Living what the philosophers call a good life is not always easy. If there is a single human quality that most of us value above others it is kindness. Love and kindness are at the heart of this new collection by Alexander McCall Smith. In each of these poems the author explores and celebrates, life, love and the majesty of the small, quiet moments in our lives together.
What really counts in this life? For the writer, Alexander McCall Smith, it is friendship and love – themes that crop up time and again in his novels. And it is these themes that he explores in this collection of poems.
In this book, divided into nine sections, the author takes you on a journey across the globe from Africa to Greece, London to Mumbai, and back home to Edinburgh. In a Time of Distance is a captivating celebration of place and people, but also of animals and books. Looking at the world through the lens of this writer it is a better, more humane place. Throughout these poems there are moments of swoop and soar, descriptions that will make you laugh and realign your view. In this collection, Alexander McCall Smith reminds us to look at the world differently, to stop once in while and look up at the sky.
This collection has a quiet and fragile beauty. The title poem reached hundreds of thousands of people when it was posted on social media in March 2020. It was also read on BBC Radio 4 and thereafter it appeared on blogs and websites across the world. It touched the hearts of all of those struggling to comprehend the bewildering situation in which the peoples of the world found themselves.
The book is illustrated by Iain McIntosh who has illustrated many of Alexander’s books, including the much-loved 44 Scotland Street series.
Reviews
A poet’s skill lies in their ability to distil complex themes into a few paragraphs; to pick out the fundamental quality in people that make us unique; they can describe nature in a way that makes us see its majesty. The poet traverses contents and political divides; they help us understand where we have come from which in turn allows us to figure out where we are going. And no one does this better than Alexander McCall Smith. He has brought – through his novels – many wonderful characters to vivid life and entertained readers all over the globe. And in his third collection of poetry, he guides the reader by the hand and takes them through time and place exploring the majestic themes of nature and the complexities of relationships and what it is that makes us human with his trademark warmth and humour.
