Writers on Writers

Alexander McCall Smith is a British author, best known for his series of novels set in Botswana featuring the character Precious Ramotswe, the proprietor of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. He was born in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) in 1948 and studied law in Edinburgh, Scotland. After working as a lawyer and then a university professor for many years, he began writing fiction in the 1990s. Smith's novels have been translated into over 40 languages and have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. He has also written several other series of novels, including the Isabel Dalhousie mysteries and the 44 Scotland Street series. Smith has received numerous awards for his writing, including the British Book Awards Author of the Year Award in 2005 and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book in 2006. He has also been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to literature. Smith's novels have been praised for their humor, warmth, and insight into human nature. He is considered one of the most popular and successful contemporary British authors.