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Book reviews for "Smith,_Alexander" sorted by average review score:
Tears of the Giraffe
Published in Paperback by Anchor Books (03 September, 2002)
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
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A Worthy Follow-Up
Alexander McCall Smith's second book of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Tears of the Giraffe, continues to develop the idea of the female African narrative. In the first book, McCall Smith concludes with Mma Ramotswe agreeing to marry an admirable fellow, the mechanic Mr. J.L.B Matekoni. McCall Smith immediately picks up where he left off, pushing the theme of the family. By using two established people, the book challenges the conventional forms of marriage and family in Botswana culture. Mma Ramotswe and Mr. Matekoni must, through compromise, decide on a lifestyle that will provide for them. Although they share responsibility, McCall Smith's achievement rests in the fact that his main character, Mma Ramotswe, uses her independence to transform her culture. She uses strength and courage to infuse a modern viewpoint on a culture where female dependence is embedded in its history. By the end of the book, Mma Ramotswe's views become infectious, and her effect on Mr. Matekoni clearly shows the manner in which she has revolutionized an entire way of thinking.
Aside from issues of the family, McCall Smith also explores his fascination with the disappearance of the "Old Africa," and mulls over the issues that modern society's growth comes at the expense of tradition and custom. He considers the status of good old-fashioned hard work. Does passion for one's work still exist or has it been eaten by modernity? Mma Ramotswe's secretary has her own theory. She thinks that the more Mercedes Benz a country has, the worse off that country is. As in this case, McCall Smith often uses characters with a limited point of view to produce moments of humor, but he simultaneously makes poignant observations about conflicting culture. At times, he offers more serious and direct commentary. As a result, the book not only takes the shape of histoircal documentation, but it also serves to instruct, to give hope, and to provide some examples of how to deal with a rapidly passing history. Through his series of books, McCall Smith has found a means to combine the local with the vast. He has invented Mma Ramotswe in order to show that one person can make a difference because Africa is comprised of a collection of individual stories. He craftily weaves these stories together to produce his African history, and in doing so contemplates and applauds the progress of a culture.

I love this series!

Precious Ramotswe is quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional characters. For the uninitiated, Mma Ramotswe is the first female private detective in Botswana. But, to say she's only a private detective is like saying that Father Tim (from the At Home in Mitford series) is just a village preacher.

I don't mind that most of the mysteries Mma Ramotswe solves are pretty transparent and not very dangerous. What I love about these stories is the way the author weaves a spell about simple people, living gracious lives, while being kind (for the most part) to one another.

At the end of a Mma Ramotswe book, I'm left with a feeling of peace.

This is sweet, gentle fiction...set in Africa, but it's universally appealing.

I wonder who's going to star in the movie? Whoopi Goldberg comes to mind...or Alfrie Woodard....or Angela Bassett...strong, independent women all....like Precious Ramotswe herself.

Enjoy!

Lives Up to the First in the Series!
This second entry in Smith's Botswana-set series picks up right where the wonderful The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency left off. Indeed, the two books are utterly seamless, and it'd be a real shame to read this without reading its predecessor first. The book picks up with the engagement of "traditionally built" Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's sole woman detective, to local master mechanic Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. While the structure is the same as the first book'a missing son as the central running mystery, and some smaller cases interspersed'the new couple's relationship is the real focus.

So, while Precious is asked by an American woman to find out what happened to her son, who disappeared from a commune ten years previously, she must also negotiate the pitfalls of setting up house with Mr. Matekoni, the acquisition of an engagement ring, and the dastardly schemes of Mr. Matekoni's nasty housekeeper, and the unexpected addition of two foster children to her household. All of which she does with her keen sense of human nature and wisdom. Her secretary/typist is also given increased attention, allowed to take on the case of a cheating wife all by herself.

Built into the stories are ruminations of the tensions between modernity and traditional values. There are a number of passages that attempt to capture the essence of Africa, and how that noble vision is under constant assault by greed, corruption, and power. The adventures of Precious and her cohort are a warm antidote to the often depressing news that dominates coverage of Africa in the West. Smith writes in a delightfully fluid and simple prose with pacing that makes the book quite difficult to put down. The series thankfully continues with Morality for Beautiful Girls and The Kalahari Typing School For Men, with further volumes to follow, one hopes.

