Tears of the Giraffe

by Alexander McCall Smith | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 1400031354 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingbookczukwing of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on 2/22/2004
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
16 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Sunday, February 22, 2004
On the recommendation of my sister-in-law and mother I finally picked up a copy of The Number One Ladies Detective Agency. I had been debating whether to read it or not. It was such a gentle tale- and gave interesting glimpses into Botswana, that I picked up the sequel at the second hand place.

From the Publisher
The No.1 Ladies´ Detective Agency introduced the world to the one and only Precious Ramotswe -the engaging and sassy owner of Botswana´s only detective agency. In Tears of the Giraffe Mma Ramotswe faces a new challenge: resolving a mother´s pain for her son who is long lost on the African plains. Mma Ramotswe´s own impending marriage to the most gentlemanly of men, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, the promotion of Mma´s secretary to the dizzy heights of Assistant Detective, and the arrival of new members to the Matekoni family, all brew up the most humorous and charmingly entertaining of tales.

Journal Entry 2 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, March 12, 2004
OK- here's the deal- I got a request to make this into a bookring and so I said I would. I however, am using a bookcrosser's prerogative to make this into a book ray.

Here's the order:
CaptainJack
Ealisaid
llama-mama
jennyscott
silentdormouse
dhansen1019
mlbish
quizgirl
LeighBCD (asked to be skipped)
Katayoun
TanTan-here January 25
Futurecat for release at the NZ convention

Journal Entry 3 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, March 15, 2004
And it's off...

If you liked #1 Ladies Detective agency, you'll be happy to meet up with old characters and find new friends as well....

Picture is of the author of this book.

Journal Entry 4 by CaptainJack from Brunswick, Georgia USA on Monday, March 22, 2004
What perfectly wonderful timing! I am on vacation this week and needed something light and entertaining. I should have this finished and back in the mail to the next reader before the end of the week. Thank you for including me in this Ray!

Journal Entry 5 by CaptainJack from Brunswick, Georgia USA on Monday, March 22, 2004
I finished this book in one evening! It was wonderful. I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Being reunited with Precious and Mr. J.L.B. was heart-warming. I can hardly wait to read the next one!

I have already sent a PM to Ealisaid and will mail this out as soon as I have a mailing address!

Journal Entry 6 by CaptainJack from Brunswick, Georgia USA on Thursday, March 25, 2004
This book was mailed today.

Journal Entry 7 by Ealisaid from Pinehurst, North Carolina USA on Friday, April 16, 2004
Received in the mail today. I can't wait to read this.

Thanks so much CaptainJack -- I love it when BXers enclose a little something extra with the book, and this was really unique!

Journal Entry 8 by Ealisaid from Pinehurst, North Carolina USA on Saturday, April 17, 2004
I finished reading "Tears of the Giraffe" last night. I had so many things I intended to get done yesterday, but then I got this book in the mail, and well...I'm sure we all know how that goes!

I started reading and got to around page 10; then I realized that I had a big silly grin on my face. Reading this book is like visiting old friends. I loved it when Mma Makutsi got her longed-for promotion and her first case, and it was nice to be able to get to know her a little better. The last couple of paragraphs of this book, where the tears of the giraffe are discussed, are moving and beautifully written. I'm feeling tempted to run out and buy this series for my PC.

I'll be sending this off to llama-mama205 this morning. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read "Tears of the Giraffe", bookczuk!

Journal Entry 9 by llama-mama205 on Thursday, April 22, 2004
This arrived in the mail today. It will be my first "No. 1 Ladies Decetive Agency" book and with all the good reviews I'm sure to enjoy it. It is up next on my TBR list...on the heals of a couple of other bookrings that arrrived at the same time.

Journal Entry 10 by llama-mama205 on Friday, May 14, 2004
This was my first No 1 Ladies Dectective Agency book. The story was interesting, but I had a hard time with remembering all the names. Not sure if I'll read any more in the series...but thanks for sharing, I always like to try new authors.

This is heading out to jennyscott today.


Journal Entry 11 by jennyscott from Asheville, North Carolina USA on Monday, May 17, 2004
Just got this in the mail and am looking forward to the read, thanks bookczuk. I will journal more when read.

