Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #10)

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Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #10)

by Alexander McCall Smith (Goodreads Author)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 9,510 ratings · 1,119 reviews

The latest installment of this universally beloved and best-selling series finds Precious Ramotswe in personal need of her own formidable detection talents . . . .

Mma Ramotswe’s ever-ready tiny white van has recently developed a rather disturbing noise. Of course, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni–her estimable husband and one of Botswana’s most talented mechanics––is the man to turn t...more

Hardcover, 212 pages

Published April 21st 2009 by Pantheon (first published January 1st 2009)

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Dec 28, 2012 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I really enjoy this series of books. I like the descriptions, the slow pace, the thoughtfulness, etc. And the stories are always interesting. There were lots of quotes I found interesting as well...

In thinking about her childhood, Mma Ramotswe pondered "arithmetic, with its puzzling multiplication tables that needed to be learned by heart--when there was so much else that the heart had to learn." (pg. 4)

As Mma Ramotswe looked up at her acacia tree and thought about how there could be a snake in...more I really enjoy this series of books. I like the descriptions, the slow pace, the thoughtfulness, etc. And the stories are always interesting. There were lots of quotes I found interesting as well...

In thinking about her childhood, Mma Ramotswe pondered "arithmetic, with its puzzling multiplication tables that needed to be learned by heart--when there was so much else that the heart had to learn." (pg. 4)

As Mma Ramotswe looked up at her acacia tree and thought about how there could be a snake in the tree, she decided that the best way to deal with them was "not to deal with them...If we left snakes alone, then they kept away from us. It was only when we intruded on their world that they bit us, and who could blame them for that? It was the same with life in general, thought Mma Ramotswe. If we worried away at troublesome issues, we often only ended up making things worse. It was far better to let things sort themselves out." (pg. 18) This reminds me of advice from Dale Carnegie's book "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living". To paraphrase, he stated that if we could do something about a problem that was bothering us, then we should do something! If there was nothing we could do then we should figure out what would be the worst possible thing that might happen, reconcile ourselves to it and then quit worrying. Chances were that whatever happened wouldn't be as bad as it could have been.

When Fanwell talks to Mma Ramotswe about her van which is on its last legs, he asks her if she has spoken to her husband about it. He says there is nothing her husband can not fix. She sighs and thinks to herself that "he was right to say that there was nothing that Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni could not fix, but that was not the same thing as saying that there was nothing that he would not fix." (pg. 59) I had to laugh at that. My mother was very impressed with my husband, Bart, and used to say that there was nothing that Bart couldn't do if he set his mind to it. (I often repeat this, but add emphasis to the "set his mind to it" part which to me is the crux of the matter.)

Another thought, not unlike the earlier one I mentioned about the snakes, was when Mma Ramotswe was walking and thought "the blister had stopped troubling her; it had burst, she thought, and walking was comfortable again. If only all our troubles were like that; and perhaps they were. Perhaps the trick was to do what was necessary to deal with them, to put a plaster on them and then forget that they were there." (pg. 61)

And on a similar note--"When there is nothing you can do to stop the march of adverse events, then the best thing, she felt, was to get on with life and not to worry." (pg. 99)

And some quotes on a variety of topics--

"'Everyone needs a hobby,'said Mma Ramotswe. 'Particularly men. They need hobbies because they do not have enough to do. We women always have too much to do and do not have to spend our time watching football or playing with...collecting model aeroplanes." (pg. 76)

"She knew it was not always easy for women in such places, where the easy companionship of the village had been replaced by the comparative anonymity of the town. Such a woman might spend much of the day without any contact with other women--an unnatural state of affairs. We are born to talk to other people, she thought; we are born to be sociable and to sit together with others in the shade of an acacia tree and talk about things that happened the day before. We were not born to sit in kitchens by ourselves, with no body to chat to." (pg. 127)

"A middle-aged couple, visitors wearing large floppy hats, sat at a table poring over a tourist guide. Mma Makutsi smiled; so many people read these guides when they might have been looking around them and seeing the place they were reading about. It was the same with cameras;: visitors spent so much time peering through the viewfinders of their cameras that they never looked at the country they were photographing." (pg. 165) Reminds me of when Michael and I went to Sea World and he video taped the killer whale show, but to one extent missed seeing it except through the tiny black and white viewfinder.

