The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds (Isabel Dalhousie Series)

I just love the way Alexander McCall Smith writes. I have read all of his books to date and cannot wait for the next one. He is the only fiction (?) author I read. I do not live in Pinole, CA, I live on the Big Island (Hawaii Island), HI

This was not one of my favorites but must certainly be read if you are an Isabel fan like I am. I think the smaller, day to day story line was more interesting than the actual mystery of the missing painting. Charlie is getting older and smarter, and Jaime and Isabel's relationship gets more and more interesting.

Isobel does it again, with one mental distraction after another. The appealing characters of the Isobel Dalhousie series shine through this story as it does in all of the others. Poor Isobel did not quite wrap up her task as well as she normally does, but one cannot win them all.

I thoroughly enjoyed each of the Isabel Dalhousie series books, and this latest one is no exception. The story is interesting and keeps your attention, the writing is characteristically beautiful. Full marks!

The series with Isobel Dalhousie is a real delight to read as are most of Alexander McCall Smith's books; he has a real insight into how people think and should behave. If you like a light read with pleasant characters and lots of philosophy and finishing a book with a smile on your face, then sit back relax and read the Uncommon Appeal of Clouds

I hesitate to spoil others enjoyment of this series of books which clearly has a devoted following. But I also want to spare others from disappointment. The heroine, who is supposed to be shrewd, has occasional good ideas, but (for me) often comes off as rather trivial in her observations. Others may find this charming, that it makes her approachable; she is like us. Perhaps, as a psychiatrist, I am saturated with hearing other's mental musings and meanderings. Her's didn't seem particularly interesting, and I found myself wondering if she wouldn't benefit from a stimulant for ADHD.
Ordinarily, I am a sap for a happy ending that resolves matters, but her saccharine conclusion fails (for me) in its attempt to make the reader feel that family animosity has been healed - even if we're no closer to having our guesses about whodunit confirmed. We are left hanging on this, supposedly to feel that it doesn't matter if the family will just be nice to each other from now on (which I seriously doubt would be the case). For me, not identifying the miscreant violates what mysteries are obliged to do.

This book is as usual good like all Alexander McCall Smiths reads. Particularly the philosophy books with Isabel Dalhousie which are such a delight to read , takes one away from the normal nasty' s of the world and allows you to indulge in reading about really lovely people.

This is the ninth instalment in Alexander McCall Smith's series about Isabel Dalhousie, editor of an ethics magazine and occasional sleuth. The last couple of books in the series were somewhat of a disappointment to me, but I enjoyed this one considerably more. Whilst the plot is as slim as ever - centering on Isabel's efforts to assist in the retrieval of a stolen painting - the book weaves its gentle charm over you as you read it. The "action" is interspersed with Isabel's musings on subjects as diverse as how to deal with rudeness in others, with whether we owe more to the people who live near us than people abroad and how to deal with conflict in marriages. I think what I like most about this series is the way it gets you thinking about the simple ways that you can live a more considerate life, about the importance of manners and kindness, without feeling that you are being preached to.

While many familiar characters make an appearance in the book - Grace has a falling out with Isabel and Eddie has romantic problems - others are barely mentioned, if at all. Cat is largely absent (hooray! no unsuitable boyfriends for once), as are Professors Dove and Lettuce. I was grateful for this, as it made the book feel less formulaic. I remain unconvinced by Isabel's relationships with Jamie and Charlie. Neither to me feel realistic, but at least her relationship with Jamie is made up of a little more this time round than just thinking about how lucky she is to have him.

I'm giving the book 3 stars because I liked, it but never found it terribly compelling and I suspect that in a week's time I'll be struggling to remember any of it. Having said that, I think that fans of the series will definitely enjoy it.

Alexander McCall Smith writes very internalized novels. In places it is difficult to discern whether philosopher amateur detective Isabel Dalhousie is talking to herself or some other character. In the end, it is of no matter. The result is a pace that makes Old Man River look like a mountain stream. Nor does it matter how clever the plot or how intricate its revelation. The onion has too many layers.

There are going to be fans of Smith's who will say, "this is the whole point; this is why we love her..er him". Therein lies the rub. At its heart this is women's fiction written by a man, masquerading as mystery. Even assuming, it is intended to be a the style of a cozy, it is way too cozy.

The plot, which doesn't even begin to develop until we delve into Isabel's thoughts about the potential mathematical genius of her toddler and the role of nature and nurture is about the theft of a painting destined for a museum. The work is ransomed and all the while she and the victim donor worry about whether it's ethical for the insurance company to ransom it back and whether there are different rules for governments and individuals when the former is dealing with terrorists and the latter group is negotiating with thieves or kidnappers. These characters intellectualize everything, which is probably the point since the protagonist is a philosopher.

"The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds" is simply that -uncommon -meaning it appeals to a few. It doesn't however appeal to me.

