Book Description
In
Morality for Beautiful Girls, Precious Ramotswe, founder and owner of the only detective agency for the concerns of both ladies and others, investigates the alleged poisoning of the brother of an important “Government Man,” and the moral character of the four finalists of the Miss Beauty and Integrity Contest, the winner of which will almost certainly be a contestant for the title of Miss Botswana. Yet her business is having money problems, and when other difficulties arise at her fianc?’s Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, she discovers the reliable Mr J.L.B. Matekoni is more complicated then he seems.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Author.......2007-07-05
Keeps your interest all the way through the book, in fact, throughout the whole series.
Warm, loving and human.......2007-06-22
I just love the series of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. What has always impressed me about these books is how no person is simply a one-dimensional character. Maids, cooks, Important Government Men, fiancees, children and garage apprentices all have complex motives and emotions. How human.
Morality Is Not A Movable Feast.......2007-05-06
This is another wonderful slow amble through Botswana, but do not be deceived, badness is like a Mamba snake in the brush, waiting to catch you unawares. Pretty faces can hide bad thoughts and even worse morals. Or a total lack of morals. Even on the African plain where life should be serene it is not so, a brother is being poisoned and there is much unhappiness and suspicion in the household. A lost boy child smelling of lion turns up in the middle of a safari hunting party, so is given over to the orphan farm, where he will be coaxed back to health. With a little help from Mr.J.L.B. Matekoni, who also needs some nursing as he suffering from depression. So the two help each other.
Back in town beauty queens turn out to have feet of clay and to cap it all the fiance of Mma Ramotswe is turning his back on his beloved engines. Hence his rest cure out at the orphan farm. But the business cannot run itself, what if those useless boys take a hammer to an engine again? What would happen to the reputation of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors?
Action is required all round and the ladies of The No.1 Detective Agency don't fail us.
This is not the book to read if you like fast-paced thrillers, this is more Miss Marple but instead of Darjeeling she is sipping her cup of red bush tea on the veranda of Zebra Drive thinking about how the daddy, that fine judge of cattle would have solved these manifold problems.
I love each and everyone of these books and I commend them to you all for some much needed calm and peace in a bustling world. They are also written in the most beautiful english and are a joy to read.
Morality, mysteries and a bit of mayhem in Botswana.......2007-04-06
This series of books has been a favorite of mine since they were first published, long may they continue.
In this the third in the series of books about the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency we are drawn into several little mysteries, some more serious than others, like the important man who thinks his brother's wife is poisoning his family, the man who wants to make sure that all the girls in a beauty pageant he is holding have good morals and are not "bad girls".
Also there is the worrying mystery about Mr Matekoni's strange illness, is he sickening for something or does he have a strange illness called depression and if he does have depression, how can it be treated? And who is the strange little boy in the Orphan camp who can't speak, only growls and why do people think there are lions about when lions are only found in the Kalahari?
Add to this a smart secretary from the Botswana Secretarial school with a passion for shoes who got 97% in her exams, along with a plethora of delightful and understated characters, including the enigmatic and shrewd Mma Precious Ramotswe who knows what makes the human mind tick, and you have yet another wonderful book from the Master author Alexander McCall Smith.
Hooray Mma Makutsi!! .......2007-03-18
The adventures of Mma Ramotswe, the strong, feisty, proud but compassionate lady detective (the only in Botswana, maybe Africa) continue in MORALITY FOR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, the third novel of the No.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY series. Things are not going too well for Mma Ramotswe - the agency is facing money problems, and her fiance, the kind and up-till-now ever reliable Mr. JLB Matekoni starts behaving very strangely and looses all interest in everything, including his passion, being a mechanic at his business Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors.
While Mma Ramotswe is juggling these personal problems, she is yanked into solving the complex case of an Arrogant Government Man who fears that his greedy sister-in-law wants to poison his brother for money. How much can one lady detective handle?
Helping save the day is Mma Ramotswe's former personal secretary, now promoted to Assistant Detective, Mma Makutsi. Mma Makutsi, who is 'too dark,' has glasses that are 'too big', and whose hair just is never 'quite right' really comes into her own in this novel - she becomes 'Assistant Manager' of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, whipping it into shape with the force of her personality so that its in a much better condition than even when Mr. JLB Matekoni ran it.
