Alexander McCall Smith
our Guest Editor for July
Author photo © Graham Clark
Alexander McCall Smith is one of the world’s most prolific and most popular authors. His career has been a varied one: for many years he was a professor of Medical Law and worked in universities in the United Kingdom and abroad. Then, after the publication of his highly successful No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which has sold over twenty million copies, he devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over forty languages and become bestsellers through the world. These include the Scotland Street novels, first published as a serial novel in The Scotsman, the Isabel Dalhousie novels, the Von Igelfeld series, and now the new Corduroy Mansions series.
Alexander is also the author of collections of short stories, academic works, and over thirty books for children. He has received numerous awards for his writing, including the British Book Awards Author of the Year Award in 2004 and a CBE for service to literature in 2007. He holds honorary doctorates from nine universities in Europe and North America.
Alexander McCall Smith lives in Edinburgh. He is married to a doctor and has two daughters.
Alexander McCall Smith on...
Poems by W. H. Auden
In my view Auden is without equal among twentieth century poets. His
is a profound voice, full of insight and wisdom. This is a handsome
edition of his work. I first picked Auden’s Collected Shorter Poems off
the shelf of a library. I had no idea at the time that this book would
influence me so much. In fact, I think it changed my life, in that it
very profoundly affected my outlook on so many things. Now I press that
volume into the hands of anybody who asks me what to read.
Swami and Friends by R. K. Narayan
Narayan was one of the very first Indian novelists writing in English
to gain a substantial western following. His Malgudi novels provide a
marvellous picture of the life of an Indian town and are full of humour
and human yearning.
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
Barbara Pym has been described as the Jane Austen of our times, and I
would concur with this view. She created a whole world of people living
rather mousy lives, illuminated with poignant detail. She is extremely
funny in an understated way.
The Towers of Trebizond by Rose Macaulay
This is a humorous classic that is largely ignored today but which is
still as amusing as it was when it was first published. It has a
classic first line, never since equalled.
The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer
This is a gravely beautiful novel with an extraordinarily strong sense of place and time.
Tuscany by Alistair Moffat
Alistair Moffat writes beautifully on history and topography. Here he
leads us through that moist entrancing of Italian regions, Tuscany.
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