The Full Cupboard of Laughter / Alexander McCall Smith
One of the great benefits of city life is that you can pop out on occasion after dinner to see Alexander McCall Smith or some other author give a talk or a reading. Last night Mr McCall Smith, in a kilt and knee socks, talked and read at a hall on Mass Ave in Cambridge. What I enjoyed as much, if not more, than his summary of his many books was the way he enjoyed his own humor, almost gagging at times and overflowing with laughter. Super.
I love Mma Ramotswe and The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency for its great sense of the kindness and decency of people who know the benefits of conducting their lives with a civilized decorum. He says they’re based on real people he meets in Africa where he goes each year—a truly heartening thought.
It was followed, at some remove, by a comment about California. Everyone there, especially strangers, greets you with a complaint, he says, the idea being that you then utter a complaint and you’re bonded in misery with your new friend. Funny. It’s not just in California, I hope he doesn’t know. I hasten to mention he said this in great good humor.
Here are some fabulous opening sentences from novels that he mentioned in his chat—
‘Hold my camel,’ said my Aunt Dot on her way back from high mass.
And, this from a book written by a nine-year-old in the nineteenth century, still in print apparently—
Mr Saltina was an old man of forty-two who liked to have young ladies come to visit him.
Sorry, I didn’t catch the titles or authors. And some good news—they’ll be filming the first book this summer and are still looking for a traditionally built woman with a warm smile to play Mma Ramotswe. All the other characters are cast. Then, even better news, there’ll be a thirteen episode mini-series for television to follow. Soon, I hope.
April 20th, 2007 at 9:31 am
I am SO envious that you were able to see and hear Alexander McCall Smith speak (and laugh) live! Penzance obviously isn’t on the publicity agenda but I did hear him on BBC4.
I keep a volume of ‘No 1 Ladies Dectective Agency’ at my bedside to refer to in times of stress or just to have a laugh. I’ll keep an eye out for ‘The Good Husband of Zebra Drive’. The titles alone make me smile and feel all warm.
April 24th, 2007 at 12:21 am
How much fun it must have been to see and hear him! Thanks for sharing it with us. I love putting faces and voices to words and names, don’t you? And his characters have such warmth and depth–seemingly so simple but so smart and quick. It’s amazing to see what some writers can create with just a few words; a hint of this, a snatch of that, a whole new world we hadn’t bothered to imagine…yet!