Journal Entry 12 by chocolatefishy from Asheville, North Carolina USA on Friday, May 28, 2004
This was the first book in this series I have read. I really enjoyed it though. Mma Ramotswe was really funny, just the way she acted and what she said, and what she thought about herself.
I kinda jumped into the ray, sorry about that. My mom (jennyscott) was reading another book and I needed something to read!!

Journal Entry 13 by jennyscott from Asheville, North Carolina USA on Sunday, May 30, 2004
5-30-04---Getting started on this today. It shouldn't take me long, I'm already enjoying it. Glad chocolatefishy got to read it in the interim. Will journal more when finished.
5-31-2004-----Quick, enjoyable read. I just love Mma Ramotswe and the other characters in these stories. Am looking forward to reading the others in this series.

Journal Entry 14 by dhansen1019 from Cudahy, Wisconsin USA on Wednesday, July 14, 2004
I just received this in the mail today and will start it as soon as I finish the book I am currently reading.

Journal Entry 15 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, July 15, 2004
Just to let y'all know I have added a few pictures-2 of Botswana and one of the Author, who is known as "Sandy" to his friends.

Now back to your regularly scheduled ring....

Journal Entry 16 by dhansen1019 from Cudahy, Wisconsin USA on Tuesday, July 20, 2004
As with the first one I loved it! It's fun and a quick easy read. Thanks so much Bookczuk for sharing this with us. Your pictures are wonderful. I dropped this in the mail today and it's off to Mlbish. Happy Reading!

Journal Entry 17 by mlbish from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, August 5, 2004
Caught. Thanks very much! I'm looking forward to this one very much!

Journal Entry 18 by mlbish from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, September 30, 2004
This one was...more of the same. I read The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency and thought it was okay. This one was okay too. This series is pleasant enough, but I think I'm going to move on to something else. Thanks for sharing it!


Going in the mail to quizgirl immediately. Sorry guys!

Journal Entry 19 by quizgirl from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 9, 2004
Received in the post today from mlbish. I'd forgotten all about it being sent to me, so when a parcel arrived which was obviously a book I couldn't think what it was! I puzzled over it for several minutes, then decided the sensible thing to do was open it! I've read so many good reviews that I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

Journal Entry 20 by quizgirl from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Thursday, November 18, 2004
As bookczuk has already said, this is a gentle and charming story. Now I want to read the others in the series.
I found an article in a newspaper which I will enclose with the book when I send it on. The article talks about a nine-part TV series being made by Anthony Minghella and Sidney Pollack, and who would play Mma Ramotswe. Names put forward include Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah and Whoopi Goldberg. The author has said, though, he would prefer an African actress to play his heroine because, he says, they move and talk differently to African-American women. This is something which we would all enjoy watching!
I will send the book on its way after I've been paid at the weekend.

Journal Entry 21 by quizgirl from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 24, 2004
LeighBCD has asked to be skipped due to Mt TBR and life in general. So it's off to Katayoun in Iran together with a few surprises.

Journal Entry 22 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Saturday, December 18, 2004
it's here and with a lovely snowman card and THREE extras!! thank you quizgirl and thank you bookczuk, got one book and then it's this.

Journal Entry 23 by quizgirl from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Sunday, December 19, 2004
So glad the parcel arrived safely in Iran. And it took less than 4 weeks!
I'm pleased you like all the extra books I included too.
A Merry Christmas to all readers of this book.

Journal Entry 24 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Sunday, December 19, 2004
Oh! I never thought of sending a holiday greeting this way!

Peace on Earth
Good Books to All

And a happy, healthy and safe 2005 to you and yours

(I'll put a picture here later, when I can think of a good one!)

Journal Entry 25 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Saturday, January 1, 2005
Happy new year all!!! and a special one for bookczuck, bumma and family!
thanks alot for the ray and also quizgirl for mailing it. and the reason for so many thanks ofcourse is that i enjoyed the book alot. my first encounter with Mma Ramotswe and her africa and her way of looking at the world and telling it. it was good, thanks.
the book is ready to go to tantan, and will be mailed in a couple of days, will update here.


