The Importance of Being Seven

Alexander McCall Smith is perhaps my favorite living author of fiction.

This latest book is one of his most moving and touching, I think. Mr. Smith's sense of humanity is so uplifting it leaves me a little weepy by the end of the book.

I highly recommend this book particularly for anyone who would like a little warmth and humanity, which is so hard to find in literature these days let alone the world.

Hard to place it--I love all the 44 Scotland Street books (and many others)

I love his intonations which change depending upon the character. And, of course, his accent helps make the story more Scottish.

Yes, I actually have listened to parts of it again. I'm fascinated by the way in which McCall Smith effortlessly weaves philosophy into the story.

Since this is a series, it can be compared with any of the other books in the series. As in other series (take Ann B Ross's Miss Julia series, for instance) the characters are recurring, and half the fun is in finding out how they've progressed from the last book.

I have read some of the books, as opposed to listening to them. I find the audible versions tend to put me more convincingly in Edinburgh. Robert Ian Mackenzie can turn on a Scotch brogue in a way I can't. He's particularly effective as Angus Lordie.

Many laughs, many smiles. Maybe even a tear or two.

I love the way he sees the world through his characters' eyes, be it six-year-old Bertie, or Cyril the dog, or the twenty-something Matthew. These are well-delineated characters. Too many fictional characters are caricatures. McCall Smith's characters are wonderfully low key, each with his or her own limitations and self-perceptions, navigating a world filled with other human beings with their own foibles — people who are narcissistic, overbearing, dishonest, self-deluded, self-sacrificing, gullible, hopeful, sad, funny and sweet. They each come with the sort of mild eccentricities and self-doubt that you'll recognize in members of your own family. In other words, they're believable.

Just buy this book. Please. It is beyond wonderful, totally adorable in so many ways. I loved it.

Bertie, a small boy about to turn 7 years old, is lumbered with one very strange, over-bearing mother, and a well-meaning, but ineffectual father. He's a bright boy, who is forced into fulfilling his mother's ambitions, but who longs to be a regular boy. In this book, he finally finds true happiness for a short period of time. This book will bring joy to your heart.

This is a serial novel, and Bertie is only one of many interesting characters. Very highly recommended.

Bertie gets free!

Irish country doctor series. Mitford series

The narration brings the whole neighborhood to life...you know each of the character voices and the tone that he sets.

Love the series!I have loved the 44 Scotland street series...it is a fun slice of life series with hilarious characters that is a perfect listen for running around as the format is serial like.

Yes. I love this series...it is my favorite of McCall Smith's. I always choose to listen to these as audiobooks rather than read them because the narrator does such a terrific job.

I love the characters that have been developed over the course of this series. The book is very witty.

I love his Scottish accents. He does a great job of distinguishing the characters without being distracting.

The Scotland Street series just gets better with each new addition. The only very slight criticism I can come up with is that most issues get a little too easily addressed by the end; still, there is the unsolved--as yet--worry I carry about Bertie and his very odd mother, and the somewhat benign concern that Bruce will never truly reform, so the series never becomes tiresome. I am so spoiled by Alex. Smith's storytelling that--even though I have a fairly full library of as yet unread books--I keep coming back and checking to see if there's another Scotland Street sequel for me to try. I laughed out loud many times as I listened to this one, and could hardly wait for a new opportunity to keep going.

The narrarator did a great job of giving voice to all the characters.

Oh my, the trip to Italy! You won't want to miss this.

I can't wait to listen to more. It makes drives go by so quickly.

I've already bought a copy of this for my daughter. Each of the characters in McCall Smith's books are complex and imperfect, as are we all. I look meeting them. Anyone who has wanted to adopt Bertie in past books, as I have, will be gratified by little "Ullyses," who innocently brings the revenge of Bertie upon their mother.

There is a minute-to-minute on-the-edge-of-your-seat-"ism" with each of the books in this sequence, as there are always several plots interwoven.

His performances are great, as was this one!

Absolutely, I would probably have glued on my headphones, if that were a feasible option.

More Bertie! More Bertie!

Here is another charming tale about Berdie, one of my favorite characters in McCall-Smith's books. These are light, engrossing tales with enter weaving plot lines and engaging character flaws and traits that we all share to one extent or another. I love these books and look forward to Berdie growing older.

Another of my recent listens - Beautiful Ruins - which also has interlocking plot lines. Beautiful Ruins was a very good read!

He brings the texture of the language, the accents and the engrossing forcefullness of his character.

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