Alexander McCall Smith was an established professor of law, an expert on ethics and a part-time musician when, at the age of 50, he wrote the book that turned his life on its head. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency became a word-of-mouth best-seller.
He has now written a series of books featuring Mma Precious Ramotswe, a 'traditionally built' Botswanan woman who spends as much time dealing with the trials of everyday life as solving crime. Her cases have included absent husbands, imposter fathers and missing children - all resolved using common sense and underpinned with a strong sense of the importance of traditional African social values.
A nice person by the name of Kojo Otoo posted all six episodes of the TV series on YouTube. I never understood why they stopped this delightful series after only six episodes.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
Alexander McCall Smith's fascination with, and devotion to, Africa is not surprising as he was born and brought up in Zimbabwe, then Southern Rhodesia, only moving to Britain when he began his legal studies. He visits Botswana every year. Even as a child he was a keen writer, and he was a published author for many years before he devised this most celebrated creation. His books are now printed in some 46 languages.
To call Alexander McCall Smith a prolific writer would be an understatement; just look at his bibliography here and here.
To me, "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series remains the most enjoyable. When Detective Ramotswe takes me on a ramble through Botswana’s byroads, I am constantly reminded of neighbouring Namibia, then South-West Africa, where I lived and worked in 1968/69.