Journal Entry 26 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Monday, January 10, 2005
sorry for the tardiness, the book is now on it's way to tantan. should be there in a month, give or take a week, and OFCOURSE hopefully and touch wood, NEVER tempt fate and postal systems :)
thanks again bookczuk and wish you and bumma all the best.


Journal Entry 27 by tantan from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Received in the mail today. I'm looking forward to this one, a couple down the pile.

Journal Entry 28 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, February 3, 2005
Tan-tan
When you are through, please contact Futurecat for release at the NZ convention. Or, if you can't get it to her in time for their convention, please see that it gets released at the July OZ convention (If you are not going, please get it to Neesy or Skyring or someone.) Thanks.

It would be a fitting way to end this awesome ray...

Journal Entry 29 by tantan from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Saturday, February 26, 2005
I really love these books - they're such easy reading, and yet hold my interest all the way through. Precious is such a lovable heroine, and I always get a giggle when she refers to herself as being a 'traditional' size. I'll be PMing Futurecat to get an address to send this off to New Zealand.

Journal Entry 30 by futurecat from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Friday, March 4, 2005
Arrived safely at the end of the line here in New Zealand!

Reserved for the NZBC Convention (though I might just sneak a quick read of it first...)

^ ^
00
=+=
v

Journal Entry 31 by futurecat from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Saturday, March 5, 2005
This is my first introduction to the world of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, but not my first introduction to Botswana - I spent 5 months travelling in Africa about 10 years ago, and have been to a lot of the places mentioned in this book, so it was a lovely opportunity to reminisce. The author definitely gets the "feel" of Africa right.

^ ^
00
=+=
v

Journal Entry 32 by futurecat from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Thursday, March 24, 2005
This book is going in a goody bag for the NZBC Convention - hope whoever gets it has a fantastic convention!

^ ^
00
=+=
v

Journal Entry 33 by puppymummy from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Saturday, April 2, 2005
I did indeed have a terrific convention, and finding this in my goody bag was a definite bonus! It has travelled a long way...

Journal Entry 34 by wingmeganhwing from Preston, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, May 10, 2005
This very well travelled book has arrived with me in time to read and take to the OZ convention next month - so bookczuk you should be pleased that the ray will have travelled via both downunder conventions - and if I put it in skyring's hands - who knows where it will end up!

Journal Entry 35 by wingmeganhwing from Preston, Victoria Australia on Wednesday, June 15, 2005
I enjoyed my first introduction to the No.1 Ladies Detective agency. As other readers have mentioned, it is a lovely gentle style of writing. Surprising to me though was it's currency - the writing felt like it was set back in maybe the 50's or 60's and yet there were references to Nelson Mandela's freedom and the scourge of AIDS in Africa.
Very easy to read and I will look for others in the series now.
This is off to Brisbane for the convention - perhaps this would be a good one for the secret book dip?

Journal Entry 36 by charbono from Creswick, Victoria Australia on Saturday, June 25, 2005
Caught at the Friday night "secret book dip" during the 2005 Australian BookCrossing Convention in Brisbane. Like others, I haven't read any of the other "Detective Agency" books but have been assured that this one can be read on its own.

Update - October 2005.
I have read this now and found it pretty light and easy to read. This is now being donated to the Lions Club of Croydon for local release.

Journal Entry 37 by LionsCroydon from Croydon, Victoria Australia on Saturday, December 31, 2005
Thank you for kindly donating this book.

So many recognizable BookCrossers here ! And of course, the sticker.

Book has now been neatly covered to protect it on its journey, with an 'I'm Free !' sticker on the front.


Released 18 yrs ago (1/4/2006 UTC) at Wyreena Gallery & Community Art Centre, Hull Road in Croydon, Victoria Australia

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Book left inside reception on decorative shelf at around 3.30pm Thursday, January 5, 2006.

Happy reading ! This book has travelled far and wide, so please add to the adventure.

Journal Entry 39 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, September 8, 2006
bookczuk interrupting here-- I used the new mapping feature that VVilliam created (see this article:Bookmapping) and found that this book has traveled travelled 89446 km (55579 miles) (and still going!) Wowzer!

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.