th No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novel by Alexander McCall Smith, finds Precious Ramotswe trying her hand at politics, against her will, and Charlie, the long apprentice mechanic and short-time apprentice detective, solving his first big case.Running for a seat on city council is not Mma Ramotswe's idea. Mma Potokwane, who runs the Orphan Farm, wants Mma Ramotswe on council to oppose the Big Fun Hotel planned next to the graveyard. Mma Potokwane claims she does not have time to run for council herself, although she does have time to run her friend's campaign. Grace Makutsi, the former secretary who by now has promoted herself to "joint managing director" of the detective agency, also pressures Mma Ramotswe to run for office because the other candidate is her longtime rival, Violet Sephotho.Meanwhile there is a case to solve. An aged doctor was struck and injured by a hit-and-run driver in a blue vehicle. He and particularly his daughter want the driver found, even though the police have given up on the case. Charlie has an idea, and Mma Ramotswe puts him in charge. The cases in these novels rarely involve violence of any kind, but this one does, putting Charlie to a true test.In a third plot line, Charlie starts dating a girl named Queenie-Queenie, who turns out to be from a wealthy family. She also has a protective brother regarded as one of the strongest men in Botswana. Again Charlie's courage is tested.Like every other book in this series, “The Colors of All the Cattle” (we don't learn the significance of the title until the penultimate page) entertains from beginning to end.
    • 5/5
      Another beautiful book in this thoroughly enjoyable series.
    • 3/5
      Lightweight even for this series, the mystery wasn't for long and the council election was pure fantasy with all the annoying parts and not much fun.
    • 3/5
      This review is for the audio version. I always look forward to time with Mma Ramotswe and her family and friends. The narrator's wonderful voice and accent, so appropriate for this series, is still great, but the pace was too slow for me. I could not finish it. I'm not sure if the writing was just less interesting or if the audio pace was too slow. If you can adjust the speed on the audio version, it might be better or pick up the print version and indulge in another visit to Botswana.
    • 4/5
      This is the 19th installment in William McCall Smith's extremely cozy No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. In this latest volume, Mma Ramowtswe is persuaded by Mma Makustsi and Mma Potokwame to stand for a seat on the town council in opposition to a new hotel development; an old friend of Mma Ramowtswe;s father needs help in finding the hit and run driver who injured him; and Charlie wonders whether he is good enough for his rich new girlfriend, Queenie-Queenie.Of course, everything in Smith's Botswana ends up all right in the end, and after reading several doom and gloom novels and non-fiction books it is a pleasure to spend time in the company of these good and gentle characters. I hope this series goes on forever.
    • 4/5
      Mma Precious Ramotswe began the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Botswana and. It is possibly the only detective agency in that region of Africa. With people in the small villages knowing just about everything about everyone else, her cases are usually non-violent and relatively easily and tenderly resolved. When a well-loved doctor suffers severe injuries by a hit-and-run driver, she is asked by him and his daughter to locate the driver, no small task since there is no evidence pointing to a particular person or vehicle. But, with the help of her friend and colleague, Mma Grace Makutsi, who sees herself as an equal partner because she graduated from a secretarial college, and Charlie, an enthusiastic though unqualified part-time trainee (who spend the rest of his day as an enthusiastic but unqualified mechanical apprentice at Mma Ramotswe’s husband’s garage), she sets out to find the perpretrator.Gaborone, the city where they live, is also facing a major problem: A group of wealthy but unknown investors want to build a major hotel right next to a cemetery. The hotel will be called The Big Fun Hotel and is expected to be attractive to tourists. The townspeople believe the location is very disrespectful of the late people buried there.There is a vacancy on the city council and Mma Ramotswe is approached by an influential and strong-willed woman to run for the office to prevent the construction. Running for public office is about the last thing that she wants to do. She sees herself as a humble person and does not want the public attention. Eventually she agrees and runs by stating that she cannot do miracles and will not make any promises except that she will do her best. A third thread is Charlie’s relationship with a young woman whom he cares about deeply. Unfortunately, he doesn’t earn enough money even to take her to a restaurant. She doesn’t seem to care, but when he learns that she comes from an extremely wealthy family, he feels very inadequate.Mma Ramotswe is a very calm and positive person, always looking for the good in people, quick to forgive and offer second chances. THE COLORS OF ALL THE CATTLE, a gentle book, is packed with philosophy and humor. Charlie takes everything literally. As the first meeting of