The gentleman's No. 1 news agency

[wwidsith]

Today, apparently in karmic payback for the flippant words in my last post, I ended up interviewing Alexander McCall Smith, who, it transpires, is in Botswana for a few days to coincide with the opening of his new opera, a version of Macbeth set among a troop of baboons.

As an opening sentence, I think you'll agree that has a lot to keep you going

Comments

[herself_nyc]

I've seen Schindler lifts and escaltors, so not a joke.

And it sounds like a wonderful experience you had!

[wwidsith]

Yeah it was pretty awesome. But seriously -- writing five books a year? What is he on?!

[herself_nyc]

He's on whatever Joyce Carol Oates is on, I guess.

[hobnobofjoy]

I've encountered Schindler's Lifts before. In Sheffield, maybe. It amused me then, and still does now.

Is the monkey opera real? Because that shit's bananas! (see what I did there?)

[wwidsith]

I went to see the show last night! Once you've seen grown men dressed as baboons singing about how Lady Macbeth got eaten by a leopard, your life is never the same.

[norabird]

People love them some Lady Detectives. I've read one of his Scottish cozy mysteries and found it awfully dull, but I expect the series he's most known for is worth reading. I read a similarish book called Baking Cakes in Kigali this year, and it desperately made me want to visit Rwanda.

[wwidsith]

The whole genre of mystery novels set in different "exotic" locations kind of annoys me, though I'm not sure why.

[norabird]

I haven't read any, really, so I don't know whereof I speak, but they seem so *glossy*. It seems more of a surface jaunt than an invigorating plunge into a new landscape and culture. Like traveling by bus tour or something. I do suspect they must broaden people's horizons at least a little bit, though.

[norabird]

aand not logged in. right.