She also continues her duties as Assistant Detective, ably proving herself as she handily solves a case of determining which finalist in 'the Beauty and Integrity contest' actually has integrity- and thereby receives big bucks which keep the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency afloat.
Like its predecessors, this book is not your typical "who dun it" detective story. As Mma Ramotswe flatly tells the Government Man, "We help people with the problems in their lives. We are not here to solve crimes."
Along with helping people with the problems in their lives, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi continue in this book to have hilarious but often wise insights about gender, beauty, marriage, weight, criminology, treatment of elders and servants, cows, and a number of other topics, all highlighted by the ever-wise old Botswana Morality.
Book Description
The first three books in Alexander MCCall Smith's beloved bestselling series, featuring Mma Precious Ramotswe, the traditionally built, eminently sensible, cunning proprietor of the only ladies' detective agency in Botswana, are now available in a beautifully designed boxed set.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent reading!.......2006-08-28
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time - I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
The NO. 1 Ladies Detective Agenc Box Set.......2006-03-10
I love the box set . It is a great gift for any young adult or adult. I have finished " The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency" and really enjoyed it. I would recommend these books to anyone.
as fresh as a palm tree in spring.......2006-01-08
This is a great collection of books, light, fresh and funny enough, and the writing is cheerful and simple. 5 stars is not enough, plus, it feeds the love for one's country and values.
The world's most non-stop pleasant novel series.......2005-10-23
Need to calm down, cheer up, chill out or get happy? You can't go wrong with any of the books in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. They are reliably interesting, likable and uplifting. These are the stories of Precious Ramotswe, a substantial lady of extreme common sense and compassion who makes other people's problems are her own. I highly recommend these books; can't imagine anybody who wouldn't like them!
An Outstanding Series!.......2005-08-30
Anyone wanting to read a fascinating book about life in Africa with "homespun" wisdom that is extremely relaxing and enjoyable to read will love this series about Precious Ramotswe and her life in Botswana. She is a delightful character, experiencing life's sorrows, troubles, and joys while maintaining a deep reverence and gratitude for life. After reading this set, I could hardly wait to read the next three - "The Kalahari Typing School for Men," "The Full Cupboard of Life," and "In The Company of Cheerful Ladies." I now can only hope that Alexander McCall Smith will write more books in this delightful series!
Customer Reviews:
LECTURA COMODA.......2007-01-22
No es un libro para mantenerte atado a la silla sudando y con taquicardia (a pesar que me encantan los de ese tipo) pero cuando lo empiezo le agarro un sabor relajado, la filosofia de vida genuina y honesta esta presente en toda estas historias, no hay que menospreciar su valor, hasta los leo con una taza de Rooibos que tuve la dicha me regalaran. Excelente.
Product Description
Includes 7 books from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Tears of the Giraffe, Morality for Beautiful Girls, The Kalahari Type School for Men, The Full Cupboard of Life, In the Company of Cheerfull Ladies, Blue Shoes and Happiness
Average customer rating:
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Vague a l'ame au Botswana (Morality for Beautiful Girls in French)
Alexander McCall Smith
Manufacturer: 1018
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Action & Adventure
| Anthologies
| Fairy Tales
| Family Saga
| Gay & Lesbian
| Historical
| Horror
| Medical
| Men's Adventure
| Metaphysical
| Movie Tie-Ins
| Political
| Religious & Inspirational
| Sea Adventures
| Sports
| War
| Westerns
French
| Foreign Language Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
All French Books
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: B000SZ4I8W |
Product Description
Text in French.
Product Description
4 trade paperback Titles By Smith - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - The Full Cupboard of Life - Morality for Beautiful Girls - Tears of the Giraffe
Product Description
Med Sz PBs
Product Description
5 Med Sz PBs: 1. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. 2. Tears of the Giraffe. 3. Morality for Beautiful Girls. 4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men. 5. The Sunday Philosophy Club, An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Fantasy. A must read........2007-01-19
The Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series is a great find for the fantasy reader. I highly recommend all the books in this series. Fritz Lieber is a fantastic writer, if you have never read his books you are in for a treat.
