The Novel Habits of Happiness

Alexander McCall Smith

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English

Little Brown
28 June 2016

Fiction & Literature; Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

Series: Isabel Dalhousie Novels

Isabel Dalhousie is one of Edinburgh's most generous (but discreet) philanthropists - but should she be more charitable?

She wonders, sometimes, if she is too judgmental about her niece's amorous exploits, too sharp about her housekeeper's spiritual beliefs, too ready to bristle in battle against her enemies.

As the editor of the Review of Applied Ethics, she doesn't, of course, allow herself actual enemies, but she does feel enmity - especially towards two academics who have just arrived in the city.

Isabel feels they're a highly destabilizing influence; little tremors in the volcanic rock upon which an Enlightened Edinburgh perches.

Equally troubling is the situation of the little boy who is convinced he had a previous life.

When Isabel is called upon to help, she finds herself questioning her views on reincarnation.

And the nature of grief.

And - crucially - the positioning of lighthouses.

The only questions Isabel doesn't have to address concern her personal life.

With her young son and devoted husband her home life is blissfully content.

Which is the best possible launching pad for the next issue of the Review - the Happiness issue. As Isabel is beginning to appreciate, happiness, for most people, is not quite what it seems . . .

By: Alexander McCall Smith
Imprint: Little Brown
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Volume: 40
Dimensions: Height: 197mm, Width: 127mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 240g
ISBN: 9780349141022
ISBN 10: 0349141029
Series: Isabel Dalhousie Novels
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 28 June 2016
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Author Website: www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of over eighty books on a wide array of subjects, including the award-winning The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. He is also the author of the Isabel Dalhousie novels and the world's longest-running serial novel, 44 Scotland Street. His books have been translated into forty-six languages. Alexander McCall Smith is Professor Emeritus of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh and holds honorary doctorates from thirteen universities.

Reviews for The Novel Habits of Happiness

Elegant and charming as always, the latest in the Isabel Dalhousie series is as reflective and cultured as its central character * Good Book Guide * Brimming with discreet charm * Mail on Sunday *