Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers by Alexander McCall-Smith

Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers
by Alexander McCall-Smith

Set in modern day Edinburgh, Scotland this novel follows the lives of some of the city’s residents. The chapters are very short and rather than having one plot going through there are multiple stories of multiple groups of characters. Bertie is anticipating his 7th birthday. Angus discovers he is a sleep walker. Matthew and Elspeth, new parents of triplets, decide to hire an au pair for the au pair they already have. Big Lou takes in a foster child. Pat, a soon to be university graduate, finds love, and discovers to her displeasure her father has too. And a former neighbor returns for a visit from her new home, a nunnery in Italy. The characters seem real because we look into their daily lives and see them change and grow as time passes. This is the ninth book in the series, and I would recommend starting at the beginning, but it’d still be enjoyable, and I don’t think too confusing to start with any of them, the author does a good job reminding the reader the important bits from earlier in the series. If you’d like to have a bit of an escape from your daily life, try reading this about daily life on the other side of the pond.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the 44 Scotland Street series, also by Alexander McCall-Smith.] [ official Alexander McCall-Smith U.S. web site ]

Recommended by Kristen A.
Gere Branch Library

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