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The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #8)
by
Alexander McCall Smith (Goodreads Author)
In the eighth installment of Alexander McCall Smith's endlessly enjoyable, bestselling series, the judicious Precious Ramotswe comes to discover what is true, stable, and genuine in an ever-shifting world. There is rarely a dull moment in the life of Precious Ramotswe, and on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road many changes are afoot. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni wants be put in charge o...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
March 11th 2008
by Anchor
(first published January 1st 2007)
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This was a surprise eighth installment to a series that was supposed to end with seven. While I am a big fan of the series, I found this particular book to be disappointing for a number of reasons, most of them related to the plot.
As is his usual set-up, McCall Smith starts a series of mini-mysteries to be solved by the ever-resourceful Mma Ramotswe and/or her colorful assistant, Mma Makutsi. In this book, several characters get their own mystery to solve, some with more success than ...more
As is his usual set-up, McCall Smith starts a series of mini-mysteries to be solved by the ever-resourceful Mma Ramotswe and/or her colorful assistant, Mma Makutsi. In this book, several characters get their own mystery to solve, some with more success than ...more
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I loved the first few books in this series but lost interest after the Full Cupboard of Life. Something about this book's cover appealed to me and I looked forward to immersing myself in Mma Ramotswe's African world again.
I didn't really enjoy the book very much, it was an effort to finish it. The writing was as good, the little plots and twists and turns as amusing, and all the familiar characters were getting on with their lives, so what was it?
To me, Mma Ramotswe...more
I didn't really enjoy the book very much, it was an effort to finish it. The writing was as good, the little plots and twists and turns as amusing, and all the familiar characters were getting on with their lives, so what was it?
To me, Mma Ramotswe...more
It was the same with his trousers. Mma Ramotswe kept a general watch on the generously cut khaki trousers that her husband wore underneath his work overalls, and eventually, when the trouser legs became scuffed at the bottom, she would discreetly remove them from the washing machine after a final wash and pass them on to the woman at the Anglican Cathedral who would find a good home for them. Mr J.L.B. Matekoni often did not notice that he was putting on a new pair of trousers, particularly if M...more
After quite a few years of living it, I've come to the conclusion that life is made of two things: time and attention. What I love about the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series is the way the author, Alexander McCall Smith, handles both.
In The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, as in all the books in the series, the pace is lazy and relaxed. If I ever visit that part of Africa, I expect that I'll recognize the way the sun feels there, the way the dust settles on the roads after a car goe...more
In The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, as in all the books in the series, the pace is lazy and relaxed. If I ever visit that part of Africa, I expect that I'll recognize the way the sun feels there, the way the dust settles on the roads after a car goe...more
This was a very good book. I chose it for Book Group because Deborah, one of my colleagues, used to live in Botswana. She is bringing pictures and artifacts to Book Group and to Coffee Club. According to Deborah, McCall Smith does an excellent job of capturing the spirit of Botswana.
I love the optimistic and humorous tone, the simplicity and underlying wisdom of Mma Ramotswe, and the courtesy and dignity with which the characters treat one another. I also like the repetition of...more
I love the optimistic and humorous tone, the simplicity and underlying wisdom of Mma Ramotswe, and the courtesy and dignity with which the characters treat one another. I also like the repetition of...more
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, by Alexander McCall Smith. A.
Downloaded from audible.com.
Publisher’s Note:
In the life of Precious Ramotswe, a woman duly proud of her fine traditional build, there is rarely a dull moment, and in the latest installment in the
universally beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, there is much happening on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road. Mma Ramotswe is experiencing staffing
difficulties. First Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni asks to be put in...more
Downloaded from audible.com.
Publisher’s Note:
In the life of Precious Ramotswe, a woman duly proud of her fine traditional build, there is rarely a dull moment, and in the latest installment in the
universally beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, there is much happening on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road. Mma Ramotswe is experiencing staffing
difficulties. First Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni asks to be put in...more
I love the series, but like with other of my favorite book series, I don't dare to read all books at once, but rather enjoy one, then read a bunch of other books, then another... (what would be more horrible than running out of the favorite reads?)
Precious is just such a happy read (odd way to describe a mystery, isn't it?) for either when you need some happy reads to cheer you up, or when you... just need something happy, light, and bubbly. Or like a nice cup of bush tea.
This...more
Precious is just such a happy read (odd way to describe a mystery, isn't it?) for either when you need some happy reads to cheer you up, or when you... just need something happy, light, and bubbly. Or like a nice cup of bush tea.
This...more
Mma Remotswe and her friends and family get a chance to test the waters as they are all thrown in opportunities for change. Mma Makutsi is the one facing the biggest amount of change. As she starts to finalize preparations for getting married, tensions start to bubble up between herself and her boss. Some of it comes down to the fact that Grace wants to have more of an opportunity to grow into her position, but a lot of it is really do to the fact that her impending marriage means she really doe...more
It was so good to come back to this series after a long break! Seemed like nothing much had changed in the first few pages; Mma Ramotswe still drank red bush tea while Mma Makutsi's love affair with shoes and for that matter, her conversations with them, were still on. But a few chapters in and you see that some of the characters are itching for change and this is what The Good Husband of Zebra Drive is about, that and solving mysteries of course. Mma Potokwane makes a guest appearance and so do...more
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The Good Husband of Zebra Drive is another satisfyingly charming installment in the adventures of Precious Ramatswe, a “traditionally built” African woman who inspires us with her joyful optimism, kindness and unpretentious wisdom as she solves mysteries in her No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Various endearing familiar characters poke around at new careers, while others explore the validity of gender roles in a nation that has come only lately into the equality movement—all with humorous result...more
È il primo libro che leggo di Alexander Mccall Smith: mi avevano sempre colpita queste spettacolari copertine, piene di colori, di disegni africani, ma non avrei mai creduto che aprendole sarei riuscita ad immergermi davvero nell’Africa, a vivere per qualche attimo di gradevole lettura al ritmo lento, ma completamente efficiente della signora Ramotswe.
Nella Ladies' Detective Agency N°1 si vive al ritmo delle pause per il tè, quelle ufficiali e quelle ufficiose, ed i casi da risolver...more
Found this book to be just as enjoyable as the last few I've read from the series.
Mr J L B Maketoni's first case was rather cringe-making - it was easy to see where it was headed - but turned out ok in the end. Do we ever find out his first name?...
<center>What might [Mma Ramotswe] write - in that style - of Mma Makutsi, if she had to write her a testimonial? She divides the office doughnuts with complete impartiality. That would be a good recommendation, she thought; ho...more
Mr J L B Maketoni's first case was rather cringe-making - it was easy to see where it was headed - but turned out ok in the end. Do we ever find out his first name?...
<center>What might [Mma Ramotswe] write - in that style - of Mma Makutsi, if she had to write her a testimonial? She divides the office doughnuts with complete impartiality. That would be a good recommendation, she thought; ho...more
This is a book of change in the Ladies' Number One Detective Agency. Mma Makutsi is undergoing the biggest change. Her impending wedding is approaching and she realizes she need no longer work. She wants to grow in her work and feels she does not need to take the rudeness of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices so she quits.
Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni thinking detective work must be very easy and wanting to help his wife takes on the case of a woman who feels her successful husband is cheating ...more
Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni thinking detective work must be very easy and wanting to help his wife takes on the case of a woman who feels her successful husband is cheating ...more
I was surprised how much I liked the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. It's not the kind of book I normally read. Mostly, I read 'high' literature, many of which win a Booker, Orange or some kind of prestigious award. But I find I enjoy this series precisely for it's lighter tone in between other books. And I appreciate the honest, simple, happy look at the world so many have commented on.
