The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
by Alexander McCall Smith

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The eighth installment of Alexander McCall Smith's beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency saga is marked with existential upheaval: Automobile repair shop owner Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni -- husband of Botswana's leading, and only, female private detective, Precious Ramotswe -- unexpectedly approaches his wife with the ill-conceived idea of becoming a part-time investigator; one of Matekoni's bumbling apprentices quits; and Ramotswe's longtime assistant, Grace Makutsi, suddenly resigns.

Darn. Now I'm all caught up. I'd put off reading book 7 for a long time, and with this book out, I read it and this one in quick succession. Very enjoyable... except now it will be another year till the next one. Of course... I could always re-read them....

Again - very sweet and moving. I'd love to know how Botswanan readers take his books - if they ring true to them. Yet, whatever they think, I'm very taken with his characters and their quiet observations of the world and each other.

Blue Shoes and Happiness
by Alexander McCall Smith

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In this installment in the bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency saga, “traditionally built” Botswana detective Precious Ramotswe must deal with some weighty issues -- namely her own; but first she and her assistant detective, Grace Makutsi, must handle a series of exceedingly delicate personal and professional dilemmas.

These stories are so refreshing. No thrills or high excitement - but they give you a perspective - that of Precious and her family and friends, and a way of seeing the world from Botswanan eyes. Delightful.

Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense

by N. T. Wright, Zondervan Publishing

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My being a bit underwhelmed is more a measure that I probably wasn't fair to this book - I think I expected a latter day Mere Christianity. It's not that, but it is a good discussion of the Christian faith and what it means in the modern world - it's certainly worth a read. Wright has good things to say - I've come across Wright in a number of contexts (I'm reading his commentary on Colossians right now).

The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant

by Douglass Wallop, Bill James (Introduction)

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I guess I've known this book was out there - it's the basis of "Damn Yankees." I was looking up Bill James
and learned of his devotion to it, so I picked up a copy from the library. Fun book, with lots of good baseball details, though I *think* the stage version makes a little more sense of the ending (maybe not).