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44 Scotland Street: Book 6
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Description edit
The story of Bertie and his dysfunctional family continues in this sixth instalment alongside the familiar cast of favourites - Big Lou, Domenica, Angus Lordie, Cyril and others - in their daily pursuit of a little happiness. With customary charm and deftness, Alexander McCall Smith has, yet... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Bertie: Sweet, smart six year old that is so easy to love.
- Matthew: Owner of an art gallery in Edinburgh and new husband of Elspeth.
- Angus Lordie: Aging bachelor artist who owns an interesting dog named Cyril who has some peculiar human like qualities and behaviors.
- Irene Pollock: Young Bertie's overbearing mother who is over pleased with herself and under pleased with just about everyone else.
- Cyril: Angus Lorde's unique canine companion.
- Antonia: suffers from Stendhal syndrome in Italy and may become a nun!
- Stuart Pollock: takes Bertie fishing and gets lost on the way home leading to Bertie's meeting his new best friend--a farm boy who gives him a pocket knife!
- Domenica MacDonald: anthropologist, private scholar and close friend of Angus Lordie
- Bruce: Narcissist.
- Elspeth Harmony: Now Matthew's wife.
- Ulysses: Bertie's younger brother.
- Kirsty: Matthew's new assistant.
- Dr St Clair: Bertie's unnecessary psychotherapist.
- Andy: Bertie's new best friend
- Big Lou: Owner of a coffee bar.
- Pat McDonald: Matthew's former girlfriend.
- Diane: Add a description of this character.
- Dr Fairbairn: Bertie's former psychotherapist and object of his mother Irene's affections.
- Lizzie
- Hiawatha: Bertie's occasional playmate.
- Rosemary Gold
- Tofu: Bertie's best friend. Child of militant vegans, and prone to swipe animal products.
- Darnley
- Montalcino
- Watson
- Andrew
- Carol
Quotes edit
-
“"Most of us, if pressed, are made uneasy by change. We recognise its importance in our lives and there are occasions when we persuade ourselves that it is for the best - which, of course, it often is - but at heart we are concerned that, if change comes, it will bring with it regret."”
-
“"He looked at her. When I'm fifty, he thought, I'm going to go and live in Glasgow. By myself. On my fiftieth birthday. On the very day."”
Stuart Pollock, Bertie's father, to himself in reference to another unpleasant remark by his overbearing wife, Irene Pollock. -
“"Do you have psychotherapy?" Bertie asked Andy. Andy shook his head. "We mostly have cattle," he said. Bertie nodded. "Yoga? Do you have to do yoga?" Andy thought for a moment. "I like strawberry-flavoured best."”
Six year old Bertie talking with his new friend, Andy.
First Sentence edit
If there was one thing about marriage that suprised Matthew, it was just how quickly he became accustomed to it.
Table of Contents edit
1 Nothing But Tenderness
2. A Very Considerate Husband
3. At Big Lou's
4. Auden and Burns, and Bertie
5. Pre-Natal Classroom - for Babies
6. The Ways of Ulysses
7. Anthropological Issues
8. Domenica Has Coffee With Dilly
9. The Grosseto Road
10. The Return of Pat Macgregor
11. Pat's Flat
12. The Green Hotel
13. On the 23 Bus
14. Regurgitation Issues
15. Edinburgh People
16. For Love or Money
17. The News from Arbroath
18. Ten Years with the Pygmies
19. The Question of Cosmetic Surgery
20. The Aphrodite of Dundas Street
21. Impressionists and Post-Impressionists
22. More About Baden-Powell
23. The Insouciance of Tofu
24. Some Sophisticated Colours
25. 100 Things for a Boy to Do: Part 1
26. 100 Things for a Boy to Do: Part 2
27. Forgery Exposed
28. A Game of Bridge
29. Underneath the Lamplight
30. Trust and Revelation
31. Pregnancy Plans
32. Dramatic, Life-Enhancing News
33. The Implications of Boys
34. Carnoustie Shortbread
35. Edouard Vuillard and the interior Vision
36. Fear a' Bhata
37. Political Crisis
38. Show and Tell
39. Which World Am I Living In?
40. A Moment on Queen Street
41. Psychotherapeutic Matters
42. Life and Chance
43. A Scotsman, His Life and Marriage
44. A Move to Moray Place
45. In Moray Place
46. What We Really Are
47. The Symbolism of Birds
48. The Breaking of the Heart
49. Chinoiserie
50. Matthew is Decisive
51. A Letter of Comfort
52. The Meaning of Always
53. An Offer is Made
54. The Therapeutic Hour
55. Men Can Cry
56. From Scotland With Love
57. Bonnie Irene's Noo Awa
58. Painful Questions
59. Regret on Corstorphine Road
60. The Comfort of Friends
61. Big Lou on Art and Fashion
62. Unwelcome Thoughts
63. Italy At Last
64. Services to the Republic
65. The Impact of Italy
66. Pacta Sunt Servanda
67. An Outing Begins
68. The Need for Evidence
69. On Subsidence
70. Supporting Walls
71. Arrival at the Villa
72. Mistah Kurtz, He Dead
73. The Possibilities of Florence
74. In Proper Boots
75. The Haar Rolls In
76. A Real Boy's Room
77. Bertie's Dream
78. An Incident in a Cafe
79. Unbearable Beauty
80. Antonia's Condition Explained
81. A Terrible Mistake
82. Shocking Developments
83. A Hinterland of Regret
84. Icarus, Cyril, a Ducati
85. The Timetable of Happiness
Series & Lists edit
This is book 6 of 8 in 44 Scotland Street. (standard series)
Preceded by The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, and followed by Bertie Plays the Blues.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Alexander McCall Smith (Author)
- Iain McIntosh
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Polygon
Country: Great Britain
Publication Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-1-84697-145-7
Page Count: 311
Publisher: Polygon
Country: Great Britain
Publication Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-1-84697-145-7
Page Count: 311
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813
Subjects edit
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