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The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 5) (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: detective agency, tiny white van, orphan farm, Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, Mma Potokwane (more...)
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The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 5) + The Kalahari Typing School for Men (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 4) + In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency)
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Precious Ramotswe is on the case again in this delightful fifth installment in the bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, this time assisting the self-made founder of a chain of hairdressing salons who wants to unearth the real intentions of her four suitors, each possibly more interested in her money than her heart. As fans know, though, sleuthing takes second place to folksy storytelling in McCall Smith's wry novels. This time around, Mma Ramotswe is distracted by her long-prolonged engagement to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Gaborone's best mechanic; it seems she will never be married, despite her fiancé's honorable intentions. He installs an extra large seatbelt in her car to keep her safe (she is quite comfortable with her "traditional build," despite the new, slender fashion of modern woman), but an altercation with another mechanic and the prospect of a charity parachute jump keep his mind off matrimony. A drive for decency motivates Mma Ramotswe and her friends-among them Mma Potokwani, the imperious matron of the local orphan farm, and Mma Makutsi, assistant at the Ladies' Detective Agency and founder of the Kalahari Typing School for Men-and Smith's talent is in portraying this moral code in a manner that is always engaging. As readers will appreciate, Mma Ramotswe solves her cases-more questions of character, really, than of criminal behavior-in good time. Traditionally built ladies living in the African heat don't tend to hurry, and, at the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, there's always time for another cup of tea.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–In this fifth installment about the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Mma Ramotswe and her assistant, Mma Makutsi, tackle the case of a wealthy woman who wants to know which of her suitors is only after her money. On a personal note, Mma Ramotswe worries over when her fiancé will set a date for their marriage, and more urgently, who will replace him in performing the parachute jump, a charity event to raise money for the Orphan Farm. The charm of this series set in Botswana is its wealth of very real characters. By Western standards they may be economically poor, but in terms of pride, love, and happiness, they are rich indeed. Readers will be seduced by the beauty of the land and intrigued by local customs. They will learn about drought and irrigation, about growing pumpkins, braiding hair, and dealing with poisonous snakes. The cases Mma Ramotswe handles are more about solving problems than crimes. Her behavior is governed by good manners, politeness, and honesty, and her favorite tool in the art of detecting is tea, preferably Bush Tea. The book has lots of humor, and optimism softens the tough realities of life. It also has a delightful surprise ending.–Sheila Janega, Fairfax County Public Library, Great Falls, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Pantheon; First Edition edition (April 20, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0375422188
  • ISBN-13: 978-0375422188
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,101 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Alexander McCall Smith
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
detective agency, tiny white van, orphan farm, shade netting, older apprentice, younger apprentice, secretarial college, bush tea, glamorous girls, engaged lady
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, Mma Potokwane, Mma Holonga, Mma Seeonyana, House of Hope, Botswana Defence Force, First Class Motors, Botswana Secretarial College, Zebra Drive, Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Reverend Trevor Mwamba, Herbert Molefi, Mma That, Sister Banjule, Radio Gabs, Clovis Andersen, African Mall, Cambridge Certificate, Obed Ramotswe
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Customer Reviews

87 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (87 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and entertaining culmination of the series, May 26, 2004
By Patricia Tryon (Longmont, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
For those who know of and like this little series of books, this latest addition will provide much laughter and many poignant moments to reflect on life in Botswana. So, five stars for us!

But readers new to Mma Ramotswe and her compatriots should probably start at an earlier point in the series: preferably at the beginning. The satisfying climax Smith provides, complete with bits of text from hymns, would probably have novices wondering about the fuss over these books. The fuss is about characters who develop depth in throughout low-key, but engrossingly real, plots and about narrative that evokes an interest about Africa that transcends mere curiousity.

From the way that main characters are finally situated in their stories it seems that this was probably intended to be the final book in the series. For that reason, alone, I urge readers not to begin here. You'll pick up all the details you need, but you will not enjoy the texture of stories woven together, the colors of what I think was meant to be a sunset for these stories. Begin elsewhere.

The rest of us can take heart that the author has at least implied that these characters may have more stories to tell, after all. And as long as he loves this village of personalities, their stories will provoke thought and maintain interest.

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A "full cupboard" of everyday life in Botswana., March 17, 2005
This review is from: The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 5) (Paperback)
In his fifth novel about the #1 Ladies Detective Agency, run by Mma Precious Ramotswe, author Alexander McCall Smith presents the full cupboard of Botswana life in all its richness. For Mma Ramotswe, people and their relationships are paramount, and she believes that these relationships are facilitated by Botswana's traditional code of behavior, with its customs of greetings, sitting down together, drinking bush tea, and casually talking around a subject, rather than addressing it aggressively.

Life is a rich, full, and happy experience for Mma Ramotswe, who can find out everything she wants to know from her broad network of family and friends. Engaged to the good-hearted Mr. J.L.B. Matakone, who has not yet set a date for a wedding, she helps him surreptitiously with his problems and cooks and cares for the two orphans he has taken into his home.

