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The Careful Use of Compliments: Careful Use of Compliments v. 4 (Sunday Philosophy Club) by Alexander McCall Smith
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Review
** 'Isabel is an appealing character, always trying to work out the right thing to do, and McCall Smith presents her with a series of dilemmas ?This is an unconventional novel, in which the power of emotion to cloud human intelligence takes precedence, but it is shot through with a gentle humanism that will delight McCall Smith's admirers' SUNDAY TIMES ** 'Delightful ... McCall Smith is a writer who celebrates kindness, in short supply in the world today' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ** 'Isabel is an appealing character, always trying to work out the right thing to do, and McCall Smith presents her with a seri

Sunday Times
'Shot through with a gentle humanism that will delight McCall
Smith's admirers'
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
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4.1 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Examined Life Examined, 25 Jan 2007

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel Dalhousie 3) (Hardcover)

Once upon a time philosophers dealt with practical questions of ethics: When is it appropriate to lie? When can you take another life? When may you be silent while another makes a mistake? Alexander McCall Smith returns us to those musings, dressed up in the clothing of a divorced woman, Isabel Dalhousie, dealing with her personal life and her profession as the editor of the Review of Applied Ethics. For those who like some intellectual depth with their stories, this series will be most rewarding. For those who want big laughs and ironies that make you instantly smile, go back to The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

This is the third book in the series. In the prior books, Isabel shows herself to be a woman who likes to take her time to examine her behavior . . . before acting . . . and usually kicks herself when she doesn't let her intellect lead her. While being concerned about her niece, Cat, Isabel mostly is disappointed that Cat has rejected the handsome and worthy Jamie for a series of less good marital candidates. But Isabel has taken solace in keeping Jamie for a friend, while Jamie pines for the uninterested Cat.

When it rains, is that a blessing . . . or bad luck? In Scotland where it usually rains, you'd better take the former attitude. That's the theme of this story: How should you handle the unexpected?

The story moves forward on a number of fronts: Isabel develops an interest in an odd couple of Americans who turn out to be friends of her cousin; Cat has a new man in her life; Isabel and Jamie seem to drift closer together than either expected; Isabel helps Cat find some new help; and Isabel sets out to buy a home for Grace, her housekeeper. Each story element turns on the nature of male-female relations and examines those relations in different ways.

While there are the usual conundrums (What if someone misunderstands your purpose and offers you a bargain? What should you do if you think someone is in bad relationship? What's the right reaction when love offers itself?), there is actually more plot development in this story than in the previous two combined. I also liked the way that this book points out the limits of trying to lead with one's mental faculties. There is, after all, a strong emotional side to all of us.

I found my interest in the series to be greatly increased by this book. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment in the series.

Bravo!

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Examined Life Examined, 26 Jan 2007

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel Dalhousie Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Once upon a time philosophers dealt with practical questions of ethics: When is it appropriate to lie? When can you take another life? When may you be silent while another makes a mistake? Alexander McCall Smith returns us to those musings, dressed up in the clothing of a divorced woman, Isabel Dalhousie, dealing with her personal life and her profession as the editor of the Review of Applied Ethics. For those who like some intellectual depth with their stories, this series will be most rewarding. For those who want big laughs and ironies that make you instantly smile, go back to The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

This is the third book in the series. In the prior books, Isabel shows herself to be a woman who likes to take her time to examine her behavior . . . before acting . . . and usually kicks herself when she doesn't let her intellect lead her. While being concerned about her niece, Cat, Isabel mostly is disappointed that Cat has rejected the handsome and worthy Jamie for a series of less good marital candidates. But Isabel has taken solace in keeping Jamie for a friend, while Jamie pines for the uninterested Cat.

When it rains, is that a blessing . . . or bad luck? In Scotland where it usually rains, you'd better take the former attitude. That's the theme of this story: How should you handle the unexpected?

The story moves forward on a number of fronts: Isabel develops an interest in an odd couple of Americans who turn out to be friends of her cousin; Cat has a new man in her life; Isabel and Jamie seem to drift closer together than either expected; Isabel helps Cat find some new help; and Isabel sets out to buy a home for Grace, her housekeeper. Each story element turns on the nature of male-female relations and examines those relations in different ways.

While there are the usual conundrums (What if someone misunderstands your purpose and offers you a bargain? What should you do if you think someone is in bad relationship? What's the right reaction when love offers itself?), there is actually more plot development in this story than in the previous two combined. I also liked the way that this book points out the limits of trying to lead with one's mental faculties. There is, after all, a strong emotional side to all of us.

I found my interest in the series to be greatly increased by this book. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment in the series.

Bravo!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Isabel Dalhousie returns, not a lot happens, but still a good book, 8 Aug 2007

By	S. Loddick - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Isabel returns in this, the third, in the Sunday Philosophy Club series of novels. The characters continue to grow on me, and so despite the minimalist central plot, I enjoyed this book more than the previous two.

Alexander McCall Smith doesn't need a thrill a second or cleverly twisting plot to offer us an enjoyable or enlightening read. His gentle writing provides us with a thought provoking observation on the moral dilemmas that some of us may encounter on our own journey through life, and the fact that the characters are perhaps a little too convenient doesn't matter. After all this is fiction.

If you enjoy McCall's Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency, you are very likely to enjoy the company of Isabel Dalhousie.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Right Attitude to Rain
I am glad that Alexander McCall Smith is writing books which remind us
of ethics and morals and are a delight to read. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Marjorie Lanham

1.0 out of 5 stars Awful
The Right Attitude to Rain (Sunday Philosophy Club)

As a fan of Alexander McCall Smith, primarily from his No. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Rachel Johnson

4.0 out of 5 stars Always have hated rain...now really like Isabel
I LOVE McCall Smith's No 1 Ladies's Detective Agency series and so looked forward to this series as well. Read more

Published 5 months ago by MayGoodComeToUs

5.0 out of 5 stars A comfortable book to read at bedtime
I started with book 4 of the series and then read 1, 2 and this one (no 3). I'm hooked and will have to order number 5! These books are perfect for bed-time reading. Read more

Published 11 months ago by Bluebell

3.0 out of 5 stars Evening Cocoa
This book is very pleasant and undemanding stuff.
The plot inches along and any pretense at investigating crime has been abandoned. Read more

Published 19 months ago by A. I. Mackenzie

4.0 out of 5 stars My goodness, Isabel Dalhousie is human after all.
I was very disappointed with the first Isabel Dalhousie book, 'The Sunday Philosophy Club'. Most of the characters, and especially Dalhousie herself, emerged with all the... Read more

Published 20 months ago by Steve

5.0 out of 5 stars The Examined Life Examined
Once upon a time philosophers dealt with practical questions of ethics: When is it appropriate to lie? When can you take another life? Read more

Published 21 months ago by Professor Donald Mitchell

5.0 out of 5 stars The Examined Life Examined
Once upon a time philosophers dealt with practical questions of ethics: When is it appropriate to lie? When can you take another life? Read more

Published 21 months ago by Professor Donald Mitchell

5.0 out of 5 stars The Examined Life Examined
Once upon a time philosophers dealt with practical questions of ethics: When is it appropriate to lie? When can you take another life? Read more

Published 21 months ago by Professor Donald Mitchell

5.0 out of 5 stars The Examined Life Examined
Once upon a time philosophers dealt with practical questions of ethics: When is it appropriate to lie? When can you take another life? Read more

Published 21 months ago by Professor Donald Mitchell

› See all 16 customer reviews...

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The Right Attitude to Rain (Sunday Philosophy Club) (Paperback)

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