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| Blue Shoes and Happiness (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 7) | 
 enlarge | Author: Alexander Mccall Smith
Publisher: Anchor
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
Buy Used: $2.08
You Save: $10.87 (84%)
New (53) Used (58) Collectible (1) from $2.08
Avg. Customer Rating:  102 reviews
Sales Rank: 4198
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 1400075718
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9781400075713
ASIN: 1400075718
Publication Date: March 13, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: We ship books out daily M-F. Tracking number will be emailed when we ship. We list the majority of our books in "Good" condition. If this book had any major flaws, it would be listed in "Acceptable" condition. Easy returns if you are unhappy with book. PLEASE NOTE: We ship immediately, however the Post Office controls delivery speed. In a hurry? Please choose EXPEDITED SHIPPING. Proceeds benefit non-profit Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties.
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Product Description
From universally beloved author Alexander McCall Smith, comes this seventh installment in the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series featuring Botswana’s best-loved detective.
Life is good for Mma Ramotswe as she sets out with her usual resolve to solve people’s problems, heal their misfortunes, and untangle the mysteries that make life interesting. And life is never dull on Tlokweng Road. A new and rather too brusque advice columnist is appearing in the local paper. Then, a cobra is found in the offices of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Recently, the Mokolodi Game Preserve manager feels an infectious fear spreading among his workers, and a local doctor may be falsifying blood pressure readings. To further complicate matters, Grace Makutsi may have scared off her own fiance. Mma Ramotswe, however, is always up to the challenge. And Blue Shoes and Happiness will not fail to entertain Alexander McCall Smith’s oldest fans and newest converts with its great wit, charm, and great good will.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 97 more reviews...
 Tight fitting blue shoes and a blackmail plot extraordinaire... April 17, 2006
61 out of 63 found this review helpful
Blue Shoes and Happiness" is yet another superb book from the much understated Alexander Mccall Smith who has given millions of readers a real taste of life in Botswana, a little African country with an amazing history.
In this new instalment Precious Ramotswe and her shrewd assistant Mma Makutsi, have a frightening encounter with a cobra in their office, an ill omen in the guise of a wounded bird, good intentions by one of Mma Ramotswe's employees, a new chair, and a diet that gets out hand, along with a nasty blackmail plot that involves Mma Ramotswe doing some delicate sleuthing in a private school's kitchen to find out who the culprit is and bring them to task.
Add to this a pair of tight fitting but gorgeous blue shoes that gently thread their way through the story line, lashings of bush tea and the wisdom of a Botswana lady detective who understands the frailties of human nature and what makes people tick, she is a kinder version of Agatha Christies's Jane Marple, and with Mma Ramotswe we don't get too many red herrings but we do get the odd twist in the tale in a comfortable read that is both intelligent and enjoyable.
I have to add to this review that I just love the titles of Mccall Smith's books in this particular series; they are so delicious you almost want to put them between two slices of bread and have them for supper with a cup of bush tea! Superlative is all I can say for both book and title!
The best yet April 18, 2006
59 out of 61 found this review helpful
This is the best yet.
What is fun about this book is that it deals with weighty matters - such as blackmail, medical corruption and things of that nature - in a way that make it accessible to ordinary readers, without the "in your face" moralizing of a book such as John Le Carre's The Constant Gardener. Some people complain that these wonderful Botswana novels are lightweight - far from it, since they deal with many major issues, but do so in a way that brings enormous pleasure to the reader at the same time.
It also deals with matters closer to the heart - the romantic story of Mma Makutsi, and the ups and downs of her relationship with her fiance could be straight out of Jane Austen, just set in another culture and time. The personalities are as delightful as ever and as utterly enjoyable.
As I write this the novel ranks somewhere in the 30s - what a shame, since it ought to be in the top ten and stay there. Buy a copy for yourself and ten copies for all your friends, as this is a wonderful addition to the series that you will want to read again and again.
