I started to think about what it is like to be a parent after I read this book. I exactly do not know how parents feel about kids, because I am not one. I always think my mom to be a "mom". I have never imagined the life of my mom as a woman. She is always mom to me, it is weird but it is good to know that she should have her own life as well. ( )

This was my first foray into Smith's well-regarded novels. I had been warned that they moved slowly, but that is not necessarily a criticism. Many brilliant works move slowly, not only because of the rhythm of the prose, but also because the reader lingers over passages.

This text, on the other hand, is just downright dull. The entire story could be distilled onto one piece of paper, and it's hardly an interesting story at that. The writing is so simple that I began to suspect that Smith thinks his primary audience of readers is either barely literate or brain-damaged.

Maybe people are attracted to these novels because they're the sort of stories that you can read while half asleep or otherwise distracted, and not miss a thing. Or because you could lose your place in the text and start reading many pages later, and still not have missed anything. In that case, however, I do not see the point of reading anything. I've read nutrition labels with more interest.

One other problem is that I'm sure that many people who have never been to Africa are interested in these novels because they take place in Botswana, and it is fun to read about locales we have never visited. However, there seemed to be very little in this novel that gave the reader any insight into Botswanan culture. If you changed the characters' names to more common Anglicized ones, and dropped the practice of referring to dead people as "late", and dropped the minor side story about trading cattle for a bride, you'd have a story that is so generic that it could take place anywhere.

So, the novel is slow, dull, and tells us little about the culture where it takes place. Sorry, Smith, but that's not my idea of a good read. ( )

What's to say that hasn't already been said by me and others? Another installment of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series - wonderfully well written, nice to read, great relaxation. Read (on holidays in Bali) August 2009. ( )

Reading some of the newspaper review blurbs, I find each of the these words: beguiling (Daily Telegraph), gracious (Sunday Telegraph), gentleness...charm (Daily Mail). All these words are infinitely appropriate and can be applied to all of the books in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. The reader meets McCall Smith's own approach to words already on page 1: an ingenious definition of the phrase "care of" (c/o). Besides the inevitable use of the word "late", of course. There are many people in the series who are "late" and clocks have nothing to do with it. Maybe, also, you will notice that there are very few contractions in any of his books. This non-use of contractions in the dialogue gives the reader a feel for the character that no amount of narration could supply. This method also allows you as the reader to maintain the same daily pace as Mma Ramotswe. As always, I enjoyed this book tremendously (although The Full Cupboard of Life remains my favorite). The chapter titles are significantly thoughtful; Charlie is the same outspoken (he thinks) man of the world; Mma Makutsi chastises and is chastised; the tea kettle is always at the boil; and the joke about the 97 cattle is superb. I think Mma Ramotswe is a good example of what I told my English language classes: always keep your words soft and sweet in case you have to eat them. ( )

Once you know the characters, you love them and there can never be enough---I'm always ready for another one of these novels! The audio tapes are very special with Lisette Lecat as the continuing narrator through all of these works of art about Prescious Ramotswe. I feel as though I know the tiny part of Africa that A. McCall Smith describes---the smells, the sounds, the pace of life, the atmosphere. This is another one of the gems of his books---thoroughly rewarding listening. ( )

cool, funny and my fave

http://www.book-blog.com/2009/06/mcca... ( )

A.M. Smith's whimsical looniness is evident here in his latest Precious Ramotswe installation. The mystery involves a misplaced name and family, miracle cures and an uncomfortable bed situation, but all ends quite nicely. If you love The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, try another of Smith's creations, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series. ( )

Latest edition - daughter to SA for test, bad letters to Mma, daughter looking for relatives and rain comes to Botswana. ( )

This installment in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series brings us back together with the unforgettable characters of Precious Ramotswe (owner of said detective agency), her capable assistant Mma Makutsi, her calm and understated husband Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and of course those irrepressible garage apprentices.

Most everyone tends to think of a miracle as something grand and extraordinary. The people who work at or near Speedy Motors are surely due for something grand to happen in their lives and we are not disappointed.

The first miracle we encounter is the start of the rainy season bringing with it a downpour of biblical proportions. Within a day the parched and thirsty countryside is turned from brown to a lush green and gives the promise that the crops will produce abundantly.

Mma Makutsi and her fiance find a wonderful piece of furniture in their newly bought marriage bed which becomes destroyed when Mma Makutsi has the deliverymen leave it outside her home because it won't fit through her doors. Of course it was the life-giving rain that destroyed the beautiful red brocade heart-shaped headboard. How will she ever tell her fiance what she has done?

Mma Ramotswe has undertaken to find the family of a woman who became orphaned while trying to ascertain the author or nasty letters that arrive at the agency. Could it be that Precious Ramotswe has somehow offended a former client and how can she make things right? This situation is resolved by Charlie the garage apprentice who spots the culprit and a chaplinesque chase through the grocery store ensues.

Thanks to the rain, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has been summoned to help start the car of a doctor who believes that there is hope for the wheelchair-bound adopted daughter of the garage owner. Mr. Matekoni finds himself applying for a mortgage on the garage to take the child to Johannesburg and to a clinic there where it is hoped they can help her walk again. Indeed, I found myself hoping wholeheartedly that this would be the miracle promised by the title.Alas, Mr. Matekoni and his daughter return home with her still bound to her wheelchair.

Mma Makutsi learns that her fiance is a forgiving man when she tells him of the destroyed bed. And Mma Ramotswe's client, who at first learns that she has a brother, is quite happy with the turn of events at learning that our intrepid lady detective was the recipient of incorrect information.

