Having said that, it would be wrong to think that the novels are wholly placed in happy, happy land. If that's what people want to read there's nothing stopping them reading the works of the many other writers who focus strongly on the negatives.īut Botswana in particular, and Africa in general, have many positives, and Sandy seems to think that while there are many who write about the negatives, too few focus on the positives. Fair enough, we reckon, except these are not those kinds of books. The naysayers reckon he doesn't spend enough space in his books on the negatives and problems of Botswana and Africa. Sandy is often criticised for the happiness, happy endings and gentleness of his stories. This poor young woman was murdered and butchered so various of her parts could be used, or sold for use by others, in black magic rituals and medicines. For example, the story of the appalling murder of Segametsi Mogometsi in 1994 is an obvious source for part of this novel. The animals and wildlife are described with great passion, but their dangerousness, and that of some of the traditionalists, is not hidden. Sandy McCall Smith's love of Botswana comes through in his description of the country, the great kindness of many, if not most, of its people, and the great beauty and economic, social and psychological importance of its cattle, with their sweet breath. At the same time we hear of her opinions on cheating husbands and the like. In resolving these matters, we get to hear (well, actually, more honestly, read) about Mma Ramotswe's views on tradition - especially the loss of tradition among young people, with their skinny bodies, their short dresses, their laziness, and their constant focus on sex, all the consequence, according to Mma Ramotswe, of Western influence.
NUMBER ONE DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES
No, she often has a series of lesser matters to resolve, lesser, perhaps, but nonetheless often of huge importance to the person, or sometimes the few people, who are suffering under the burden of whatever needs to be resolved. Mma Ramotswe, unlike most detectives in British and American (and Australian, and many other) detective and police novels, does not have to solve what are usually one or two major and nasty crimes in each novel.
In this book we are introduced to the people who will play such an important part in Mma Ramotswe's life, and in the series of novels about her. She loves her country and its people to an extreme, and is particularly enamoured of Botswana's first and only Prime Minister and first President, Sir Seretse Khama. For Mma Ramotswe is a good, generous and kind woman whose aim in life is to be of assistance to her fellow Batswana, and of value to Africa. And, of course, there is her own experience with the brilliant trumpeter, but ghastly man, Note Makoti.įrom this, Mma Ramotswe knows there are many people who are helpless in their distress, and who need help to resolve their problems. Being both highly intelligent and observant she knows that while her own upbringing may have been close to ideal, that of many others is far from that. Yet at the same time she recognises the weaknesses of some Batswana traditions, especially such things as black magic and violence towards women and children. Mma Ramotswe is a "traditionally" built (very large) woman, with strongly traditional beliefs. Mma Ramotswe's intention to establish a detective agency appears to surprise him, but perhaps fortunately for his daughter he dies before he can reveal his thoughts. Her father, Obed, tells her that it will be okay with some of his dying breaths. The latter enables her to sell some of her wonderful father's fantastic and precious cattle to establish a business. The loss of her baby and the loss of her father are outlined. Mma Precious Ramotswe is introduced and some of her history and upbringing is revealed.
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