Espresso Tales

Absolutely love anything written by Alexander McCall Smith. Such wonderfully human characters. Call me crazy, but I do enjoy Bruce - fascinating to get into the head of a narcissistic, materialistic and chauvinistic male! I also love this insider's view of Edinburgh and its people - it's I city that I have fallen in love with!

This is the second of the Scotland Street serial which has run daily in the Edinburgh newspaper, The Scotsman, and it betrays its origins more obviously than the first of the series (44 Scotland Street). 44 Scotland forms a near-miraculous whole - astonishing in a kind of writing which is very much like improvisation in that one cannot possibly know at the beginning how, or if, the ending will round out satisfactorily. I want to revise my earlier opinion to say that as I've reflected on Espresso Tales, it also has many threads which are tied into a satisfactory conclusion, and one in particular which MUST be resolved in Love Over Scotland! It does have more "slow spots" than 44 (notably the 8 mercifully brief Ramsey Dunbarton sections, which dragged a bit for me). But that is a small matter, all things considered.

Amazing things happen! Bertie escapes (but not in the chapter so titled)! Stuart asserts himself! Pat makes several important decisions. Bruce...is nearly wiped out but Lands On His Feet Again, as Bruce is wont to do. Matthew grows up rather a lot! Cyril the dog Bites An Important Ankle (To Rounds of Applause)! Big Lou stands up to a charming intellectual snob, and gets an important letter. I feel like I am writing the weekly soap opera summary!

But these books rise far above that level. On the first read, they are so entertaining that one does not always notice the deeper layers that emerge on re-reading.

For example, without introducing a spoiler, I can say that Big Lou's moral philosophizing with Matthew and Angus offers important insight into Matthew's relationship with his dad, and ultimately with his dad's girlfriend Janis. Matthew's change in his view of Janis is an important part of his growing up - but he still has further to go, and we shall see in Love Over Scotland how his suspicions about "gold-digging women" turn out to affect his own life.

If you enjoyed 44 Scotland, you must read this one...even though improvisations are not always perfect, they are like juggling, and it's amazing how many of the balls are caught in this continuing McCall Smith act. He wanted to stop after this one, but Edinburgh dwellers persuaded him to continue for at least one more book. I can't wait! As I think more deeply about this book as a whole, and the connections beneath the surface, I must give it 5 stars, despite my earlier reservations. (now why can't I change that from the Edit page? gr)

This novel picks up shortly after the events related in 44 SCOTLAND STREET. Young Bertie is now six and is soon to begin kindergarten, the ultra progressive one that his mother selected rather than the more traditional nearby one Bertie would have preferred, the one that encouraged rugby games rather than thoughtful introspection. Bruce is history at his old job but not matter he has decided to embark on a career as a wine merchant which he has no doubt will be quite successful. Pat has moved out of their shared flat and finally decided to begin her university career - finally things are beginning to go her way. As these stories and those of the others who cross their paths unfold we once again are transported to the charming and slightly absurd world of 44 Scotland Street.

This series was inspired by Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY and, like that series, originally appeared in serialized form in a newspaper. These stories, like the Smith's better known NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY is filled with gentle stories about every day events told with sympathy and gentle humor. Fans of Smith's other work will certainly enjoy this series but definitely begin at the beginning.

Following my enjoyment of 44 Scotland Street, I picked up a copy of Alexander McCall Smith's sequel titled Espresso Tales. Still the same quirky characters as 44 Scotland Street, and still more of a "slice of life" book with no overall driving plotline. Fortunately, it's still a lot of fun following the players as their pompous attitudes and actions get pricked and deflated...

Bertie is in a major rebellion phase against his overbearing mother Irene. She's still trying to make progress with his psychotherapy, but she's more interested in the therapist than Bertie is. Bertie's father also figures out that he's failed his son in terms of standing up to mom, and is determined to reverse that trend and give Bertie a normal boyhood. But to do that, he has to disassemble Irene's "Bertie Project" against her will.

Bruce is convinced that he's ready to open a wine shop and become the next great wine merchant. Ah, but he needs money to do that. He manipulates a long-time wimpish friend (George) to join him in the idea and front the cash. Bruce plunges in thinking he knows everything, but as usual he's completely clueless as to what people really think of him. As the store gets closer to opening, he's in for a few surprises.

Pat has decided to attend Edinburgh University and stay at 44 Scotland Street. Her father loves this idea, as he's grown quite close to his daughter. Domenica manuvers Pat into a date with a coffee house waiter by the name of Peter. She's somewhat uncertain about Peter on a number of different levels, and his invitation to attend a nudist picnic with him doesn't help much. Domenica, on the other hand, is getting antsy for her next great adventure, and decides that a new study abroad is what she needs.

