This weekend we mark the Spring Equinox and International Day of Happiness on Saturday (20 March), and World Poetry Day on Sunday (21 March). It has been a tough year since these dates last came round with humanity united by the challenges of a global pandemic and the urgent need for rapid scientific advance that might bring release from […]

Alexander awoke recently with this poem almost fully formed in his mind, as if it came to him in his sleep. He shares it with you today as people across the world celebrate love.

Alexander was delighted to receive word from one of his favourite charities this week, Elephant Havens Wildlife Foundation. Elephant Havens protects and cares for orphaned baby African Elephants in Botswana. They have chosen to name one of their new arrivals ‘Sandy’, after Alexander, and sent through this adorable photo of wee Sandy with his handler Onks. […]

Ten years to celebrate Scotland. Ten years to bring a dream to fruition. Ten years to reach the new starting point for something incredibly special… This very week, ten years ago, Alexander McCall Smith attended the opening of an exhibition in the city’s Dovecot Studios. The focus of the exhibition was the Prestonpans Tapestry, a […]

In a normal year Alexander would have visited many of his favourite bookshops around the world as part of his extremely busy events programme. Sadly, these events are all currently on hold and Alexander is greatly missing his conversations with booksellers, including those at one of his favourite bookshops, Daunt’s in London- not to mention […]

The category winners and finalists in The International Photography Awards, 2020 have been announced and we are delighted to share the news that one of the photographs is of Alexander at home, taken by photographer Douglas Vernimmen. Douglas was awarded 2nd Place in the Editorial / Press / Personality section of the awards. 13,000 entries from 120 countries around the world were received […]

‘Through your efforts Alexander, millions of readers globally have Botswana tucked into their hearts and their minds‘ – Bogolo Kenewendo, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Botswana ‘You have packaged the good news that is Botswana and presented it to the world‘ – Bame Moremong, Executive Director of Brand Botswana Alexander was overwhelmed by the warmth of […]

The world premiere of the quite beautiful  ‘Ninian’s Gift’, composed by Tom Cunningham with words by our own Alexander McCall Smith, has taken place online as part of the Wigtown Book Festival. ‘Ninian’s Gift’ reflects on the lives of early Scottish saints, including St Ninian who came by sea to Whithorn in the 4th century. Some […]

Enjoy a Crime Reader’s Guide to The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series – quotes and insights and all the joy of Botswana and Precious Ramotswe. One not to be missed whether you are new to the series or have read every one of these books. The twenty-first book in this series, How to Raise an Elephant, is […]

In To The Land of Long Lost Friends, the latest book in the widely beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe takes on a case for a childhood acquaintance and finds that family relationships are always a tricky proposition—even for Botswana’s premier female detective. Don’t miss TO THE LAND OF LONG LOST FRIENDS. Now in […]

As Covid-19 struck the UK all construction work came to a halt – as it did in most countries of the world. And with government guidance, work stopped on the build of a permanent home for The Great Tapestry of Scotland. We are delighted to report that the building work has restarted and recent photographs […]

44 Scotland Street makes a welcome return to The Scotsman newspaper today – and it will tickle readers every weekday until Christmas (or thereabouts). Scotland Street is back! Click on the link below and read the first episode of the new series of Scotland Street here and follow it daily in print or online. https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/new-44-scotland-street-chapter-1-window-binoculars-2936597  It doesn’t matter if […]