The Sunday Philosophy Club : An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery
Registered by leeann347 of Charleston, South Carolina USA on 11/23/2004
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
10 journalers for this copy...
I must admit that I'm not a big fan of mysteries, but even so... this started off pretty slow. I didn't think I'd like it and was just about to put it down when the narrator began to ponder more philosophical issues - which was the reason that I was drawn to the book initially. -Well, that and it's set in Scotland... also I'd been mildly drawn to - but not enough to actually read any of - the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I did end up liking this a lot more than I'd expected at the start. I'm quite curious about whether general mystery fans would like it, and as a quest for that knowledge, I think I will do it as a book ray. --or ring, I'm not entirely sure. If nothing else, the book inspired a desire to revisit Kant and Hume. --and I like that the narrator liked Vettriano - even though the rest of the Edinburgh art community weren't wild about him. Hmmmm... I'm thinking ring. I probably want it back eventually. :-)
Book ring begins! --and may you all enjoy!
Here's the final book ring list:
tom-m (New Jersey, prefer to ship in US)
mysteryfan03 (Missouri, ship anywhere)
lady-sybil (Canada, surface shipping, income not stable)
HoserLauren (Ontario, Canada, ship anywhere)
loribee (Birmingham, UK, will ship internationally)
Brujula (France, prefer to ship Europe, but will ship anywhere)
Zenita (Denmark, EU shipping prefer, but will ship internationally)
em64 (Finland, ship anywhere)
katayoun (Tehran, Iran, ship anywhere)
sewmeneebks (Simi Valley, CA)
zugenia (Rhode Island, ship anywhere)
leeann347 (Charleston, SC, US)
She leaves home today. Next stop... Browns Mills, New Jersey!
tom-m (New Jersey, prefer to ship in US)
mysteryfan03 (Missouri, ship anywhere)
lady-sybil (Canada, surface shipping, income not stable)
HoserLauren (Ontario, Canada, ship anywhere)
loribee (Birmingham, UK, will ship internationally)
Brujula (France, prefer to ship Europe, but will ship anywhere)
Zenita (Denmark, EU shipping prefer, but will ship internationally)
em64 (Finland, ship anywhere)
katayoun (Tehran, Iran, ship anywhere)
sewmeneebks (Simi Valley, CA)
zugenia (Rhode Island, ship anywhere)
leeann347 (Charleston, SC, US)
She leaves home today. Next stop... Browns Mills, New Jersey!
Just arrived this afternoon. I will start reading as soon as I finsish another book ring book, Jusr Six Numbers. (That should be tomorrow. I only have 50 pages to go.)
I did not think it possible, but Mr. Smith has matched his effort with the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series! This is a fun book. At times profound, at times touching, at times frightening. The plot here -- a woman sees a young man fall to his death after a concert -- is secondary to the rambling philosophical thoughts of Isabel Dalhousie. The "club" from the title is never seen, only mentioned as a vague (and possibly mythic) assembly that has yet to meet. But that doesn't matter. Isabel carries the club, and her philosophy, inside her, in all she does and thinks. What James Joyce first showed us in literature with Molly Bloom, the interior monologue, Smith manages to perfect in his character Isabel. The destination is secondary here. The primary purpose is the journey itself.
This book earns a 10 from me. Thanks, leeann347 for sharing it with us.
This will be on the way to mysteryfan03 as soon as I get an address.
This book earns a 10 from me. Thanks, leeann347 for sharing it with us.
This will be on the way to mysteryfan03 as soon as I get an address.
Journal Entry 6 by tom-m at Browns Mills Post Office in Browns Mills, New Jersey USA on Sunday, December 12, 2004
Released on Saturday, December 11, 2004 at about 9:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Browns Mills Post Office in Browns Mills, New Jersey USA.
RELEASE NOTES:
in the mail to mysteryfan03 in MO. Enjoy!
RELEASE NOTES:
in the mail to mysteryfan03 in MO. Enjoy!
Got this today! I cant wait to read it, but I do have a few rings in front. Thanks!
I did not enjoy this book as I did the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. I thought that the main character drifted in her thoughts sooo often, they seemed disconnected. She would start a thought and then go off for 2 or 3 pages before returning. There was no plot the entire first half except that she had seen something and was asking about it. I feel that a lot of extra "nothings" were added in to make the book longer.
I just couldn't get into the characters, although I did enjoy the settings. Thanks for sharing this book!!
I just couldn't get into the characters, although I did enjoy the settings. Thanks for sharing this book!!
Journal Entry 9 by lady-sybil from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, April 7, 2005
It arrived on my doorstep yesterday, thanks mysteryfan03. Unfortunately my husband, being a big McCall Smith fan himself, pinched it immediately :-) He is a fast reader though and it will give me a little respite to clear the teetering pile of half-read books from the bedside table. Will report back soon.
Journal Entry 10 by lady-sybil from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, April 21, 2005
I have to conclude that I am not as much an Alexander McCall Smith fan as I am a Precious Ramotwe fan. This book was not bad but it lacked the ... whatever it is that makes me devour #1 Ladies Detective Agency books in one sitting.
I did not really like Isabel Dalhousie all that much, she did have a longwinded opinion about too many things, although I did like her housekeeper, Grace. I waited for the twist in the tail and it did finally unfold almost on the very last page ... I'm sure Mma Ramotswe would have figured it out long before Isabel did :-)
I will mail this out to HoserLauren soon.
Mailed: 26 April 2005
I did not really like Isabel Dalhousie all that much, she did have a longwinded opinion about too many things, although I did like her housekeeper, Grace. I waited for the twist in the tail and it did finally unfold almost on the very last page ... I'm sure Mma Ramotswe would have figured it out long before Isabel did :-)
I will mail this out to HoserLauren soon.