Matthew is surprising everyone by actually turning a profit at the art gallery. He still holds a candle for Pat, but Pat really doesn't see him in that same light. Matthew's world gets thrown into a complete tizzy when his father announces that he's dating someone who he intends to marry. Matthew's convinced that Janis is just out to get his father's money, and makes his objections pretty clear. But all is not as it seems, and he's in for a few surprises along the way.

And for the fans of Angus and Big Lou, they have their own adventures also...

Although I'm not a fan of "reality TV", I do enjoy the occasional book that goes down that path. The characters of 44 Scotland Street are so engaging and quirky that it's hard not to want to watch their lives unfold. Along the way, you see reality that's obvious to everyone except the person who's living it. Makes you wonder how much of that is in our own lives. I'm in possession of the 3rd installment, and I'm looking forward to starting it. The way this book ends makes you wonder how this cast of characters will be able to stay together...

After reading 44 Scotland Street I was left with one burning question: what about Bertie? Will he ever get out from under his mother's stifling influence? Will he get to play Rugby? How will he deal with his oblivious psychiatrist? All the characters of the series are interesting to one degree or another, but as I picked up this book it was Bertie's story I really wanted to know.

Fortunately, Smith delivered. In this volume we get to see the world through Bertie's hyper-intelligent but still immature eyes. And I was thrilled that rather than simply playing the situation for laughs, as "44 Scotland Street" had done, in these stories Bertie gets to break out of his routine, have a series of adventures, and achieve the sort of semi-definitive conclusion that was only afforded to Pat in the previous volume.

That's not to say that the stories of the rest of the characters are not interesting. I found the evolution of Bruce, the thick headed narcissistic roommate, to be particularly satisfying. It helps that Pat had, in the first book, already gotten over her crush on Bruce, which was so obviously unwise that you couldn't help but expect disaster on every page.

The only false note in this collection is the Ramsey Dunbarton storyline. A grand old gentleman who seems to have done nothing much with his life, and yet talks about it incessantly, his chapters were simply boring. Perhaps if I were Scottish I would be able to see all sort of subtle in jokes that would turn him from boring to charming, but as it is I'm glad he only shows up from time to time.

But that is only a blemish on a great collection. I'll be reading the next one as soon as I can get my hands on it!

Espresso Tales (2005) is the second novel in this series, following 44 Scotland Street. In the previous volume, Bertie lost a new friend and Bruce lost his job. Matthew lost a Peploe and gained an abstract Vettriano. Pat convinced herself that she had lost her obsession with Bruce.

In this novel, Pat Macgregor is the daughter of an Edinburgh psychiatrist. She is working at Something Special Gallery, an art shop owned by Matthew.

Bruce Anderson is a narcissist young man who owns a flat at 44 Scotland Street. Pat lives in room within this flat.

Matthew Duncan is a young business man. His gallery has actually made a profit during the last quarter with Pat working there. It probably has to do with Pat's knack for selling art.

Gordon Duncan is Matthew's father. He had set up the business for Matthew after deciding that his son was a failure at business. At least, it gave Matthew a place to go during the working day.

Domenica MacDonald is an older lady with an eventful past and a lot of friends. She had lived in India as the wife of the owner of a private electric company. She now lives at 44 Scotland Street on the same floor as Bruce and Pat.

Irene Pollock is the wife of Stuart and the mother of Bertie. She knows that her son is quite brilliant, but he was suspended from nursery school due to writing graffiti in the restroom. They live on the floor below Pat and Bruce at 44 Scotland Street.

Lou Brown is the owner of The Morning After coffee shop. It is near the gallery and Matthew likes to stop in there to talk to Big Lou and his other friends there.

Angus Lordie is an Edinburgh artist. He is an older man and a friend of Domenica. Angus has a dog named Cyril, who likes to wink at the ladies.

In this story, Pat has decided not to attend St. Andrews, but to attend the University of Edinburgh. The university has agreed to accept her, so she can continue to live with her friends in and around 44 Scotland Street. Her father is only relieved that she is not going back to Australia.

On her way back to the house, Pat runs into Domenica. They watch a performer swallow a sword and then walk toward home. But they decide to stop for coffee at Glass and Thompson.

Domenica tells some interesting stories, but pauses to give her order. Pat is interested in the waiter and Domenica discovers that he is an English major at the university. She offers to lend him a book of poems by Rupert Brooke. Pat is upset with the blatant attempt to lure him to the house.