Christopher Catherwood, author of CHURCHILL'S FOLLY: HOW WINSTON CHURCHILL CREATED MODERN IRAQ (paperback edition 2005)
Precious Rights Wrongs and Helps Build Happiness May 11, 2006
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
Readers who have not yet discovered this distinguished series are kindly advised to begin with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and work their way through the series in order of publication.
For those who have read the earlier books, Blue Shoes and Happiness will strike most as the best balanced and most rewarding book in this delightful series. The story has animal tales (one involving a cobra), several mysteries to resolve, challenges in Mma Makutsi's engagement, a detection training opportunity for Mr Polopetsi, more challenges with Mr J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices, decisive purchases by Mr J.L.B. Matekoni and Mma Makutsi, and many reflections on the true nature of happiness by Precious Ramotswe. In particular, the story does a fine job of contrasting the older ways in Botswana with the newer, selfish ways.
I had the pleasure to hear Alexander McCall Smith speak during his recent book tour for the book, and I came away with the false impression that this story was mostly about Mma Makutsi and her new shoes. That episode is simply one of many that investigate the nature of a person's inability to resist certain temptations. Although this book comes close to being just a series of short stories, Alexander McCall Smith ties them together so masterfully that you rarely think of the book as anything other than a lovely flowing novel.
To me, the best part of this book was that it developed the characters more than most books in the series have done. Dr. Smith uses both dialogue and action well to help us appreciate who these characters are.
I thought that the mysteries were nicely rewarding. The solutions were not obvious (except in retrospect) and helped tie the overall themes of the book together. I have to believe that this book was influenced, in part, by readers' love of seeing Precious detect in the context of the truly unique setting of Botswana.
You have a great treat ahead of you. Order this book today!
"Our lives are made up of small things." April 23, 2006
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
Alexander McCall Smith's "Blue Shoes and Happiness" is another engaging installment in his best-selling series about Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana. Precious is happily married to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, auto mechanic extraordinaire. Meanwhile, the super-competent, shoe-loving Mma Makutsi ably assists Precious in her detective duties. Mma Ramotswe leads a tranquil life, frequently taking the time to observe the color of the sky, drink a refreshing cup of bush tea, think lovingly about her late father, and express her gratitude for having the good luck to dwell in a beautiful, peaceful, and civilized country.
This book consists of many small events, both personal and professional, that occur in the lives of the characters. Mma Ramotswe has some new clients, including several women who want to blow the whistle on their dishonest employers. Mma Makutsi is engaged to Phuti Radiphuti, a timid but prosperous furniture salesman. Unfortunately, she makes a careless comment in passing that may put an end to their relationship. In addition, Mma Ramotswe promises to look into a mystery plaguing the town of Mokolodi, where the residents feel a strange sense of foreboding.
On a lighter note, some acquaintances have been commenting on Mma Ramotswe's considerable girth, and even though she has always been proud of her "traditional" build, Precious is thinking of going on a diet. As always, Mma Ramotswe handles any and all challenges that come her way with common sense, good humor, and hard-won wisdom. Although she believes that most individuals are basically good at heart, she is realistic enough to know that people can be weak, selfish, and even evil. When necessary, she is tough enough to courageously confront wrongdoers in the name of justice.
"Blue Shoes and Happiness" is a delightful breath of fresh air and an antidote to depressing and angst-ridden fiction. It is such a pleasure to spend time with people who have morals, treat one another with respect, and think before they speak. With his understated yet beautifully lyrical prose, warm and wonderful characters, dry wit, and atmospheric depiction of the beauty of Africa, Smith has insured that his Precious Ramtoswe novels will be around for a long time to come.
He's done it again! April 7, 2006
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
Fans of this series, rejoice! McCall-Smith has done it again. We have the chance to return to Botswana with our beloved Mma Ramotswe, her friends and family. Various challenges arise, new ideas are examined, and in the end, as always, warmth, wisdom and values prevail. I will re-read this book and listen on tape. These books enrich my life.
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