Fiction

A Promise of Ankles

A Promise of Ankles

  • Downloads：3929
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-08-15 09:51:13
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Alexander McCall Smith
  • ISBN：0349144710
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

From the hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series comes the latest adventures of Bertie and his family and friends。

The winds of change are blowing through Scotland Street。 Though Bertie is getting older， he can't resist an adventure to escape his domineering mother， and Bruce， ever the navel-gazer， will have to bring his best self to navigate the complexities of the pas de deux。 While Alexander McCall Smith's delightfully warm and witty comedy takes some surprising turns， the improbable adventures of this quirky cast of Scots will affirm the heart and joy in Edinburgh's New Town。

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Reviews

Les ，

What happened to the dog that Angus was looking after for Bertie and Ranald at the end of the previous book？

Linda Hepworth ，

An essential kindness always underpins Alexander McCall Smith's stories but that he manages to combine this with acutely perceptive observations of people's behaviour， his willingness to shine a （mostly gentle） spotlight on pretension and preciousness （he can seldom resist a dig at the Turner Prize！）， hypocrisy， extreme political correctness etc， and his gentle philosophising on a range of topics is what makes them so deliciously satisfying to read！ As always there are moments of gentle humour， An essential kindness always underpins Alexander McCall Smith's stories but that he manages to combine this with acutely perceptive observations of people's behaviour， his willingness to shine a （mostly gentle） spotlight on pretension and preciousness （he can seldom resist a dig at the Turner Prize！）， hypocrisy， extreme political correctness etc， and his gentle philosophising on a range of topics is what makes them so deliciously satisfying to read！ As always there are moments of gentle humour， as well as some which made me laugh out loud - I hope he won't keep his readers waiting too long before we get to catch up with this delightful cast of characters！ 。。。more

Carol ，

As soon as I saw the title of this most recent installment of 44 Scotland Street， I started to smile。 I kept smiling the whole way through the book。 I love this street and the residents so much， even as they scatter around and throughout the nearby countryside。 It's such a delight to catch up with them on a regular basis。 With a few notable exceptions， they are such good people and I'm just sorry they don't actually live close enough to me to be able to share a cup of tea and discuss Neanderthal As soon as I saw the title of this most recent installment of 44 Scotland Street， I started to smile。 I kept smiling the whole way through the book。 I love this street and the residents so much， even as they scatter around and throughout the nearby countryside。 It's such a delight to catch up with them on a regular basis。 With a few notable exceptions， they are such good people and I'm just sorry they don't actually live close enough to me to be able to share a cup of tea and discuss Neanderthal skulls and such。 I'm sure my IQ would increase dramatically as I tried to keep up with their references。 As it is， Google gets a workout as I read。 Sometimes I hold my breath， in fear that dear Bertie will not get every joy he deserves。 Glasgow and Scottish pies。 （More Googling。） His Grandmother， Nicola， has become a favorite character。 A strong-willed， loving protector for Bertie。Lots to think about until we meet again。 。。。more

Sue ，

I waited two months on hold from the library for this audio book & it was worth the wait。 44 Scotland Street may be my favorite of McCall Smith's series because it's definitely the quirkiest。 The characters get themselves into odd situations， usually because they are just so nice & urbane。 Stuart & Bertie get some freedom in this one and seeing Bertie happy is very satisfying。 When will Stuart dump Irene for good？ Hope it's in the next installment。 As his mother， Nicola， says about Irene: she is I waited two months on hold from the library for this audio book & it was worth the wait。 44 Scotland Street may be my favorite of McCall Smith's series because it's definitely the quirkiest。 The characters get themselves into odd situations， usually because they are just so nice & urbane。 Stuart & Bertie get some freedom in this one and seeing Bertie happy is very satisfying。 When will Stuart dump Irene for good？ Hope it's in the next installment。 As his mother， Nicola， says about Irene: she is just not possible。 Among the other stories are an unexpected find by Cyril， a kidnapping， a new au pair for Matthew & Elspeth， fancy recipes at Big Lou's， & new neighbors in the downstairs flat。 So fun， so wonderful， so relaxing。 。。。more

