The Geometry Of Holding Hands

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Knopf Canada
Page : 191 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2020-07-28
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780735280144

Get Book

The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

Isabel Dalhousie applies her moral philosopher's mind to wrongdoings in Edinburgh, and will have to call upon her powers of deduction and her unflappable moral code to unravel another social mystery in the new novel from the bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Isabel Dalhousie finds herself entangled in some tricky familial and financial situations that will require all of her kindness, charm and philosophical expertise to navigate. Just when Isabel and Jamie finally seem to have some time to connect and unwind, a wealthy Edinburgh resident reaches out to Isabel with an unusual request--he would like her to become the executor of his large Highland estate. Though Isabel initially demurs, he presses on. He has only a short time to live and, without any direct heirs, is struggling to determine which of his three cousins would be the best caretaker. Should the estate go to the bohemian artist, the savvy city property developer, or the quiet, unassuming bachelor? And if this weren't enough to keep Isabel occupied, she's also spending more time helping her niece, Cat, at the deli. Cat, perennially unlucky in love, appears to have finally found her match in the leonine Leo. But Isabel is beginning to suspect that Leo might be interested in more than Cat's charms--namely, her access to the family trust. Isabel will need to rely upon her remarkable reserves of intelligence and compassion in order to give all parties exactly what they want and deserve--no more and no less.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 223 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2020
Category : Edinburgh (Scotland)
ISBN : 1648380417

Get Book

The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Vintage Canada
Page : 271 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2010-05-21
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307370419

Get Book

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

The delightful second installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s already hugely popular new detective series, The Sunday Philosophy Club, starring the irrepressibly curious Isabel Dalhousie — editor of the Journal of Applied Ethics — and her no-nonsense housekeeper, Grace. When Isabel’s niece, Cat, asks Isabel to run her delicatessen while she attends a wedding in Italy, Isabel meets a man with a most interesting problem. He recently had a heart transplant, and is suddenly plagued with memories of events that never happened to him. The situation appeals to Isabel as a philosophical question. Is the heart truly the seat of the soul? And it piques her insatiable curiosity: could the memories be connected with the donor’s demise? Grace, of course, thinks it is none of Isabel’s business. Add to the mix the lothario Cat brings home from the wedding in Italy, who, in accordance with all that Isabel knows about lotharios, shouldn’t be trusted . . . but goodness, he is charming. That makes two mysteries of the heart to be solved — just the thing for Isabel Dalhousie.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Vintage Canada
Page : 260 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2009-02-24
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307371713

Get Book

The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

Full-time philosopher and occasional sleuth Isabel Dalhousie, now the mother of a baby boy, is getting used to the new rhythms of her life, caring for little Charlie with the sometimes unsettling aid of her forthright housekeeper, Grace, having dinners with Charlie’s father, Jamie, and tending as usual to submissions to the Review of Applied Ethics. But Isabel is deeply unsettled when she receives a letter telling her that she is soon to be replaced as editor of the Review by Christopher Dove, an ambitious academic at a London university, and she considers a variety of ways of dealing with this unwelcome news. And her niece, Cat, who a couple of years before had rejected Jamie and broken his heart, is now furious at Isabel for having stolen him away. Isabel’s insatiable curiosity—or what Jamie sees as her tendency toward meddling—is peaked when she learns some odd details regarding two paintings by a Scottish artist that have come onto the auction market, and she begins to think that the paintings might be forgeries. Her investigation takes her to the beautiful Isle of Jura, where she finds some recent traces of the painter and learns of his apparent suicide in the fabled whirlpool called the Corryvreckan. A visit to the painter’s widow brings a surprising realization, one that contributes to her musings throughout the story on mothers, fathers, and sons.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Vintage Canada
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2010-05-28
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307370402

Get Book

The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

Introducing the new series from the international bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books — the Sunday Philosophy Club series is set in Edinburgh, Scotland, and stars Isabel Dalhousie, editor of The Review of Applied Ethics and part-time detective. Isabel enjoys wading through the mysteries of life, everything from the morning’s crossword to higher philosophical dilemmas, often with the advice of her ethically upright housekeeper, Grace. In this first novel of the series, Isabel witnesses a young man plunge to his death from the upper balcony of the Edinburgh Concert Hall. When Isabel discovers that the young victim had uncovered illicit activities at the brokerage house where he worked, the hunt for answers, and the killer, is on. This new series is a delightful look at a reasonable and logical woman who keeps getting involved in mysteries despite all reason and logic.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Knopf Canada
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2018-07-31
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780345808721

Get Book

The Quiet Side of Passion by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

