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Corduroy Mansions

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Corduroy Mansions

By: Alexander McCall Smith
Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
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About this listen

 From the author of the global best-seller The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency comes a brand new serial novel set in the heart of London.

Corduroy Mansions is the affectionate nickname given to a genteelly crumbling mansion block in London's vibrant Pimlico. This is the home patch of - among others - a lovelorn literary agent, possibly the first ever nasty Liberal Democrat MP and Freddie de la Hay, an urbane terrier trained to be vegetarian and respectful of feline rights.

Loafers, wine merchants, vitamin evangelists, and the occasional psychoanalyst pass each other on the stairs of this delightful metropolitan des res. With his trademark wit, charm and lightness of touch, Alexander McCall Smith introduces a colourful cast of characters, full of the life, laughter and humanity so beloved in his writing.

©2008 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2009 Hachette Digital Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Funny Witty Vegetarian
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Would you consider the audio edition of Corduroy Mansions to be better than the print version?

I love the Scotland Street series, so I was looking forward to something else in the same genre. But somehow I didn't warm to the characters of Corduroy Mansions as much as their Scottish counterparts. It may be that I don't like London life as much as life in a provincial city. Nothing wrong with the style and format, and well read by Andrew Sachs, but not just quite so good for me.

Would you be willing to try another book from Alexander McCall Smith? Why or why not?

Yes I have read many of his books. I sometimes find the philosophising irritating, especially in the Isolbe Dalhousie novels.

Which character – as performed by Andrew Sachs – was your favourite?

The dreamy Morris Minor driving brother.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me smile at times.

Edinburgh is better

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I love Alexander McCall Smith's Scottish series. The Scotland Street characters are fun and mostly credible, the Philosophy Club thin on people but rich on reflection! Corduroy Mansions has neither useful philosophy nor interesting characters and the narrator is rather too flippant. Not challenging or offensive but rather boring unfortunately...

Not AMS's best!

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I found this a little dull. I kept waiting for something big to happen but eventually realised that it wasn't going to. Maybe that just makes me shallow?

It's well written with some very good descriptive passages and some perceptive observations of human nature but if you're looking for "gripping" or "enthralling" then look elsewhere.

For me, the true measure of a good Audiobook is how slowly I drive to work and back home. This one did nothing for my contribution towards road safety.

Disappointed

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I'd never really been interested in listening to Alexander McCall Smith's Ladies' Detective Agency novels, but had heard his Portuguese Irregular Verbs, which I had enjoyed. I then came across Corduroy Mansions, and found the whole thing immensely comfortable, witty, erudite and thoroughly British in its sense of whimsy. Superbly drawn characters equally superbly brought to life by Andrew Sachs, who is the perfect reader for this warm and charming book, somehow as familiar as a well worn pair of carpet slippers.

Wonderfully whimsical

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This is really disappointing. Boring story, the narration doesn't improve the experience. Most unexpected after the other books by this author.
In addition the sound in jumpy and scratchy.

What a let down after the Scotland Street series.

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