In this novel, full of gentle humor and wisdom, Mma Ramotswe and her friends face several "difficult" problems: A woman who has made a fortune establishing hair-braiding salons hires Mma Ramotswe to find out whether her suitors want to marry her for her money. Mr. J.L.B. Matakone finds himself tricked into "volunteering" to do a parachute jump. He is also disturbed to discover that First Class Motors, a rival garage, has sold improper parts and failed to service a classic old Range Rover correctly, and he has been procrastinating about reporting him to authorities.

With an obvious lack of exciting plot lines, the reader focuses completely on the characters-- beautifully drawn, sometimes flawed, and always forgiven their faults. In a pace as leisurely as life in Botswana, McCall Smith recreates the colorful everyday lives of these ordinary people, who treasure friendships, treat each other with respect, and possess inherent good sense. Honoring the values that contemporary readers sometimes do not take the time to preserve, McCall Smith portrays complex social relationships in very simple and direct prose. Warm, gently humorous, and loving, McCall Smith creates a vicarious nostalgia for this way of life. Mary Whipple
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars On the Psychology of Men, April 29, 2004
The Full Cupboard of Life is the fifth book in the series that features Mma Precious Ramotswe as the owner of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana. The story features Precious, Mr J.L.B. Maketoni (her fiancé), Mma Makutsi (her assistant and the assistant manager of Mr Maketoni's garage), and Mma Potokwame (the matron of the orphan farm where Mr Maketoni helps out).

If you have not read any books in the series, I suggest that you look instead to begin with the first one (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) and work your way through them in the order of their publication (Tears of the Giraffe, Morality for Beautiful Girls, and The Kalahari Typing School for Men). All of those books are better than this one, and provide helpful context for The Full Cupboard of Life.

The Full Cupboard for Life has one detective case in it. Mma Holonga is a successful entrepreneur who has developed a number of beauty parlors for braiding hair in interesting ways and also has created a special formula for treating the hair for braiding. At 40, she realizes that she lacks a husband and child . . . and decides to at least find a husband. But she doesn't want one who is after her money! So she hires Precious to check out her four suitors, beginning with the one she likes best. The case is delicate because Precious is well known in Botswana as a detective, and must avoid having the suitors realize that she is checking them out for Mma Holonga.

Most of the book, however, focuses on the personal lives of the others. Precious finally asks her fiancé when they will marry, and he answers that it will be a year or two before he can save the money for a large wedding. When she offers to sell some cattle to hasten the happy day, he declines her offer. When will they ever marry?

As usual, Mma Potokwame has plans for Mr J.L.B. Maketoni that will help the orphans. Precious is kept busy helping Mr J.L.B. Maketoni deflect and deal with those plans. In the process, Precious employs some of the classic methods of psychology to influence men to do what she wants them to do.

This book moves further away from the roots of the series. Except for one brief encounter with a snake, wild Africa plays no role in the story. The detective agency is almost an after-thought in the story's development. The one assignment is given as limited a space as is possible.

But Mr. Smith has created some delightful characters, and those who care about the characters will enjoy seeing them move on with their lives.

I hope that in future books Mr. Smith will once again put several detective cases in the story . . . and let wild Africa appear again as a character.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Cupboard Full of Life
....wonderfully charming and delighful.... just as the other "Precious" books are! I am looking forward to continuing on through each book in the series!
Published 1 month ago by Ann Jensen

5.0 out of 5 stars Another fun read.
I just recently started the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, and I must confess to being hooked. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Cooper

4.0 out of 5 stars ladie's no 1 dective agncy #5
Recieved the book in a timely manner in good condition through the US mail. Enjoyed the story as I have enjoyed all in this series and am now watching the televised version.
Published 7 months ago by Kathleen Hicks

5.0 out of 5 stars Another gentle winner in this amazing little series!
Precious Ramotswe and the persons close to her have more important but low key "adventures" in store for them in THE FULL CUPBOARD OF LIFE, the 5th book in the NUMBER 1 LADIES... Read more
Published 8 months ago by RMurray847

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Book in A Great Series
Alexander McCall Smith really hit paydirt with the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Each one of them is interesting in its own right, with just the right mix of humor,... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mara Feeney

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating series
I began with book one and couldn't set it down. Have now finished six books in the series. Having traveled in Africa and lived in Asia helps make it that much more meaningful for... Read more
Published 10 months ago by A. Swanson

5.0 out of 5 stars Adored this book-- my favorite in the series
It's simply wonderful-- a visit with friends we love, good people who make our lives better when we read about their adventures. Read more
Published 10 months ago by N. Ferguson

5.0 out of 5 stars More inspirational than that you fade
This novel has a texture and a fragrance that come directly from Botswana, from Africa. The plot is no plot at all. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jacques COULARDEAU

5.0 out of 5 stars Warm, witty, and wise
Book five in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

Mma Potokwani ropes Mr. J.L.B. Read more
Published 17 months ago by D. Williams

5.0 out of 5 stars Bring on the Cheerful ladies.
Great book. It seemed like a great conclusion to a wonderful series. I can't imagine what will happen next. But I will certainly be reading to find out.

Published on November 15, 2007 by Mae Adamson

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