In "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds" Isabel Dalhousie is still agreeably pondering life's interesting questions, but I think author Alexander MCall-Smith has recalibrated slightly the sharpness of the characters and the intensity of the protagonist's challenges and relationships with other story characters. For that reason, this ninth episode of the series seemed an improvement over its immediate predecessor (in my opinion).

"The Uncommon..." involves Isabel in the recovery of a stolen painting by Nicolas Poussin--an artwork worth several million pounds/euros/dollars that was destined to be a gift to the National Gallery of Scotland. The resolution of the theft is definitely connected to a complicated set of family relationships involving the painting's owner and his son, daughter and her fiance. Is the theft about money, sibling rivalry or oedipal angst? Isabel forces a catharsis in the matter.

Also at the center of this episode is young Eddie, assistant to Isabel's niece Cat and gradually recovering from some childhood trauma that has left him with little self-esteem. This time around, Eddie has gone through some big changes after an American road trip, and connecting with a local lass. A big problem threatens his progress and Isabel steps in to help.

Meanwhile, Isabel's immediate family has a full platter of domestic issues to sort out. Husband Jamie (still uncomfortably perfect) has a wee bit more to say this time around and it helps to make him a credible partner to Isabel the non pareil philosopher. So bravo Jamie. Much of the marital interchange is about the maturing of son Charlie, now three plus years old, and very much a communicating human being. Like most parents, Isabel and Jamie are wondering about their kid's intellectual skills and what do about them.

In Isabel's role as philosopher (and the author's alter ego), there are some interesting questions pondered, as always. "How do you calibrate pain?" (Answer--by screening out all the "background" pain of the world except that which we can do something about"); "Why are we fascinated by the lives of large-scale wrong doers?" "Is reticence a virtue?"

In all of this, it's the unwavering humanity of the protagonist and her circle that keeps the saga fresh and appealing. Even when the storyline slows down a bit (less so in "The Uncommon...), Isabel's decency and determination to do the right thing, keeps the book alive and entertaining.

An Isabel Dalhousie novel is like a stroll in the park: the pace is leisurely, and if you're identifying with Isabel, you're constantly stopping to smell the roses. Isabel is a pragmatic philosopher, and she is always thinking about the meanings of things. Thus, even a thing so mundane as needing to apply baby oil to her child's skin on a daily basis is, for her, something worth reflecting on.

In THE UNCOMMON APPEAL OF CLOUDS, a country gentleman asks Isabel--who has an established reputation for helping people with unusual problems--to assist him in recovering a stolen Poussin painting worth about 3 million (in Scotland's currency). Once Isabel agrees, her dominant "food for thought" theme becomes the shocking attitude of the criminal towards the victim--the notion that people can treat other people as if they do not matter, or do not count. Isabel is also bothered by the very thought of lawyers who represent art thieves in making ransom demands for the safe return of works of art.

In addition to the stolen painting plot, there are several substantial subplots: these are the resignation of Grace, Isabel's long-time nanny/housekeeper; the emerging love life of Eddie, Isabel's young friend; the give and take of happy married life; and the editorial issues that arise from Isabel's own "Journal of Applied Ethics". Although Isabel is constantly philosophizing throughout the book, she has a wonderful sense of humor that surfaces from time to time and keeps her constant thinking from becoming tedious. One example: when Isabel's husband Jamie returns home in a bad mood before Isabel can tell him about her own bad day, she listens to him, reflecting that "in the average marriage there is room for only one bad mood at a time and on that afternoon Jamie was there first."

THE UNCOMMON APPEAL OF CLOUDS is the 9th book in the Isabel Dalhousie series (which starts with The Sunday Philosophy Club), but it works quite well as a standalone. It's extremely well written, and a reasonably fast read. However, the mystery-to-be-solved plot is very slight, so that it's much slower-moving than The Charming Quirks of Others (the only other Dalhousie novel that I've read). Because it's so slow-moving, I rate it at 4 stars ("I like it" on the official the store scale).

A painting by Poussin, that master of the clouds and sky, has gone missing from an Edinburgh collector's home and the owner has turned to Isabel Dalhousie for help in finding it. Her reputation as a woman who deals with sticky situations is growing and, though Jamie once again expresses his disapproval at her getting involved with things that are really none of her business, Isabel decides that is her responsibility to answer the heartfelt plea for help. As she grows to know the country gentleman who has been robbed, she feels reinforced in her decision, for she sees in him the echoes of a past characterized by chivalry, loyalty, hard work and stoicism. His family isn't quite as savory, however, and Isabel begins to wonder if the guilty person is one he holds close to his heart.