That being said this was not my favorite of the series. I would give it a two and a half ...more
That being said this was not my favorite of the series. I would give it a two and a half ...more
I love this series. I did not love this book, which makes me kind of sad. I had two major problems with this particular volume. First, the overarching theme appeared to be "people are who they are, and there's no point trying to change who you are," which I find defeatist and unappealing. Second, nearly all of the intertwining subplots made me uncomfortable. Part of the reason is that Mma Makutsi and Mr. JLB Matekoni were acting in ways that seemed out of character to me (which of...more
Mma Ramotswe is solving mysteries again. This time her husband Mr.JLB Matekoni believes that he too may have the skills to be a detective, afterall how hard can it be? So begins the lastest installment of Alexander McCall Smith's No.1 Ladies Dective Agency Series. As usual McCall Smith's warm writing and colorful characters make for easy, joyful reading. As in the last books, often the stories revolve around the characters relationships and descriptions of life in Botswana. Again as in the other...more
Buku yang kedelapan ini kurang seru. Kasusnya sedikit. Buku ini lebih banyak mengulas tentang kehidupan para tokohnya. Mma Makutsi yang sudah bertunangan dengan seorang pengusaha kaya sekarang lebih kuat posisi tawarnya. Dia mengajukan pengunduran diri. Selain itu, koleksi sepatu Mma Makutsi juga tambah banyak. Charlie, apprentice #1, juga mengundurkan diri. Dia berniat memulai usaha taksi. Sementara itu, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni penasaran pada kegiatan detektif. Dia menawarkan diri untuk membantu mem...more
I didn't enjoy this eighth book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series as much as I had the previous books. I was ready to quit in the middle of the book, but I'm glad I saw it through to the end, because the story threads were tidied up nicely and I was satisfied by the final page.
Maybe I didn't like it as much as other books in the series because everything seemed to be changing in the beginning. Mma Makutsi quit the agency and just seemed to be more mean-spirited than ev...more
Maybe I didn't like it as much as other books in the series because everything seemed to be changing in the beginning. Mma Makutsi quit the agency and just seemed to be more mean-spirited than ev...more
In “The Good Husband of Zebra Drive” Alexander McCall Smith has given us another delightful series of morality plays. We see the world through the eyes of Precious Ramotswe, J.L.B. Matekoni, and Grace Makutsi, each with their own unique perspective, but still rooted in the traditional values of Bothswana. The mysteries that they investigate, as well as their own interactions have them testing and reaffirming their beliefs in faithfulness, friendship, and honesty with plenty of smiles along the...more
Great addition to the series with Precious Ramotswe, the main character's reflections on what is true and what is not. Her husband "the Good Husband of Zebra Drive" Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni wants to investigate "bad Husbands." Mma Grace Makutsi who has been with Precious since the beginning of the series, is considering leaving the agency. I won't say more because I don't want to give the stories away.
I love Alexander McCall Smith's light and lyrical take on Botswana an...more
I love Alexander McCall Smith's light and lyrical take on Botswana an...more
Excerpts from this book:
'Mma Makutsi smiled encouragingly at the young man. She tried to keep her eyes off the face of the young man with the gaping mouth , but found that she could not; such a deep space, like the mouth of a cave...absurdly, temptingly, she wanted to put something into it: pieces of paper, perhaps, small erasers, anything that would block it up..'
Funny tid bits such as these made the book so enjoyable. This time Mma Ramotswe husband; that fine mechanic M...more
'Mma Makutsi smiled encouragingly at the young man. She tried to keep her eyes off the face of the young man with the gaping mouth , but found that she could not; such a deep space, like the mouth of a cave...absurdly, temptingly, she wanted to put something into it: pieces of paper, perhaps, small erasers, anything that would block it up..'
