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Alexander McCall
Smith — known for his Ladies Detective Agency series, the Sunday
Philosophy Club series, the 44 Scotland Street series, among others
— was at the Jaipur Literature Festival regaling his faithful
readers with his writing experiences in a kind, gentle way;
endearingly stopping to chat with anyone who wished to. What makes
him write is “It's what I like to do. The desire to write; you have
to find the world very interesting which I do.”
Witticisms are a way of life and talking to Alexander McCall Smith
is to know that he's instinctively observing people around him with
a gently ironical sense of humour. “American companies are all full
of Vice-Presidents. There is a Vice-President for Tea, for First
Copy... and after our meeting, they gave me lunch… (long
pause)...which is illegal in New York.”
Having authored over 60 books, he remains rooted. Asked if he found
his books as charming as his readers do, he replies, “I don't think
I should attempt to judge my novels. Writers have to do what they
think is right for them artistically and see if it has an impact.”
Asked about his ready wit, irony and a-chuckle-a-sentence kind of
humour, he reflects, “One has to have a balance, must notice the
tragic, bleak side of it and be able to see the humour as well. My
approach is fairly dry, not unkind at all and I do look at
situations to find the humorous side of it most naturally.”
McCall Smith found the idea of writing a novel using a ladies
detective agency attractive and a device through which human issues
and problems could be dealt with.
“I find the perspective of ladies interesting. A conversation with
two ladies would be more interesting and definitely more unique than
two men talking! I wanted to write about women living in Botswana;
they are particularly resourceful, kind, remarkable, strong women.”
Tell him his books are a study of human nature and McCall Smith
smiles. “That's a kind assessment. Yes, in a way, they are studies
of human nature, more of positive possibilities… In particular, Mma
Ramotswe who is generous, spirited, forgiving, which I think is
important because we live in a world where people are prone to
blaming others quickly. Mma Ramotswe is a better person than I am.
I'm writing about a more virtuous, more patient person, it's an
aspirational thing…”
African connection
McCall Smith feels that the fact that “I spent my childhood in
Africa explains my interest in it. People can write about countries
they go to and come to love like Dalrymple writes about India. Ruth
P Jhabwala is another perceptive novelist. One has to have a basic
feeling and attraction for a place to be able to write about it.”
He is often asked why his portrayal of Africa is so refreshingly
different. “I don't ignore the inequalities but that isn't the only
Africa that exists. We do meet courtesy, kindness, joy, humanity in
Botswana. Nowhere does it say that fiction has to be intensely
socially realistic. I think it's unfair that Africa is portrayed
only bleakly. We have problems in Scotland too but is that the only
story?”
His books bear names like Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, The
Unbearable Lightness of Scones — eye catching and send out a
you-must-read-me message. Of this he says, “Choosing a title is
terribly important. I come up with suggestions. Sometimes there is
no debate or it's an agreed compromise. I like odd quirky titles and
I enjoy the process.”
It's a wonder how Alexander manages a detective series, children's
books and books on medical ethics and medical law. McCall Smith
says, “I'm a full time writer now. I've stopped writing on Medical
Law and Ethics. Writing four books a year is very nice, I like the
variety, find it positive. I'd find it rather weary to write one
type.”
Readers' suggestions
As an author, he takes note of readers' suggestions and is
influenced by them. “I was able to correct a remoteness in one of my
characters because of a suggestion. Readers are your community. A
lot of response came from India to my recent story in the Telegraph.
This makes them participate in the creation of the novel and support
it as well.”
Calling himself a tightrope walker because of the sheer number of
commitments, he says, “When I have to give a chapter to a newspaper
for a serialised novel, I am living dangerously! I don't deal with
political issues, I keep away from contentious issues, I don't like
to get involved in controversies.”
But writing a serialised novel changes the creative process, Mc Call
Smith feels. “You can't go back, revise or change it. It's a major
issue, you can't meander and you have to keep things moving.”
What about the graphic novel route? “People are doing it rather well
but I'm particularly interested in words the conventional way.”
Asked to choose between his two heroes, Isabel and Mma Ramotswe, the
author chuckles, “I can't express preference for my characters just
like parents don't want to choose between their children. I wouldn't
like to do it. Both of them deal with certain things, have different
moods, different voices and when I write them both, they are both
parts of me.”
On influences that have left a mark on him, he reflects, “I like the
stream of consciousness approach, a wandering that gives the feeling
of being in the company of intelligent thinking people. Maugham is a
short story writer and has an intense way of describing a character.
W.H. Auden has been one of my greatest influences. R.K. Narayan is a
wonderful writer. I don't think I would have written the Ladies
Detective Agency series had I not read him. His books have a lovely
sense of people doing things even when life is not treating them as
well it should be. Narayan has a rootedness and, in my Botswana
novels, I'm trying to do that subconsciously. Mma Ramotswe is rooted
and attached to the land. I do it in the context of Scotland too. My
impression is that readers like to have a sense of the local, of the
landscape they are reading about ... I wish more people would read
him in Western Europe. He should have got the Nobel Prize according
to me.” |
