The Kalahari Typing School for Men
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Author | Alexander McCall Smith |
|---|---|
| Country | Scotland |
| Language | English |
| Series | The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series |
| Genre(s) | Detective, Mystery novel |
| Publisher | Polygon |
| Released | 2001 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardback & Paperback), Audio (Cassette & CD) |
| Pages | 191 pp (first edition, paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 1-4000-3136-2 (first edition, paperback) |
| Preceded by | The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1999) Tears Of The Giraffe (2000), Morality For Beautiful Girls(2001) |
| Followed by | The Full Cupboard of Life (2004) |
The Kalahari Typing School for Men is the fourth in a series of novels by Alexander McCall Smith, featuring The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, which is run by Precious Ramotswe.
The entire series comprises several novels:
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1999)
- Tears Of The Giraffe (2000)
- Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)
- The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)
- The Full Cupboard of Life (2004)
- In The Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004 - also known as The Night-Time Dancer)
- Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Personal Life
The book starts out with Mma Ramotswe talking to J.L.B Matekoni about Mma Makutsi's future, since Mma Makutsi seems to have troubles finding suitable men. When Mma Ramotswe talks to Mma Makutsi about this, her demeanor becomes defeated, and the conversation ends at that.
In the next chapter, the attention shifts to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's garage, and more specifically, the apprentices, who, in the past, have been defined by the author as lazy young men "always looking at girls." However, there is quite a change in the younger apprentice, who seems to have found religion. This is not great news for the apprentice, who now no longer has a person to talk about girls with.
When Mma Ramotswe arrives at home, both of her foster children seem down, with Motholeli and Puso being the subject of mainly verbal bullying. Motheleli seems to get over this, however Puso projects his anger at his foster parents and says that he "hates them."
To make more money, Mma Makutsi decides to open a typing school just for men, because, in her view, men usually cannot or don't want to type because they don't want to be bettered by women or do not want to be seen doing "woman's work". She manages to procure typewriters from her alma mater, the Botswana Secretarial College, and finds a place to teach at the younger apprentice's church. This business model is very successful.
Mma Makutsi then gets involved with one of her students, a Mr. Bernard Selelipeng, who is, in fact, married. However, she never knows this.
To solve the current problem with Puso, Mma Ramotswe decides to go to the orphanage, where she talks with Mma Potokwane about Puso. Mma Potokwane solution to the problem is to have J.L.B Matekoni act as more of a father to Puso. Mr. J.L.B Matekoni does this, and finally this conflict is resolved.
Near the end of the book, Mr. Selelipeng is forced to break up with Mma Makutsi (See below)
The story ends with a picnic, with the apprentices, Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Rra and Mma Potokwane, Mma Boko, and Mr. Molefelo and his family (see below).
[edit] Business Problems for the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
A rival detective agency, called the Satisfaction Guaranteed Agency has come to town. The business is owned by Cephas Buthelezi, "Ex-CID, Ex-New York, Ex-cellent!". Whether he has actually been to New York is questionable, since he never answers Mma Makutsi's questions about it directly. He is of Zulu origin. At the end of the book, he comes into the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and says he is giving up the business.
[edit] Cases
The Molefelo Problem
Mr. Molefelo is a civil engineer in Lobatse who also owns a hotel. When he was younger, he had a girlfriend, who he had gotten pregnant. In order to pay for an abortion (which is illegal in Botswana) he had to pay 100 pula (about $20). Since he had no way to get money, he stole a radio from his host family, the Tsolamoseses. After the abortion, he got angry with his girlfriend and broke up with her.
After he nearly got killed by ostrich thieves, he wanted to set his life straight and apologize to both his girlfriend (named Tebogo Bathopi) and enlisted Mma Ramotswe's help in finding them.
The Selelipeng Problem
Mma Selelipeng comes to the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency to confide in Mma Ramotswe that her husband is probably cheating on her. She also says that she tried Mr. Buthelezi's agency, but they did a most "unsatisfactory" job. Mma Ramotswe must now do a balancing act between satisfying the client and protecting Mma Makutsi.