Mma Ramotswe’s election committee opens, he is sitting on the floor and wondering why the meeting was called to order when there was no disorder. His confusion continues. Later on when the chairperson reacts to an interruption, she complains about interruptions from the floor. Charlie responds, “But I am on the floor. If we cannot hear from the floor, then I will be able to say nothing.”Mma Makutsi’s husband is the wealthy owner of a furniture store. When she wants to use his business to get information, they have an argument about the roles of women and men.Mma Ramottswe has a lovely outlook about the dead. “Late people are still with us..... They were with us in the things that they had said, which we remembered long after they had gone; they were with us in the love that they had shown us, and which we could still draw upon...; and, if...they had children, they were with us in the look in the eyes of those children, in the way they held their heads, in the way they laughed, or in the way they walked., or did any of the other things that were passed on, deep inside, within families.”The last part hit home with me. My mother died 26 years ago. A couple years later, one of her first cousins told me I had my mother’s smile. No one had ever mentioned that before. I found a picture of her smiling and, sure enough, I had the same smile. That has been very comforting over the years.Like all the books in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the people are treated respectfully and honestly. The plot does not use violence, sex, profanity;, car chases, etc., to make its point. While it takes place in Botswana, the people and situations are international. THE COLORS OF ALL THE CATTLE is a nice escape from current events and readers may learn something in the process.
    • 5/5
      How does Alexander McCall Smith manage to keep writing stories about the wonderful Mma Ramotswe? This is the 19th book in the series and this time she’s involved in city politics. The No. 1 Ladies Detective books always make me feel contented after reading them.
    • 4/5
      Another enjoyable visit with Mma Ramotswe and her friends and family.This time, she's asked to find the driver in a hit-and-run that seriously injured a respected older doctor who served her native village of Mochudi for years, and returned their in retirement after some years at a respected hospital. The good doctor can't identify the car beyond the fact that it was blue, and there were no witnesses. The police, with nothing to work with, have given up.At the same time, there's a proposal before the Gabarone city council to approve the development of a hotel, the Big Fun Hotel, next to a cemetery. There's an open seat on the council, and an election approaching--and currently the only candidate is old nemesis Violet Sepotho. But Mma Ramotswe's friend Mma Potokwanne has a solution--Mma Ramotswe will run also, and defeat her--and then defeat the plans for the Big Fun Hotel.Mma Ramotswe thinks this is a terrible idea, but it's hard to say no to Mma Potokwane, and Mma Makutsi, Mr. Polopetse, and part-time mechanic, part-time detective-in-training Charlie are all ready to actively support her candidacy. Indeed, Mma Makutsi is just as determined she should run as Mma Potokwane.Meanwhile, the characters continue to grow and develop. Grace Makutsi and her husband, Phuti Radiphuti, weather their first marital argument. Charlie has a girlfriend whom he has less desire to show off for, and more desire to genuinely impress. For the first time, being worthy of her is a real concern.The gentle and warm tone continues, and I found the story very satisfying. Recommended.I bought this audiobook.
    • 4/5
      There is nothing outrageously phenomenal in McCall Smith's books. But then why do they (this one included!) always leave you with a clean, positive, good feeling about everything in this world? This installment of "No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency" was one of the best ones so far. What can you say against this little unrefined gem: "... sometimes the best thing we could do was simply muddle through, getting some things right but also getting many things wrong"?.. or: "Because hate makes you very tired"?... Truisms, yes, but in a very honorable meaning of this word.
    • 5/5
      Book nineteen and I have loved them all. It's impossible to believe that at this moment Mma Precious Ramotswe is not in Botswana dispensing her gentle wisdom. In the latest installment Mma uses her best persuasive skills to get a reluctant Mma Raotswe to run for a city council in order to stop a hotel from being built next to a graveyard. A second plot involves an old family friend asking for Mma Ramotswe help in solving a hit and run in which he was the victim. The plot was not as compelling as some of the other earlier books but I still loved my visit to Botswana. One thing I love about McCall's writing is that he really develops the characters so that they and change and grow. I really enjoyed the way Charlie has matured and the development of his love life in this book. Another thing I love about the books is that you can't help feeling kinder after reading one. Mma Ramotswe has such a gentle and loving approach to life that you feel better just by reading the story. I take a bit of life wisdom away with me every time I read one of McCall's books. This is one of my favorite series.