the comfort of saturdays

The reasons for me basically loving this fifth in one of my favourite series of books, the Sunday Philosophy Club-series by Alexander McCall Smith, are the same reasons as I love the series as a whole;

:: I can very much relate to the main character Isabel Dalhouise (philosophy paper editor/now owner and sleuth) and her musings, everyday philosophising, about every thing from the mundane to the truly world turning.

:: there's always something truly memorable and enlightening to quote/ponder about in every book. Many times it's my own thoughts put to paper by someone else. Such discoveries never ever fails to delight and uplift.

:: the main character's love for Scotland and Edinburgh - and I adore learning more from an insider's view on people and matters concerning them both.

:: the quiet kind of wittiness, humour and intelligence wrapped in unpretentious writing.

Thought provoking quotes from 'The Comfort of Saturdays' -

"... were they too brave, with the result that they were imposed upon in the name of vainglorious patriotism, chauvinism, easily led to slaughter? Should one be brave about the loss of one's only son, or should one break down and weep for the waste, the pointlessness of the loss; rail against the whole monstrous system that sent young men off in droves to climb up those ladders and stumble through the mud into veils of machine-gun fire? Why should anyone be brave about that?"

" ... the declaration of love could weaken its mystery, reduce it to the mundane. To say on the telephone, love you, ... was dangerous, .... because it made the extraordinary ordinary, and possibly meaningless."

There is one, not so tiny, recurring part of the books that now starts to annoy me though. That being the fact that a well-educated, well-mannered and kind, interesting, intellectual woman of independent means really shouldn't constantly question why her slightly younger beau prefers her over younger women. My advice would be, cherish and relish the fact that you've found a soul mate and any hesitations and specultions should be dealt with through talking with each other. There's time for quiet solitary musings as well as not.

More of my views on books by Alexander McCall Smith -
Folk Tales from Africa: The Girl Who Married a Lion
Friends, Lovers, Chocolate - SFC
The Right Attitude To Rain - SFC
Heavenly Date and Other Flirtations
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
The Full Cupboard of Life
Careful Use of Compliments - SFC
The 2½ Pillars of Wisdom
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Blue shoes and Happiness
44 Scotland Street