McCall Smith was born and raised (through high school) in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) and lived in Botswana from 1981-1984 (helping found the University of Botswana). While I think a black African would write a very different book (and many have, obviously), I think the basic cultural stuff can be taken as pretty accurate.
Now, this would be the perfect time for a swear word.
Kaylee ,'Jaynestown'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
flea - May 25, 2014 4:53:28 am PDT #22409 of 28344
information libertarian
Jesse - May 25, 2014 4:59:59 am PDT #22410 of 28344
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
A thing in Lesotho that reminded me of those books is that the honorific for women is Mme, pronounced like may. In emails, I always thought it was Madame, but no.
Connie Neil - May 25, 2014 7:13:29 am PDT #22411 of 28344
brillig
The scale of life is fascinating. People are happy with the basics. I'll avoid the obvious comparisons with American culture.
And the frequency of statements that life in Botswana is so much better, no internal fighting, no political prisons and never had any. It's an interesting take on the typical detective story, where there are bodies everywhere. Here, people just need some help checking things out, it makes consulting a detective very reasonable.
Jesse - May 25, 2014 7:43:28 am PDT #22412 of 28344
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
I imagine some of that is the Scotsman's perspective. I mean, for one thing, a quarter of adults have HIV. Although maybe it wasn't that bad when the books were written?
Scrappy - May 25, 2014 7:45:16 am PDT #22413 of 28344
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
No, HIV comes up later in the series.
Jesse - May 25, 2014 11:33:11 am PDT #22414 of 28344
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Yeah, I think I just read the first one, maybe two.
Polter-Cow - May 27, 2014 12:06:40 pm PDT #22415 of 28344
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Exciting news for fans of Mira Grant!
Which includes some people here.
The new Newsflesh novel is a book Seanan's been wanting to write for years: Rewind, which is Feed from the perspective of the Democratic campaign.
EpicTangent - May 27, 2014 12:29:22 pm PDT #22416 of 28344
Why isn't everyone pelting me with JOY, dammit? - Zenkitty
Best review of Seanan's (well, Mira's) writing listed in P-C's link:
“Horrifying, riveting, and a bit too plausible”
Strix - May 27, 2014 12:33:08 pm PDT #22417 of 28344
A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman but loose enough to flee from zombies. — Ginger
I saw that on FB! I'm excited, but even more excited to know about The new Newsflesh novel is a book Seanan's been wanting to write for years: Rewind, which is Feed from the perspective of the Democratic campaign.
EpicTangent - May 27, 2014 12:37:41 pm PDT #22418 of 28344
Why isn't everyone pelting me with JOY, dammit? - Zenkitty
ION: I was just glancing at the selection for this year's "One Book, One San Diego" program ("a community reading program that aims to bring San Diego County residents closer together through reading and discussing one book"). Previous titles hadn't really caught my attention, but I thought this year's sounded interesting, then I glance at the author's name and it's a guy I went to high school with. Not just went to the same school, we were in a play together and everything! Though we lost touch so in my head he's still a freshman - now he's a published freshman!
Guess I'll have to participate this year!