Here’s the thing about Alexander McCall Smith. He’ll put two characters in a genteel, meandering conversation that is interesting, but not scintillating. The reader may wonder: Where is this going?
Then, a camper trailer burns down. An ex-girlfriend pitches a fit in the middle of a restaurant. A stranger places an olive seductively into the mouth of a man, and his partner arrives just in time to see it.
I love McCall Smith’s books because of their gentle stories, interesting characters and, yes, philosophical discussions. But I also appreciate the way he stresses that the sorrows and indignities of life are always part of the plot.
Food writer Paul Stuart is the protagonist in this two-part series. He’s a kind man who dislikes confrontation. Despite his unwillingness to grab life with two fists, good things come to Paul — eventually.
Take the matter of the bulldozer. Paul has left Edinburgh to research and write a book in Tuscany. A misunderstanding at a car rental agency lands him in jail. Luckily, because of the type of guy he is, Paul listened to his seatmate pontificate on the plane, instead of reading a book. This passenger is an Italian VIP who not only gets Paul out of his mess but arranges for him to get transportation to the village outside of Pisa, where he’ll be staying.
Unfortunately, the vehicle is a bulldozer.
Paul is naturally apprehensive about driving this huge beast of burden on any public roads, not to mention in a foreign country. He is also nervous because Italians have a reputation for being, let us say, emotional drivers.
But his new friend, the Professor, tells him, “Going off to Montalcino on a bulldozer may seem odd, even foolish, but it is not. It will get you there, and once there, it will take you to other places you wish to visit.” Metaphorically, he means. This is Italy, not Germany, as the Professor points out.
Indeed, Paul resolves the lingering issues dealing with a romantic breakup, writes his book and finds new love.
In the second book, Paul ends up in France because he can’t find the peace and quiet to write. His new girlfriend has two cats who drive him crazy. His eccentric cousin, Chloe, offers him an apartment she owns, but the students upstairs have a band and their practice sessions are intolerably loud.
Paul has a book, The Philosophy of Food, promised to his publishers, and it’s going very slowly. So he takes Chloe up on her offer to join her in a small village in France where, presumably, he will be able to get something done. There, he becomes involved in the life of the village, particularly La Table de St. Vincent, which has been dubbed by some locals as “the second worst restaurant in France.”
A case of food poisoning apparently caused by some bad mussels convinces Paul that the critics are right. He wants nothing to do with the place, but Chloe is determined to overhaul it. How can Paul, who is so involved with food and an excellent cook as well, refuse? He even becomes enthusiastic about the project when he realizes that Hugo, the chef’s nephew, is the true talent in the kitchen.
Together, Paul and Hugo create memorable meals that have the customers raving. And Paul finds a new topic to write about, one that truly excites him.
The Paul Stuart series is warm and engaging, and provides armchair travelers with pleasant explorations of Italy and France. What better way to spend a summer’s afternoon?
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