As the mystery slowly unfolds, Isabel also deals with sticky situations of her own. Grace, her beloved housekeeper, has been teaching young Charlie (who is all of three years old) mathematics from a system devised by a self-proclaimed expert. When Isabel decides that she would rather have Charlie's education given more thought and consideration, Grace storms out in an indignant huff, resigning her position and refusing to budge. Has Isabel lost her long-time help and almost friend? Eddie, too, takes up much of her time with his new girlfriend and expanded horizons, which bring back to the forefront the unspoken tragedy that haunts his life. He finally opens up more to Isabel and begs for her help in convincing his girlfriend's parents of his worth and of settling his worries, once and for all, about lingering effects of his past grief. And, of course, ever present is her lovely young husband and the love that has grown deeper between them. Their relationship sustains Isabel and provides her with the emotional and intellectual stimulation she thrives on to carry on in everything else. It is he to whom she bares her deepest thoughts and who listens as she debates with herself over the deep topics with which she struggles.

Through it all, Isabel muses on everything from the mundane to the sublime, giving us a glimpse into a mind that is deep, aware and observant...the mind of a true philosopher who, despite her broad vocabulary, love of Latin phrases, knowledge about art and music and excellent insight into humanity, never comes off as anything more than a woman to be admired and imitated. It is these passages that make the book worth reading and remind the reader, once again, what talent inspires the pen of the author. Excellent book and one that makes this reviewer glad that Alexander McCall Smith continues to write so prolifically and so very well.

This book was a disappointment. I usually like Alexander McCall Smith's work, but this one was hard to get through. The story is constantly derailed by Isabel's musings about just about everything but the plot. The main mystery of who stole the painting is never solved. The issue with Eddie and his girlfriend just disappears. And I can not understand Isabel's problem with Grace teaching her son mathematics. All in all a waste of time and money.

While I have not read all nine of Alexander McCall Smith's Isabel Dalhousie books, I have read close to half of the series. It has been a while since I picked one up, so I eagerly anticipated reading "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds." It was enjoyable but not compelling -- it is a formula cozy mystery with a twist, in that the heroine is a philosopher who edits a philosophy journal. Isabel is in her early 40's, married (a second marriage) to a younger man whose age escapes me, and the mother of a little boy almost 4 years old. Isabel is known in her circle of friends, and beyond in greater Edinburgh, as someone you can go to for help with personal issues and mysterious situations. CONTAINS A MINOR SPOILER

In "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds," Isabel is approached by a woman who is an acquaintance rather than a friend, a woman whom Isabel finds more than a little annoying ("a heart-sink friend," is the term Isabel uses for Martha Drummond), to talk to a man who has had a valuable painting stolen. Martha has known Duncan Munrowe and his family for years and asks Isabel to assist him in recovering the painting. Duncan Munrowe has a son whose sexual orientation he ignores and makes politics their area of estrangement, and a daughter who is seemingly jealous of her brother, although her father seems to "love her best." In addition to the characters involved in the theft of the painting, there are the familar "regulars": Jamie, the husband; Charlie, the son; Eddie, the employee of Isabel's niece, Cat, the latter apparently ill throughout the course of the novel and, other than a phone call to Isabel, doesn't put in an appearance in this book; and Isabel's houskeeper, Grace.

The mystery is slight, but I never really feel that the mystery is the point of this series -- rather it is Isabel's private musings about life that seem to be the focus. For example, she feels guilty about not liking Martha Drummond more than she does, and muses on friendship, compliments, and attempting to reach out to those who are "difficult." This could become preachy, with Isabel turning into a real prig, but the author, a good judge of human nature, allows Isabel to make her own gaffs -- she makes an insincere compliment to Martha, who calls Isabel out, but in a kind way, for making a statement that is obviously false. These private musings go on through the novel, and sometimes make Isabel appear to be suffering from some sort of chronic absentmindedness. In a longer work, this could become very tedious, but most of the books in the series are around 250 pages so they can be read quickly if you want to get to the solving of the mystery. I think, however, that most readers enjoy savoring the slower pace and the gentleness of the main characters, and the superior, literary quality of the writing.

I don't think I am the only reader who has an issue with the Jamie/Isabel romance and marriage. They seem like such a sexless couple to me -- it is difficult for me to see them leaping into bed with abandon, although their relationship is not without romantic touches. It just seems to be more a love affair of the mind and heart, and not of the body, even if they do touch hands, and lie down on the grass together to have a picnic. MINOR SPOILER In this book, Grace offers some real comic relief when it is discovered that she has secretly been teaching maths (from a book written by a woman in California) to young Charlie. Isabel and Jamie are disappointed when they realize that Charlie is not the "natural" math genius they thought he was, but he is obviously quick at picking up numbers. Unfortunately, the author may not be very familiar with how actual children almost 4 years old sound -- Charlie sounds more like a two year than a boy attending a nursery school, where he would be exposed to other, older children. I do not think these things are of real importance to the dedicated Alexander McCall Smith reader, and if you are one, I think you will enjoy this latest book in the series.

