The Full Cupboard of Life Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of The Full Cupboard of Life.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

About This Book

Alexander McCall Smith's The Full Cupboard of Life continues the adventures of Precious Ramotswe, the remarkable proprietress of an unusual detective agency in Botswana. Mma Ramotswe begins to fret that she has been engaged to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni for a while now (in fact, through the first four books of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series —The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Tears of the Giraffe, Morality for Beautiful Girls, and The Kalahari Typing School for Men) with no wedding date in sight. He, unfortunately, is preoccupied with other things, in particular, a frightening proposition from the bossy matron of the Orphan Farm. And, of course, there is always the day-to-day business of the detective agency to occupy Mma Ramotswe's time and energy.


Reading Guide

1. There are many references in The Full Cupboard of Life to "the old Botswana morality." Outline these virtues. In what ways is Mma Ramotswe a traditional, old-fashioned Botswanan woman? In what ways is she modern? According to Mma Ramotswe, what is "the right sort of woman?" How does she and Mr. J.T.B. Matekoni embody the "old Botswana morality?"
   


2. What is Mma Ramotswe's general opinion of men? Is it a stereotypical view? Do you agree with her assessment? Is her fiancé, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, a "typical" male? What does she think are the characteristic differences between the sexes? And how does she interact and deal with males and females differently?
   


3. For Mma Ramotswe's clients, how is visiting with her like talking with a therapist? What psychological tactics does she employ with her clients and in solving their cases? What is Mma Ramotswe's approach to being a detective?
   

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Anchor Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.