Madame Alexander Dolls, 1965-1990
Published in Hardcover by Collector Books (July, 1991)
Author: Patricia R. Smith
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Madame Alexander Dolls, 1965-1990
A very informative book if you are looking to determine when your Madame Alexander doll was made and how much it might be worth. Full of great color pictures and a lot of good information on Madame Alexander dolls. The 1999 price guide in the back (which only gives prices for the dolls shown in the book) is very helpful in determining the value of the dolls.

Great Book!
Great book, accurate pricings, great pictures, but not recent enough. It is 10 years old. Still, I highly recommend it.

Fantastic Pictures and history of dolls
This book is great for those that wish to know the history of the Madame Alexander Dolls. The book is done in sections, telling about the different faces used and lists those that are in that catagory. At the back of the book is listed prices for the dolls, which is great if you are buying or in on auction of Madame Alexnder Dolls. This book will wet your appetite to try and obtain some of the older dolls. A great buy and addition to your library..

Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery
Published in Hardcover by Mosby (15 January, 2003)
Authors: Jane C., Rn, Dnsc, Dnor, Faan Rothrock, Dale A., Rn, Cnor, Rnfa Smith, Donna R., Rn, Bsn, Cnor, Crcst McEwen, and Jane C. Rothrock
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Very well pleased with this selection.
I own this book from school. It is a must for any student of surgery or nursing. It contains information vital to the understanding of the patient and the process of surgery and recovery.

A must-have for O.R. Techs and Perioperative Nurses
This book is the gold standard for O.R. Techs and Perioperative nurses, and the U.S. Navy uses it to train their personnel. This book is invaluable for the knowledge and technique it imparts for those of us who work in the O.R., and explains the steps and procedures for hundreds of surgical cases.

Future Boston: The History of a City 1990-2100
Published in Paperback by St. Martin's Press (February, 1995)
Author: David Alexander Smith
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An excellent and diverse collection
This collection of stories mixes together a little of everything that makes science fiction enjoyable: a solid basis in the hard and soft sciences and a wonderfully imagined future, with a twist of pure fun. The contributors, all members of a science fiction workshop, first planned out the future history of Boston and then related it in this series of interconnected tales.

The quality of the writing, overall, is remarkably good and the future they lay out is intriguing. You don't have to be a Bostonian to enjoy these stories.

Several of the contributors are prominent for other award-winning work--Sarah Smith, Alexander Jablokov, and Geoffrey Landis, among others. Their stories here are excellent.

Man, do these authors know Boston.
It's realistic and even plausible. They definitely pulled it together. These authors know the little things about this city that make it entrance those of us who might wander far away, but who know in our hearts Boston is home. The inter-stories between the big ones are brilliant.

Fumbling the Future: How Xerox Invented Then Ignored the First Personal Computer
Published in Hardcover by William Morrow (October, 1988)
Authors: Douglas K. Smith and Robert C. Alexander
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Fascinating Business Case Study
This book tells the fascinating story of the invention of the first distributed personal computer systems at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), and how a copier company that had grown to over $1 billion in revenue in less than 10 years based on a single new technology (photocopying) was unable to capitalize on a new technology again, despite the best intentions of its leaders.

The really innovative work at PARC was done under the direction of Bob Taylor. When Taylor was forced out, he started DEC's Systems Research Center (SRC) (later acquired by Compaq, and then HP), and he brought much of the top talent along with him.

I read this book on Bob Taylor's recommendation when I first joined DEC SRC as a researcher. But I decided to read it again recently before attending a talk by George Pake, the founding director of PARC. Pake's history of PARC agreed with the book, but he drew very different conclusions about the overall benefit of PARC's inventions to Xerox. In particular, Pake gave far more credit to PARC for contributing to Xerox, but all the examples he gave related to how computer technology has come to be used in photocopiers, which entirely misses the point. As the book's subtitle suggests, most of PARC's astounding computer innovations were largely squandered by Xerox (and "borrowed" by Steve Jobs to create the Apple Macintosh).

The first time I read the book, I was fresh out of school and didn't have much experience in the business world, so the parts of the book dealing with business issues were mostly a mystery to me. This time, it made much more sense, and I actually found the business aspects of the story more intriguing than the technical ones. Even so, the story of the first bit-mapped display, laser printer, ethernet, personal computer, and WYSIWYG editing software -- innovations we take largely for granted today -- is quite interesting!

A must Read
If innovation is in any way your concern read this. It memorializes fluently almost all the things a management can do to kill creativity.