Funny tid bits such as these made the book so enjoyable. This time Mma Ramotswe husband; that fine mechanic M...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Net als het leven van Mma Ramotswe in rustiger vaarwater lijkt te komen (ze is gelukkig getrouwd, het gaat goed met de kinderen, haar detectivebureau loopt als een trein) gaat natuurlijk het een na het ander mis. Mma Makutsi, haar trouwe assistente, zegt haar baan op; nu zij gaat trouwen met haar rijke verloofde vindt ze dat ze niet langer hoeft te werken voor haar geld, maar gaat ze liever shoppen. Een van de monteurs-in-opleiding kondigt aan dat hij een taxibedrijf beginnen gaat en dus de gara...more
Nothing much happens in Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books and that's part of their charm. Another appeal is the unflapple character of Mma Ramotswe, a woman of "traditional size," who goes about her detective business with competence and self-assurance. This time around, when she finally solves the mystery of three patients' deaths at the same time on the same day, it's not the solution that is surprising. Rather, it's how Mma Ramotswe handles the incident, ...more
Jennifer
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who likes Africa and detective stories
Shelves:
library-book,
2009-fall-challenge
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
"He expressed his relief in tears, which he mopped at, embarrassed, with a handkerchief that she supplied, wordlessly. There was no point in telling somebody not to cry, she had always thought; indeed there were times when you should do exactly the opposite, when you should urge people to cry, to start the healing that sometimes only tears can bring."
There are touching, thought-provoking parts like the excerpt above, and then there are the humorous parts (such as when Mma Ma...more
There are touching, thought-provoking parts like the excerpt above, and then there are the humorous parts (such as when Mma Ma...more
Precious Ramotswe finds herself in the middle of an investigation at the hospital when several patients have died under strange circumstances. As is often the case, things are not always what they seem and so this investigation takes that turn.
Meanwhile Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni decides he wants to investigate a case involving a husband who may be involved in an affair. As it turns out, he winds up solving a completely different case and comes to the conclusion that investigating cases i...more
Meanwhile Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni decides he wants to investigate a case involving a husband who may be involved in an affair. As it turns out, he winds up solving a completely different case and comes to the conclusion that investigating cases i...more
This one was a classic - all the perfect elements: traditional Botswana mores, gentle humor, comedy of manners, inner musings by many different characters, unspectacular "mysteries" that provide wonderful turns of events and "morals to the story," character development, and so on and so on. What will I do when I've finished them all?
The narrator is fabulous - I hear her with her Setswana English accent when I'm walking my dog, washing the dishes, etc., and it drive...more
The narrator is fabulous - I hear her with her Setswana English accent when I'm walking my dog, washing the dishes, etc., and it drive...more
A few wobbles in the relationships, but things are worked out - pity I remembered some of the plot from the television series ( I hadn't realised how much the books were mixed up for it ).
As winter turns to spring across Botswana's red earth and slow green rivers, all is not well on Zebra drive. Mma Ramotswe has plenty of work, ranging from thefts at the printing works to suspicious deaths at the Mochudi hospital. Meanwhile Mma Makutsi's forthcoming marriage pleats to threaten a happy...more
As winter turns to spring across Botswana's red earth and slow green rivers, all is not well on Zebra drive. Mma Ramotswe has plenty of work, ranging from thefts at the printing works to suspicious deaths at the Mochudi hospital. Meanwhile Mma Makutsi's forthcoming marriage pleats to threaten a happy...more
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Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what...more
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“And if there's bad behaviour," Mma Potokwane went on. "If there's bad behaviour, the quickest way of stopping it is to give more love. That always works, you know. People say we must punish when there is wrongdoing, but if you punish you're only punishing yourself. And what's the point of that?”
—
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“Great feuds often need very few words to resolve them. Disputes, even between nations, between peoples, can be set to rest with simple acts of contrition and corresponding forgiveness, can so often be shown to be based on nothing much other than pride and misunderstanding, and the forgetting of the humanity of the other -- and land, of course. ”
—
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