The Forgotten Affairs Of Youth (Isabel Dalhousie Novels) Book 8 - Softcover

McCall Smith, Alexander

Softcover

ISBN 10: 034912387X ISBN 13: 9780349123875

Publisher: Abacus, 2012

Synopsis

Happy with her husband-to-be and beloved son, Isabel Dalhousie has feelings about parenthood that grow more tender daily. So when Jane, a visiting academic adopted and sent to Australia as a baby, asks for help in tracing her Scottish origins, she cannot refuse.

However, habitually upright Isabel finds herself beset by temptation - for instance, to be suspicious of Professor Lettuce's latest subterfuge, and of her niece Cat's weakness for the wrong man. And when the search for Jane's parents turns troubling, she can hardly prevent herself from interfering too forcefully in family secrets. As she steers a course between love and laissez-faire, our philosopher heroine succeeds in resisting all temptations but those which must be answered, and teases a solution from every problem.

About this title

Review:

Praise for "The Forgotten Affairs of Youth
"
"No matter the philosophical twist [Isabel] puts on her actions, it comes back to doing the right thing. McCall Smith has produced an endearing, intelligent and kindly character, which leads a reader to imagining him as having similarly charming traits, both human and literary." --"Charleston Post and Courier"
"Because both Isabel and Jane are philosophers, discussions on the nature of truth also arise--especially when that elusive creature seems to be antithetical to love. In McCall Smith's trademark voice, these conflicts play out in civil conversation, delivered in a naturalistic style that conveys both these women's priorities. . . . Readers get to soak up the cozy atmosphere of this Scottish university town and McCall Smith's gentle good will. . . . Isabel once again proves herself civilized company for cold winter nights." --"The Boston Globe"
"This totally absorbing novel has as its primary focus the grip of the past, as Isabel helps a woman given up for adoption find her biological father. Isabel is everything you'd want in a philosopher, but she is also quirky and witty and made more human by the longing she still sometimes feels for a beautiful but bad love in her past. Far from being Utopian, "The Forgotten Affairs of Youth" is filled with both spires and spikes, like Edinburgh itself." --"Booklist" (starred review)
"You needn't be a series-long admirer of Isabel Dalhousie to be beguiled by this curious philosopher and casual sleuth . . . Isabel believes only the examined life is worth living, and fearlessly so . . . It makes [her] a heroine worth following, even through this quiet, more reflective foray." --"Publishers Weekly
""A look inside the hearts and minds of our friends in Edinburgh . . . A real treat."
"--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
""The well-trod streets and worn stone walls of an ancient, elegant city are in Isabel's very DNA. . . . Gentle, humorous, char

"Entertaining and enchanting reading about characters you think you know--and wish you did." --"Las Vegas Review Journal
"
"Dalhousie [is] back in true form. . . . An endearing, intelligent and kindly character." --"The Charleston Post & Courier"
"Readers get to soak up the cozy atmosphere of this Scottish university town and McCall Smith's gentle good will." --"The Boston Globe"
" "
"A real treat." --"The Plain Dealer"
" "
"Subtle, surprising, and incisive." --"Sacramento Book Review
"
"You don't read these books to find out 'who done it, ' you read them for the pleasure of spending a few hours following a sensitive, intellectual woman as she roams around Edinburgh speculating ingeniously about everything from moral responsibility to aesthetics and metaphysics." --"BlogCritics
"
"McCall Smith's latest novel featuring the wise but impish Edinburgh philosopher Isabel Dalhousie. . . . [And] countless small adventures and gentle observations." --"The Toronto Star"
"Totally absorbing. . . . Isabel is everything you'd want in a philosopher, but she is also quirky and witty." --"Booklist" (starred review)
"You needn't be a series-long admirer of Isabel Dalhousie to be beguiled by this curious philosopher and casual sleuth. . . . A heroine worth following." --"Publishers Weekly"
" "
"McCall Smith's talent for dialogue is matched only by his gift for characterization. It's hard to believe that he could make up a character as complex and unique as Isabel. She is by turns fearless, vulnerable, headstrong, and insecure, but always delightful." --"Chicago Tribune"
"Endearing. . . . Offers tantalizing glimpses of Edinburgh's complex character and a nice, long look into the beautiful mind of a thinking woman." "--The New York Times Book Review"
" "
"In Mma Ramotswe, [McCall Smith] minted one of the most memorable heroines in any modern fiction. Now, with the creation of Isabel Dalhousie, he's done it again. . . . She's such good company, it's hard to believe she's fictional. You finish [one] installment greedily looking forward to more." "--Newsweek"
" "
"Isabel is a force to be reckoned with."--"USA Today"

