The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency

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Summary: feminism in Africa
Review: A glimpse into modern Botswanian life seen through the eyes of a woman. Humorous in places yet philosophical without being dogmatic. Told by a woman who has a good sense of self and wisdom. No major murder story as most mysteries are nowadays but everyday adventures of a self styled local detective. A quick read. Good for the beach or vacation chair.

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Summary: Not so much of a detective as a loving description of Africa
Review: After the death of her father Precious Ramotswe uses the inheritance to buy herself a house and an office from which she starts the first detective agency in Botswana. Business starts slowly, but she gets a number of clients with problems ranging from missing husbands to fraudulent employees and she starts to build up a reputation leading to new clients. The book describes some of the cases that Mma Ramotswe solves, but the real star of the book is Africa: there are long, loving descriptions of the nature, the people, the culture and the life in Africa and anybody who has been to Africa (and subsequently loves the continent despite all its problems) can use this book to refresh their memories and long back to those real African nights. Don't read this as a detective but as a book about Africa.

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Summary: A great main character who's strong, intelligent, and real.
Review: This book was a light read but an enjoyable one. The story is of Precious Ramotswe, a "traditional" African woman in size but "untraditional" in her ambitions. She opens Botswana's first ladies detective agency. Her character is strong, has high morals and when it comes to the truth she is refreshingly blunt. Her frankness and matter of factness had me laughing out loud sometimes. The book is set up in a way where the first part describes her father's life, her life, and a bit of history on Africa. The rest of the book is set up in a format where it's short chapters on her cases. These aren't suspenseful cases with twists and turns like you would find in a mystery novel, but they are more simple and quickly resolved. This isn't a book were the plot thickens and evolves. It remains pretty constant in its plot, speed, and energy level. I suggest sitting down in the bookstore and reading the first 20 pages. If you enjoy it then you'll enjoy the rest of the book. If you don't enjoy it then don't read it as it doesn't change much throughout the rest of the book. This was a different read than I normally choose but I still enjoyed it. Its perfect summer reading! I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

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Summary: The Agency with Attitude
Review: Follow along on dangerous journeys, stalk infaous men, and enjoy detective life with Mma Ramotswe in Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. The story is set in present day Africa. The plot follows Mma Ramotswe through the grunt-work of being a detective. From case to case, the book will have you flipping pages until the very end.
The main charecter, Mma Ramotswe, is the owner of the only Detective Agency in Botswana. Born in Botswana, Mma prides herself on her unique business and her 100% satisfaction garuntee. Mma's agency was funded by the sale of her father's cattle. Like any business, it took a while to get started, one it did Mma was inundated with clients. One client in particular kicks the plot froward. A poor Katswana schoolteacher writes to Mma and asks for her help in the disappearance of his son. Mma uses her detective skills and the help of her good friend Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni to follow the trail of the boy. The road to discovery is rocky with the potholes of witch doctors, smugglers and one of the most infamous men in the country, Charlie Gotso. To complicate matters, Mr. Matekoni proposes. Mma is in over her head, she must solve the disappearance of the schoolteachers son and decide whether she will acept Mr. Matekoni's proposal for the ulimate ending.
Certain parts of the story are hard to believe. An example of this was when Mma Ramotswe was in hot pursuit of a suspect. A client asked her to see the whereabouts of one of his doctors. His erratic behavior suggested he was on drugs but the employer wanted proof first. When she followed the suspect to a house she watched from the garden of an abandonned house next door. Her detective skills failed her and the suspect spotted her. When asked what she was doing she made up a story about how she used to live in the abandonned house and she was reminiscing her days there. Suprisingly, the suspect believed her. This seemed particularly hard to believe. How could an eductaed man believe the reason Mma was crouched in the garden was that she was reminiscing her childhood? In any case, this parallels a oint in my life when I was in Elementary school. I lost my math homework and said my older brother ate it. Since the excuse was original and the homework was difficult, my teacher brushed off the excuse with a good laugh and waved the assignment.
All in all, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency had me flipping the pages until the very end. It was a light read that accomodated my need to get away from heavy material. For a good laugh and some thrills, read Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional writing--Captivating storyline!
Review: I had to buy this book for a reading class I was taking in school. At first, I was under the impression that it would be extremely dull and packed full of political propaganda. Typically, books that focus around African countries are so full of political jargon that it's impossible to enjoy, even if the plot is brilliant.

This book is NOTHING like I thought it would be. The author's style of writing is wonderful. The humor in this book isn't direct, you won't find the characters cracking jokes with one another. The humor in this story mostly inferred in random statements throughout the book.