Mailed: 26 April 2005
I received this book sometime during the week, but I was away at university so I only just got it today. (you know, the run home for laundry, food, etc :)
I'm almost done reading my current book and this one is next on the list. This is the very first Alexander McCall Smith book that I'll be reading. I'm looking forwards to it.
Thanks for sending it, and for the lovely postcard.
I'm almost done reading my current book and this one is next on the list. This is the very first Alexander McCall Smith book that I'll be reading. I'm looking forwards to it.
Thanks for sending it, and for the lovely postcard.
I'm a big mystery fan, but I found this book somewhat disappointing. There were too many long, random trail offs by the main character - Isabel Dalhousie, and as someone mentioned before, it would take her about 2-3 pages to get back to what her original point was. If the author had done away with these thoughts, the book probably could have been 50 pages shorter, and much more interesting.
However, even if the long winded internal monologue was done away with, I probably would have had the same feeling about the ending, which was disappointment.
- Potential Spoilers -
While I didn't suspect who had done it, I found the result and explaination poor. It wasn't as thrilling as the rest of the novel made it out to be.
I have loribee's address and hope to get it out to her tomorrow, or Saturday.
MAY, FRIDAY 13th (OooOoOohh!!):
Mailed out today!
However, even if the long winded internal monologue was done away with, I probably would have had the same feeling about the ending, which was disappointment.
- Potential Spoilers -
While I didn't suspect who had done it, I found the result and explaination poor. It wasn't as thrilling as the rest of the novel made it out to be.
I have loribee's address and hope to get it out to her tomorrow, or Saturday.
MAY, FRIDAY 13th (OooOoOohh!!):
Mailed out today!
What a beautiful edition, love the cover & tartan spine! I am very much looking forward to reading this book.Many thanks for sending it!!
Journal Entry 14 by loribee from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Monday, September 19, 2005
Interesting though not as delightful to read as the Precious Ramotswe series.I enjoyed the Edinburgh background and felt I knew far too little about philosophy & philosophers!
Ready to travel when I get Brujula's address. I believe that philosophy is part of the French curriculum so her opinion will be interesting - and better informed than mine!
Ready to travel when I get Brujula's address. I believe that philosophy is part of the French curriculum so her opinion will be interesting - and better informed than mine!
Journal Entry 15 by loribee from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Off to Brujula in France tomorrow!
Journal Entry 16 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Tuesday, October 11, 2005
The book arrived safely in Belfort!
Thank you leeann347 and loribee!
Thank you leeann347 and loribee!
Journal Entry 17 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Tuesday, November 1, 2005
I don't think this is really a mistery book. The book is more about Isabel, her friends, her relatives, her way of life...
A nice novel, relaxing, with some philosophical debates about honesty, lies...
Thank you for sharing it leeann!
I'll mail it to Zenita as soon as I have the adress!
A nice novel, relaxing, with some philosophical debates about honesty, lies...
Thank you for sharing it leeann!
I'll mail it to Zenita as soon as I have the adress!
Journal Entry 18 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Wednesday, November 16, 2005
mailed to Denmark two days ago
Journal Entry 19 by Zenita from København K - City, København Amt Denmark on Friday, November 25, 2005
Recived yesterday.
Will read asap.
Will read asap.
Journal Entry 20 by Zenita from København K - City, København Amt Denmark on Monday, December 26, 2005
Not as good as the No. 1 series. Don't know if I will read any more of them!!!
Whaiting for next address.
Update:
Posted to Finland 5/1-06
Whaiting for next address.
Update:
Posted to Finland 5/1-06
The book arrived yesterday and have already started reading it. Sounds interesting...
A good and entertaining read, the lack of "mystery" was a bit disappointing but on the other hand the philosophical ponderings were very interesting at times. And I loved the bits about Edinburgh, made me want to visit the city. I definately would like to read more about Isabel in the future.
Waiting for katayoun's reply to my pm.
Waiting for katayoun's reply to my pm.
Mailed today to katayoun (surface mail so will take a while to arrive). Happy Reading!
here!! got 2 rings before this and then it's this. thanks leeann347 and em64
sewmeneebks asked to be skipped as she has already read the book so will get in touch with zugenia.
update: zugenia had also aquired the books and asked to be skipped. so the next person is leeann347, she's answered and i have her address
update: zugenia had also aquired the books and asked to be skipped. so the next person is leeann347, she's answered and i have her address
finished and mailed to leeann347. enoyable and i liked it that most of the attention was on the people that lived in the story and not on the mystery. yet the writing style doesn't really grab me, it not endearing and sounds kind of cold and snobish to me. while i get to know the characters which was so great, i really didn't like any of them or cared all that much about any of them. still i liked reading new mccall smith and see what he's writing other than the 1st detective agency series, also i long to see edinburgh, he does describe everything wonderfully if in a detached and not loving way.
thanks so much for the ring leeann347 and as i said the book in now mailed and on it's way.
thanks so much for the ring leeann347 and as i said the book in now mailed and on it's way.
This is back again, and many thanks to all who participated - especially to katayoun for including the beautiful post card as you shipped it homeward.
I've decided to release it into the wild tomorrow so perhaps we'll all hear from it again. :-)
I've decided to release it into the wild tomorrow so perhaps we'll all hear from it again. :-)
Journal Entry 29 by leeann347 at Dr. Furness's dentist office, Charlie Hall Blvd. in Charleston, South Carolina USA on Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (4/13/2006 UTC) at Dr. Furness's dentist office, Charlie Hall Blvd. in Charleston, South Carolina USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES: