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Bertie Plays The Blues
- 44 Scotland Street, Book 7
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Series: 44 Scotland Street, Book 7
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
Non-member price: $25.46
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Scotland Street witnesses the wedding of the century of Angus Lordie to Domenica Macdonald, but as the newlyweds depart on honeymoon Edinburgh is in disarray. Recovering from the trauma of being best man, Matthew is taken up by a Dane called Bo, while Cyril eludes his dog-sitter and embarks on an odyssey involving fox-holes and the official residence of a cardinal. Narcissist Bruce meets his match in the form of a sinister doppelganger; Bertie, set up by his mother for fresh embarrassment at school, yearns for freedom; and Big Lou goes viral.
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too many rules
- By Rhonda on 01-03-2018
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Despite inhabiting a great city renowned for its impeccable restraint, the extended family of 44 Scotland Street is trembling on the brink of reckless self-indulgence. Matthew and Elspeth receive startling – and expensive – news on a visit to the Infirmary, Angus and Domenica are contemplating an Italian ménage a trois, and even Big Lou is overheard discussing cosmetic surgery.
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Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers
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As summer blooms in Edinburgh's gardens and Bertie Pollock's birthday appears on the horizon, all at 44 Scotland Street is not cake and sunshine. Newlywed Angus Lordie has been booked by his bride into what he must not call the loony bin; Bruce's first encounter with hot wax brings more anguish than he bargained for; and Bertie's birthday dreams of scout camp and a penknife look set to be replaced by a game of Royal Weddings and a gender-neutral doll.
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The Bertie Project
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Once more, we catch up with the delightful goings-on in the fictitious 44 Scotland Street from Alexander McCall Smith. With customary charm and deftness, Alexander McCall Smith gives us another installment in this popular series, now running in its ninth season in the Scotsman. Anything could happen to Bertie and the gang....
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Bertie at his best
- By Lyn on 20-04-2017
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The Unbearable Lightness of Scones
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To the casual observer, the great enlightened city of Edinburgh, home of no-nonsense sermons and cream teas, might appear immune to the rollercoaster of strong emotions. But at 44 Scotland Street, as Matthew and Elspeth embark on the risky enterprise of married love, the raffish portrait painter Angus Lordie has a premonition of disaster. Soon enough Irene Pollock is shocked to learn that her small son Bertie harbours a highly unsuitable ambition; and Angus finds himself facing a large Glaswegian gangster.
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The Revolving Door of Life: 44 Scotland Street, Book 10
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Scotland Street witnesses the wedding of the century of Angus Lordie to Domenica Macdonald, but as the newlyweds depart on honeymoon Edinburgh is in disarray. Recovering from the trauma of being best man, Matthew is taken up by a Dane called Bo, while Cyril eludes his dog-sitter and embarks on an odyssey involving fox-holes and the official residence of a cardinal. Narcissist Bruce meets his match in the form of a sinister doppelganger; Bertie, set up by his mother for fresh embarrassment at school, yearns for freedom; and Big Lou goes viral.
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too many rules
- By Rhonda on 01-03-2018
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The Importance of Being Seven
- 44 Scotland Street Series, Volume 6
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins
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Despite inhabiting a great city renowned for its impeccable restraint, the extended family of 44 Scotland Street is trembling on the brink of reckless self-indulgence. Matthew and Elspeth receive startling – and expensive – news on a visit to the Infirmary, Angus and Domenica are contemplating an Italian ménage a trois, and even Big Lou is overheard discussing cosmetic surgery.
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Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers
- A 44 Scotland Street Novel
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
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As summer blooms in Edinburgh's gardens and Bertie Pollock's birthday appears on the horizon, all at 44 Scotland Street is not cake and sunshine. Newlywed Angus Lordie has been booked by his bride into what he must not call the loony bin; Bruce's first encounter with hot wax brings more anguish than he bargained for; and Bertie's birthday dreams of scout camp and a penknife look set to be replaced by a game of Royal Weddings and a gender-neutral doll.
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Bertie at his best
- By Lyn on 20-04-2017
-
The Unbearable Lightness of Scones
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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To the casual observer, the great enlightened city of Edinburgh, home of no-nonsense sermons and cream teas, might appear immune to the rollercoaster of strong emotions. But at 44 Scotland Street, as Matthew and Elspeth embark on the risky enterprise of married love, the raffish portrait painter Angus Lordie has a premonition of disaster. Soon enough Irene Pollock is shocked to learn that her small son Bertie harbours a highly unsuitable ambition; and Angus finds himself facing a large Glaswegian gangster.
