The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith is one of my all time favorite books.
The author is Scottish and a man, but the main characters are women and he writes their voices wonderfully.
The setting is Botswana in Africa…I’m not even sure that it is currently called Botswana. And normally I would not be interested in a story set in Africa – particulary a “character” story as the climate, the troubles, the dry, dusty picture that comes to my mind is just not an appealing thing. I can’t remember what lead me to look for this book in the first place and I almost did not order it because of the setting…give me mountains and lush evergreens and cool weather and I’m in, but for whatever reason, I did order it and was instantly hooked. I’ve now read the entire series – I think there are 7 books to date. I learn something about life, about me, about people with every book. They make me laugh, cry, ponder and everything in between.
One of my favorite paragraphs at the beginning of the book illustrates how the author gently describes characters and settings:
“If people needed clear guidelines, there was nobody better to do this than Mma Mothibi, who had run the Sunday School at Mochudi for over twelve years. She was a short lady, almost entirely round, who spoke with an exceptionally deep voice. She taught the children hymns, in both Setswana and English and because they learned their singing from her, the children’s choir all sang an octave below everybody else, as if they were frogs”.
That paragraph charms me everytime I read it!
If you decide to try this book, it must be read slowly – savoring the language and rhythm of the setting. It is not the grand prose of “Out of Africa” but the similarity is in a story being woven out of simple life events and the taking of time to think on them. It often brings to my mind, those verses about Mary “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 NIV
In a later book from the series, titled “The Full Cupboard of Life”, the main character’s fiance, Mr. JLB Matekoni is dealing with a problem that he decides he must take to Mma Ramotswe, “the lady detective” and main character in the books.
He says to himself after making the decision to discuss the issue with Mma:
“And she would understand, because she always understood and he had never seen her make light of another’s troubles.”
His confidence is well-founded as illustrated by Mma Ramotswe’s thoughts regarding Mr. JLB Matekoni (end of Book 1) after they have become engaged – and she takes this step after many years of being on her own following a disastrous first marriage during which she was beaten so badly that she lost her first and only child and was rendered incapable of having another.
…and now there was somebody to whom she could give love and that, she knew was good; for that is what redeems us, that is what makes our pain and sorrow bearable – this giving of love to others, this showing of the heart.
Something to ponder in my heart…