From the bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith, the 12th book about Isabel Dalhousie--philosopher, moral sleuth, mother, wife--in which Isabel is called upon to help when a paternity question presents more than meets the eye. Isabel finds herself befriended by Patricia, a single mother whose son, Basil, goes to school with Isabel's son. Isabel discovers that Basil is the product of an affair Patricia had with a well-known Edinburgh organist, also named Basil, who was, rumor has it, initially reluctant to contribute financially to the child's upkeep. Though Isabel doesn't really like Patricia, she tries to be civil and supportive, but when she sees Patricia in the company of an unscrupulous man who may be a wanted criminal, her suspicions are aroused and she begins to investigate the paternity of Basil Jr. When Isabel takes her suspicions to Basil Sr., she finds that, although he is paying child support and wishes he could have more of a relationship with Basil Jr., Patricia has no interest in Basil Sr. taking a more hands-on role in Basil Jr.'s parenting, even as she continues to accept his financial support. Should Isabel help someone who doesn't want to be helped? As Isabel navigates this ethically-complex situation, she is also dealing with her niece, Cat, who has taken up with a brawny and opinionated tattoo shop clerk. Isabel considers herself open-minded, but has Cat pushed it too far this time? As ever, Isabel must use her kindness and keen intelligence to determine the right course of action. In this twelfth full-length installment of Isabel's story, McCall Smith gives his readers what we want--time inside the mind of one of fiction's most richly developed women detectives, a visit to Edinburgh, and a twisting and tangled mystery about what responsibility humans owe to each other.

Author : Michael Barakiva
Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2019-05-21
Category : Young Adult Fiction
ISBN : 9780374304874

Get Book

Hold My Hand by Michael Barakiva Pdf

Michael Barakiva's Hold My Hand is a funny, smart, relatable take on the joy and challenges of teenage love, the boundaries of forgiveness, and what it really means to be honest. Alek Khederian thinks about his life B.E. and A.E.: Before Ethan and After Ethan. Before Ethan, Alek was just an average Armenian-American kid with a mess of curly dark hair, grades not nearly good enough for his parents, and no idea of who he was or what he wanted. After he got together with Ethan, Alek was a new man. Stylish. Confident. (And even if he wasn’t quite marching in LGBTQ parades), Gay and Out and Proud. With their six-month anniversary coming up, Alek and Ethan want to do something special to celebrate. Like, really special. Like, the most special thing two people in love can do with one another. But Alek’s not sure he’s ready for that. And then he learns something about Ethan that may not just change their relationship, but end it. Alek can't bear the thought of finding out who he'd be P.E.: Post-Ethan. But he also can't forgive or forget what Ethan did. Luckily, his best friend Becky and madcap Armenian family are there to help him figure out whether it’s time to just let Ethan go, or reach out and hold his hand.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Knopf Canada
Page : 60 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2016-05-31
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780345812193

Get Book

Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

A Knopf Canada Original E-Short, and a spin-off story from the Isabel Dalhousie series. Philosopher and amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie has an unstinting commitment to her principles. Sticking to her promises has always been one of them. Then Isabel runs into an old classmate facing marital and financial troubles, who reveals a secret about a painting up for auction that becomes more and more difficult for Isabel to keep. In the meantime she comes across a revealing note accidentally put in the pocket of her son's jacket at daycare, and obviously intended for another classmate's parent. Thankfully, Isabel's devoted husband, Jamie, is there to help our heroine navigate her competing moral obligations. Beautifully perceptive and witty, this original short story by Alexander McCall Smith shows Isabel calling upon all of her intelligence, charm, and tact.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Anchor
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2018-11-06
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781524747817

Get Book

The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

In this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe finds herself running for office—much to her dismay. When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the Gaborone City Council, Mma Ramotswe is at first reluctant. But when she learns that developers plan to build the flashy Big Fun Hotel next to a graveyard, she allows herself to be persuaded. Her opponent is none other than Mma Makutsi’s old nemesis, 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 guarantee anything beyond what she can deliver; hence her slogan: “I can’t promise anything—but I shall do my best.” Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe has acquired a new client: one of her late father’s old friends, who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Charlie volunteers to be the lead investigator in the case to prove he’s ready to be more than an apprentice, as well as to impress a new girlfriend. With Charlie’s inquiries landing him in hot water and Election Day fast approaching, Mma Ramotswe will have to call upon her good humor and gen­erosity of spirit to help the community navigate these thorny issues, and to prove that honesty and compassion will always carry the day.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Vintage Canada
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2010-04-30
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307370372

Get Book

Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

A deliciously entertaining new series by the bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency The many fans of Precious Ramotswe will find further cause for celebration in the protagonist of Alexander McCall Smith’s irresistibly funny trilogy, the eminent (if shamefully under-read) philologist Professor Dr. Mortiz-Maria von Igelfeld of the Institute at Regensburg. Unnaturally tall, hypersensitive to slights, and oblivious to his own frequent gaucheries, von Igelfeld is engaged in a never-ending quest to win the respect he knows is due him. Portuguese Irregular Verbs follows the Professor from a busman’s holiday researching old Irish obscenities to a flirtation with a desirable lady dentist. In The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs, von Igelfeld practices veterinary medicine without a license, transports relics for a schismatically challenged Coptic prelate and is mobbed by marriage-minded widows on board a Mediterranean cruise ship. In At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances, the final novel in the trilogy, we find our hero suffering the slings of academic intrigue as a visiting fellow at Cambridge, and the slings of outrageous fortune in an eventful Columbian adventure.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Knopf Canada
Page : 221 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2022-07-19
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781039003996

Get Book

The Sweet Remnants of Summer by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