Bruce goes back to work after the angry words from his boss, only to find a note on his desk saying that he will be paid through the end of the month and to see the cashier about his final check. He thinks about it a few minutes and then walks in on his boss. He says a few things, but his boss has the final word.

Bruce has been sleeping in since his firing from the job. He is considering a career as a wine merchant. He knows so much about the kind of wines that young people like.

Bruce convinces an longtime acquaintance to invest in the wineshop. He rents a store at a good rate and cleans up the place. Then he meets with a friend from the rugby club and gets a good deal on a special kind of wine. Afterward, Bruce stocks the rest of the store with wines from another distributor.

Irene and Stuart finally decide which bus to take to go to the Steiner School. The No. 27 goes the closest to the school, but it is a bit rough sometimes. The No. 10 would take them by the nursery school, where Bertie would be reminded of his suspension. The No. 23 is very middle class, but it is probably the best option.

One day Bertie is asked by his psychotherapist to list the things wrong with his life and then to draw an arrow from each problem to the source of the difficulty. So he lists several items and draws a fancy arrow from each to point to "Mother" on the other side. After thinking about the list and talking with Bertie, Dr. Fairbairn decides to drop the matter and to go on to dream interpretation.

Meanwhile, Bertie is planning his escape from his mother's future. He decides to try out George Watson primary school, but has to overcome a few problems. He finally gets to attend to that school -- on the sly -- and plays rugby during recess. His potential friend Jack is also in the game.

Gordon drops by to see Matthew one day. After talking a bit, Gordon announces that he has a woman that he would like Matthew to know. They agree to meet for dinner. Matthew decides that Janis is a golddigger out to get his father's money.

Big Lou enjoys having Matthew drop by for coffee. She was not sure of Angus and his dog Cyril, but soon grew to like them. She has a certain fondness for dogs, even those who wink at the ladies.

One morning Matthew comes in when Lou is alone in the shop. They talk about her family and then he mentions that his mother had died when he was nineteen. He has just brought up Janis when Angus comes in and changes the subject to the war.

This tale leads the reader through all kinds of discussions. It also presents the reader with many complications, including Matthew liking Pat, but Pat being unwilling to mix business and pleasure. Beside, she thinks that he is indecisive. Pat does think that Matthew would be better off with a girlfriend and is certain that some woman would like him.

In some respects, nothing much happens in this novel, but the details are interesting. The next volume -- Love Over Scotland -- continues these stories. Read and enjoy!

Recommended for McCall Smith fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of ordinary lives, commonplace people, and one brilliant child.

-Bill Jordin

Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith is the type of book that restores your faith in literature. For everyone who says that good books aren't being written anymore, send them to Smith, because everything he writes is wonderful. Smith returns us to 44 Scotland Street to update us on the goings-ons of its denizens. It took me a couple of chapters to remember who was who and slide back into the rhythms of their lives, but once I was there, it was nearly impossible to leave. Poor Bertie is back with his horrible mother Irene. Bruce has returned with his clove hairgel. Just about everyone has returned, except the pair who hung around Big Lou's. Smith has several surprises in store for his characters, and I don't want to give any of them away. The writing is smooth and seamless as he moves from character to character. If only they made movies like this, my faith would be restored in the movie industry!

Although this is the second volume of a serial novel, it's not necessary to read the first to become quickly enmeshed in the lives of its varied and active characters. First published in daily installments in the Scotsman, the book follows the trials and triumphs of the inhabitants of a Georgian townhouse at 44 Scotland Street in Edinburgh.

Ranging in age from 6 to 60-something, the residents come from a broad spectrum of middle-class society - widowed, wise and vigorous; young and single with a lifetime of decisions ahead; and - the most separate of the tenants, the Pollocks, who have embarked on the difficult and mysterious business of being a family.

The youngest resident, Bertie Pollock, is an intellectually precocious child of six whose bossy, insensitive, rigid and well-meaning mother is the bane of his helpless existence. As the brief, bright summer gives way to the more typical Scottish weather of fall, Bertie goes off to school in pink (`crushed strawberry") dungarees, which he hates with a passion he is rapidly transferring to his devoted mother.

Irene Pollock is a determined woman and given to calling her son's upbringing the "Bertie project." His is to be an "ungendered" childhood, thus the pink pants, pink bedroom and yoga lessons. McCall Smith articulates Bertie's inarticulate frustration with an underlying sense of building pressure - danger amidst the humor.

The eldest resident of the house, Domenica Macdonald, has traveled, lived and read widely. As a result she has formed a number of tart and pithy opinions she is dryly, eloquently given to sharing.