And a funny one... Mma Makutsi is worried about losing her fiancee to another woman and asks "What if she succeeds in making him fonder of her? What then? He is a good man, but even a good man can fall for a glamorous woman. That is well known.
Mma Ramotswe responds "That is very well known...Look at Adam. Look how he fell for Eve.
"'Just because she had no clothes on, he fell for her,'said Mma Makutsi.
"'That sometimes helps,' said Mma Ramotswe. They both laughed..."(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

"I am your sister. There was no simpler or more effective way of expressing a whole philosophy of life."

"Human hurt was like lightning; it did not choose its targets, but struck, with rough equality and little regard to position, achievement, or moral desert."

"There is plenty of work for love to do."

"It did not really matter what the relationship was; a home was a home whoever lived in it, it was the same family no matter how attenuated the links of blood and lineage."

"Until you hear the whole s...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

As always: charming. "Exotic" as the setting may be (for someone living in Big City, USA), there's always something about these stories and the characters in them that makes it so easy to relate to. Mma Ramotswe's van plays a big role in this book, and her attachment to the decrepit old thing reminded me of my first "real" car -- a pretty but inexpensive blue convertible that I held onto for years past its prime and still cried when it finally broke past the point of repair.

I kind of love the ch...more

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May 31, 2010 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ladies #1 Detective Agency Fans

Recommended to Bonnie by: Orginally a lady from Chicago, now myself

Shelves: africa, botswana, favourite-authors, fiction, series, 2010

I love McCall Smith's books for many reasons and for each one that I read I find more joy. If this series should ever end I shall be a sad girl indeed.

Two lines I liked from this book, the first about the sky and weather, because I always love how he describes the sky of Botswana, and in fact,
I keep a running diary of his weather/sky comments: "So she said nothing, but noticed, when she looked up, that the rain clouds had moved across the sky with great speed, and now they were not far away, ov...more

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Mar 30, 2010 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-suspense

Amazon.com kindly informed me that this latest in the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series was available in paperback, and I started clicking. This is one temptation I don't even try to resist. Alexander McCall Smith's books are good for me—like a few days' vacation.

Once it arrived, I tried to read Tea Time for the Traditionally Built as slowly as possible, rationing myself to just a few pages a day. Although Smith is a prolific author, his books don't come out every day and—like favorite desser...more

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Dec 13, 2009 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Precious Ramotswe is back for another adventure as she delves into the world of football, which we Americans confusedly call soccer. She has been hired by Mr. Mologololo, the owner of the local Kalahari Swoopers, because has some serious concerns about the bad record of the team. Considering the high level of talent on the team, he things that one or more of the players is doing something to make the team lose. He hasn't been able to sort out who it is, but he thinks that Mma Ramotswe's skills a...more
Precious Ramotswe is back for another adventure as she delves into the world of football, which we Americans confusedly call soccer. She has been hired by Mr. Mologololo, the owner of the local Kalahari Swoopers, because has some serious concerns about the bad record of the team. Considering the high level of talent on the team, he things that one or more of the players is doing something to make the team lose. He hasn't been able to sort out who it is, but he thinks that Mma Ramotswe's skills as a detective will allow her to root out the offender quickly.