It seems that along with everyone in Gaborone, and especially at Speedy Motors, we are reminded to look for the miracles in our everyday lives: seeing the sun upon awakening, hearing the call of a bird in the tree, having a roof over our heads and someone with which to share a cup of bush tea.

I highly recommend all of the books in this series and look forward to the next one. ( )

More adventures in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series that continue the longstanding themes of the passing of the old ways in the society of Botswana, of the handling of life's problems with kindness rather thatn vindictiveness and of looking upon life with gratitude rather than bitterness. All of these subjects are ruminated upon in the minds of the individuals as well as discussed openly as the cars in Mr. J T. L. Matekoni's shop are repaired and as the cases in Mma Romotswe's agency are solved. The lady detective, Mma Romotswe and her husband, Mr. J.T.L. Matekoni are the leading examples of kindness as they seek a miracle for their crippled adopted daughter, as they try to find a gentler way to break bad news so as not to unduly distress people and as they struggle to maintain the traditions, values and manners of the old Botswana. This latest from Alexander McCall Smith is written with the same insight into character and humor that his fans have come to expect. ( )

Same charm as the others really. A number of cross grained cases almost overwhelm Mma Ramotswe's ability to cope, but a trip out to her roots enables her to decide on various courses of action. Even if following through on them isn't quit so easy.

Annoyingly rather than in previous cases where Mma Ramotswe has taken some pains to be at least slightly deductive here she suddenly starts being all intuative - often wrongly. And while it's important to remember that everyone deos make mistakes, the theme is harped on a bit.

Overall though it's still the same gentle engaging enjoyable writing about people who love their country and are only human. If you've liked the others you'll like this too. ( )

This is another winner in the Ladies Detective series. Just as with most of these books, not that much really happens. It's more how things happen and to whom they happen that is important. Mma Ramotswe shows her considerable compassion to someone who is writing her insulting and threatening letters because she understands why the person is doing this. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is given hope that perhaps his daughter's illness can be healed, and even though Mmsa Ramotswe, and the reader, can see that it is much more likely that the doctor who is making him promises really only wants his money, she lets him try, and even comes up with the money herself. During this process of him pursuing the alleged cure, there is such tenderness and love that Mr. J.L.B. has for his daughter that it almost brought tears to my eyes. We see a side of him in this installment that we have not seen before. And of course there is Mma Makutsi and her normal neuroses to contend with in that quiet and gentle way that Smith has.
This is another great story in a long series of lovely reads. If you have enjoyed the previous books, you'll enjoy this one as well. It has such a aura of tenderness and quiet understanding of human nature and its foibles that I felt inspired to try to be a nicer person to those who are not always nice to me. I'm not sure what higher recommendation I could give. ( )

Smith McCall is back to form in this installment of the No. 1 Ladies Detective series. Very entertaining. ( )

As usual, the latest installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series is an easy and enjoyable read. A nice diversion from heavier books, my only complaint is that it was too short.I'm always impressed by the richness of the descriptions of life in Botswana. The beauty of the land shines off of the pages like a national geographic photograph. ( )

It pains me to give this only 3 and a half stars. It is by no means a terrible book, but the storyline is lacklustre and the vibrant personalities of Mmas Ramotswe and Makutsi come across as rather sullen compared with usual. Hopefully, with last year's distractions of La's Orchestra and Corduroy Mansions now behind him, AMS can now turn his undivided attention to restoring this wonderful series to its former glory. ( )

Enchanting, like all his books. ( )

Charming. Love it read by Lisette Lecate. ( )

read in 2009

From the book of the same title published 2008. ISIS AUDIO BOOKS, 7 Compact Discs, 6hrs 40mins, Product code ICD080615, ISBN 978-0-7531-2792-6
An unabridged reading by Adjoa Andoh.
#9 in the series THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY.
Precious Ramotswe, that traditionally built Botswanan lady, receives nasty threatening letters, and Mma Makutsi and her fiance buy a bed. The events narrated in these books are deceptively simple but they are full of human interest and little mysteries. An orphan asks the agency to find her family and Mma Ramotwe's husband, Mr J.L.B Matekoni, looks for a miracle for their crippled foster daughter Motheleli. The voice characterisation by Adjoa Andoh is excellent and makes listening a delight.

If you have never read one of these, then you will enjoy this if you like "cozies". ( )

An enjoyable read. Precious Ramotswe is an endearing character whose wise optimism is a philsophy more of us should follow. I know these books come in for heavy criticism from some, but they have a subtle depth which grows as we slowly get to know each character. ( )

I don't have much to say about this. It's a perfectly serviceable addition to the Precious Ramotswe stories. However, they are starting to blur together for me in their sameness. I think any future volumes will have to wait for me to find them in a second hand store. ( )

I always enjoy reading the next book in Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. The Miracle at Speedy Motors is another enjoyable story of Precious Ramotswe and her assistant, Grace Makutsi. At the agency, the ladies have a mysterious letter writer and a lady looking for relatives. At home, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni meets a doctor who claims he might be able to heal their adompted daughter and Mma Makutsi has a little incident with a new bed. This series is always charming, warm, and feels like an old friend. ( )

Another in the popular series set in Botswana ( )

I love Precious Ramotswe of Botswana. She is so simple and wise -- really puts life into perspective. When I'm reading one of these books (there are 9 now in the series) I find myself drinking tea and thinking more calmly about life's little and big problems. There are lots of things to smile about in this book: big and little glasses, a bed with a velvet heart on the head board, an apprentice mechanic who notices women's bottoms. But there are also smiles about Precious' philosophy of love, generosity and kindness. She solves the problem of a mean-spirited, threatening letter-writer in a most humane way. ( )