Across the hall from Domenica are young Pat Macgregor and her vain, pathetic and oblivious (but handsome) flatmate Bruce. Pat has just decided to stay in Edinburgh and become a student at Edinburgh University, delighting her father - who had feared she was returning to Australia. She spends a fair amount of time absorbing the wit and wisdom of Domenica, but their smoothly adjusted friendship suffers a brief jolt when Domenica blithely attempts to set Pat up with a handsome waiter. Luckily, Domenica's feathers are not easily ruffled by the mood swings of the young.

Bruce, Pat's former love interest and now awkwardly tolerated flatmate, "was history in every sense of the word," having lost his job with a firm of surveyors (caught out with the boss's wife) as well as any chance with Pat and, did he but know it, his American girlfriend too, who has already grown tired of his self-absorption. Odious Bruce is so narcissistic that each setback, each rejection, causes but a flicker of uncertainty before being transformed into "their loss" in his confident, mirror-gazing world view.

McCall Smith's point of view moves between these residents and those whose lives intersect with theirs. One of the most moving chapters comes at the very beginning when Pat's father meets her for lunch to hear an announcement of her plans. Her father does not play much of a role in this book, but McCall Smith's exploration of his stricken state of mind is deeply perceptive and touching as is his determination to hide this sense of loss should the worst - her removal to Australia - come to pass.

The action of the book - and there is plenty, though not of the headline making variety - takes place against the rich background of Edinburgh and the city's place in Scotland. There's even a map to orient the reader. As the characters move through the streets and each other's lives we get a strong sense of the city's character and the author's love of the place.

Humorous, wry, and perceptive, with affection for even the least deserving, McCall Smith's novels, like those of Barbara Pym (only less melancholy) are a celebration of the human condition.

--Portsmouth Herald

I'm enjoying the "44 Scotland Street" series. It chronicles the daily life, thoughts, and personal interactions of the (fictional) people who live and/or work on or near 44 Scotland St. As always, McCall Smith creates believable characters, many of whom have quirks that mirror real life. Even though I've only read the first 2 books in the series, I already "know" and care about the characters. It's just a fun read. (DISCLAIMER: I did not purchase this book but borrowed the Kindle version from the library.)

Espresso Tales was first published as daily installment's in the conservative newspaper, "The Scotsman". The novel follows the daily lives of an ensemble group of middle class Edinburgh neighbors. At its core, Espresso Tales is a novel of Edinburgh written for the people of Edinburgh. The book is filled with the inside references and observations that McCall Smith's neighbors must have delighted in.

Alexander McCall Smith is a great craftsman who specializes in the philosophical problems of ordinary life. However, I think his wise pen is best used when directed towards a lady detective in Botswana or linguistics professors in Germany. There is something about writing about his own backyard which fills McCall Smith with the need to preach to his neighbors. There is always the sense that McCall Smith is preaching to a conservative choir of loyal Scotsman readers.

Espresso Tales is a pleasant read with many charming chapters. Alexander McCall Smith has a winning personality and it is hard not to like his many books. However, if a reader is new to Alexander McCall Smith, this is not the first of his books to read. Start with the Number One Lady Detective Series and then move onto the sublime Portuguese Irregular Verb series.

Could this book have been any longer??? OMG! I must say I skimmed 3/4ths of the book. I love Bertie and his life. Some of the other folks at 44 Scotland. Who in the heck is this Dumbworthy character? I completely skipped those chapters. A bit too much, just too much.

Mccall Smith is truly amazing. He has at least four book series going and all contain strikingly original and interesting characters. I happened to like the "Espresso Tales" sequel to "44 Scotland Street" somewhat better than the original. It's got more piquancy and snap and its ironies are sharper and often funnier. The resolutions of Bernie the Kid's painful problems with his yuppie mother and his much hated psychologist are delicious, but there are a host of other comeuppances that Mccall Smith hilariously tosses in here that are wonderful. This is a great airplane read--which is appropriate, since it is said that the author often creates most of these short novels on transatlantic flights of his own.

Just finished this delightful book and enjoyed every page. I love the diversity of the characters- all so dead-on, I feel like these are real people. The author has a way of saying so much in not too many words. I've never been to Scotland but feel like I have a clear picture of various slices of life there. Probably my favorite character is the little boy, Bertie. I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequel.

I've read all the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books twice, and listened to them all on audio. I was hoping this Scotland Street series would be good, and am so glad it is.

There is one problem with Smith's '44 Scotland Stree' series...and that is that you don't want the books to end. I am pacing myself reading 'Espresso Tales' to make the pleasure last. I'm an avid reader, and I know no other author who mixes pure entertainment with deep insights--and humor--and does it in such a gentle way. The fact that Smith wrote these stories for continuing newspaper publication--sometimes on the fly--just illustrates what a master he is. When does the next book in this series arrive?

