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The Novel Habits of Happiness
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 30
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
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The Quiet Side of Passion
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 150
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 136
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 135
Isabel Dalhousie grapples with complex matters of the heart as she tries to juggle her responsibilities to friends, family, and the philosophical community. With two small boys to raise, a mountain or articles to edit for the Review of Applied Ethics, and the ever-increasing demands of her niece, Cat, who always seems to need a helping hand at the deli, Isabel barely has any time for herself. Her husband, Jamie, suggests acquiring extra help, and she reluctantly agrees.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Wish publishers would publish more intellectual women’s mysteries
- By Alexis☺ on 08-04-18
-
The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 190
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 174
Val Eliot, a young woman working on an English farm during the war, meets Mike, a US Air Force pilot stationed nearby. When Val rescues a Border Collie named Peter Woodhouse, who is being mistreated by his owner, she realizes the dog would actually be safer with Mike. And so Peter Woodhouse finds a new home on the air force base, and Val finds herself falling in love.
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5 out of 5 stars
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wonderful
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-
What W. H. Auden Can Do for You
- Alexander McCall Smith
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: William Neenan
- Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 64
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 56
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 53
When facing a moral dilemma, Isabel Dalhousie--Edinburgh philosopher, amateur detective, and title character of a series of novels by best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith - often refers to the great twentieth-century poet W. H. Auden. This is no accident: McCall Smith has long been fascinated by Auden. Indeed, the novelist, best known for his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, calls the poet not only the greatest literary discovery of his life but also the best of guides on how to live.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
On the Power of Poetry, Mostly Auden's
- By Rich S. on 12-09-13
-
The Dead Ringer
- The Agatha Raisin Mysteries, Book 29
- By: M. C. Beaton
- Narrated by: Alison Larkin
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 288
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 261
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 258
The idyllic Cotswolds village of Thirk Magna is best known for the medieval church of St. Ethelred and its bells, which are the pride and glory of the whole community. As the bell-ringers get ready for the visit of the dashing Bishop Peter Salver-Hinkley, the whole village is thrown into a frenzy. Meanwhile, Agatha convinces one of the bell-ringers, the charming lawyer Julian Brody, to hire her to investigate the mystery of the Bishop's ex-fiancee: a local heiress, Jennifer Toynby, who went missing years ago and whose body was never found.
-
1 out of 5 stars
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No more
- By Amazon Customer on 10-22-18
-
Trains and Lovers
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Robert Ian Mackenzie
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 85
In the words of Alexander McCall Smith: "You feel the rocking of the train, you hear the sound of its wheels on the rails; you are in the world rather than suspended somewhere above it. And sometimes there are conversations to be had, which is what the overarching story in this collection is all about. It is a simple device: people brought together entertain one another with tales of what happened to them on trains. It takes place on a journey I frequently make myself and know well, the journey between Edinburgh and London. It is best read on a train, preferably that one."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved It
- By sharon on 07-20-14
-
44 Scotland Street: Series 1-3
- Full-cast radio adaptations of the much-loved novels
- By: Alexander McCall-Smith
- Narrated by: Crawford Logan, Carol Ann Crawford, full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 24 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 27
Anthropologist Domenica MacDonald observes the lives of her neighbours and the neighbourhood in Edinburgh's New Town. Pat, a new young tenant, arrives at 44 Scotland Street to flat share with Bruce. Bruce is a surveyor with more of an eye for the ladies than a sound property. We're introduced to five-year-old Bertie, who is controlled by his pretentious and intellectual mother, Irene - he's learning the saxophone, speaks Italian, and is extremely knowledgeable about many subjects.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Performance...