In a new novel from a beloved and bestselling author, our favorite moral philosopher is caught up in a delicate dispute between members of a prominent family as her husband, Jamie, is dragged into his own internecine rivalry. Isabel Dalhousie accepts an invitation to serve on the advisory committee of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, but soon finds herself swept up in an all-too-familiar dilemma. David is the grandson of a Scottish clan chief and is supportive of Scottish nationalism. But his fervent beliefs are threatening family harmony, especially because his sister Catriona's socialist views put her at odds with her brother. When their mother, Laura, a fellow committee member, asks Isabel to intervene, she tries to demur. But always one for courteous resolutions to philosophical disagreements, Isabel can't help but intercede. In the meantime, Jamie, having criticized Isabel for getting involved in the affairs of others, does precisely that himself. Jamie is helping to select a new cellist for his ensemble, but he suspects that the conductor may be focused on something other than his favored candidate's cello skills. With so many complicated and fraught issues demanding their attention, Isabel and Jamie will have to tap deep into their reserves of tact, charm and goodwill as they navigate the tricky and turbulent waters of these emotional matters.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Anchor
Page : 172 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2013-06-11
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307908551

Get Book

Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

The rocking motion of the train as it speeds along, the sound of its wheels on the rails . . . There’s something special about this form of travel that makes for easy conversation, which is just what happens to the four strangers who meet in Trains and Lovers. As they journey by rail from Edinburgh to London, the four travelers pass the time by sharing tales of trains that have changed their lives. A young, keen-eyed Scotsman recounts how he turned a friendship with a female coworker into a romance by spotting an anachronistic train in an eighteenth-century painting. An Australian woman shares how her parents fell in love and spent their life together running a railroad siding in the remote Australian Outback. A middle-aged American patron of the arts sees two young men saying goodbye in a train station and recalls his own youthful crush on another man. And a young Englishman describes how exiting his train at the wrong station allowed him to meet an intriguing woman whom he impulsively invited to dinner—and into his life. Here is Alexander McCall Smith at his most enchanting, exploring the nature of love—and trains—in a collection of romantic, intertwined stories. This eBook edition includes a Reading Group Guide.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Vintage Canada
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2012-08-21
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307399632

Get Book

The Importance of Being Seven by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

44 SCOTLAND STREET - Book 6 The residents and neighbors of 44 Scotland Street and the city of Edinburgh come to vivid life in these gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive serial novels, featuring six-year-old Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy—just ask his mother. The great city of Edinburgh is renowned for its impeccable restraint, so how, then, did the extended family of 44 Scotland Street come to be trembling on the brink of reckless self-indulgence? After seven years and five books, Bertie is—finally!—about to turn seven. But one afternoon he mislays his meddling mother Irene, and learns a valuable lesson: wish-fulfillment can be a dangerous business. Angus and Domenica contemplate whether to give in to romance on holiday in Italy, and even usually down-to-earth Big Lou is overheard discussing cosmetic surgery. Funny, warm, and heartfelt as ever, The Importance of Being Seven offers fresh and wise insights into philosophy and fraternity among Edinburgh's most lovable residents.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Knopf Canada
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2018-04-10
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780735274891

Get Book

The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

From the bestselling author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series comes this meditative tale of hope and friendship during World War II, in which a young English woman, an American pilot, and a German soldier are brought together by an unlikely hero: a very sympathetic Border Collie. Val Eliot, an English girl working on a farm as part of the war effort in the Women's Land Army, finds herself protecting a sheepdog named Peter Woodhouse rescued from the owner who mistreated him. When Val meets Mike, a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance pilot stationed nearby, she realizes that the safest place for the little dog is alongside Mike at the base. Out of this kindness develops a love between Val and Mike that unfolds against the wartime obstacles of life-risking duty and distance. With the care and attention of the pilots, Peter Woodhouse becomes Dog First Class, the mascot of the US Air Force, boldly accompanying the officers in a Mosquito plane--until a disaster jeopardizes the future of them all. It is then that Peter Woodhouse draws Ubi, a German corporal, into their orbit, sparking a friendship that comes at great risk, but will pay the richest of rewards through the transition from war to peace time, and over the rest of their lives.

Author : Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher : Anchor
Page : 273 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2010-10-12
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307379450

Get Book

The Charming Quirks of Others by Alexander McCall Smith Pdf

ISABEL DALHOUSIE - Book 7 Nothing captures the charm of Edinburgh like the bestselling Isabel Dalhousie series of novels featuring the insatiably curious philosopher and woman detective. Whether investigating a case or a problem of philosophy, the indefatigable Isabel Dalhousie, one of fiction’s most richly developed amateur detectives, is always ready to pursue the answers to all of life’s questions, large and small. Isabel has been asked to discreetly investigate the candidates for the position of headmaster at a local boys’ school. The board has three final candidates but has received an anonymous letter alleging that one of them is not suitable.What she discovers about the candidates is surprising, but what she discovers about herself and about Jamie, the father of her young son, turns out to be equally revealing. Isabel’s investigation will have her exploring issues of ambition, as well as of charity, forgiveness, and humility, as she moves nearer and nearer to some of the most hidden precincts of the human heart.