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Tears of the Giraffe (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
 
 
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Tears of the Giraffe (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) (Paperback)

by Alexander McCall Smith (Author) "Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, proprietor of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, found it difficult to believe that Mma Ramotswe, the accomplished founder of the No...." (more)
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Abacus; New edition edition (7 Aug 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0349116652
  • ISBN-13: 978-0349116655
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.6 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 607 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Review
** 'I was enchanted by the character of Precious Ramotswe and the sly humour of Alexander McCall Smith's writing, his deft evocation of a culture' - Anthony Minghella ** 'So elegant and understated is the author's style that the novel seems to transcend age' - Trevor Royle

John Leland, Femaledetective.com
Where 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' was brilliant, 'Tears of the Giraffe', the second in the series is sublime. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, proprietor of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, found it difficult to believe that Mma Ramotswe, the accomplished founder of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, had agreed to marry him. Read the first page
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Tears of the Giraffe (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
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Customer Reviews

30 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Take Me To Botswana!, 25 Mar 2004
By E. J. Fletcher "Erinbron" (London UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is a lovely book, set in Botswana. Following directly on from No1 Ladies Detective Agency, it is a simple story about the day to day life of a Batswana woman in her 30s who tries to help others by solving their problems. She is a good woman, wiser than her age would suggest, and with a masterful insight into human nature. You learn about her background, her home, and the people around her. It is all related in such an enticing way, full of african names, attitudes and the charming way they use english that left me with not only my own clear picture of her life, but a desire to see Botswana for myself.

Isn't it one of the most lovely feelings when you find a series of books that you love to read? You cant wait to get stuck into the next one, and even once you've devoured that, there are still more books to go? Well, after reading No1 Ladies Detective Agency I was like a glutton - straight into Tears of the Giraffe, this, the second book, eating it up as if I'd been starved of reading material for years, not minutes. I wasn't disappointed - if you liked the No1 Ladies Detective Agency you WILL like Tears of the Giraffe. Absolutely no question about it. And if you loved the No1 Ladies Detective Agency you WILL love Tears of the Giraffe. Its that simple.

If you happen upon this review and are interested in Tears of the Giraffe but havent read No1 Ladies Detective Agency, make sure you read that before this, because they do run chronologically.

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64 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Precious detects again!!, 13 Sep 2003
Mma.Ramotswe returns in "Tears of the Giraffe" the second novel about the exploits of "The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency". This is an heartwarming pleasurable read.Mma Ramotswe is the only female detective in Botswana, she solves her cases using common sense and a razor sharp intelligence.As Mma. Ramotswe states "Suspicious? Call the No.1 ladies Detective Agency.We find things out...." In this book Precious Ramotswe is engaged, has promoted her secretary to assistant detective (with sucessful results) and has accidentally acquired two children.Each chapter tells us a different tale from the agency and by the end all of the mysteries are solved. I enjoyed this book as much as the first and again it tells us a little more about life in Botswana, a country of tradition and warmth where you may call everyone "brother" or "sister". This is not just a detective story but it is also a voyage through Africa that is told with humour,warmth and great respect for its peoples.I would recommend this book wholeheartedly along with all the others in the series....
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62 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Lives Up to the First in the Series!, 16 Dec 2002
By A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Tears of the Giraffe: More from the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Paperback)
This second entry in Smith's Botswana-set series picks up right where the wonderful The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency left off. Indeed, the two books are utterly seamless, and it'd be a real shame to read this without reading its predecessor first. The book picks up with the engagement of "traditionally built" Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's sole woman detective, to local master mechanic Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. While the structure is the same as the first book—a missing son as the central running mystery, and some smaller cases interspersed—the new couple's relationship is the real focus.

So, while Precious is asked by an American woman to find out what happened to her son, who disappeared from a commune ten years previously, she must also negotiate the pitfalls of setting up house with Mr. Matekoni, the acquisition of an engagement ring, and the dastardly schemes of Mr. Matekoni's nasty housekeeper, and the unexpected addition of two foster children to her household. All of which she does with her keen sense of human nature and wisdom. Her secretary/typist is also given increased attention, allowed to take on the case of a cheating wife all by herself.

Built into the stories are ruminations of the tensions between modernity and traditional values. There are a number of passages that attempt to capture the essence of Africa, and how that noble vision is under constant assault by greed, corruption, and power. The adventures of Precious and her cohort are a warm antidote to the often depressing news that dominates coverage of Africa in the West. Smith writes in a delightfully fluid and simple prose with pacing that makes the book quite difficult to put down. The series thankfully continues with Morality for Beautiful Girls and The Kalahari Typing School For Men, with further volumes to follow, one hopes.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant No 1 Ladies' series
I watched the TV series and loved it so determined to read the books. Took them on holiday and read one entire book (No 2, this one) on ferry en route home from Caen! Read more
Published 26 days ago by B. A. Chapman

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful read.....
An interseting and delightful read, sometimes made me sad and sometimes made me smile.Can't wait to get hold of the next one. As an African it made me very homesick.
Published 28 days ago by R. Webster

5.0 out of 5 stars Tears Of The Giraffe
A gentle, witty and light hearted book. Made a nice change not having any blood and gore detailed even though some characters did shuffle off to the next life. Read more
Published 1 month ago by M.R.

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect as expected
No problems at all with the audiobook - just as I expected it to be.
Published 2 months ago by Ms. Nathalie Ringenbach

4.0 out of 5 stars Tears of the Giraffe(no1 ladies decetive agency)
loved this follow -on book to the no1 ladies` decective agency.
i`m really getting into the storys of Precious Ramotswe,i love the detail that goes into the story,as your... Read more
Published 2 months ago by maxi-million

4.0 out of 5 stars No Tears from Me
I read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency about four years ago. I expected Miss Marple's answer to Botswana and so was shocked and disappointed by the gentle tale of Precious... Read more
Published 3 months ago by imla

5.0 out of 5 stars i recommend this book !
i recommend this book ! it is the first book i have bought and read by this author, and i thoroughly enjoyed it. the story was witty and amusing. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Sara Moss

5.0 out of 5 stars Tears of Joy
This is the second book in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series, and begins as the first book finishes. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Joanne D'Arcy

5.0 out of 5 stars Another good read
There is no doubt that these books continue to keep the reader interested as the lives of the characters develop with each new story. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Charlotte Bennett

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic story
A fast flowing story set, Tears of the Giraffe is one of the best books I have read. With good values expressed through characters that are lively, this book showed a beautiful... Read more
Published on 15 Aug 2006 by Ralph

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