by Neil Elliot
There are times when we all need something that warms our heart and nourishes our soul. Sometimes we find it in an obscure corner of the Internet (for example the You Tube videos by the ukulele orchestra), but it's even better when it's a book we can curl up with on a favourite chair and let the book take us to a warm and comfortable place. When that's what you need, this is the series of books for you.
McCall Smith has created a beautiful and life affirming environment in these books. They are the story of Precious Ramotswe, a middle-aged lady who decides to set up a detective agency. Precious is a proud citizen of Botswana, and the country itself is the co-star of the books. Precious had a bad marriage when she was young, and then returned to her father's home until he died. These books are the story of her life after her father’s death, and of the new life she makes for herself. Precious has no training or formal experience as a detective, but her wisdom and abilities more than make up for this. Her city has no detective agencies until she arrives, but she soon discovers a demand for her services.
Detective fiction is often harsh and challenging, but not this book. The cases Precious deals with include infidelity and unexpected deaths, but these are not the cause of great tension and drama. Rather they are the opportunity for Precious' gentle and firm handling of difficult issues, in a way that is inspiring and encouraging.
The stories are themselves a reflection of the Africa, which is at the heart of McCall Smith's agenda. Often nothing seems to happen for a few pages, the book drifts along in a gentle and charming manner. I am an impatient reader who wants action or plot, but with this series I am content to drift. That is the genius of the series; it conveys a place and time when rush and bustle are self-defeating. This makes the books calming, almost hypnotic, and certainly gentle on the soul.
The books are affirming in another way too. They are stories of second chances and opportunity. Precious is blooming later in her life, as her personal project becomes one that enables others to grow. Her secretary and the family she acquires are all people who are needy and who are caught up in this virtuous circle of second chances. This is clearly portrayed as a combination of happenstance and the willingness to work. The contrast for McCall Smith is between those who are lazy and those who are willing. But there are clear opportunities for the latter to change their attitude and to flourish. Grace is at work, and it is beautiful to see.
So sit back and enjoy the warm sun of Africa in your heart, as the warm sun of BC starts to bring spring to our homeland.
