The World According to Bertie

From Publishers Weekly Smith delivers yet another delightful installment to his Scotland Street series. This time out, he focuses mostly on the irrepressible Bertie Pollock, a precocious six-year-old whose mummy, Irene, forces him to play a saxophone, converse in Italian, do yoga and see Dr. Hugo Fairbairn, a psychotherapist who looks a lot like Bertie's baby brother, Ulysses. As Bertie struggles to accommodate his nutty mummy and new brother, another crisis explodes for artist Angus Lordie, whose beloved dog, Cyril, has been thrown in the pound for biting someone. Cyril is innocent, and Angus, with Bertie's assistance, sets out to rescue Cyril before he's put down. Subplots abound, and Smith details with dependable whimsical flair the romantic progress of Scotland Street familiars Matthew, Pat and Bruce. Series fans know what to expect, and they get it by the truckload. (Nov.) Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Library Journal This fourth installment�following Love over Scotland �in New York Times best-selling author McCall Smith's (www.mccallsmith.com) "44 Scotland Street" series centers on a group of Edinburgh denizens' quirky and intriguing antics as seen through the eyes of a six-year-old boy. The book can stand alone, though listeners would benefit from meeting the characters earlier in the series. Actor/narrator Robert Ian Mackenzie's (_Freddy and Fredericka_) voice and delivery are wonderful; however, he could have done a better job distinguishing among the numerous characters. For mystery and audio collections in public libraries, especially those with previous McCall Smith titles.�Nicole A. Cooke, Montclair State Univ. Lib., NJ Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Quality : 5 Formats : EPUB, MOBI Genre : Fiction Poor Put-upon Bertie Is Still Struggling To Escape His Overbearing Mother's Influence, His Yoga Lessons And His Pink Bedroom While Wondering Why New Baby Brother Ulysses Looks Uncomfortably Like His Psychotherapist. The Insufferably Handsome Bruce Has Returned From London To Land, On His Feet And Rent-free, In The Arms Of Heiress Julia Donald. But All Is Not Well Among The Residents Of 44 Scotland Street: Angus's Dog And Constant Companion Cyril Is Under Threat Of Execution, Victim Of A Miscarriage Of Justice, While Pretty, Indecisive Pat And Hopeless Romantic Matthew Are On The Verge Of Making The Most Terrible Mistake Of Their Lives . . . Big Lou Finds A New Man, Matthew And Pat Edge Their Relationship Towards Something More Permanent - Although This Development Is Not Without Complications, When A Glimpse Of Someone Who Just Might Be Her Handsome, Caddish Ex-flatmate Bruce Sets Pat's Pulse Racing - And Domenica's Friendship With Antonia Is Tested To The Limit When An Assortment Of Her Belongings Mysteriously Appear In Antonia's New Flat. Another delightful read by Alexander McCall Smith. As usual he gives you an intimate feeling of access into the lives of a broadly varied, and quite interesting group of people. I particularly love Bertie, and his most ridiculously overbearing mother. Angus and Cyril are wonderfully written characters. The fantastic Anthropologist, makes one realize life can just begin anew at 60! I strongly suggest starting with book 1, 44 Scotland Street. I’m enjoying this series immensely. Perhaps as much as his Isobel Dalhousie series, which were very interesting and full of interesting philosophical insights (her being a philosopher). Of course, this series also contains a fair amount of philosophy as is Mr. McCall Smith is known for (although, a bit of it from the standpoint of Berties Freudian analyst...)