Morality for Beautiful Girls

by Alexander McCall Smith

Book Overview

Even for a quiet and peaceful as Mma Ramotswe, the first woman detective in Botswana, there comes a time when life becomes very complicated. To the financial difficulties of her small agency, joins... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400031362
• ISBN13: 9781400031368
• Release Date: November 2002
• Publisher: Anchor Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

LECTURA COMODA

No es un libro para mantenerte atado a la silla sudando y con taquicardia (a pesar que me encantan los de ese tipo) pero cuando lo empiezo le agarro un sabor relajado, la filosofia de vida genuina y honesta esta presente en toda estas historias, no hay que menospreciar su valor, hasta los leo con una taza de Rooibos que tuve la dicha me regalaran. Excelente.

Beauty more than skin deep

Mma Makutsi rises to her own in this volume of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective" series books. As Mma Ramtoswe feels the pinch economically and emotionally, what with moneys tight in the agency and the illness of her fiance, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni,she comes to rely on the unexpected talents and strength of her secretary. Mma Makutsi, with her too dark complexion and too big glasses, a less than "beautiful" specimen, shows true beauty in her no nonsense approach to taking on the business managerial load of Tolkweng Road Speedy Motors and its "lazy, girl crazy apprentices", as well as landing a big paying client for the detective agency. Mma Ramotswe doesn't exactly take the back seat, but as she wrestles with the case of depression of her normally steady and reliable Motekoni, she is able to see her secretary's best qualities. In fact, I found the very modern issue of medical depression quite fascinating, along with Mma Ramotswe's recognition of the need to read about it, and get help from the other strong woman in the series, Mma Potokwane, the director of the children's orphanage who relies on Rra Matekoni for help.This volume of the series was very touching to me, as Precious Ramotswe takes on the case of an obnoxious Governmental Official who wants his own family investigated. Her wisdom in using the cultural courtesies of Botswana to interview the would be "culprits" and find a solution are just good sense. Her strength of character reinforces the issue of morality in the story.Most amusing of all is the big money customer that Mma Makutsi obtains who requires a quick investigation into the character of four Miss Beauty and Integrity of Botswana candidates, a rush job with an unusual need and surprising resolution.Best of all, Mma Makutsi shines in her managerial skills with the mechanics and customers of Speedy Motors, more than succeeding in bringing things in line for the ill owner and his intended bride. Her personal joy in receiving the opportunity to succeed in the business world makes her unusal character round out into a fully amusing and "beautiful" woman.Mr. J. L. B.'s recuperative visit to the orphanage and connection with a wild child there further enrich his gentleman's character.This is a reassuringly enjoyable read. A comfort and joy for the fans of Alexander McCall Smith's series.

I love this series!

Morality for Beautiful Girls, the third book of the series, just continues to please. Mma Precious Mamotswe and Mr JLB Matekoni, as are all the characters in this novel are such complete, carefully drawn people that is wonderful to be with them once again. Mma Mamotswe runs a detective agency but what she really does is help people with problems in their lives. She looks at life in a balanced and faithful way, and she lives a good life, expecting others not always to do the same. In this book we see her give her secretary more responsibility and authority and it does nothing but good. I love the way Alexander McCall Smith describes Africa, and I feel like I am there. This is a wonderful, fabulous book--read it, read the series! After this, it is to The Kalarai Typing School for Men for me.

Charming fairy tale-like story

Mma Ramotswe and her assistant, Mma Makutsi have a problem--or rather a series of problems. Thanks to her impending marriage to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Ramotswe has a chance to move the office of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, saving money. But even so, the agency is losing too much--and Makutsi would hate to have to let her assistant go. When Mr. J.L.B. Makekoni loses interest in his auto repair shop, Ramotswe sets up Mma Makutsi as assistant manager--but that doesn't deal with the issue of why Makekoni has lost interest in his shop (problem one). Then there's the government man who's convinced that his sister-in-law is trying to poison his brother (problem two). Next, there's a child found with the scent of lion on him, speaking no known language (problem three). Finally, a beauty contest manager comes to the agency with the problem of deciding which of his contestants is least likely to be connected with vice, theft, or other sponsor-offending defects (problem four). Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi definitely have their hands full. Author Alexander McCall Smith uses an almost fairy-tale touch to tell his story of families, culture clash, and ordinary people in Botswana, Africa. Smith emerges the reader in African urban culture immediately, letting the western reader come across differences and similarities to their own background in a natural and convincing way. His light touch (I especially liked Mma Ramotswe's description of herself as having a 'traditional' figure) adds frequent smiles to the journey. MORALITY FOR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS is not a complex mystery. In particular, I would have liked to see a better integration of the lion-child into the story. It is, however, a charming story of Africa, women trying to make their way in a culture that is quickly changing yet that maintains many of the values of the past, and of simply getting along with one another as they gain deeper insights into people. MORALITY is a quick read--but if you're like me, you'll find yourself thinking about it again and again once you're done.

Detective Work African style!

Oh, how I'm enjoying the continuing series in the story of Mma. Ramotswe, owner of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana, Africa! I love this strong African woman who is proud of who and what she is and where she is from and I'm highly entertained by the clients and other characters that she comes across. "We help people with the problems in their lives. We are not here to solve crimes," Mma. Ramotswe tells one client. Not your average detective, she and her staff of one (Mma. Makutsi, her secretary turned-assistant detective) help people from different backgrounds with varied problems. Mma. Ramotswe even has a personal problem to resolve when her fiancée (Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors) starts acting in a strange manner without warning or reasoning.I like the way the author brings out the close relationship between Mma. Ramotswe and Mr. Matekoni. The couple chooses to address each other formally but it is done in the context of respect, affection and love. The mannerisms and dialog between the other characters show the reader some of the cultural nuances in that part of the world. The issue of morality -- how people treat each other, forgiveness, helping others -- comes up as the detectives work. On a job assignment, Mma. Makutsi goes in search of a beautiful girl with morals for a beauty pageant(hence the title). Mma. Ramotswe wrestles with the idea of whether some of her methods of detective work are moral. Set to a vivid background of the dry but beautiful land of Botswana with its great Braham bulls and colorful people, Alexander McCall Smith describes scenes that remind me of the picturesque movies like OUT OF AFRICA and I DREAMED OF AFRICA. MORALITY FOR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS is another fun book to read. Fafa Demasio