Tears of The Giraffe: Summary and book reviews of Tears of The Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith, plus links to an excerpt from Tears of The Giraffe and a biography of Alexander McCall Smith.

In 1999 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency received two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations and was voted one of the ‘International Books of the Year and the Millennium' by the Times Literary Supplement. Tears of the Giraffe takes us further into the life of the engaging and sassy Precious Ramotswe, the owner and detective of Botswana's only Ladies' detective agency. Among her cases are wayward wives, unscrupulous maids and a challenge to resolve a mother's pain for her son, who is long lost on the African plains. Mma Ramotswe's own impending marriage to that most gentlemanly of men, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, the promotion of her secretary to the dizzy heights of Assistant Detective and new additions to the Matekoni family, all brew up the most humorous and charmingly entertaining of tales.

Media Reviews

Toronto Globe and Mail This is an utterly delightful tale...the elegant formal language and smooth-flowing style add charm.   Publishers Weekly Alexander McCall Smith (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) offers the second installments of his dignified, humorous Botswanan series. In Tears of the Giraffe, PI Precious Ramotswe tracks a missing American man whose widowed mother appeals to Ramotswe; meanwhile, the imperturbable detective is endangered at home by her fiance's resentful maid.   Edinburgh Review This is a superior piece of detective fiction, written in simple, direct but effective prose. Perhaps most importantly, this novel offers a refreshingly positive picture of an African nation - and probably deserves a wide audience in the West on those grounds alone.   Sunday Telegraph - Anthony Daniels The author's prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. His descriptions leave one as if standing in the Botswanan landscape. This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time.   Scotland on Sunday - Susie Maguire The writing is unfussy, the voices clear and unique, filled with a sort of grave, humorous directness which is refreshing and charming. Alexander McCall Smith has hit upon one of the most pleasing fictional worlds I have visited for years. John A. Broussard, I Love A Mystery Newsletter All in all, McCall Smith has managed to turn out a fascinating picture of the African countryside and the people who occupy it...Read as a glimpse into the lives of people still relatively untouched by Western materialism, there will be no disappointment.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by CEB
Perhaps not the best book for a college course, I must say. A great book for a fast read however (I read it in a few hours one Sunday) and entertaining. A refreshing story that puts morals back into American minds. NOT for those looking to...   Read More

Rated of 5 by reader
pathetic, childish, simplistic

Rated of 5 by Eamon
This book is garbage. I was forced to read it for a college geography class, and I was astounded to find that a writer with such a poor grasp of realistic dialogue could get published, let alone win awards. Pedantic, repetative and unimaginative,...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Alan Koval
An enjoyable and fun read .... very uplifting. A total delight and I can't wait to read the rest of the series

Rated of 5 by Michael Fine
After returning from a week in Botswana's Okavango Delta, I was desperate to continue the connection and was delighted to read two of Alexander McCall Smith's Mma Ramotswe novels. They do the heart good as the right triumphs in a particularly...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Anne
A delightful view of life as it is in today's Africa. This lovely mystery is enhanced by the believablity of the characters and the plot. A totally unique read for the Western mind. Look for the next book in the series.

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• Mysteries
  
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