Recommended reading for this autumn season

Published 8:13 pm Wednesday, September 19, 2007

By Staff
If you're looking for a new author for your fall reading, please check out Alexander McCall Smith.
I love to read, particularly murder mysteries. I've read lots of Michael Connelly, Stuart Woods, James Patterson and the like. Greg Iles is one of my new favorite mystery writers. He's about a year older than me and happens to be from my hometown of Natchez, Miss., in which he sets many of his novels.
I didn't know him growing up, but he was a friend of a cousin, who went to school with him. I've enjoyed reading his books and knowing many of the people and places about which he writes.
That's why my new fascination with Alexander McCall Smith's novels is interesting. His work is nothing like any of the authors I typically read.
In fact, I don't even know where I came across the first book of his that I read, "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency." It must have been divine intervention of some sort.
I think I bought it, along with several other novels, and put it at the bottom of the stack. When I had nothing else to read, I started it.
The book, part of an eight-volume (so far) series, is absolutely fascinating. It's set in Botswana, Africa, where McCall Smith grew up. The book is gentle, funny, filled with philosophy lessons. I was certainly left with a different view of Africa than what I had perceived prior to these books.
I've now read all in the "No. 1 Ladies" series, as well as all four of his Isabel Dalhousie books, which are set in Scotland, where McCall Smith is a professor of law at Edinburgh University.
Last weekend, I finished his two-book "44 Scotland Street" series, which was wonderful. I think that's just about all he's written, save for some short stories.
I can't wait for another installment in the "No. 1 Ladies" series, hope it comes quickly. I highly recommend the books.
Tyrone Willingham's Washington Huskies are 2 and 0 and headed for Ohio State this Saturday. Willingham's Washington team took No. 22 Boise State to school last week in a lop-sided victory. Saturday's game against the Buckeyes should be interesting.
By the way, Skip Holtz's East Carolina beat North Carolina on Saturday.