A Little Light Reading

[callmemadam]

A mystery indisposition has meant that I’ve spent much of the last two days lying on the sofa, reading. So it was lucky for me that at the market last Saturday I bought very cheaply three books by Alexander McCall Smith which I hadn’t read before. First I read Espresso Tales, more news from 44 Scotland Street. This is taken from a serial which the prolific author writes for The Scotsman and I love it. It is a continuous narrative which need never have an end. It makes me repeat what I said before in a previous post: that there are many similarities between McCall Smith and that other, late, Scottish writer of light fiction, O Douglas. In Espresso Tales people meet, eat, drink coffee, talk. Occasionally something interesting will happen to them. That’s it. Now re-title one of O Douglas’s books Tea Tales and where’s the difference? People meet, eat, drink tea, talk. Occasionally something interesting will happen to them. That’s it. In Blue Shoes and Happiness, which I’m reading now, Mma Makutsi says, “these small things are important for people. Mma Ramotswe has often told me that our lives are made up of small things. And I think she is right.” Now read The Day of Small Things by O Douglas. I rest my case.

As well as writing all these books, McCall Smith has a web site where, for example, he tells Americans where to buy bush tea. I plan to try it myself.

Comments

[debodacious.livejournal.com]

A HIK and I are currently embracing bush tea - I was seduced by the delightful packaging of Eleven O'Clock Redbush Tea and a desire to do something about my Diet Coke addiction. He loves it - I am a bit of a Mma Makutsi (although not so gifted at shorthand and typing) but am persevering.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I believe it was this very same red bush tea with which huskyteer notoriously destroyed part of her Mac keyboard. Had she read the books she might have learned better habits from Mma 97%. I'm not sure I can manage without the caffeine. Tea, coffee and Diet Coke are fine by me.

[debodacious.livejournal.com]

Ha - so not only caffeine free but dangerous too - I will warn a HIK.
My problem is I want my body (in that New Year flush of de toxing zeal which will undoubtedly be gone by the 1st Feb) to be a holy temple rather than a Vegas drive-thru'wedding chapel. It is a losing battle.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

'a Vegas drive-thru'wedding chapel'

Ha ha ha! I'm past caring.