Sheri Radford ，

Not enough Bertie！ （There's never enough Bertie。） Too much Domenica and Angus。 （They have become more and more tedious and unbelievable as the series has continued。） Also， I wouldn't be sad never to see Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna again。 Not enough Bertie！ （There's never enough Bertie。） Too much Domenica and Angus。 （They have become more and more tedious and unbelievable as the series has continued。） Also， I wouldn't be sad never to see Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna again。 。。。more

lorraine ，

Witty。 Thought provoking。 Heartwarming。

Antia Tosh ，

I just love books by Alexander McCall Smith and this did not disappoint。 Throughout the book， Bertie has an adventure to Glasgow， His dad has issues in his love life， The household of triplets and Big Lou all go through life's dilemmas While Cyril， the dog， looks longingly at ankles。 Will he bite？ I just love books by Alexander McCall Smith and this did not disappoint。 Throughout the book， Bertie has an adventure to Glasgow， His dad has issues in his love life， The household of triplets and Big Lou all go through life's dilemmas While Cyril， the dog， looks longingly at ankles。 Will he bite？ 。。。more

Dawn ，

Another dive into the lives of the residents of 44 Scotland Street。 Very satisfying。

Juliewheatcox。Net ，

Very odd story of people living in Scotland。

Clare Russell ，

I really enjoy the Scotland Street series with its gentle witticisms and suggestions of kinder， moderate ways to live。 A love letter to Edinburgh

Gill ，

Alexander McCall Smith is one of my go-to authors when I want to read something light and uplifting。 I love the worlds he creates， who wouldn't like Bertie？ This felt very light， a bit more substance would have been welcome but overall a series that I'll continue Alexander McCall Smith is one of my go-to authors when I want to read something light and uplifting。 I love the worlds he creates， who wouldn't like Bertie？ This felt very light， a bit more substance would have been welcome but overall a series that I'll continue 。。。more

Ella ，

Personally I'm done with Alexander McCall Smith。 I must have read over twenty of his different books and I think it's enough now。 There used to be such joy with Bertie and the trials with his mother。 This one didn't lift the mood like the early novels。 Though there were some quirky parts that raised a smile。 Personally I'm done with Alexander McCall Smith。 I must have read over twenty of his different books and I think it's enough now。 There used to be such joy with Bertie and the trials with his mother。 This one didn't lift the mood like the early novels。 Though there were some quirky parts that raised a smile。 。。。more

Thekirkiepirate ，

I have always enjoyed the Scotland Street novels，but I think that he has taken this concept as far as he can now。 The marginalisation of Irene Pollock， although welcome， has removed much of the friction from the plot and there is no replacement in sight。It was still an enjoyable book to read， if rather tired。

Sharon ，

A return to Scotland Street allows a further glimpse into the lives of the residents of the apartment block。 I am glad to find that poor Bertie finally achieves a state of happiness， thanks to his father and grandmother。 Having read two McCall Smith's in a row， I noticed that he has a penchant for citing septicemia as the cause of death for women。 A return to Scotland Street allows a further glimpse into the lives of the residents of the apartment block。 I am glad to find that poor Bertie finally achieves a state of happiness， thanks to his father and grandmother。 Having read two McCall Smith's in a row， I noticed that he has a penchant for citing septicemia as the cause of death for women。 。。。more

Shirley Brown ，

Alexander McCall Smith books are always a delight to read。 Much humor about the human condition and our interactions and reactions are always brought to the forefront for our enjoyment。 Never been disappointed yet by his subtle humor and insight into human behavior。 Right on。

Jenny H ，

This was really disappointing。 I've got the whole series and usually eagerly await the next instalment， but I regret buying this one and won't buy any more until I've got them from the library first。1） There is too much waffle。 The characters talk， the author muses， but very little actually happens and the conversations and the musings aren't that interesting。 I skipped a lot of them。2） There are too many beginnings that aren't followed up。 The new inmates of No 44 that are introduced at such le This was really disappointing。 I've got the whole series and usually eagerly await the next instalment， but I regret buying this one and won't buy any more until I've got them from the library first。1） There is too much waffle。 The characters talk， the author muses， but very little actually happens and the conversations and the musings aren't that interesting。 I skipped a lot of them。2） There are too many beginnings that aren't followed up。 The new inmates of No 44 that are introduced at such length at the beginning mostly never appear and the one we do see only washes the stair and turns up again with one of the flatmates in tow at Domenica's inevitable party。 Pat has important news that we never hear any more of。 Irene reappears briefly and then isn't seen again， even to leave， though we assume that she does。。 Two of the Moray Place nudists have a rather dull conversation about their attempts to maintain Edinburgh dominance， but nothing comes of it。 There are a couple of anecdotes about Matthew & Elspeth's honeymoon that only serve to show that it wasn't a very nice hotel and are clogged up with a lot of irrelevant and dull stuff about the genealogy of the hotel keepers3） The inconsistencies that have been creeping in continue， most notably in the flashback to Matthew and Elspeth's honeymoon， which AMS has forgotten was in Australia and now places in Jamaica。 The triplets are now settled at 3 years old， after switching backwards and forwards in the last book， but Bertie is still only 7 and Ulysses still a pre-verbal baby。4） I know the characters and stories are meant to be OTT and fanciful， but suspension of disbelief is becoming strained even within that。 What is that Italian nun doing away from her convent so long， with no visible means of support or apparent purpose？ A nun might be sent on a sabbatical for educational purposes， or dispatched for a particular job， but they don't get open-ended holidays。 How could a nice young woman in a serious relationship be so egregiously rude as to abandon the man she's out with in mid-date to go off with another？ Nobody would do that to a friend， let alone a lover。 And why would anybody trying to learn Gaelic think it would help to listen non-stop to Kenneth McKellar singing in English？I'm afraid AMS has reached the end of the road with this series。 It would be great if he could pick it up again， but he's apparently run out of inspiration and， I suspect， interest in it。 。。。more