The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds is the ninth novel in the Isabel Dalhousie series by Alexander McCall Smith. Isabel is asked to help in the recovery of a very valuable painting (a Poussin) stolen from the collection of old-fashioned philanthropist, Duncan Munrowe. Jamie, Isabel's husband of one year, and father of their son, Charlie, knows better than to advise against her involvement: he pleads with her to be careful. As a result of her involvement, she encounters a distraught country gentleman, an unpleasant lawyer, a pair of aggressive thugs, a reserved daughter and a disapproving son. Isabel manages to engineer a surprising resolution to the whole affair. Three and three quarter year old Charlie shows an aptitude for mathematics; Isabel gives Eddie some sorely-needed support; and Grace resigns (again!). Along the way, Isabel ponders or discusses: the nature of genius; child prodigies and pushy parents; our responsibility to future generations; the art of judging social cues; insincere compliments and heart-sink friends; dress codes and personal hygiene obligations; arguments about nothing; projectile vomiting; answering the telephone; the criminality of illegal parking; the morals of unearned money; the expiry date of sympathy; when does a reward become a ransom; loyalty to government, country and family; the ownership of leftovers; email expectations; and, of course, clouds. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments (the reincarnation of Professor Lettuce being one of those) and Isabel creates some marvellous expressions like trial by cocktail, and romantic sabbatical. There is plenty of gentle philosophy and quite a lot of wisdom. My favourite quotes: "Children understood that adults could become angry - curiously so, and for no apparent reason, just as the weather could change and a smiling day might suddenly frown." and "'Gaydar can be misleading, you know,' said Jamie. `It needs to be calibrated'" and "You can only blame people for that which they have chosen to do". Thought-provoking and funny, always a pleasure to read.

Having just finished McCall Smith's Unusual Uses for Olive Oil: A Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainment Novel, I was eager to start another book by the same, albeit from a different series. I have not previously read any of the Isabel Dalhousie series, so this was my introduction to the philosopher, her musician husband and her three-and-three-quarters year old son Charlie.

I feel it is somewhat unfair to judge the ninth book in a series for not fleshing out certain characters enough, but some of the book's subplots came across as though I was starting to watch a soap opera in the middle of its third season. There was quite a lot written about one of Isabel's friends, Eddie, but nothing made him empathetic or worthy of pages of interest regarding his budding relationship. There was also much written about conflict between the nanny and Isabel and her husband regarding educating their son, but the resolution was unsatisfying.

The main plot revolves around the theft of a painting stolen from friend of a friend and the subsequent ransom demands regarding said painting. Isabel is recruited to help see the safe return of the painting and counsel its owner. None of the potential suspects are particularly interesting, nor is the story resolved in a satisfactory way. It almost seemed like a deus ex machina the way it ended, as if a specific word count was reached and the end of the book was imminent.

Overall, I enjoyed the Isabel Dalhousie character, so I think I might try starting at the beginning of the series to see if there is background information to make these much later novels more clear.

"By his acts, the criminal effectively said to the victim: You don't matter. And that, Isabel thought, was the most fundamentally wrong of all attitudes, whether it lay behind acts of great cruelty or the mundane crime of bag snatching. 'You don't matter.' How could anybody look another person in the eye and say that?"

One thing you've gotta say for philosopher sleuths--at least those of the Alexander McCall Smith /Isabel Dalhousie persuasion--is that their methods of digging into and solving the whodunits that come their way are decidedly different from those of Scotland Yard and its counterparts, particularly when their objectives include trying to orchestrate happily-ever-after outcomes.

In this 9th in the series, Isabel has been asked to help Duncan, a wealthy landowner and art collector whose very valuable Poussin painting--the one he'd promised to bequeath to the Scottish National Gallery--was apparently stolen sometime during his home's annual public house and garden tour. Now the thieves have set up a meeting with their lawyer that Duncan wants Isabel to attend with him...and so begins her involvement and subsequent sleuthing that will solve the case.

The secondary plot lines involve Isabel and Jamie vs. their housekeeper, Grace, and her insistence on teaching math to their 3-year-old, Charlie. And Eddie from the delicatessen and his plans to move in with his girlfriend.

As for the other series regulars, Isabel's niece, Cat, the delicatessen owner famous for her unfortunate taste in boyfriends, and Isabel's professional nemeses, the "scheming philosophers and waspish backbiters" Prof. Lettuce and Christopher Dove, are all pretty much out of the picture this time.

A truly feel good series in these troubled times we now live in.

I am addicted to the author's other series '#1 Ladies' Detective Agency' and its proprietor Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's "premier lady detective". So was thrilled to try his other series begun in 2003 with 'The Sunday Philosophy Club' and now the ninth novel in the series 'The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds'.

