44 Scotland Street - Bookspiral

by Alexander McCall Smith | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0349118973 Global Overview for this book
Registered by smurphie of Banchory, Scotland United Kingdom on 8/14/2007
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7 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by smurphie from Banchory, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Alexander Mccall Smith''s Scotland Stree occupies a busy, bohemian corner of edinburgh''s New Town, where the old haute bourgeoisie finds itself having to rub shoulders with students, poets and portraitists.

And number 44 has more than its fair share of the street''s eccentrics and failures.

Here you''ll meet them all for the first time.

Pat who is on her second gap year her flatmate Bruce a rugby playing chartered surveyor.

The protentious Irene who''s 5 year old son Bertie is in therapy and then shrewd intellectual Domenica MacDonald.

Journal Entry 2 by smurphie from Banchory, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Okay it's taken me a wee while to get this organised for which I appoligise but anyway it's ready to go now.

The order of the Sipral is as follows:-

NMReader - USA (US Shipping prefered)

cardamom-wolfe - USA (Ship within US/Canada)

GrannyAnn - USA (US Ship)

Charomyces - Canada

boomda181 - Canada (will ship Intl)

Snufkin81 - South Africa (will ship Intl)




Then home to me Smurphie in the UK.

I've included an envelope in the package for each of you with a postcard and bookmark that I have made. I hope you enjoy the books and if you have any problems please PM me.

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Heading off to the USA on the first part of it's travels.

Journal Entry 4 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Found in my mailbox today. I will add to mount TBR and send on its way asap.

Journal Entry 5 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Thursday, January 31, 2008
It was a good story but I kept waiting for a murder. I guess I am too use to Alexander McCall Smith as the writer of mysteries.

It was easy to tell in locations where the breaks were for newspaper serialization.

The character's were wonderfully developed and I was left wanting to know more about what happened to Todd, Sasha, Bruce, etc.

I would love to have Cyril.

I look forward to reading more.

Journal Entry 6 by NMReader at on Thursday, January 31, 2008

Released 16 yrs ago (2/1/2008 UTC) at

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I will release while running errands.

I have used this book as part of the following Challenges:

The Keep Them Moving Challenge
The Ultimate Challenge
The 2008 Pages Read Challenge
The FIRST IRREGULAR BURIED TREASURE Challenge
and The Reduce My TBR Mountain Challenge

Thanks for including me and I hope everyone enjoys as I did.

Journal Entry 7 by cardamom-wolfe from Los Angeles, California USA on Sunday, February 24, 2008
Still reading it - part of a book ring organised by smurphie in Scotland. I love Edinburgh and McCall's other series (with Mama Ramotswe), so this is a great book to come home to! My husband is reading it while I'm at work (he's a student) - so thanks smurphie for starting this and NMReader for sending it on to me. I'll post again when we are done and as I'm about to send it on to GrannyAnn!

Journal Entry 8 by cardamom-wolfe from Los Angeles, California USA on Sunday, March 16, 2008
This book came at a great time for both my husband and myself - we needed something refreshing and light, yet not silly. I really like McCall Smith's writing and this book was a charmer! I'm passing it on to GrannyAnn next and hope she enjoys it as much as we did!

Journal Entry 9 by GrannyAnn from West Henrietta, New York USA on Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Received today from cardamom-wolfe. I've enjoyed the No 1 Ladies series and I hope I'll like this series as well. I have one ahead to finish, then this is on top of Mt TBR. I can't wait.

Thanks for the postcard and bookmark - I'd love to visit Scotland someday!!!

Journal Entry 10 by GrannyAnn from West Henrietta, New York USA on Friday, April 18, 2008
I knew I'd love this book! The characters were very believable and I look forward to meeting them again in the next book.

Mailing to Charomyces tomorrow, I hope he enjoys it as much as I did.

Thanks, Smurphie, for sharing.

Journal Entry 11 by Charomyces from Stittsville, Ontario Canada on Saturday, May 3, 2008
Received safely in Stittsville. Thanks a lot Smurphie & GrannyAnn!

Journal Entry 12 by Charomyces from Stittsville, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, May 20, 2008
This was definitely a fun read, and cast a much more cheerful light on Edinburgh (one of my favorite cities) than the much darker Ian Rankin novels.

It makes a very interesting contrast to Smith's 'No. 1 Ladies' series. Like the books in that series, the plot of 44 Scotland St. is episodic, the characters engage in self-righteous but deluded interior monologues, and there are lots of funny bits (and I suspect, lots of inside jokes). But many of these characters are annoying, which makes their observations and activities irritating. The 'No. 1 Ladies' series has been criticized by some as naive and racist, which makes me wonder if the characters in that series are as bothersome to the average African as some of the Scotland characters were to me.

Journal Entry 13 by boomda181 on Friday, July 4, 2008
This arrived in the mail today full of goodies! Thanks very much Smurfie! I am moving this to the top of the TBR. Will be reading and journaling more soon.

Journal Entry 14 by boomda181 on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Thanks for letting me be a part of this ring! I liked the characters in the book very much. I found I had to remind myself while I was reading that the book is a compilation of McCall-Smith's serial, I think that is what took a little away from the story for me.

Journal Entry 15 by boomda181 at bookcrosser, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (8/13/2008 UTC) at bookcrosser, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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On its way to South Africa for Snufkin81!

Journal Entry 16 by snufkin81 from Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa on Friday, January 2, 2009
Yay, this arrived safely! Thanks boomda181, and thank you smurphie for the lovely bookmark and postcard. I'll try to read this and pass it on as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 17 by snufkin81 from Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa on Saturday, February 7, 2009
I finished this last night. Sorry for keeping it so long!

I really enjoyed this one. The characters are believable and engaging, and especially enjoyed reading about Bertie, Angus and Cyril. I liked that the chapters were so short and episodic. I think I would have enjoyed reading the original serial, what a nice change from all the doom and gloom of the rest of the newspaper!

I'll send this back to Smurphie this week, and I'll start on the second book in the ring once I've read one or two other rings that are waiting for me.

Journal Entry 18 by snufkin81 at To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, February 13, 2009

Released 15 yrs ago (2/13/2009 UTC) at To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

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I sent this back to Smurphie by airmail this afternoon. I hope it arrives safely!

Journal Entry 19 by smurphie from Banchory, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Arrived home safe and well this morning.

Thank you all for taking part and thank you to those generous bookcrossers that put in pressies for me. I love them all :o)

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