Just finished this delightful book and enjoyed every page. I love the diversity of the characters- all so dead-on, I feel like these are real people. The author has a way of saying so much in not too many words. I've never been to Scotland but feel like I have a clear picture of various slices of life there. Probably my favorite character is the little boy, Bertie. I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequel.

I've read all the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books twice, and listened to them all on audio. I was hoping this Scotland Street series would be good, and am so glad it is.

There is one problem with Smith's '44 Scotland Stree' series...and that is that you don't want the books to end. I am pacing myself reading 'Espresso Tales' to make the pleasure last. I'm an avid reader, and I know no other author who mixes pure entertainment with deep insights--and humor--and does it in such a gentle way. The fact that Smith wrote these stories for continuing newspaper publication--sometimes on the fly--just illustrates what a master he is. When does the next book in this series arrive?

One of the things I most admire about Alexander McCall Smith is his ability to show his readers exactly who his characters are, and to do it so convincingly. This demonstrates no small degree of talent. This talent is enhanced by McCall Smith's real working knowledge of the worlds in which he, himself, has lived. An example of one of McCall Smith's best drawn characters (and my favorite) in this series is young Bertie Pollock. Bertie is a very bright young chap, though stifled to the point of almost total exasperation (for the reader, at least) by his excruciatingly rigid, controlling, neurotic mother (one expects the six-year-old to explode at any moment into full blown rebellion). Bertie appears able to interpret (though not always correctly) the events going on about him and this reader, at least, looks forward to the moment when Bertie is able to successfully extract himself from his mother's clutches. It's agony to `watch' the youngster work things out mentally, and, yet, be unable to break free from his invisible restraints. One of the clever ways McCall Smith demonstrates the dysfunctional state of the Pollock family is the fact that they have somehow managed to misplace their car. Can you imagine that?!

All the residents of 44 Scotland Street are interesting characters to read about, from narcissistic Bruce to wise Domenica to thoughtful Pat, even to Irene Pollock's detached statistician husband, Stuart. It is the human foibles and antics of these folks in the Scotland Street flat in Edinburgh's fair city who keep us readers enthralled in this series. We care about each of them to one extent or another and want to know what's going to happen to each of them. That is, after all, what good storytelling is about. This author completely and totally draws us in.

As the proud owner of all of McCall Smith's books, I expect to read them many times over during the years ahead. I do hope that one day (soon?) we will have the opportunity to learn more about those quirky folks in the sausage dog stories. I adore the humor, however opaque, in each of them. There are none others like them anywhere in literature.

Carolyn Rowe Hill

McCall Smith continues his mastery of British humour, painting characters with subtlety and wit, from the over-controlling mother, Irene, to the self-absorbed Bruce to the unexpectedly intelligent (for his age) and precocious Bertie. This is the second in this series and a very fun read. And I can't wait to read the next one.

If you liked the first book (44 Scotland Street), you should like this one. Like the first one, this is episodic, befitting a book that started as installments in a newspaper, so is good for reading in short bursts. The end tied up all the themes nicely. (I started, but did not finish, the next book in the series, which started to seem repetitious to me.)

Little Bertie has some triumphs in this charming sequel to 44 Scotland Street. Lots of new giggles in Espresso Tales and just as delightful as 44 Scotland street is. Alexander McCall Smith is a genius who captures the essence of a character in as few words as humanly possible. I think you'll enjoy this book so much more if you read 44 Scotland Street first.

This book continues the saga of the residents of 44 Scotland Street. Alexander McCall Smith has a wonderfully funny, dry sense of humor which shines through in this book, and had me laughing out loud in places.

Alexander Mccall Smith has again produced another amusing tale with the characters of 44 Scotland Street. This sequel appeared as a column in "The Scotsman" and captures the lives of a diverse group of people. Smith's characters intrigue you--with all their idiosyncrasies and day-to-day dilemmas. Fun and light reading.

Filled with delightful characters, gentle humour and wonderful little reflections on life, this is a book you'll fly through. Alexander McCall Smith is priceless. Somehow his words have the power to revive - the literary equivalent of a nice cup of tea.

Alexander McCall Smith has a knack for capturing characters, breathing life into them and making you want to know more about them. The only complaint I could have is that you want more..but then again even if the book was 1000 pages, I would still want more. I can't wait until the next volume to see what happens to Pat, Bertie, Irene, Domenica, Big Lou and yes, even Bruce.