Mma Ramotswe's assistant is finding herself being drawn into her first domestic trouble. Grace Makutsi, who earned a record 97% on her test in secretarial school, is happily engaged to the owner of a local furniture store. She and Phuti Radiphuti are looking forward to their approaching marriage. Mma Makutsi starts to get nervous when her nemesis, Violet Sephoto who was much more attractive than talented in school, applies for a position in the bedding department of Mr. Radiphuti's store. After the way Precious and Grace embarassed Violet in the last book, Mma Makutsi thinks Violet wants to get revenge by stealing the well-off and successful Mr. Radiphuti.

Mma Ramotswe is dealing with her own troubles as well. Her beloved white van, which has been trouble with mechanical problems for some time, seems to have finally reached a point when it is not worth repairing it. The little white van has been a reliable companion for her for years so she is taking the loss to heart. She understands that Mr. J.L.B. Matakoni thinks that she should have a vehicle that runs properly.

As usual, McCall Smith's tale of a detective and her friends in Botswana is a pleasurable read. Since Mma Ramotswe is not familiar with the sport of football, her investigation is quite humorous. Getting to see Mma Makutsi work with Charlie, Mr. J.L.B. Matakoni's less than reliable apprentice, in order to find out how Violet is so successful in capturing sales.

While this volume wasn't strong on the "mystery" elements, but it really gives the reader a chance to spend more time focused on some really fun characters. I really loved this one. I am a little sad since I am now all caught up with the series. That means I have to wait for the next one to come out!(less)

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Nov 22, 2009 Mary Taitt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-crime, mystery-crime-fiction

Could a book that is slow-paced where little happens, compared, say to a Douglas Preston/Lincoln Childs crime novel, be a good book? In this case, very much so. This is a relaxed, slow-paced, pleasant, cheery and inviting novel about Precious Ramotswe, the proprietor of the Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana. It's the tenth book in a series, and I read it out of order, but I enjoyed it anyway. I thought it had a loose end, or I would have given it 5 stars instead of 4. It's an interna...more

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Sep 16, 2009 Marcy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Once again, Alexander McCall Smith has written another wonderful detective book about the Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi. McCall has such a wonderful sense of people and how they think; In simple words, he delves into their innermost reflective thoughts. As he describes in detail what people are thinking about, I find myself connecting to similar thoughts I used to have when I was younger and innocent, and had more free time to reflect upon the goodness of people and the world.

Mma Ramotswe "glanc...more Once again, Alexander McCall Smith has written another wonderful detective book about the Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi. McCall has such a wonderful sense of people and how they think; In simple words, he delves into their innermost reflective thoughts. As he describes in detail what people are thinking about, I find myself connecting to similar thoughts I used to have when I was younger and innocent, and had more free time to reflect upon the goodness of people and the world.

Mma Ramotswe "glanced in her rear-view mirror...Goodnight, Mma: I am grateful to you. I am grateful to you for being my assistant and having all those peculiar ideas and insisting on them. I am grateful to you for being who you are; for standing up for ladies with large glasses and a bad skin and for everybody else who has had to battle to get where they have got. And most of all I am grateful to you for being my friend, Mma; I am grateful to you for that. That is the best thing that anybody can be to anybody else - a friend."

Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni was thoughtful when his son was rather upset that a better football team had lost:

" There would have to be a lesson about sportsmanship, and about enjoying a game, no matter what the outcome. It was sometimes a hard lesson to be learned, and some people never learned it, but it was needed.
He looked at Puso and tried to remember what it was like to be that age. You wanted things so much-that was it: you wanted things so much that you ached. And sometimes you believed that you could make the things you yearned for happen, just by willing them. He had done that himself-he remembered it vividly, when as a boy he had lost a favorite uncle and he had walked out into the bush and looked up at the sky and addressed God directly: Please make him not be dead. Please make him not be dead. And when he had got home, he had half expected that his act of willing would have somehow worked and his uncle would have miraculously recovered. But of course there was still the sound of keening women and the black armbands and all the other signs that it had not worked; the world is the world in spite of all our wishes to the contrary."

