All our favorite characters are up to new tricks in the utterly charming sixth novel in the bestselling 44 Scotland Street series.
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.
About the Author :
Alexander McCall Smith is a New York Times bestselling author of several fiction series, including the internationally acclaimed No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. He is professor emeritus at the University of Edinburgh.
Robert Ian Mackenzie, Earphones Award-winning narrator, became an actor after holding a wide variety of other jobs, including everything from London policeman to water ski instructor in Greece. Since then, his acting career has encompassed straight theater, musicals, opera, films, television, voice-overs, commercials, and recorded books.
Review :
"Just about perfect...Contains a healthy helping of McCall Smith's patented charm."
-- "St. Louis Post-Dispatch "
"McCall Smith again shows his mastery of light comedy...What pulls the reader in is the good natures of (almost) all the characters and McCall's uncanny ability to see their world as they do, and to render their worries, pleasures, and musings with charm, grace, and geniality."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"McCall Smith manages sidesplitting send-ups of contemporary pretentiousness and wry and often poignant commentary on the roles of chance, cruelty, and fate in our lives...delightful."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
"McCall Smith, a fine writer, paints his hometown of Edinburgh as indelibly as he captures the sunniness of Africa. We can almost feel the mists as we tread the cobblestones."
-- "Dallas Morning News"
"McCall Smith's assessments of fellow humans are piercing and profound...[His] depictions of Edinburgh are vivid and seamless."
-- "San Francisco Chronicle"
"Narrator Robert Ian Mackenzie delightfully captures the witty and diverse cast. His rendering of Bertie and his friends Tofu, Hiawatha, and Olive is much like eavesdropping on a group of noisy kids. The account of Bertie taking his baby brother, Ulysses, to school for show and tell is priceless. The fussy and warring adults, especially Bertie's tiresome mother, are equally believable and enjoyable to befriend for a spell. Best of all, Mackenzie is spot-on in delivering McCall Smith's subtle humor."
-- "AudioFile"