This whimsical series is set in the cobblestoned streets of historic Edinburgh, Scotland. Featured are the philosopher (and unstoppable amateur detective) Isabel Dalhousie, her no-nonsense housekeeper Grace, her nemesis Professor Dove, her romantically challenged niece Cat, and Eddie, Cat's assistant at her deli.

Isabel is a single, fortysomething, Scottish-American woman who edits (and now owns) the esteemed 'Review of Applied Ethics' and hosts 'The Sunday Philosophy Club'. Not only is Isabel hilarious, smart and intuitive she's also set for life as her mother left her well off enough that she often donates anonymously to charity. Along the way Isabel develops an affection for her niece's ex, the handsome bassoon playing (15 years younger) Jamie. This eventually leads Charlie their son, however, not immediately, becoming a married woman.

If you enjoyed this you will probably be doing what I just did and order the other 8 in the series:
* The Sunday Philosophy Club
* Friends, Lovers, Chocolate
* The Right Attitude to Rain
* The Careful Use of Compliments
* The Comfort of Saturdays aka The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday
* The Lost Art of Gratitude
* The Charming Quirks of Others
* The Forgotten Affairs of Youth

A KEEPER!

Although several of his works hang in the Louvre, Poussin may not be a name that's familiar to everyone, but to Isabel Dalhousie--and indeed to many of Alexander McCall Smith's characters--he is an important artist. One of his paintings, ultimately destined for the National Gallery but until recently in private hands, is the focus of the latest in the ninth entry in the series.

The painting was stolen from the estate of Duncan Munrowe. Many other valuable works were left behind, so it's clear that the thieves were interested in just this work. Is the motive financial, or is someone upset by the fact that this heirloom is to be donated to Scotland? On the recommendation of a mutual acquaintance, Munrowe asks Isabel--who has a reputation around Edinbugh for sticking her nose in other people's business--if she will help him decide whether to negotiate with the thieves, who wish to return the painting for a "reward," a thinly veiled cover for holding the artwork for ransom. The reward will be paid by the insurers, since it is less than the value of the painting.

The dilemma plunges Isabel squarely into the middle of a moral conundrum. The go-between for the thieves is a lawyer who isn't herself a criminal--and, of course, lawyers act on behalf of criminals as a matter of business--but this particular scenario seems beyond the pale. The more Isabel talks to the Munrowes and those who know them, learning all of the family's problems and dysfunctions, the more suspicious she becomes that this may be an inside job.

At home, Isabel is faced with another dilemma when she and her husband discover that Grace, their nanny, has been tutoring their three-year-old son Charlie in mathematics. They feel that math is something that should be taught by professional instructors so that children don't learn things the wrong way and end up trapped in incorrect thinking for the rest of their lives. The problem is that Grace (who is in many ways reminiscent of Grace Makutsi from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series) doesn't handle criticism well, so it's a more sensitive matter than one might expect. Isabel also provides support for a young man who works for her niece as he struggles with a delicate issue that has been making him miserable.

As with all of McCall Smith's books, The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds is a charming, light read. The stakes are higher than usual because the painting is worth millions, and Isabel and Munrowe do come face to face with the robbers at one point in a harrowing scene, but for the most part the risks and suspense are light. Isabel has a tendency to wax philosophical, and these ruminations about what things a person is morally responsible to do can be distracting and occasionally over-long, but it is interesting to see her mind at work as she grapples with philosophical issues that many people don't think about often.

Though this is nominally a crime novel, it's not really a detective novel. Isabel doesn't present herself as a Miss Marple or a Sherlock Holmes. She might best be described as a well-meaning busybody, and her interferences generally work out for the best for all involved--sometimes even for the miscreants. The resolution of the crime in this book is handled in an uncharacteristically ambiguous fashion. By the end, all is right with the world, but questions remain.

In this ninth installment of the Isabel Dalhousie series, McCall Smith has written another wonderful mystery. The star of the mystery, as always, is the ever-thoughtful and always-engaging Isabel Dalhousie, a philosophical ethicist who seems constantly drawn into other peoples problems and little mysteries. And here again, she is called upon to help a friend of a friend whose valuable and prized painting that is intended for eventual donation to the Scottish National Gallery has been stolen. The thieves have been in touch, and Isabel is going to help negotiate the return of the artwork. But, the mystery isn't just about the painting. As she gets to know Duncan Munrowe, she discovers some unrest among he and his two children that take her into things deeper than theft.

The mystery is well crafted, but what really drives the book are its characters. Isabel and her husband Jamie have a wonderful and warm relationship, but not one without its own dynamics. And the two together wrestle with how best to raise their son, Charlie. Isabel also advises one of the young employees of her niece's delicatessen, inviting readers into another circle of relationships. The mystery doesn't necessarily unite all of these stories, but there are deeper themes, such as the relationship of past and future, the pull of posterity, and the assignment of value (theft is really a personal statement of non-value toward the true owner). The thoughtful reflections the permeate the book dove tail with the core mystery to make this an enjoyable read. It's not gritty, and maybe has a slight haze of pleasantness that sacrifices a touch of the verisimilitude to reality, but these also add to the enjoyability of the book. Escape to Isabel's world, and enjoy your time there.