Entertaining and enchanting reading about characters you think you know and wish you did. "Las Vegas Review Journal
"
Dalhousie [is] back in true form. . . . An endearing, intelligent and kindly character. "The Charleston Post & Courier"
Readers get to soak up the cozy atmosphere of this Scottish university town and McCall Smith s gentle good will. "The Boston Globe"
""
A real treat. "The Plain Dealer"
""
Subtle, surprising, and incisive. "Sacramento Book Review
"
"You don't read these books to find out 'who done it, ' you read them for the pleasure of spending a few hours following a sensitive, intellectual woman as she roams around Edinburgh speculating ingeniously about everything from moral responsibility to aesthetics and metaphysics." "BlogCritics
"
McCall Smith s latest novel featuring the wise but impish Edinburgh philosopher Isabel Dalhousie. . . . [And] countless small adventures and gentle observations. "The Toronto Star"
Totally absorbing. . . . Isabel is everything you d want in a philosopher, but she is also quirky and witty. "Booklist" (starred review)
You needn t be a series-long admirer of Isabel Dalhousie to be beguiled by this curious philosopher and casual sleuth. . . . A heroine worth following. "Publishers Weekly"
""
McCall Smith s talent for dialogue is matched only by his gift for characterization. It s hard to believe that he could make up a character as complex and unique as Isabel. She is by turns fearless, vulnerable, headstrong, and insecure, but always delightful. "Chicago Tribune"
Endearing. . . . Offers tantalizing glimpses of Edinburgh s complex character and a nice, long look into the beautiful mind of a thinking woman. " The New York Times Book Review"
""
In Mma Ramotswe, [McCall Smith] minted one of the most memorable heroines in any modern fiction. Now, with the creation of Isabel Dalhousie, he s done it again. . . . She s such good company, it s hard to believe she s fictional. You finish [one] installment greedily looking forward to more. " Newsweek"
""
Isabel is a force to be reckoned with. "USA Today""

Entertaining and enchanting reading about characters you think you know and wish you did. Las Vegas Review Journal

Dalhousie [is] back in true form. . . . An endearing, intelligent and kindly character. The Charleston Post & Courier
Readers get to soak up the cozy atmosphere of this Scottish university town and McCall Smith s gentle good will. The Boston Globe

A real treat. The Plain Dealer

Subtle, surprising, and incisive. Sacramento Book Review

"You don't read these books to find out 'who done it, ' you read them for the pleasure of spending a few hours following a sensitive, intellectual woman as she roams around Edinburgh speculating ingeniously about everything from moral responsibility to aesthetics and metaphysics." BlogCritics

McCall Smith s latest novel featuring the wise but impish Edinburgh philosopher Isabel Dalhousie. . . . [And] countless small adventures and gentle observations. The Toronto Star
Totally absorbing. . . . Isabel is everything you d want in a philosopher, but she is also quirky and witty. Booklist (starred review)
You needn t be a series-long admirer of Isabel Dalhousie to be beguiled by this curious philosopher and casual sleuth. . . . A heroine worth following. Publishers Weekly

McCall Smith s talent for dialogue is matched only by his gift for characterization. It s hard to believe that he could make up a character as complex and unique as Isabel. She is by turns fearless, vulnerable, headstrong, and insecure, but always delightful. Chicago Tribune
Endearing. . . . Offers tantalizing glimpses of Edinburgh s complex character and a nice, long look into the beautiful mind of a thinking woman. The New York Times Book Review

In Mma Ramotswe, [McCall Smith] minted one of the most memorable heroines in any modern fiction. Now, with the creation of Isabel Dalhousie, he s done it again. . . . She s such good company, it s hard to believe she s fictional. You finish [one] installment greedily looking forward to more. Newsweek

Isabel is a force to be reckoned with. USA Today

"

Book Description:

* The latest adventure from Edinburgh's favourite philosopher, Isabel Dalhousie, out now in paperback.

About this edition

• Publisher: Abacus
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 034912387X
• ISBN 13: 9780349123875
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256