Keep writing, Alexander McCall Smith!(less)

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Jul 25, 2009 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-audio-books, 2009-mysteries

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, by Alexander McCall Smith, A. Narrated brilliantly as usual by Lisette Lecat. Produced by Recorded Books, downloaded from audible.com. Tenth book in the sries.

In this one Precious is investigating a case for the owner of the town’s football team. They keep losing games, even against teams who are not as good as theirs. He thinks someone, maybe one of the players, is cheating and selling the team out to the enemy. Precious tries to tell him she knows nothing...more

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Jul 16, 2009 Leanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Precious Ramotswe is back in Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, the latest installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. This time, she is investigating a flagging football (soccer) team and facing the possible demise of her little white van. Meanwhile, her assistant, Grace Makutsi, has a rival for her fiancé’s affection.

Tea Time is a fine addition to the series. Like the other novels, it has a gentle, relaxing, and rhythmic tone and pattern to it. Smith unrav...more

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Jun 29, 2009 Judy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm addicted to this series of gentle books by Alexander McCall Smith that take place in the southern African country of Botswana. The stories are about the conflict between the traditional way of life and the emergence of modern culture that is placing strains on the people of Botswana. And in the telling of that story, throw in a gentle mystery or human problem or two and you have yourself a good read. In this book, Mms Ramotswe is asked to find out why the popular local soccer team is suddenl...more

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Jun 15, 2009 Terri rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is one of the authors/series (along with Janet Evanovich and John Grisham)whose books I await eagerly and insist on owning. And I am never disappointed. How I love Mma Ramotswe and this endearing cast of characters (Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Makutsi,Phuti Radiphuti, Violet Sephotho, and all the rest - it is a real treat to hear the audio version of these books - the names just roll off the tongue - so beautiful)! And it is so refreshing to read a book set in Africa in which people go about t...more

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Jun 08, 2009 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-books, detective-and-mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Synopsis:

The latest and tenth installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, we find the owner and proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Mma Precious Ramotswe is approached by the proprietor of a local football team to help him discover the reason behind the team's losing streak. Though unfamiliar with the rules and world of football, Mma. Ramotswe and her prickly assistant Mma Grace Makutsi enlist the help of Mma. Ramotswe's football loving and v...more Synopsis:

The latest and tenth installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, we find the owner and proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Mma Precious Ramotswe is approached by the proprietor of a local football team to help him discover the reason behind the team's losing streak. Though unfamiliar with the rules and world of football, Mma. Ramotswe and her prickly assistant Mma Grace Makutsi enlist the help of Mma. Ramotswe's football loving and very observant adopted son, Puso. With their gentle prodding, interviewing and powers of deduction, the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is tracks down the cause of the problem.

All the while, Mma Ramotswe is heartsick with a problem of her own. While she is happily married to Mr. J.L.B. Maketoni, one of Botswana's most talented mechanics, she is dismayed to discover that her much-loved and battered white van is finally giving out. Mma Ramotswe is loyal and recalls all the adventures with her white van. She is not ready to retire the van. She calls upon the help of Fanwell, Mr. Maketoni's second assistant, to see if the white van can be brought back to life.

Mma. Ramotswe's assistant, Grace Makutsi is herself distracted by trouble brewing with her fiance, the owner of the Double Comfort Furniture Shop, wealthy and hardworking Mr. Phuti Radiphuti. Mr. Phuti has hired her nemesis from the Botswana Secretarial College, Violet Sephotho, as a new saleslady in his shop. Though Mr. Phuti is oblivious, Mma. Makutsi suspects that the beautiful and scheming Violet is plotting to steal him away. Mma. Makutsi searches for a way to remove the danger without alerting Mr. Phuti.

Review:
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built does not disappoint! As the latest in the series, we are happy to find Mma. Precious Ramotswe with her gentle and kind ways unchanged. She still pays respect to the traditional ways. She generously offers help and comfort to those who need it. As she gets to know Fanwell and his circumstances, you are glad to become better acquainted with the characters in her life. The constant sense of pride in Botswana and her love for her father are woven into the narrative but the book never dips to the maudlin, folksy or cute. This book is a very enjoyable way to pass a few hours!