Isabel Dalhousie, the editor and publisher of a philosophical quarterly on applied ethics, once again finds herself on the horns of a personal dilemma just as another is thrust upon her, unsolicited, by an acquaintance. As her husband, Jamie, is reluctantly learning to accept, Isabel is incapable of ignoring a plea for guidance through murky psychological waters, even when they are in her own home.

Wealthy Scotsman Duncan Munrowe discovers that a valuable painting by Nicholas Poussin has been stolen from his private collection during an open house art tour. A mutual friend begs Isabel's help in counseling Munrowe on whether to barter with the thieves for ransom or accept the money from the insurance company. She learns that all he really wants is to see the painting, valued at 5 million Euros, returned so that he can fulfill his promise to donate it to the Scottish National Gallery.

Meanwhile, three-year-old Charlie, Isabel and Jamie's son, suddenly starts multiplying and dividing objects and numbers. They timorously wonder if they've begotten a veritable Mozart of math in their young son --- a prodigy whose childhood could be upended by becoming a media sensation. They are somewhat relieved when they discover that Isabel's longtime housekeeper and companion, Grace, who watches Charlie while they are at work, has started using a controversial book that advocates for teaching math to toddlers. Charlie takes to it eagerly, but his parents have mixed emotions about someone assuming what they consider their responsibility, not to mention the possibility that Charlie may develop some bad learning habits. Their concern grows into a severe disagreement with Grace, ending in her abrupt resignation. With all of Isabel's skills at steering others through troubled waters, she once again discovers that she's often inept when it comes to setting her own course. She deputizes Jamie to settle Grace's ruffled feathers while she pursues the art thieves.

The police and insurance company are treating the theft as a burglary, but as she talks with Munrowe's family and a lawyer who claims to represent the thieves, she begins to focus on an inside job --- perhaps even within the family. The problem is motive. A genuine mystery unfolds, a rarity in the Isabel Dalhousie novels, which, throughout the eight prior books, have explored ethical conundrums. It could be said that Alexander McCall Smith, himself a professor of bioethics and law, perhaps ponders life's philosophical mysteries through Isabel's frequent wool-gathering mental meanderings. She offers bits of wisdom, often quoting W H Auden, or her attention drifts to random thoughts while listening to someone drone on in a conversation.

Isabel succeeds in concluding a continuing side story concerning Eddie, the assistant at her niece's coffee shop. He finally discloses what has been the source of his melancholy, and Isabel offers her help in resolving a dreaded but very real fear that has been hanging over Eddie since she has known him. As she and Jamie discuss Eddie's situation, she remarks that some feelings need to be calibrated. He asks what she means by calibrating.

"All our emotions and feelings. Shame. Anger. Love. Pain. Calibration is required if we are to use them sensitively."

"How do you calibrate pain?" Jamie asks.

"By cutting out the background pain of the world," answered Isabel. "By not registering it, and responding only to those painful things that we can do something about. Because otherwise we couldn't get on with our day-to-day lives. The pain of the world would burden us too much."

The Dalhousie novels often are soulful, wise and sometimes humorous ruminations on everyday events. They are seldom page-turners, but in today's angst-filled world, they offer a serene stroll through calmer pastures.

Reviewed by Roz Shea

This is an interesting story, but not an adverture type. It's calm even when things are exciting. I did enjoy reading it. Lot of info about art.

Isabel Dalhousie, philosopher, publisher, and editor of the 'Review of Applied Ethics' and her husband Jamie, a professional musician who also teaches bassoon at an academy and has private students, are discussing their 3 year old son who is be doing multiplication and division! They decide to wait and see what develops.

She goes for a walk and encounters Martha, a 'friend' who always critizes and gives unwanted advice. Martha tells her that she told Duncan Munrowe, a wealthy Scotsman, that Isabel might help him track down a stolen, valuable painting. Ransom money has been requested to get it back. The painting has been promised to the Scottish National Gallery.

Duncan is very upset as it is his favorite painting. He thinks it was stolen during an open house and garden he gives once a year.

He has a daughter he dotes on, and a son he seldom sees as they are extreme opposites about politics.

Isabel feels that it might be someone closer than a visiter at the open house. His daughter points a finger toward her brother, he points a finger toward her.

A very unpleasant lawyer shows up representing an intermediary.

Isabel comes up with an unusual idea to solve the problem.

That's all I can write without being a spoiler. I do recommend it.

The copy I read was trade paperback size and had 246 page.

