Espresso Tales - A New 44 Scotland Street Novel [Import] [Paperback]

Alexander Mccall; Illustrations by Mcintosh, Iain Smith (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Anchor / Random House; 1ST edition (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0349119708
• ISBN-13: 978-0349119700
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,317,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Series Rivals No. 1 Ladies', September 7, 2006

By 

Miami Bob "Resurgent Reading" (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Espresso Tales: A 44 Scotland Street Novel (2) (Paperback)

Once again, McCall Smith takes us to visit with the 44 Scotland Street neighborhood. This time, we learn much more about Bertie - the extremely precocious 6-year old - and his conflicts with his incredibly clingy mother Irene. And, we actually hear his father speak up and do something other than read the newspaper. The meetings with Bertie's psychiatrist are again entertaining as is the doctor's attempt to reach catharsis with his most famous patient.

And, we hear Domenica speak about globalization. Matthew shows us he can do something right, and then we meet his father and his potential nuptial mate. Cyrus' dog bites the people who deserve it. Cyrus gives a great party at the end. Pat, after two gap years, decides to attend university. Bruce as a failed person fails in business - or does he? And more.

But, McCall Smith tells us he wrote this book to find closure from the previous book "44 Scotland Street." Here he failed. And, failed miserably. And, thank our lucky stars he is such a failure.

This group of eccentrics is fast making books which rival his beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. At the end, we ask for more. What is going to happen to Domenica in her quest to seek pirates? Or, what will happen to Bruce in London? Or, how is Pat going to handle her first year at university after not one, but two, gap years? And, will Matthew accept his father's new bride, if there is to even be one?

If you are thinking of reading this book, do so. But, I highly recommend that you first read "44 Scotland Street" so as to acquaint yourself to the characters and their surroundings.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maybe his best yet, August 8, 2006

By 

Bearette24 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Espresso Tales: A 44 Scotland Street Novel (2) (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed Espresso Tales, Alexander McCall Smith's followup to 44 Scotland Street...and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, which he is now writing.

I thought 44 Scotland Street was weakened a little by the sheer number of characters, but here the focus seemed tighter. We get to reunite with Bertie, the boy genius who just wants to be a regular kid; Bruce, the indefatigable narcissist; Pat, the understated gallery worker/college student; Matthew, who has now made a profit at the gallery, and has his gentle eye on Pat; Domenica, the sharp-tongued elderly woman who may be a porteparole for McCall Smith himself; and Angus, the eccentric painter whose dog, Cyril, gets a charming chapter of his own.

Everything that happened to these characters just seemed right, and it was such an enjoyable ride.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chuckles on every page, December 28, 2006

By 

Blue in Washington "Barry Ballow" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Espresso Tales: A 44 Scotland Street Novel (2) (Paperback)

Mccall Smith is truly amazing. He has at least four book series going and all contain strikingly original and interesting characters. I happened to like the "Espresso Tales" sequel to "44 Scotland Street" somewhat better than the original. It's got more piquancy and snap and its ironies are sharper and often funnier. The resolutions of Bernie the Kid's painful problems with his yuppie mother and his much hated psychologist are delicious, but there are a host of other comeuppances that Mccall Smith hilariously tosses in here that are wonderful. This is a great airplane read--which is appropriate, since it is said that the author often creates most of these short novels on transatlantic flights of his own.