This is the second book I have read in this series, and I am definitely warming up to Mma. Ramotswe and the beautiful country of Botswana. Don't be fooled by Alexander McCall Smith's simple prose. I've sampled some of his other work and he is a very intelligent and well-rounded writer; and, as you may notice if you read the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books, he is a master of character. I think what I like best is his ability to portray his characters in ways that are both simple and comple... (show more)

This is the second book I have read in this series, and I am definitely warming up to Mma. Ramotswe and the beautiful country of Botswana. Don't be fooled by Alexander McCall Smith's simple prose. I've sampled some of his other work and he is a very intelligent and well-rounded writer; and, as you may notice if you read the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books, he is a master of character. I think what I like best is his ability to portray his characters in ways that are both simple and complex, letting the reader be the judge of their actions

The underlying sense of morality, combined with the outward acts of kindness, wrongdoing, and forgiveness, makes the Kalahari Typing School for Men feel more profound than you would expect. A competing detective agency, a child's rebellion, a secretary's entrepreneurial venture, a man's belated attempt for atonement, and a complicated romance all somehow come together in a way that solidifies the thematic unity of the series.

This is a great read for advanced bibliophiles and recreational readers alike, as the prose, although very easy to follow, is far from simple. (show less)