The Lankhmar series has two main characters Fafhrd the Barbarian and the Gray Mouser. Fafhrd is a barbarian and thief. The Gray Mouser is a small quick-witted thief and sometime wizard. They are best friends and go on many fantastic adventures together, which are told as a series of short stories. This book is a reprinting of two books: Swords and Deviltry (The First Book of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser); and Swords Against Death (The Second Book of Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser).
The first book describes where Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser come from and how they meet. In the second book Fafhrd the Barbarian and the Gray mouser lose their first loves to death, and they set forth on a quest that leads them throughout Newhon on a series of adventures where they finally steal the mask of death from Death himself.
To sum up, if you like fantasy, you'll like this book.
Must read for any lover Fantasy Lover.......2005-09-23
Fritz Leiber is without a doubt one of the the most over-looked of a group of authors that are basically the fathers of the modern Fantasy genre. Ill met in Lankhmar is an excellent collection of short stories detailing the meeting and early adventures of the two most renowned Heroes/Rogues in the fabulous world of Nehwon Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. What is most enjoyable about the stories is the crisp action filled pace Lieber sets while still managing to describe everything in a way that gives you a feeling of immersion in the rich, exoctic world of Nehwon and the vast City of Lankhmar which is the Heroes main base of operations. The main characters are exceptional creations. Two lovable never do wells who usually emerge from there various adventures victorious but with little or nothing to show for it. There is a comic bent to their various escapades that is very enjoyable. Overall, just a great collection of short stories.
Most Underappreciated Work of Fantasy.......2004-03-28
Poor Fritz Leiber. He has never truly received the credit he deserves for fostering the fantasy genre. Along with the old Conan stories and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, this is amongst the most influential works of fantasy fiction.
Fascinating worldbuilding, intrigue and exciting characters abound in these tales, all told with Leiber's exceptional artistic skills. Not only are the plots and personalities compelling, but Leiber has a magical rhythm to his storytelling and descriptions. This is one of the few stories that is on my "reread" list.
Pick this up and you'll love the stories--and when you look at the copyright date of these tales, you'll come to appreciate just how much Leiber has affected the fantasy authors that have come since.
Short Stories with Fun and Action.......2004-03-06
The book reads like a series of short stories. Cele Goldsmith commissioned Fritz Leiber to write a series of Fahrd and Gray Mouser stories for Fantastic Stories pulp (one of the two early plups edited by Cele Goldsmith). That says it all. They are a fast read with plenty of action and very little of the long, dreary and seemingly endless descriptions of scenery etc.. found in many other books. The stories revolve around characters and the deeds of those characters. Unlike Jordan's Wheel of time series, which provides pages and pages of explanation of the types and colours of curtains found in each room of a house, something happens on every page.
Fahrd is like a Viking big, lustful and not scared to kill. Gray Mouser is an apprentice wizard that is not scared to use the black arts to get revenge eg. burning enemies to a crisp. Forget political correctness which is expected in so much of the literature these days, you will not find it in this book. It is like the old Star Trek (kill anything that gets in your way) and unlike the Next Generation (lets us open up the lines of communication so we can have meaningful dialogue).
If you like short stories that are well written, do yourself a favour and get a copy of this book.
Classic Swords & Sorcery.......2000-06-12
This book is the earliest adventures of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, their early lives, how they met and adventures. The novellas are rich in detail of the surroundings and show that the world of Nehwon is well-developed. Fafhrd and The Grey Mouser's interactions are realistic (except perhaps for the high-flown language) and kept me turning pages eagerly. Lots of hack'n'slash as well as intellectual puzzles, a few moments of hair-raising suspense and some definite sizzle. Classic swords & sorcery with very little mumbo-jumbo and no complicated explanations.
Product Description
Comic book.
Product Description
Digest. First publication of the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser story. Cover by Chesley Bonestell.