-
The Revolving Door of Life: 44 Scotland Street, Book 10
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once more we catch up with the delightful goings-on in the fictitious 44 Scotland Street from Alexander McCall Smith. With customary charm and deftness, McCall Smith gives us another instalment in this popular series, now running in its ninth season in The Scotsman. Anything could happen to Bertie and the gang.
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Long-suffering child genius Bertie Pollock has much to contend with in the latest instalment of life at 44 Scotland Street, not least the birth of his brother Ulysses. Bertie had hoped that caring for a new baby would command all of his mother's attention, but he quickly sees that his dream of being left to his own devices is not destined to come true.
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gentleness and consideration
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The story revolves around the comings and goings at No. 44 Scotland Street, a fictitious building in a real street in Edinburgh. Immediately recognisable are the Edinburgh chartered surveyor, stalwart of the Conservative Association, who dreams of membership of Scotland's most exclusive golf club. We have the pushy Stockbridge mother, and her prodigiously talented five-year-old son, who is making good progress with the saxophone and with his Italian.
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To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose; it is summer in Scotland Street (as it always is) and for the habitués of Edinburgh's favourite street some extraordinary adventures lie in waiting. For the impossibly vain Bruce Anderson - he of the clove-scented hair gel - it may finally be time to settle down, and surely it can only be a question of picking the lucky winner from the hordes of his admirers....
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Love over Scotland
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With his characteristic warmth, inventiveness and brilliant wit, Alexander McCall Smith gives us more of the gloriously entertaining comings and goings at 44 Scotland Street, the Edinburgh townhouse. Six-year-old prodigy Bertie perseveres in his heroic struggle for truth and balanced good sense against his insufferable mother and her crony, the psychotherapist Dr Fairbairn, going as far as to make a short-lived bid for freedom on a trip to Paris with the Edinburgh youth orchestra.
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If only Pat Macgregor had an inkling of the embarrassment - romantic, professional, even aesthetic - that flowed from accepting narcissistic ex-boyfriend Bruce Anderson's invitation for coffee, she would never have said yes. And if only Matthew, her boss at the art gallery, hadn't wandered into his local bookshop and picked up a particular book at a particular time, he would never have knocked over his former English teacher or attracted the attentions of the police.
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Goodbye Irene ?
- By Anonymous User on 04-05-2018
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A Promise of Ankles
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The winds of change are blowing through Scotland Street. Though Bertie is getting older, he can't resist an adventure to escape his domineering mother, and Bruce, ever the navel-gazer, will have to bring his best self to navigate the complexities of the pas de deux. While Alexander McCall Smith's delightfully warm and witty comedy takes some surprising turns, the improbable adventures of this quirky cast of Scots will affirm the heart and joy in Edinburgh's New Town.
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A must read
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In Espresso Tales, Alexander McCall Smith returns home to Edinburgh and the glorious cast of his own tales of the city, the residents of 44 Scotland Street, with a new set of challenges for each one of them. Bruce, the intolerably vain and perpetually deluded ex-surveyor, is about to embark on a new career as a wine merchant, while his long-suffering flatmate Pat MacGregor, set up by matchmaking Domenica Macdonald, finds herself invited to a nudist picnic in Moray Place in the pursuit of true love.
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44 Scotland Street: Series 4 and 5
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Set in Edinburgh’s Georgian New Town, these two BBC radio series follow the quirky adventures and ‘goings-on’ of the various inhabitants of 44 Scotland Street, where life and love are full of surprises. Little Bertie Pollock is at the centre of it all, and in Series 4, Edinburgh’s most hot-housed seven-year-old receives a rare respite from his weekly Italian, yoga and psychotherapy sessions when his ambitious mother, Irene, goes travelling.
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2 hours!
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My Italian Bulldozer
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
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When writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already late book, it seems like the perfect escape from stressful city life. Upon landing, however, things quickly take a turn for the worse when he discovers his hired car is nowhere to be found. With no record of any reservation and no other cars available, it looks like Paul is stuck at the airport. That is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative.
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Heartwarming
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The Second Worst Restaurant in France
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
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In the follow-up to My Italian Bulldozer, hapless food writer Paul Stewart once again finds himself trapped in a series of hilarious misunderstandings, this time facing off against the second worst restaurant in France. Paul Stewart has returned to Scotland to continue his successful career. His agent and girlfriend, Gloria, has arranged for him to write The Philosophy of Food in Six Easy Chapters, a project he relishes but that will have to be delivered in six months.
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French would say "bof"?
