World Book Night, held for the first time this year in March, was a book event like no other. The unprecedented giveaway at the heart of the nights’ activity – 20,000 people giving away 1 million specially printed copies of their favourite books (40,000 copies in all of 25 brilliant titles) – generated a huge amount […]

The latest instalment of Alexander McCall Smith’s Scotland St series is out now in paperback and there are startling developments afoot in the lives of Edinburgh’s most eccentric – and loveable – residents! Click here to find out more (including what young Bertie is up to now), and to read the first chapter for free click […]

All of your favourite characters from 44 Scotland Street – Bertie, Irene, Cyril, Matthew and Big Lou included – made a welcome return to the Scotsmannewspaper this week, with fresh instalments starting on Monday 24 January and a weekly update due to be posted on the Scotsman website (we’ll pass on the link when it’s […]

Looking for some Christmas cheer? Alexander has written four Christmas stories this year. You can find one in the current Christmas issue of the Reader’s Digest, one inThe Big Issue (split over their two festive issues), one featuring little Bertie inThe Scotsman which will appear this Saturday, 18th December, and one to make you cry […]

This weekend, Alexander McCall Smith will be making two seasonally-themed appearances: The Dundee Xmas Lecture 6.00 p.m. on Friday 3rd December at the Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill, University of Dundee. Join Alexander McCall Smith for a warming winter’s evening of sheer entertainment as he chats to fellow novelist Jamie Jauncey. Ticket price: free, but pre-booking […]

A reader by the name of Mary very kindly left a comment on another post to let us know that Alexander’s interview with CBC’s Shelagh Rogers, which was recorded during the Woody Point Writers’ Festival earlier this year is now available to listen to on the CBC website. Visit www.cbc.ca to listen to the full, […]

Alexander McCall Smith is to receive one of Botswana’s highest awards. President Ian Khama has conferred the honour of Presidential Order of Meritorious Service (PMS) on one of the world’s favourite storytellers. The Scottish writer, who receives the award for services to Botswana, is famous throughout the world for his best-selling No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency […]

Another new event to tell you about: Alexander will be calling in on Chepstow on Saturday October 9th, as a guest of the Chepstow Bookshop, en-route to his Cheltenham Literature Festival appearance later on the same day. Details, as always, on the Forthcoming Events page of the website.

We’ve added details of a couple more public appearances to the Forthcoming Events page of the site: October 7th 2010 – Alexander will be appearing in Stratford Upon Avon to discuss his brand new Isabel Dalhousie novel, The Charming Quirks of Others. October 9th & 10th – Alexander will be a guest of the Cheltenham […]