Real business insight into how and why Xerox blundered
I have been a fan of the story of Xerox PARC ever since reading "Fumbling the Future" several years ago. In fact the lessons I learned contributed to my leaving engineering to get a business degree. Recently I read "Dealers of lightning" by Michael Hiltzik and was surprised to read through it and come across the Epilogue. In fact, I was actually disturbed by how easily the author relieved Xerox of its opportunity (and obligation from a shareholders perspective) to capitalize on the creativity and ingenuity of Xerox PARC. Those of us within the high-tech community certainly appreciate the open ended research that Xerox PARC conducted which has lined the pockets of so many that were never in any way associated with Xerox. However, if I was a shareholder of Xerox or any other company, I would be horrified by any management rationale that 'you are not obligated to exploit the technologies created within your labs'. Granted you may not be able to exploit all, but how about most? Xerox is not the government and is not using tax dollars for a collective good. I found the logic flawed and violates the basic motivations for establishing a commercial entity. I would recommend that for a business minded individual that you go read "Fumbling the Future" - which I have since reread. Reading "Dealers of lightning" was like watching a lawyer weave a case for premeditated murder against an accused and then claim temporary insanity as the final defense.

Morality for Beautiful Girls
Published in Paperback by Anchor Books (12 November, 2002)
Authors: Alexander McCall Smith, Alexander McCall Smith, and R. A. McCall Smith
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Not Equal To The First Two
The third book in the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency series is a little bit of a letdown. Having loved the previous two entries (which one should certainly read before this), I was rather disappointed that there of the five plotlines, only two were actually "cases" and two were left unresolved. Plotline one involves the agency's move to share space with Speedy Motors and Miss Makutsi's new role as Asst. Manager there. Plotline two involves a feral young boy found in the bush, which never really goes anywhere. Plotline three involves the apparent poisoning of the brother of an important "Government Man."

This case is much like those in the two previous books as "traditionally built" Precious Ramotswe must insinuate herself into a country household and unmask the poisoner. As always, she uses her intelligence, keen sense of human nature and a desire to help people to arrive at an outcome that's best for all. Plotline four embroils Miss Makutsi in an investigation of the character of four beauty contest finalists. She proves herself the equal of Mma Ramotswe as a detective, and in that sense, she steals some of the thunder in this book. The final plotline revolves around a mystery held by Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni which is hinted at but never unveiled, presumably leaving it for the next book, which is rather frustrating and annoying.

Like the earlier books, this one critiques forces of progress and modernization as well as patriarchalism (although in a lighter way than the other books did), and aims to portray a positive picture of modern Africa, one all too rarely seen in the West. As always, the story is delivered in a delightfully fluid and simple well-paced prose.

The series continues with The Kalahari Typing School For Men.

Another great visit with Mma Ramotswe & Company....

I loved every minute of the third book in THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY series.

Precious Ramotswe is solving problems, including some of her own, moving to a new location and handling life as it comes to her.

There are three 'cases' in this book, but they're pretty much secondary to the true story of life in Mma Ramotswe's beloved hometown of Gaborone, Botswana.

Mma Ramotswe's secretary - now assistant - Mma Makutsi gets to work on a case in this book...and she handles other chores as well, all with apparent ease as expected from someone who scored 97% at the Botswana Secretarial College.

A word of advice: read the books in order of publication. You'll be glad you did.

Enjoy!

Detective Work African style!
Oh, how I'm enjoying the continuing series in the story of Mma. Ramotswe, owner of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana, Africa! I love this strong African woman who is proud of who and what she is and where she is from and I'm highly entertained by the clients and other characters that she comes across.

"We help people with the problems in their lives. We are not here to solve crimes," Mma. Ramotswe tells one client. Not your average detective, she and her staff of one (Mma. Makutsi, her secretary turned-assistant detective) help people from different backgrounds with varied problems. Mma. Ramotswe even has a personal problem to resolve when her fiancée (Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors) starts acting in a strange manner without warning or reasoning.

I like the way the author brings out the close relationship between Mma. Ramotswe and Mr. Matekoni. The couple chooses to address each other formally but it is done in the context of respect, affection and love. The mannerisms and dialog between the other characters show the reader some of the cultural nuances in that part of the world.

The issue of morality -- how people treat each other, forgiveness, helping others -- comes up as the detectives work. On a job assignment, Mma. Makutsi goes in search of a beautiful girl with morals for a beauty pageant(hence the title). Mma. Ramotswe wrestles with the idea of whether some of her methods of detective work are moral.