Average customer rating:
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Fritz Leiber's Ill Met in Lankhmar
Fritz Leiber
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Lankhmar | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000LOAQKO |
Average customer rating:
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Ill Met in Lankhmar
Fritz Leiber
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Lankhmar | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000P0WC5Q |
Average customer rating:
- An entertaining collection!
|
New Hugo Winners: Award Winning Science Fiction Stories
Isaac Asimov
Manufacturer: Wynwood Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asimov, Isaac
| ( A )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Hardcover
| Asimov, Isaac
| ( A )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0922066469 |
Customer Reviews:
An entertaining collection!.......2000-07-18
I enjoyed this collection of stories; there is something for everyone. The writing styles are varied enough to keep you interested. The themes are similiar to other books and stories, but I liked it anyway.
Book Description
A superb collection of more than 800 recipes drawn from both America's rich past and new culinary discoveries. It's the Bible of baking, considered by many as the most thorough baking book on the market. The highly readable, easy-to-follow text explains the whys and hows of baking and makes it easy for even the beginner to achieve delicious results in the kitchen. Line drawings throughout.
Customer Reviews:
Cookbooks don't get better than this.......2007-05-17
I've had this book for years. Its pages have drips and stains, especially on the recipes for angel food cake (infallible), chocolate mayonnaise cake (sounds weird but is wonderful), Portsmouth frosting (to go with the mayo cake), rhubarb pie, sour cream coffeecake, and so on and so on. These recipes are excellent; it's hard to go wrong. There are also step-by-step recipes for things like pie crust, and on those you can't go wrong if you try. Sure, there are newer and glossier baking books out there, like "The Cake Bible" or the Dorie Greenspan's "Baking," both lovely books, but if I were starting out as a baker, this is the one I'd want. And even though now I'm a pretty good cook and not starting out at all, I continue to return to "The Fanny Farmer Baking Book." It would also be a great present for someone interested in learning how to bake.
Fanny Great.......2007-05-13
The cookbook I revere as a bible in the kitchen. I haven't used it very much, but just knowing I have it, comforts me.
I love this cookbook!.......2006-11-28
Like another reviewer I bought this book to replace the one I had worn out.
Often in this day and age people do not bake, so if Mom didn't teach you to make
a pie crust, yeast bread or to bake a cake without a mix, this is the book for you! Lots of great recipies and easy to follow
instructions. It includes the original Tollhouse cookie recipie and even one
recipie for dog treats! I actually gave this book to Mom many years ago, and she
still loves it too! These have become "our" family recipies.
Best Baking Book Out There........2006-11-12
I have had a Fanny Farmer baking book as long as I can remember. Every recipe is fool proof and comes out perfectly. I am an avid baker and have been given many books, but this is my absolute favorite. Only reason I got a new one was because the other one was in pretty bad shape from so much use.
Solving the mystery of the pie crust.......2006-06-29
I first stumbled across this book when I was trying to learn to make a pie crust. I had tried everything from the little sticks to the frozen crusts, and nothing came out the way I wanted it. I found this cookbook on a shelf in the used book store, and liked the way the instructions were written. I tried the pie crust instructions inside the book cover and was delighted with the results.
Try anything in this book, from the maple pecan pie to the chocolate tea bread to the snickerdoodle cookies, and I think you will find the instructions simple, straightforward and easy to follow, resulting in a pastry you can be proud to serve to anyone.
Books:
- Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse (Mr Monk 1)
- Naked in Death (In Death, Book 1)
- Nuevo México Profundo: Rituals of an Indo-Hispano Homeland
- O Crime Do Padre Amaro (Classicos da Literatura Portuguesa)
- Offshore, Human Voices, The Beginning of Spring (Everyman's Library (Cloth))
- Oh Danny Boy (Molly Murphy Mysteries)
- Patient Prayers: Talking to God from a Hospital Bed
- Pleasures and Ponderings: From Nun to Nudist to Now
- Princess of Wands
- Prior Bad Acts
Books Index
Books Home
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- Site Planning - 3rd Edition
- Hunger and Thirst: A Novel
The Kalahari Typing School for Men (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 4)
Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 2)
The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 5)
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency)
Blue Shoes and Happiness (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 7)