I really enjoyed it, I couldn't put it down, and I finished it long before I had to (which caused a few problems on those weekly tests!)

I highly recommend it! It would be a great book to curl up with during the summer.

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Summary: A fresh breeze of innocence, joy and good writing
Review: A friend gave me this book for Christmas and like her I have now almost read the whole series. The story is simple and an easy read but beyond that there is a depth of innocence and simplicity which almost has a smile behind it more often than not. Alexander McCall Smith's writing reminds me a little of Rudyard Kipling's writing in "Just So Stories". I find myself sometimes just wanting to read it out loud for the effects of the writing. The story is joyful, positive and interesting, not only from the point of view of the many crimes that Precious Ramotswe has to solve but in how it follows her life, her intuition and her traditional Botswana ways. The innocence and honesty of the characters takes me back to some of Laurens Van Der Post's writing and that echo for me is also a very positive one.

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Summary: NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY. YOUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Review: The Republic of Botswana is located in Southern Africa, nestled between South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The largest exporter of gemstone diamonds in the world, Botswana is democratically ruled and has some of Africa's last great wildernesses including the famous Okavango Swamps and the Kalahari desert. The country's latest claim to fame is "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" whose owner, and our protagonist, Precious Ramotswe, is its only female detective - perhaps the only one in all of Africa - thus the agency's name.

The delightfully cunning Mma. Ramotswe inherited a herd of cattle from her beloved father. She then sold the cattle and used the money to start her agency in Gaborone. Uncertain of her success as a female entrepreneurial sleuth, she was met with skepticism from all sides. "Can women be detectives?" asked the bank's lawyer. Her only capital assets are a tiny white van, two desks, two chairs, a telephone, an old typewriter, a teapot, and three teacups. Oh! And she owns the sign outside her office, which reads, "THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY. FOR ALL CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND ENQUIRIES. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED FOR ALL PARTIES. UNDER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT."

Precious Ramotswe, however, does have the "Right Stuff." Her most valuable assets are intangible, but I'd take them to the bank any day. She is extremely intelligent, with outstanding intuitive capabilities (that sounds professional!). Possessing a keen perception of the human character, along with perseverance, and a strong set of values, she inspires trust in most all who meet her. She is also good woman with a kind heart. Most inspiring is her deep and abiding love for Africa, and for Botswana and its people in particular. "They are my people, my brothers and sisters. It is my duty to help them to solve the mysteries of their lives. That is what I am called to do."

This is not an ordinary crime novel/police procedural. Nor is it an edge-of-your-seat mystery thriller. Yes, Mma. Ramotswe is a private detective, but she manages to solve mysteries without the use of guns and violence, for the most part, preferring to use unorthodox solutions instead. Her cases may be small but they deal with issues important to people's lives, and some of them are extremely thought-provoking and emotional. A sinister event comes to her attention when a young boy goes missing. Mma. Romotswe will have to confront one of her country's most fearful traditions - the use of human bones to make powerful medicine.

The narrative is written simply, in a clear, uncluttered style. And our Number One Detective is a pure delight, as are the people she deals with, and their everyday problems which she helps them resolve. The details of Mma. Ramotswe's background, her life before she began detecting, are intense and absorbing. The novel is enchanting and I am captivated by Precious Ramotswe. "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" received two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement. This is the first book in a series.
JANA

Rating:
Summary: Audio Version - Good story.
Review: I think my review is a little bit lower than average because I listened to this book on CD in the car. It was an entertaining story that gave you a little peek into the South African culture, but it was a bit slow - at least listening to it. I can imagine that if I had read the book the pace would have picked up dramatically.

Another point that you might not think of before getting an audio version is that this book is read by a female (since the story is told from a female perspective) from South Africa (or at least does a very good impression of a South African accent). At first I thought it was great - it added to the story, but after a while it felt like the accent was slowing the reading down a little bit and I found myself noticing the accent here and there (usually on audio versions I don't notice the voice very much after the beginning). So just be forewarned.

But overall, a good book with a good story. Not something I would read or listen to twice, but still good.

Rating:
Summary: Great read,
Review: This book is a great read and a great escape from the usual, predictable novel. This was a Christmas gift from a friend in Scotland and I thanked her for introducing me to a new author.

I have ordered the following 3 books and plan to savor them.

Rating:
Summary: Simple and Beautiful
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It was touching, warm and kept you interested in the fate of each character. Its a perfect Sunday afternoon read.