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{{short description|2004 novel by Alexander McCall Smith}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} |
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{{Use British English|date=November 2017}} |
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}} |
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| oclc= 58973332 |
| oclc= 58973332 |
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| preceded_by = |
| preceded_by = |
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| followed_by = [[Espresso Tales]]}} |
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| followed_by = [[Espresso Tales]], [[Love over Scotland]], [[The World According to Bertie]], [[The Unbearable Lightness of Scones]], [[The Importance of Being Seven]], [[Bertie Plays the Blues]], [[Sunshine on Scotland Street]], [[Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers]]}} |
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'''''44 Scotland Street''''' is an episodic [[novel]] by [[Alexander McCall Smith]], the author of ''[[The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency]]''. The story was first published as a serial in ''[[The Scotsman]]'', starting 26 January 2004, every weekday, for six months. The book retains the 100+ short chapters of the original. It was partially influenced by [[Armistead Maupin]]'s ''[[Tales of the City]]'', a famous serial story. It is the first book in a series of the same name. The series now has |
'''''44 Scotland Street''''' is an episodic [[novel]] by [[Alexander McCall Smith]], the author of ''[[The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency]]''. The story was first published as a serial in ''[[The Scotsman]]'', starting 26 January 2004, every weekday, for six months. The book retains the 100+ short chapters of the original. It was partially influenced by [[Armistead Maupin]]'s ''[[Tales of the City]]'', a famous serial story. It is the first book in a series of the same name. The series now has 17 books, as of 2024. |
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==Plot introduction== |
==Plot introduction== |
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The novel tells the story of Pat, a student during her second [[gap year]] and a source of some worry to her parents, who is accepted as a new tenant at 44 Scotland Street (a real street) in [[Edinburgh]]'s very wealthy [[New Town, Edinburgh|New Town]] (coordinates: {{ |
The novel tells the story of Pat, a student during her second [[gap year]] and a source of some worry to her parents, who is accepted as a new tenant at 44 Scotland Street (a real street) in [[Edinburgh]]'s very wealthy [[New Town, Edinburgh|New Town]] (coordinates: {{coord|55.95962|-3.19492}}), and her various roommates and neighbours. She falls in love with her [[Narcissism|narcissistic]] flatmate Bruce, meets the intriguing and opinionated anthropologist Domenica Macdonald and her friend Angus, and works at an art gallery for Matthew, who was given the gallery as a [[sinecure]] position by his wealthy father. |
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While working at the gallery Pat points out to Matthew (who knows almost nothing about art) that one of their paintings looks as if it could be a work of [[Samuel Peploe]]. After the gallery is broken into Matthew asks Pat to store the painting at their flat until they can check whether it's a genuine Peploe, |
While working at the gallery Pat points out to Matthew (who knows almost nothing about art) that one of their paintings looks as if it could be a work of [[Samuel Peploe]]. After the gallery is broken into Matthew asks Pat to store the painting at their flat until they can check whether it's a genuine Peploe, but Bruce gives the painting to a [[raffle]] run by the South Edinburgh [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Association]]. Matthew and Pat eventually track it down to the (real-life) novelist [[Ian Rankin]] who gives it back to them. |
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The other major storyline is that of five-year-old [[Bertie |
The other major storyline is that of five-year-old [[Bertie Pollock|Bertie]], who is controlled by his pretentious and domineering mother Irene - he has Grade Six on the saxophone, speaks fluent Italian, and is extremely knowledgeable about various subjects. After he is expelled from his nursery school, Irene sends him to psychotherapy with Dr Fairbairn, who constantly misinterprets Bertie's simple wish to be a normal five-year-old boy. |
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===''44 Scotland Street'' series=== |
===''44 Scotland Street'' series=== |
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#2013: ''[[Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers]]'' |
#2013: ''[[Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers]]'' |
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#2015: ''[[The Revolving Door of Life]]'' |
#2015: ''[[The Revolving Door of Life]]'' |
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#2016: ''[[The Bertie Project]]'' |
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#2016: ''[[The Bertie Project]]''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Patrick |first1=Bethanne |title=Alexander McCall Smith’s latest volume of the 44 Scotland Street series |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/alexander-mccall-smiths-latest-volume-of-the-44-scotland-street-series/2017/02/09/4f25f4d6-ee4d-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html |work=The Washington Post|date=9 February 2017}}</ref> |
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#2017: ''[[A Time of Love and Tartan]]'' |
#2017: ''[[A Time of Love and Tartan]]'' |
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#2019: ''[[The Peppermint Tea Chronicles]]'' |
#2019: ''[[The Peppermint Tea Chronicles]]'' |
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#2020: ''[[A Promise of Ankles]]'' |
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#2022: ''[[Love in the Time of Bertie]]'' |
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#2023: ''[[The Enigma of Garlic]]'' |
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#2024: ''[[The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee]]'' |
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==Characters== |
==Characters== |
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*'''Pat MacGregor''' is twenty (see above) |
*'''Pat MacGregor''' is twenty (see above) |
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*'''Matthew Duncan''', owner of an art gallery and Pat's boss |
*'''Matthew Duncan''', owner of an art gallery and Pat's boss |
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*'''[[Bertie Pollock]]''', 5-year-old saxophone player who can also speak Italian, son of the dreadful Irene<ref name="Sykes">{{cite news |last1=Sykes |first1=Charles |title=The Bertie Factor |url=https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-bertie-factor/ | |
*'''[[Bertie Pollock]]''', 5-year-old saxophone player who can also speak Italian, son of the dreadful Irene<ref name="Sykes">{{cite news |last1=Sykes |first1=Charles |title=The Bertie Factor |url=https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-bertie-factor/ |access-date=27 March 2019 |publisher=Commentary magazine |date=January 2019}}</ref> |
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*'''Irene Pollock''', Bertie's mother, busybody and disciple of [[Melanie Klein]] |
*'''Irene Pollock''', Bertie's mother, busybody and disciple of [[Melanie Klein]] |
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*'''Domenica MacDonald''', their neighbour |
*'''Domenica MacDonald''', their neighbour |
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==Television series== |
==Television series== |
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In 2019 it was announced that the novels |
In 2019 it was announced that the novels would become a television series.<ref name="TV">{{cite news |title=Alexander McCall Smith's Edinburgh stories get their own television series |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/alexander-mccall-smith-s-edinburgh-stories-get-their-own-television-series-1-4986158 |publisher=The Scotsman |date=17 August 2019}}</ref> It had already been a series on [[BBC Radio 4]].<ref name=TV/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:Novels set in Edinburgh]] |
[[Category:Novels set in Edinburgh]] |
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[[Category:Works originally published in The Scotsman]] |
[[Category:Works originally published in The Scotsman]] |
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[[Category:Polygon Books books]] |
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Latest revision as of 20:37, 6 December 2024
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Alexander McCall Smith |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Serial novel |
| Published | 2004-2005 (The Scotsman) (serial) 2005 (Polygon Books) (book form) |
| Publication place | Scotland |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) & Serial |
| Pages | 368 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 1-904598-16-1 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC | 58973332 |
| 823/.914 22 | |
| LC Class | PR6063.C326 A613 2005b |
| Followed by | Espresso Tales |
44 Scotland Street is an episodic novel by Alexander McCall Smith, the author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The story was first published as a serial in The Scotsman, starting 26 January 2004, every weekday, for six months. The book retains the 100+ short chapters of the original. It was partially influenced by Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, a famous serial story. It is the first book in a series of the same name. The series now has 17 books, as of 2024.
Plot introduction
[edit]The novel tells the story of Pat, a student during her second gap year and a source of some worry to her parents, who is accepted as a new tenant at 44 Scotland Street (a real street) in Edinburgh's very wealthy New Town (coordinates: 55°57′35″N 3°11′42″W / 55.95962°N 3.19492°W), and her various roommates and neighbours. She falls in love with her narcissistic flatmate Bruce, meets the intriguing and opinionated anthropologist Domenica Macdonald and her friend Angus, and works at an art gallery for Matthew, who was given the gallery as a sinecure position by his wealthy father.
While working at the gallery Pat points out to Matthew (who knows almost nothing about art) that one of their paintings looks as if it could be a work of Samuel Peploe. After the gallery is broken into Matthew asks Pat to store the painting at their flat until they can check whether it's a genuine Peploe, but Bruce gives the painting to a raffle run by the South Edinburgh Conservative Association. Matthew and Pat eventually track it down to the (real-life) novelist Ian Rankin who gives it back to them.
The other major storyline is that of five-year-old Bertie, who is controlled by his pretentious and domineering mother Irene - he has Grade Six on the saxophone, speaks fluent Italian, and is extremely knowledgeable about various subjects. After he is expelled from his nursery school, Irene sends him to psychotherapy with Dr Fairbairn, who constantly misinterprets Bertie's simple wish to be a normal five-year-old boy.
44 Scotland Street series
[edit]- See also: Bertie Pollock
- 2005: 44 Scotland Street
- 2005: Espresso Tales
- 2006: Love Over Scotland
- 2007: The World According to Bertie
- 2008: The Unbearable Lightness of Scones
- 2010: The Importance of Being Seven
- 2011: Bertie Plays The Blues
- 2012: Sunshine on Scotland Street
- 2013: Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers
- 2015: The Revolving Door of Life
- 2016: The Bertie Project
- 2017: A Time of Love and Tartan
- 2019: The Peppermint Tea Chronicles
- 2020: A Promise of Ankles
- 2022: Love in the Time of Bertie
- 2023: The Enigma of Garlic
- 2024: The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee
Characters
[edit]Major recurring characters
[edit]- Pat MacGregor is twenty (see above)
- Matthew Duncan, owner of an art gallery and Pat's boss
- Bertie Pollock, 5-year-old saxophone player who can also speak Italian, son of the dreadful Irene[1]
- Irene Pollock, Bertie's mother, busybody and disciple of Melanie Klein
- Domenica MacDonald, their neighbour
- Bruce Anderson, Pat's narcissistic flatmate
- Angus Lordie, portrait painter and owner of Cyril
- Big Lou, owner of coffee bar
- Stuart Pollock, Bertie's statistician father
- Elspeth Harmony, Bertie's teacher
Minor characters
[edit]- Cyril, Angus's dog with the gold tooth
- Dr. Hugo Fairbairn, Bertie's psychoanalyst, famous for his study of Wee Fraser
- Ian Rankin, Scottish novelist of Rebus fame
- Aloysius (Lard) O'Connor, Glasgow "business man" with the physique of a Munro
- Ramsey Dunbarton, retired lawyer whose main claim to fame is his erstwhile performance as the Duke of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers
- Duke of Johannesburg, a dubious Duke who likes to philosophize
Literary significance and reception
[edit]
Publishers Weekly said that 44 Scotland Street was "episodic, amusing and peopled with characters both endearing and benignly problematic."[2] Library Journal said that "Smith's insightful and comic observations, makes for an amusing and absorbing look at Edinburgh's high society."[3] Bookseller said that "the writing style is understated, and the humour subtle but at times devastating."[4]
A stage adaptation, entitled The World According to Bertie, was performed at the 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[5]
Television series
[edit]In 2019 it was announced that the novels would become a television series.[5] It had already been a series on BBC Radio 4.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Sykes, Charles (January 2019). "The Bertie Factor". Commentary magazine. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ "44 Scotland Street". Publishers Weekly. 252 (17): 35. 25 April 2005. ISSN 0000-0019.
- ^ Core, Karen (1 May 2005). "44 Scotland Street". Library Journal. 130 (8): 77. ISSN 0363-0277.
- ^ Millar, Alistair (16 February 2007). "READING FOR PLEASURE". Bookseller; 2/16/2007 (5268): 23. ISSN 0006-7539.
- ^ a b c "Alexander McCall Smith's Edinburgh stories get their own television series". The Scotsman. 17 August 2019.