A valuable painting has been stolen from Munrowe House. Duncan Munrowe, the owner, asks for Isabels help, not to solve the mystery, but to be supportive and give him someone to talk to. In this book, Isabel goes about her daily life; taking care of Charlie, her son; listening to concerts by her musician husband, Jaime; worrying about what Grace, Charlie's sitter is teaching him; and helping Cal, her cousin, in the deli. During each of these activities she ponders the philosophical implications of people's actions.

The book is a very gentle read, unfortunately it can become rather boring unless you're riveted by Isabel's daily life. I thought the whole book was uncommonly like Isabel's thoughts on page 59, "It would be fascinating to have some sort of printout of the thoughts of other people - a stream-of-consciousness report. It would read, she suspected, like a badly constructed novel, by an author who had no sense of the flow of narrative." I have to admit that at times this quote struck me as perfect for the book. The mystery was the interesting incident that kept me reading, but there was very little about it other than Isabel's thoughts about the characters and discussions with Duncan.

I recommend this book if you like the Scottish setting. It's done very well with many passages describing the beauty of the area. However, if you're looking for a serious mystery, or even a good cozy, this isn't it.

"You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another." -- Leviticus 19:11 (NKJV)

Reading about Isabel Dalhousie is a lot like paying attention to the mental chatter in your own mind, as you waver over what to do in trying and morally difficult circumstances. The main difference is that Isabel's life is filled with love and loving thoughts, rather than just annoyances.

In this outing, Isabel is presented with the challenge of a painting that's been stolen and is being offered back in exchange for a reward from the insurance company. What's the right thing to do? Isabel's answer may interest you. I certainly enjoyed it.

Another challenge arises when Charlie begins to show arithmetic skills ahead of his years. As more is learned, the questions to be answered increase. I think you'll enjoy this set of moral questions as well.

I thought that the more interesting questions in the book revolved directly and indirectly about what it means to be a good parent. The stolen art seemed more like a hypothetical that professors like to use in ethics classes than a credible event for such a novel.

There are also some seemingly hair-splitting decisions involving making representations that may or may not be the whole truth. I wasn't convinced by the author's arguments.

This ninth novel in the series won't rock your boat, but it will certainly go down smoothly ... like some fine scones and clotted cream at tea time.

In "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds," Isabel Dalhousie, owner/editor of an ethics journal tells a "little white lie" in order to help the victim of a crime solve his case. Is telling a little white lie unethical? In Isabel, Alexander McCall Smith has created a very interesting and complex character for readers to ponder as she interacts with a variety of personalities and gets involved in all manner of situations.

Albert Schweitzer said, "Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality." I think this applies to Isabel so perfectly because her activities seem to secure her own inner perfection as evidenced by her stream of consciousness thinking throughout this novel.

At times, the content seemed a little tedious to me, though the writing itself is agreeable and easy to follow. What I really like though is Isabel's stream of thoughts and her reactions to the behavior of the other characters.

Isabel as a case study will provide plenty of substance for book club discussions. Readers might find themselves asking, "What would I do?" Or they might consider whether they would handle certain situations differently.

I am finding her more and more unlikeable and that is not what you want in your lead character. This is my 3rd Isabel Dalhousie novel and I am finding her a bit of a snob plus she is no where near as bright as she fancies herself. I think it would behoove the author to actually explore some of the literature and science if he is going to have his main character expounding on a topic such as adoption. BTW, Mr. Smith - surrogacy does not mean the person carrying the child is its biological mother.

He also is very biased against working class people. It is "poor Eddie" and Eddie seems to be too stupid to wash his hands properly and his employer seems incapable of stressing the importance. "Poor Eddie" doesn't know to go to a doctor, for what, we will never know, but Ms. Dalhousie seems to think a check up by a GP is important. The hired toughs are dirty and been drinking, Grace is combative and ungracious. It seems most people not born into her circumstances either have a chip on their shoulder or are to be pitied. It goes on.

Isabel seems to be incapable of even the simplest conversations. She to have been waxing on about class and money a few short paragraphs earlier, but when she is challenged on the topic, her musings go out the window. She seems to be becoming a self professed busy body but when asked to help by a friend (although not of the same class) she refuses when she jumps in with both feet when it is someone of her own status or higher.

And please, the "Mathematics"! Just read the darn book and ask at the school if there is a problem with it rather than this nonsense of staying on Grace's back about it and everything else she does. If Isabel and Jamie are so unhappy with Grace's child care abilities, which were heaped on top of her other duties (when we first met Grace it was a one person household), then hire a nanny.

I suppose the mystery itself is okay, it seems to be secondary to showing what brilliant parents Isabel and Jamie are to Charlie.

I love "cozies". Curling up with a little mystery is a nice way to relax. I generally love Alexander McCall Smith. But the Isabel Dalhousie series is more hit and miss than his others. I love the ethical and philosophical ramblings that characterize the Dalhousie novels. Isabel is a fun character.

