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Story Calendar

July 2026

A story for July: Bertie’s Theory of Ice Cream

Bertie’s Theory of Ice Cream is the 18th instalment of the globally beloved 44 Scotland Street series, now available in the UK in paperback. When despair for the world grows, Bertie’s theory of ice cream reminds us that it’s the simple pleasures in life that we should hold onto. And everyone’s favourite seven-year-old has a […]

June 2026

A story for June: The Subtle Pleasures of Indiscretion

The Subtle Pleasures of Indiscretion is the 15th book in the Isabel Dalhousie series, out now in the UK in hardback. It has already received a glowing review in the Courier who said ‘ In a world of conflict, we can rely on McCall Smith to focus on what we have in common rather than that which would […]

May 2026

A story for May: The Private Side of Friendship

Set in 80s Edinburgh, The Private Side of Friendship is the stunning new standalone novel from Alexander McCall Smith. On the verge of a reunion with friends she hasn’t seen since graduation, Julie recalls her halcyon student days of 1984 and the strange tumultuous time they lived through. The Private Side of FriendshipI’m staring into […]

April 2026

A Story for April: Moon Landing from The Kind Company of Others

This month’s poem feels particularly fitting with the news of NASA’s Artemis II expedition to fly around the moon. Marking a key step towards a long-term return to the moon, this expedition captured the imagination of many across the world. Read on to learn Alexander’s inspiration for writing the poem ‘Moon Landing’ from his brand […]

March 2026

A Story for March: Precious Ramotswe

A World Book Day story to share with enquiring minds and spark great imagination. What would you do if you found yourself face to face with a great lion? Stand perfectly still? Turn on your heels and run? Creep quietly away? Perhaps you would just close your eyes and hope that you are not dreaming – which […]

February 2026

A Story for February: Trains and Lovers

There is something unique and charming about train travel, and the possibilities it brings are explored in Trains and Lovers, recently published in a new paperback edition. In this surprising and poignant story, four strangers meet on a journey from Edinburgh to London, and each tells their own story of love and railways. Trains and […]

January 2026

A story for January: Looking for You

Looking for You, the second novel in Alexander’s latest series The Perfect Passion Company, delves into the psychology of matchmaking, following Katie and her Edinburgh matchmaking bureau. This scene takes us to a university lecture, where Katie listens to the newly appointed ‘Chair in Human Matching’, Deborah Wilson, who shares her theories about human attraction. […]

December 2025

A story for December: ‘Cocoa’ from I Think of You

December is here, and the days are noticeably shorter and chillier. What better way to warm up a winter’s evening than with a mug of hot cocoa? Alexander’s poem ‘Cocoa’ from the collection I Think of You muses on the moral benefits of cocoa before bed, and this book is in fact the perfect accompaniment […]

November 2025

A poem for November: How to Say Goodbye

As we enter November, the days feel shorter, colder, and darker, and this time of year always feels like a period of transition. Alexander McCall Smith muses on the ideas of endings and goodbyes in this poem, from his collection I Think of You, which beautifully reflects the transient nature of the seasons. How To […]

October 2025

A story for October: The Private Side of Friendship

Six friends. One city. The time of their lives. The Private Side of Friendship is the brand new stand-alone novel from Alexander McCall Smith, which sees four university flatmates reunite after graduation in 1988. They lived together in a gorgeous flat in idyllic Edinburgh, navigating friendships, love, and the unspoken rules of flatsharing, while the […]

September 2025

A story for September: In the Time of Five Pumpkins

In the Time of Five Pumpkins is the 26th novel in the globally beloved No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which is being published in the UK on 4th September. In this latest visit to The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency we are reassured that no matter how unhappy the world may be, there is always […]

August 2025

A story for August: An extract from Bertie’s Theory of Ice Cream

“It’s like ice cream, Mr Flynn,” Bertie continued. “When you have ice cream, you need to eat it straight away, otherwise it melts. If there are people who haven’t got any, you should share it, if you can.” When despair for the world grows, Bertie’s theory of ice cream reminds us that it’s the simple […]