July 2021
44 Scotland Street
by Alexander McCall Smith
Moderator:
Helen Houston of Scottish Blethers
Host:
Sarah Murdoch
Book available from:
Biblio, BookShop, Amazon, Open Library, and Alibris
Back to Guide Collective Book Club
BOOK CLUB EVENTS
Recordings of these events will be available one week after their scheduled dates at the bottom of this page.
• INTRODUCTION: Monday, July 5, 2021 | 11am PT | 2pm ET | 8pm GMT +1
Scottish Blue Badge guide Helen Houston begins this month’s GCBC with an introduction to author Alexander McCall Smith and his novel 44 Scotland Street with a live presentation on the Guide Collective Facebook Page. Be a part of the event: tune in and participate in the chat feed during the show.
• DISCUSSION: Monday, July 26, 2021 | 11am PT | 2pm ET | 8pm GMT +1
GC Book Club Members will connect live with Helen via a member-exclusive Zoom session. Members will be able to share their own insights from the reading, engage with one another, and ask about questions related to the book as well as to Edinburgh and Scottish culture. Bring your book and feel free to enjoy your favorite snacks or drinks!
To become a new GCBC member and receive the Group Discussion Zoom link, please email GC at theguidecollective@gmail.com. Link will be sent via email by 9pm PT on Sunday, June 25, 2021.
Note: Existing members who are already on the GCBC mailing list will automatically receive an email with the link.
• Throughout the month, share your reading progress with GCBC in the comments below on our social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
ABOUT THE BOOK
This is the first book in the 44 Scotland Street series of novels by the author. The series now stretches to 14 books. Our book, ‘44 Scotland Street’, was first published as a serial in The Scotsman newspaper in 2004, every weekday, for six months. The book retains the 100+ short chapters of the original serial. 44 Scotland Street was published in book form in 2005 and the latest in the series, ‘A Promise of Ankles’, was published in 2020.
The story revolves around the comings and goings at 44 Scotland Street, a fictitious tenement in a real street in the New Town of Edinburgh. 44 Scotland Street is home to some of Edinburgh’s most colourful characters who come to vivid life in this gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive novel.
The first 44 Scotland Street novel was named one of the nation’s top 10 books of the last 50 years in 2013.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The author, Alexander McCall Smith, was born and educated in Bulawayo and came to Scotland to study Law at the University of Edinburgh. He enjoyed a distinguished career as Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh University, and it was in this role that he first returned to Africa to work in Botswana and Swaziland.
In 2005, he left the University to concentrate on his writing. Now the Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh has become one of Scotland’s most prolific authors since finding fame with The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, a series of books about Botswana detective Precious Ramotswe.
Alexander McCall Smith
Image | Library of Congress Life
The Royal Conservatoir of Scotland performs a 12-minute creation by Scottish composer Peter Graham that was inspired by the 44 Scotland Street book series by Alexander McCall Smith. Listen for the musical interpretations of the various lovable and quirky characters of the novel.