I highly recommend it for fans of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, people fond of detective cozies, and someone looking for a heartwarming glimpse into another culture.(less)

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May 23, 2009 Dorothy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozy-mysteries

This tenth installment in the gentle mystery series starring Precious Ramotswe is every bit as endearing and engaging as all the others.

The main mystery that Precious must solve this time is why a local football team is suddenly losing all of its games when, in the past, it had been a very successful team. The owner of the team, a very impatient man, demands answers and the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency must provide them for him in order to earn their fee - even though neither of the lady detect...more This tenth installment in the gentle mystery series starring Precious Ramotswe is every bit as endearing and engaging as all the others.

The main mystery that Precious must solve this time is why a local football team is suddenly losing all of its games when, in the past, it had been a very successful team. The owner of the team, a very impatient man, demands answers and the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency must provide them for him in order to earn their fee - even though neither of the lady detectives knows anything about football.

There are also mysteries on the personal front to be solved.

Precious' mystery is whether or not her tiny white van that has served her so loyally for so many years will make it to the end of the week. It is making strange noises and will barely go. She tries to keep the mystery from her mechanic husband, Rra Matekoni, but, of course, in the end, he finds out and demands to examine the van. After taking it apart, he delivers the sad news to his distraught wife that the little van is beyond repair.

The generous Rra Matekoni buys Precious a new, modern, comfortable, medium-sized blue van, but it just isn't the same. She pines after her lost friend, for that is how she thought of her tiny van.

Meanwhile, Grace Makutsi, Precious' assistant, also has a mystery, although, in her case, she is pretty sure that she knows the answers. Her mortal enemy from Botswana Secretarial College days, Violet, has managed to worm her way into a job with Grace's fiance, the estimable Phuti. Violet has been hired to sell beds at Phuti's furniture store, but Grace is sure that her real objective is to get into Phuti's bed - as his wife.

Violet proves to be spectacularly successful at selling beds. How can that be? Are there really that many people in Gabarone that need new beds? With a little help from Rra Matekoni's apprentice, Charlie, the lady detectives very neatly solve that little mystery.

Of course, in the end, they solve all the others as well. But Mma Ramotswe's tiny white van seems lost for good. Is this the last of this story? Perhaps we will learn more about its eventual fate in the next installment. (less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

Even after ten books - I think I've read them all - this series still makes me go aah. In spite of the crimes to be investigated, the moral dilemmas, Charlie's fecklessness and Grace's occasional snappiness they still deal with a world that is somehow innocent, where there is faith that most people are good. Of course one can have too much of a good thing: were I to read them all in one go, the continued politeness and old-fashioned use of titles and surnames would possibly become annoying rathe...more

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Jul 04, 2010 Deb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, women

I have been following this series for years, and it never fails to cheer me up and give me several hours of pleasant reading. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are among my favorite fictional characters. In this story, they must investigate a losing football (soccer) team whose owner suspects that one of the players is throwing the games. Since neither Mma Makusti or Mma Ramotswe knows anything about soccer, they rely on their skills in understanding human nature, and the help of Mma Ramotswe's foste...more

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May 26, 2009 Beth A. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

The First Ladies Detective Agency books are mostly books about people. They are full of the everyday lives and conversations of the characters. Mma Ramotswe solves her cases due to her intuition and knowledge of people.