- By Innkeeper on 07-05-18
Publisher's Summary
The ever-delightful, insatiably curious Edinburgh philosopher and amateur sleuth returns to take on a case unlike any she's had before - this one with paranormal implications - in the tenth installment of this beloved author's consistently best-selling series. From a small town outside Edinburgh comes the news that a young boy has been recounting vivid recollections of a past life: a perfect description of an island off the coast of Scotland that he couldn't possibly know and a house there where he claims to have spent his former life. When the boy's mother asks Isabel to investigate his claims, she feels she must - of course! - help them learn the truth, and she and her husband, Jamie, set off for the island. But finding the house the boy described only leads to more complicated questions. And when she learns about the unusual story of the family who lived there, Isabel is suddenly faced with a situation of extraordinary delicacy that will require all of her skills as both sleuth and philosopher.
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What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars152
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4 Stars87
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3 Stars22
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2 Stars6
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1 Stars3
Performance
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars193
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4 Stars41
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3 Stars12
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2 Stars3
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Story
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars126
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4 Stars84
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3 Stars24
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2 Stars5
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1 Stars2
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- A. Kiss
- 09-15-15
OK if you're already a fan
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes if the friend already likes the series, but would certainly not start someone on this one
Would you be willing to try another book from Alexander McCall Smith? Why or why not?
I read all his series
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, it gets tedious. You have to be in the mood
Any additional comments?
The philosophical meanderings and sidetrackings are part of the charm of AMS's books, but I think he's starting to get a bit carried away... the ratio of musings to plot line is going up all the time and is nearing the breaking point (for me). I like the characters but don't need to follow them down every single mental side street...
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jean
- Santa Cruz, CA, United States
- 09-10-15
Delightful
Oh boy, a new Isabel Dalhousie book from Alexander McCall Smith. I know that Isabel is an acquired taste but I am hooked on this series. Isabel is the ultimate philosophizer, for whom all the world is one moral conundrum after another. In this book she finds herself investigating the odd case of a small boy who insists he recalls his reincarnation and the possibility of his returning to another life.
Also in this book we get to visit the regular characters such as Isabel, Jamie and Charlie as well as Isabel’s niece Cat; we visit, while Isabel wanders through her average day. Smith allows Isabel to indulge her philosophizing while taking us on a delightful journey into her life. Smith creates such interesting and unusual characters and tells important subject in such a delight, entertaining and humorous way. One of my favorite narrators, Davina Porter, narrates the book.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lee
- Albany, NY, United States
- 12-29-15
a literary cup of tea
a wonderful visit again with Isabel, Jamie, Charlie, Kat and Grace, pondering the possibility of reincarnation and making hard choices.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rosemary
- Greenwich, CT, United States
- 09-30-15
Listen Slowly
It takes AMcS quite a while to keep the most interesting part of the story moving and attended to. He digresses overmuch and can tend to lapse into too sweet a tooth, but in the end there is much to be learned here and savored.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kathleen Polkinghorn
- 08-18-16
Takes awhile
I was impatient during the beginning of this book but it has a huge payoff. The plot becomes ever thicker and the moral implications are rich and ponderous.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Margaret
- 11-17-15
Classic Isabel. A nice book.
Interesting but not taxing, this book advances the lives of Isabel and Jamie and opens up many new avenues for future books. I think it is the most balanced of the books, combining ethics, professional and personal pursuits.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- mama rock
- 10-16-15
Had higher hopes.
Not sure what the point was as it seemed a lot was left up in the air. A bit unsatisfying. And narrator sounds way old...not quite my fave.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Laura Cielo
- New York, NY United States
- 08-18-15
Great book, great performance
Another great book in the Isabel Dalhousie series touching on interesting subjects. Fun to listen to thanks to a wonderful performance by the reader.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- K. Arkwell
- Richmond, Virginia USA
- 04-01-16
another gentle story
another gentle sorry with all the familiar characters. it's wonderful to see Scotland through the story.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- jeanne
- WASHINGTON, DC, United States
- 12-30-15
Lovely
As with all the Isabelle Dalhousie books, this one is more about thoughts and feelings than any real action. It's a lovely meditation on life and ethics, and a peek into daily life in Edinburgh. I would not recommend this as an entry into this series, but it's a lovely read--as long as you keep your expectations in check. Love AMS!