Set to a vivid background of the dry but beautiful land of Botswana with its great Braham bulls and colorful people, Alexander McCall Smith describes scenes that remind me of the picturesque movies like OUT OF AFRICA and I DREAMED OF AFRICA.

MORALITY FOR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS is another fun book to read.

Fafa Demasio

In the Cube
Published in Paperback by Tor Books (August, 1994)
Author: David Alexander Smith
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Fantastic concept of what it is to be alien
I found this to be an easily readable novel -- perhaps a good place for those who are new to sci-fi to start. Smith creates a very interesting story with "In The Cube" based largely on his more "big picture" ideas than the plot itself, which was above cookie-cutter quality, but not on a level of those of Heinlein or Asimov. Where Smith shines is his concept of what it is to be alien; he allows to reader to study the thought processes and social structure of the most prominent alien race in the book, the Phner. The history of future Boston is also an interesting plus, and is able to elevate this book above its otherwise straightforward detective story. There is a high potential for future works of D. A. Smith to be impressive. Let us hope we hear from him soon.

Stock plot saved by wonderfully realized aliens

Boston in the future has been changed to the point of unrecognizability. The only port where aliens can trade with humans, fortunes beyond those of Bill Gates have been made, and the city rebuilt by simply gluing together all of the old buildings into one huge brick.

Beverly O'Mera is a "cubehunter" within this changed Boston- a private eye specializing in finding lost persons. She is called up by one of the most powerful women in Boston to find the woman's daughter who ran away. (Or did she?) O'Mera and her Phner partner, Akktri, get drawn into a widening conspiracy involving most of the powerful people of the new Boston.

The basic plot of the book is straight hard-bitten detective, well worn and with few surprises. Where the book really shines is the development of Akktri and the rest of the Phner. The Phner are one of the rarest things in SF: true aliens, not just humans in alien suits or one dimensional horror figures.

The Phner are beaver-like semi-aquatic aliens who appeared in Boston following losing their home planet in a war. They don't really live in the present and understand little human logic, but rather have a editic racial memory. To a Phner, nothing is truly real until it is dead or destroyed: only then can its "art" be fully appreciated and understood.

The book begins with both the author and O'Mera treating Akktri much as an intelligent dog. Akktri bounces around, following O'Mera, happy that she will give him "lobster-fish" when they find their quarry. As the story progresses, the impact of the bizarre (to human eyes) Phner understanding of reality begins to show more and more. Akktri is not a dog: not even human in the sense of having the same feelings or goals as a human would. As O'Mera begins to truly understand the Phner and what they can and want to do, she must question both her partnership and her friendship with the Phner.

The Future Boston developed by Smith has a lot of potential: there are numerous odd aliens and lots of bizarre history. Hopefully Smith will be able to realize Targives, popcorn aliens and the rest in future books as well as he has done the Phner in In the Cube

The Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide: All Color & Enlarged
Published in Hardcover by University of Michigan Press (March, 1996)
Authors: Alexander H. Smith and Nancy Weber
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Limitted Information
This is a nice book to augment a collection, but is not complete. The set of guides written by Smith and his daughter (Weber) do not overlap. This means that you need this book and the edition for the south in order to look up mushrooms in the south. There are no mentions of spore print colors in the individual entries, which makes for a lot of thumbing back and forth between the specific entries and the genus descriptions

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This book contains excellent color photos to mach the color tones and size characteristics of the mushrooms in the Midwest. We typically search in the areas south of Lake Superior.

Children of Wax: African Folk Tales
Published in Hardcover by Canongate Pub. (January, 1989)
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
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Not Just for Children
This collection of African folk tales by Alexander McCall Smith , author of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Tears of the Giraffe, et. al., is supposedly aimed at the 9-12 age group. The stories are a bit strong but suitable for most kids in this age group. I would not recommend this book to kids under the age of 8 or 9 because of the somewhat strong themes of the stories. Smith really doesknow Africa and is a pretty gifted writer. I think adults would also enjoy this book

A Field Guide to Southern Mushrooms
Published in Paperback by 1st Glance Books (December, 1985)
Authors: Nancy Smith Weber, Alexander H. Smith, and Dan E. Guravich
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A very practical reference on mycophagy and mycology
covers all the basics.. in detail.. includes basic taxonomic keys and useful materials.

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