Unfortunately, in this story she isn't given anything interesting to do. The tangents were interesting and enjoyable as always. But the actual plot was thinner than a kleenex. There is a missing painting and then there is no resolution. So basically this ends up being a character study of Isabel.

I did enjoy this book. I read it while sitting with a sick child. It passed the time by being distracting enough without being too demanding. It just isn't the best of Alexander McCall Smith. Or Isabel Dahlousie.

This was a well written book by a plainly experienced and thoughtful author. It's a mystery book centered around a protagonist who has this almost forced normalcy. By this I mean she is always concerned about every day types of matters, even under an overarching plot that is not every day (art thief mystery).

This would be annoying except that I found her musings to be highly thoughtful discussions of basic ethics... something I certainly didn't expect. The book delves into these ethical dilemmas of the most pedestrian variety at the near total exclusion of the art theft mystery. They don't even resolve it. Which is OK in my opinion. It's just a complete shift of focus, obviously intentional, with a message about what matters most in the context of this story about relationships and personal choice.

I liked the book quite a bit.

When you have an engaging multi-dimensional main event like Isobel, with such a large character and personality, there comes a following, especially as she perseveres and right things happen for her. I think many, including myself, continue with her, even though the author has begun to exceed his "sell by" date with recent editions of the series. The interest or even curiosity concerning her and related environ will generally hold most continuing readers, even in the face of ... well, certain slippage. My rating is one of loyalty and appreciation of the overall enjoyment derived from the series through its very appreciable main character and her world.

I absolutely love to ready anything written by Alexander McCall Smith and "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds; An Isabel Dalhousie Novele (9)" was a very satisfying bedtime read. The stories are always gentle and intelligent. Isabel Dalhousie is the fictional editor of a Journal devoted to Ethics. As a result, people consult her when they are in quandaries and know that she will be able to provide wisdom in her guidance. In this novel, she is drawn into a situation involving the theft of an invaluable painting by Poussin being held by thieves for ransom. The painting belongs to a cultured "country gentleman," the father of a daughter with him he is very close and a chilly relationship with his son. He has promised to donate the painting to a museum where it will be enjoyed by the public in perpetuity. The loss of this painting is devastating to its owner, Mr. Munrowe. In between her adventures in solving various and sundry situations, she is also mother to a precocious son, Charlie, and the wife of an accomplished bassoonist, Jaime. She is the devoted aunt to Cat and fills in for her in her food shop when Cat needs to get away. She has a housekeeper, Grace, with whom she has recognizable conflicts concerning Charlie's care. This series is delightful and I always come away with new tidbits of knowledge and information.

Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher, editor and owner of a scholarly magazine on applied ethics. Although she dwells in a nebulous realm of theory, she has a reputation for being of great practical help to people in sorting out their difficulties. In this case she's asked to help a wealthy country gentleman recover his stolen Poussin.

Poussin painted his wonderful blue skies framed with clouds, and clouds loom large in this novel. Isabel is constantly pondering ethical questions, and this particular crime is rich in cloudy moral issues. And clouds also become a symbol of the fleeting nature of things, the marvels we fail to appreciate - and much more.

It's fun to be inside Isabel's mind, which is as restless as a cloud and as accepting of uncertainty. Isabel's philosophical flights infuse this novel with a highly original mental atmosphere.

Another unusual technique the author uses is a plethora of mundane exchanges. I sometimes found them a bit trivial, but they certainly create a very realistic texture of everyday life. The reader is living life along with Isabel, with her concerns about child rearing, annoying friends, young love, deadlines etc.

I do like the character of Isabel. She is deeply good, without being sappy. I read an earlier Isabel Dalhousie book without getting engaged, but I found this book quite enjoyable.

I have enjoyed most of the Isabel Dalhousie series and this one was enjoyable but not outstanding.
Philosophy does not interest me as much as a good mystery and in this story the mystery was not as compelling as in some of the earlier books.
The newer characters seemed rather one-dimensional as if the writer really didn't care much about them except as props to demonstrate how smart Isabel can be.
In my opinion, such as it is, there is a significant amount of "filler" in this story and it could have been reduced by a third to produce a tighter, more interesting read.

It has not put me off either Isabel or Mr. Smith, but I am a bit disappointed in this one.

In this latest installment of the Alexander McCall Smith's Isabel Dalhousie series, Isabel is asked to help with the retrieval of a stolen Poussin painting. She is also on the outs with her housekeeper, Grace, who has taken it upon herself to teach Isabel's young son, Charlie, math.

As is usual with McCall Smith's books, the "mysteries" are not in the traditional sense. The mysteries here are more of the heart and mind, and we get a real sense of this as Isabel's mind often wonders into contemplation of what can be seemingly mundane things.

Fans of this series will enjoy it, I think, as it follows along nicely with the rest of the series.