"Much as Mma Ramotswe admired Clovis Andersen's The Principles of Private Detection, it had to be said that this was one matter on which she felt she knew better than Mr. Andersen himself. Nowhere in that great book did the author recommend the practice that Mma Ramotswe had found...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Stuart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So how can you not love these books? Very little actual detective work takes place – in this installment of the #1 ladies detective agency series, Precious Ramotswe has only one real mystery to solve – specifically why is the local football (soccer) team losing? Is someone being bribed? Of course she solves the problem, with help from her adopted son this time. I like that there is no blood and gore coating the whole environment!
The bigger crisis in Precious’ life is the series of noises coming...more

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Dec 22, 2009 Sri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: serial, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 06, 2009 NancyG rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the 10th book in a series with a delightful host of characters living in Botswana, now Zimbabwe. The main characters are the "traditionally built" Precious Ramotswe, her husband whom she calls Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and Precious's assistant detective, Mma Makutsi, whose claim to fame is scoring 99% on the secretarial test. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency solve everyday mysteries with not a drop of death or mayhem. The big mystery in this book is why the local soccer team is doing so poo...more

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May 12, 2009 Laura de Leon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, audiobook

I didn't enjoy this as much as previous books in the series. I don't know if I was just not in the right mood for it, or if the book wasn't that compelling. All of the books have a very comfortable feel to them, like hanging out with interesting neighbors. In this book, the neighbors are having an off day.

The mystery of the under-performing football team led to some interesting observations on human nature. I think there are a lot of similar conversations happening locally as we have the mystery...more I didn't enjoy this as much as previous books in the series. I don't know if I was just not in the right mood for it, or if the book wasn't that compelling. All of the books have a very comfortable feel to them, like hanging out with interesting neighbors. In this book, the neighbors are having an off day.

The mystery of the under-performing football team led to some interesting observations on human nature. I think there are a lot of similar conversations happening locally as we have the mystery of the under-performing hockey team. I didn't have any problems with this story line, but it wasn't enough to carry the book.

A second storyline involved Mma Makutsi and her nemesis from her secretarial school days, Violet Sephotho. Violet has decided that Mma Makutsi's fiancé, Mr. Phuti Radiphuti, is too good for Mma Makutsi,and she decides to claim him for herself. I liked the storyline, but I had some problems with how it was handled. Fairly early on, we have a couple of scenes where the reader sees Violet with Mr. RadiPhuti, putting this plot line in action. Everything after that we see from Mma Makutsi's POV. I would have liked this to be consistent through the book. Either POV would have been fine with me. In addition, although the Violet story is wrapped up, I didn't feel a sense of resolution at the end with Mma Makutsi and Mr. Phuti Radiphuti.

I'm not sure if the fate of Mma Ramotswe's tiny white van makes it to plotline, or if it is a running thread. It is a sweet story, and may be setting up a plot for the next book.

There were a number of other small stories and themes running through the book. I think the cultural observations that came out of discussions of chairs and walking and other subjects were some of the most interesting parts of the books.

Throughout the book, there was a lot of foreshadowing of dire events, which never came to pass. I'm not sure if this is a statement in itself, or another set up for the next book, or if I just have an over active imagination.

I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was wonderful as always, and really adds to the experience for me.

Fans of the series will enjoy this. Casual readers can decide whether or not they want to pick it up. I would not start reading with this book.
(less)

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Oct 31, 2009 Isis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

Another solidly enjoyable book in this series. My favorites are the ones in which a theme emerges, and here the theme is change; or rather, the idea that the things that one knows and loves should not be changed. Which isn't a theme I really embrace for myself, but I completely understand that change is a scary thing, and that one should not give into the temptation to change for the sake of change.

