Heavenly Date

August 25, 2003
Smith, author of the bestselling The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and some 50 other books, nimbly examines the mysteries of dating in this captivating collection. The stories, which take place in various locales—Africa, Australia, Italy—and in periods from the 1950s and '60s to today, explore the timeless, intricate dance of love and courtship, and make wise, often compassionate observations. In the lovely title story, a young woman summering in Tuscany has an assignation with an angel ("It may be unusual in other places, but here, there seemed nothing extraordinary about it") and finds herself pregnant with a miraculous child. In the arch "Intimate Accounts," the protagonist, a jaded psychiatrist, noting that "terrible things can happen on dates—traumatic things—which can trouble people to the very depths of their psyches," helps a narcissistic patient discover that his best date might be with himself. Two members of a "dating for fatties" share a comic dinner in "Fat Date"; two wealthy Swiss singles make friends with the younger generation and learn the joys of sharing in "Wonderful Date," while in "Maternal Influence," a young man mollycoddled and emasculated by his mother, "the Mayoress," finally takes a stand when he meets a girl he likes. Smith's nine stories, with their light humor and touching moments, should inspire smiles and sighs in tenderhearted readers everywhere.

HEAVENLY DATE demonstrates that Alexander McCall Smith was a talented writer well before his NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY books became bestsellers. These are captivating stories about "dating" in one sense or another. Sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, the tales focus on young and old characters in places as diverse as Australia, Italy, and Zimbabwe when it was still Southern Rhodesia. All the characters are trying to make the best of the lives they find themselves in. Lisette Lecat, who has been an outstanding narrator for McCall-Smith's bestsellers, shows here that she is equally adept with quite different material. Simon Prebble and Susan Lyons also excel. In every case, the sensitive narration adds to the pleasure intrinsic in the writing. A truly delightful listen. R.E.K. 2005 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine