My Italian Bulldozer - Hardcover

Alexander McCall Smith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1846973554 ISBN 13: 9781846973550

Publisher: Polygon, 2016

Synopsis

When writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already late book, it seems like the perfect escape from stressful city life. Upon landing, however, things quickly take a turn for the worse when he discovers his hired car is nowhere to be found. With no record of any reservation and no other cars available it looks like Paul is stuck at the airport. That is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative. While there may be no cars available there is something else on offer: a bulldozer.

With little choice in the matter, Paul accepts and so begins a series of laugh out loud adventures through the Italian countryside, following in the wake of Paul and his Italian Bulldozer. A story of unexpected circumstance and a lesson in making the best of what you have, My Italian Bulldozer is a warm holiday read guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

About this title

Review:

'With a title like My Italian Bulldozer, you just know that people will pick it up to see what the heck it s all about. [One thing is] the idea of human warmth which is always at the heart of Sandy s writing' Janice Forsyth, BBC Radio Scotland

'Alexander McCall Smith s novels are always a delightful mixture of humour, humanity and observation. Just as at home in Italy as in Botswana, he depicts the people of Tuscany in this novel with a verve that makes me long to go back' Country Life Magazine

'Blissfully relaxing, this is a summer read with everything you could ask for: warmth, wonderful characters and plenty of laughs' World of Cruising Top Twelve Books for Summer Reading

'A gentle book, but also a gently radical one' The Scotsman

'The sights and sounds and the way you describe the food of Tuscany ... perfect ... it made me want to go. I loved it' BBC Breakfast

'Written in McCall Smith's trademark wryly thoughtful style... I Ioved the mouth-watering descriptions of rural Italy' Daily Mail

'A sheer delight from start to finish. Highly recommended' Sarah Broadhurst, LoveReading

'Full of his trademark gentle humour and his capacity for turning the absurd into a comic art-form, it is a delightful read from start to finish... Whenever I read one of his books I always feel that the world looks a better, kinder place and this delightful one was no exception I am still smiling as I write this review!' Nudge Books

'Refreshingly original... deliciously farcical' Yorkshire Post

'This is the loveliest, lightest, most uplifting read. It is funny and silly but also wise, optimistic and joyful, just as we come to expect with Alexander McCall Smith's writing. Its idyllic Italian setting may make us all want to leap on a plane to capture the moment for ourselves, but actually the message is for us in the here and now, wherever we are, about living in the moment and making the best of what we have. It's a wonderful book!' Catherine Larner

'There is something magical about this book' Breakaway Reviewers

'This novel has the usual combination of light-hearted gentleness and forensic acuity, reminding the reader never to underestimate McCall Smith s fundamental seriousness of purpose' Sydney Morning Herald

'A fascinating, funny and totally enjoyable study of human quirkiness, as it only could be under the sun in Tuscany, penned by a master wordsmith'

--Blue Wolf Reviews

'With a title like My Italian Bulldozer, you just know that people will pick it up to see what the heck it s all about. [One thing is] the idea of human warmth which is always at the heart of Sandy s writing' -- Janice Forsyth, BBC Radio Scotland

'This was a delightful story about the ups and downs of love, the power of a fresh start and the delightful people and scenery of the Italian countryside told with plenty of humour' -- 5 stars, Edel, goodreads.com

'Charming and funny, this novel follows the adventures of food writer Paul Stuart as he escapes to Tuscany to get over a failed relationship and writer's block. Most of the comedy comes from Paul's naivety and suggestibility that get him into slightly surreal situations - a modern day Don Quixote. The story's other characters also charm and beguile, leaving the reader seeking more tales from McCall Smith's Tuscan idyll' -- Tredaran, goodreads.com

'Once again Alexander McCall Smith has managed to enchant, and whisk away the reader' -- 5 stars, Angie Rhodes,goodreads.com

'Quirkily standalone, with the usual lovely written cadence we want from McCall Smith' -- 5 stars, Margaret Bryant, www.goodreads.com

'There are all the things I love about AMS s stories in this book, with extreme silliness described in the most gentle, believable way. . . . . . His characters are diverse, thought-provoking and entertaining, and his descriptions of the small village of Montalcino and the surrounding countryside left me wanting to plan a holiday to Italy . . . another delight to sink into an armchair with'

-- --Ruth Ng, www.thebookbag.co.uk

'A fascinating, funny and totally enjoyable study of human quirkiness, as it only could be under the sun in Tuscany, penned by a master wordsmith' - Blue Wolf Reviews (Australia) 'A lovely story set in the heart of Italy' --Tripfiction.com

Book Description:

A new stand-alone novel from the bestselling author of 44 Scotland Street and the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

About this edition

• Publisher: Polygon
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1846973554
• ISBN 13: 9781846973550
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240