Amie ，

The fourteenth in a series， and it's still a joy to check in with the Scotland Street crowd。 Alexander McCall Smith has a lighthearted， humorous way of telling a story。 You can imagine him cracking himself up as he creates it。 But he also has a very nice way of making me remember the important and good things in life， and the value of being kind toward others。 I love everything he writes！ The fourteenth in a series， and it's still a joy to check in with the Scotland Street crowd。 Alexander McCall Smith has a lighthearted， humorous way of telling a story。 You can imagine him cracking himself up as he creates it。 But he also has a very nice way of making me remember the important and good things in life， and the value of being kind toward others。 I love everything he writes！ 。。。more

Cathy ，

Oh。。。。 the stories continue and they have lovely new snippets of the characters lives to add to the new book。 Can't wait for the continuations。 Oh。。。。 the stories continue and they have lovely new snippets of the characters lives to add to the new book。 Can't wait for the continuations。 。。。more

Carolyn ，

always a joy to escape to Scotland Street。

Jackie Andrews ，

Another sweet book by Alexander。

Tina M ，

44 Scotland Street is my home away from home。 McCall Smith deftly weave unique characters into a charming community of inhabitants

Judy ，

You can skip entire pages。 Used to be fun books but now they seem to be too much thinking and talking about society。 Im looking for entertainment。 Wont read any more of his books。 Too bad because the series started out very different。

Marilyn ，

The lives of the many residents and friends of Scotland Street inch forward， with some sweet and some absurd hijinks。 Bertie has his moment of sheer happiness。 All the right ingredients。

Fred Lens ，

Alweer een heerlijk Schots verslag vol mens- en hondvriendelijke beschouwingen， een zeldzaam stoute: "Progressive actually means conformist， Matthew。 A follower of intellectual fashion" Alweer een heerlijk Schots verslag vol mens- en hondvriendelijke beschouwingen， een zeldzaam stoute: "Progressive actually means conformist， Matthew。 A follower of intellectual fashion" 。。。more

David ，

This series just gets better and better。 Alexander Mccall Smith is an amazing writer。

Leanne ，

While I always enjoy a visit to Scotland Street， this one missed the mark a little。 One story that started in the last book was completely forgotten about in this book， which I found very disappointing。 Another story from the last book began with so much promise， only to be dismissed in this book。 I’m really hoping the next instalment is back on track。

Julie ，

This wasn’t a rollicking madcap story。 It was an in-between book filling us in on the members of 44 Scotland Street。 I thoroughly enjoyed it。 I especially loved the parts about poor Stuart trying to raise from the ashes left by Irene。 Another triumph of philosophy， sermon， and dear Bertie。

Geeta ，

Easy read。 Very much enjoyed the story line and the characters of the story。This was my first book by this author and now I can't wait to read more of his books！ Easy read。 Very much enjoyed the story line and the characters of the story。This was my first book by this author and now I can't wait to read more of his books！ 。。。more

Bonnie Sheehan ，

Silly， pedantic， but I had a few laughs。 His style is not for everyone， but I enjoy a light read now and then。

Sonia ，

This one seemed a lot longer than the other books in the series。 There are so many stories going on now and not enough of little Bertie！

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=A Promise of Ankles

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=A Promise of Ankles&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,A Promise of Ankles&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0