Mma Ramotswe gets a new vehicle; Mma Makutsi is afraid her fiance will exchange her for a more gla...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Patti from Charlotte added it · review of another edition

When I need a good, solid book with an entertaining plot that 'feeds' me, I turn to Alexander McCall Smith and his "Number One Ladies' Detetive Agency." This tenth title in the series, "Tea Time for the Traditionally Built," did not disappoint. With its simple tales of Precious Ramotswe and the other fine people of her village in Botswana, I finished the book feeling uplifted. From smiling through Mma Makutsi's observation in the first of the novel that "our fingers have evolved so that we can d...more

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May 02, 2009 Rachael rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE

As always, this was a pleasure to read. The characters have become like old friends, complete with their own particular quirks. They are so fully fleshed out that they seem as though they must be real! I can't tell you how much Mma Makutsi made me laugh out loud this time. It was also fun to finally learn more about "the younger apprentice" in Mr J L B Matekoni's garage. The cases in this installment were very benign, and sources of real amusement. I just love Alexander McCall Smith and am so th...more

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Sep 01, 2010 Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Need a break from real life, but can't go on a vacation right now? Then do the next best thing and pick up "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" (book 1 in the series) or which ever one is "next" for you. This one is #10 in the series. I think I've read eight of them. If you love action adventure thrillers, then these books are NOT for you. But if you love quiet, character-driven, subtly humorous books, then this delightful series set in Botswana, South Africa are the perfect "vacation" for you. M...more

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Jul 22, 2009 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having just read Michael Connelly's Scarecrow, I have to laugh at the assignment of McCall Smith and Connelly both to the mystery section (at least in our library). Nothing terrible really happens to the honorable women of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Nobody slugs them into unconsciousness or otherwise attempts to deprive them of their civil liberties. Their mysteries don't embody the sadistic or nastily destructive acts of other detective fiction. The mysteries are ...well... ladylike.

Tha...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Book Concierge rated it 4 of 5 stars

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency has a case to solve that truly puzzles them. The owner of the local football team is concerned that there is a traitor on the team who is purposely throwing the games; they had been quite successful but now they are losing to inferior teams. Mma Precious Ramotswe and Mma Grace Makutsi may not know anything about football – that is something men like – but they do know about shoes, and this knowledge will serve them well.

There is the usual personal drama as well...more

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Aug 08, 2009 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars

Now this is what I'm talking about! And I don't give five stars only because I think a person really does have to have read others in the series to fully appreciate the nuances of characterization and stuff. I see a delightful similarity between the Mmas and Rwas and the folks of Lake Wobegon. Conventional politeness and downright goodness leaves room for all those private thoughts or silences in conversation that are so funny. The dialog has such a beauty, and it also reveals so much personalit...more

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May 02, 2009 Will Byrnes rated it 3 of 5 stars

The 10th in the series, if you are reading this you are already a fan. Smith maintains the same delightful level offered in the prior nine. The central mystery here concerns a soccer team and whether or not someone is throwing games. Mma Makutsi faces a personal challenge as an old rival attempts to insinuate herself between Makutsi and her fiancée. Mma Rawotse must come to grips with the likely demise of her beloved van. Along the way we meet more of the fascinating characters that populate Smi...more

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Jun 21, 2009 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

The author obviously doesn't know what it's like to drive an really old car, never knowing how much longer it will run, or if it will break down during an important trip. You're always on edge! Every little weird sound or smell sets you off! You know what I'm talking about! Mma Ramotswe is married to an excellent mechanic who buys her a new car with air conditioning, new paint, and smooth shocks (for now). Anyone who's ever driven a really old car, even though they're attached to it, would never...more

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About Alexander McCall Smith

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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Books by Alexander McCall Smith

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #1)

Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #2)

Morality for Beautiful Girls (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #3)

The Kalahari Typing School for Men (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #4)

The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #5)

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“There is plenty of work for love to do.” — 17 people liked it

“We are born to talk to other people, ... we are born to be sociable and to sit together with others in the shade of the acacia tree and talk about things that happened the day before. We were not born to sit in kitchens by ourselves, with nobody to chat to." Mma Ramotswe” — 5 people liked it

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title link	preview: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
avg rating	preview: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built Goodreads rating: 4.06 (9510 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4285768-tea-time-for-the-traditionally-built?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348203979l/4285768.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4285768-tea-time-for-the-traditionally-built?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith[/url]

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #10)

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