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The Department of Sensitive Crimes
- Detective Varg, Book 1
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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduced us to Scandi noir. Now, welcome to Alexander McCall Smith's world of Scandi blanc... Ulf Varg works in Malmo's Department of Sensitive Crimes. Like all Scandinavian detectives he has his issues. In his case these include his unresolved feelings for his colleague, Anna; his impatience over the seeming incompetence of his irritating colleague Blomquist; and his concerns for the health of his hearing-impaired dog, Marten, the only dog in Sweden (and possibly all Scandinavia) who is able to lip-read (in Swedish).
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A+++++
- By Matthew E. Hesketh on 05-04-2020
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Corduroy Mansions
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
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- Unabridged
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Story
Corduroy Mansions is the affectionate nickname given to a genteelly crumbling mansion block in London's vibrant Pimlico. This is the home patch of - among others - a lovelorn literary agent, possibly the first ever nasty Liberal Democrat MP and Freddie de la Hay, an urbane terrier trained to be vegetarian and respectful of feline rights.
Publisher's Summary
Even down to its well-set Georgian townhouses, Edinburgh is a hymn to measure and harmony. But on Scotland Street, domestic accord is in short supply. Matthew and Elspeth welcome three new arrivals, though the joys of multiple parenthood are somewhat lost due to sleep deprivation and the difficulties of telling their brood apart. Angus and Domenica are to marry, and Domenica has ambitious and disturbing plans for their living arrangements, especially when it appears that Antonia, in Italy recuperating from Stendhal Syndrome, may not return. And little Bertie, feeling blue, puts himself up for adoption on eBay. Can Edinburgh's most deliciously dysfunctional residents forsake discord and learn to dance to the same happy tune?
More from the same
What listeners say about Bertie Plays The Blues
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall

- Jill Besterman
- 17-10-2011
The continued tales from 44 Scotland Street
Another delightful update about the residents of 44 Scotland Street (and their near neighbours in Moray Place, India Street and other areas of Edinburgh's New Town). Mature love for Domenica and Angus, young love for Matthew and Elspeth (and their triplets), questionable love for Pat and the horrible Bruce, married love (?) for Irene and Stuart and the possibility of new love for Big Lou form the background to the continued story of Bertie. He is still struggling to make his mother understand that there is more to life than psychotherapy, clarinet lessons and Italian conversation whilst he makes drastic plans with his new friend "Braveheart" (with the spindly legs) and battles on against the repellent Olive. Is Bertie's sweetness, innocence and perpetual optimism to be rewarded by light at the end of the tunnel - listen to the wonderful reading by David Rintoul and find out!
5 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Amazon Customer
- 08-12-2011
Brilliant!
I've always been a huge fan of Alexander McCalls books and wondered how they would be on Audible. I'm not disappointed..I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this and the narrator has done a fantastic job.
4 people found this helpful
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- C
- 22-11-2013
delightfult tale, not so well told
Would you try another book written by Alexander McCall Smith or narrated by David Rintoul?
Love AMS's Scotland Street stories; not so taken with David Rintoul's somewhat 2 dimemsional reading. Hilary Nevile's performance was much more characterful. I'm sorry that she is not able to complete the series
Would you be willing to try another one of David Rintoul’s performances?
Not so keen. Though perhaps another type of book would better suit his style.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Mrs O
- 14-04-2013
Brilliant!
The Scotland Street series is my favourite set of Alexander McCall Smith characters and this is another enjoyable instalment. I would strongly recommend it to other listeners. I think it works for those that haven't read earlier books in the series but you may enjoy it more if you already know the characters, especially Bertie.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall

- rachy102
- 13-04-2013
Great Listening
Another highly entertaining, witty and observant book from Alexander McCall Smith. For those of you that have already read the previous novels in the Scotland Street series you will not be disappointed with this latest edition. However this can be listened to as a stand alone, without listening to the others first. This is my first audio book and I was uncertain that I would enjoy listening to an entire novel, however the wonderful narration by David Rintoul greatly added to the enjoyment of the story. I'm now hooked on audio books!
2 people found this helpful
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- Tracey
- 07-06-2016
Another Pleasant Trip into Edinburgh...
Fantastic story; did not disappoint. Enjoyed Berties little adventure with Ranald Braveheart MacPherson and my heart leaped at Angus and Domenicas relationship ups and downs. Has Big Lou finally found someone special, and can Matthew and Elspeth finally settle? The only thing I cannot enjoy is the narrator who is professional but not very well suited to this series; tending rather, at times, to making some of the characters sound snobbish and partly inebriated. Overall though. ..I love this series.
1 person found this helpful
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