La's Orchestra Saves the World
A Novel
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La's Orchestra Saves the World
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Narrated by:
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Emily Gray
About this listen
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Mourning the death of his father and gravely injured at the hands of the English, Jamie Fraser finds himself running with a band of mercenaries in the French countryside, where he reconnects with his old friend, Ian Murray. Both are nursing wounds, both have good reason to stay out of Scotland, and both are still virgins despite several opportunities to remedy that deplorable situation with ladies of easy virtue.
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Editorial reviews
Emily Gray’s narration brings vivid life to Lavender, a determinedly no-nonsense bluestocking who, shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, finds refuge from a failed marriage in a bucolic English village. There she forms a local orchestra and develops a relationship with Feliks, a flute-playing Polish refugee whom she eventually comes to suspect of being a German spy. Gray’s performance carries reserves of wit and hesitant curiosity towards her new surroundings, her voice conveying a furrowed brow, a quizzical look, and a dry sense of humor, all of which make for an entertaining performance.
Gray is not always helped by her material: Although Alexander McCall Smith is a wildly successful author, with two very popular series of books translated into almost every known language; his latest is an unfocussed affair that doesn’t quite manage to do justice to the very big themes invoked. But only at a few moments does the awkwardness affect Gray’s sparkling performance, notably her handling of the male characters. The supporting cast of country folk are also drawn with a very broad brush, but, again, there is little in the book to support the narrator. Overall her performance is a real gift to the story, bringing spice and liveliness and real involvement to this slender tale.
The story focuses at the dilemma of tending to one’s own garden, Candide-style, in a period of history that demands action and resolve. The great historical forces can feel bolted on to the rest of the narrative, with the characters stumbling over the joints. Also, the author’s attitude towards the importance of music and art in times of war is unclear: Music, we are assured, can "heal the temper of the world", but the presence of a community orchestra seems an unnecessary layer and contributes very little to the story its members are barely visible. Far more convincing is the mirroring of Lavender's feeling that she has betrayed Feliks with Britain's betrayal of the Polish people in the Yalta Conference, and Gray distinctly portrays Lavender’s struggle as well as the character’s underlying moral strength, a quality that is the book’s finest attribute. Dafydd Phillips
Critic reviews
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The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Charlotte Parry
- Length: 2 hrs
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 17
Nine-year-old Harriet Bean can't believe her ears. She has aunts - five of them! Why has her absent-minded father never mentioned them before? Armed with a faceless family portrait and musty old clues, Harriet begins the quest for her long-lost aunts. But are her detective skills sufficient to track down muscular Veronica.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Surprised
- By J on 07-31-12
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44 Scotland Street
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Robert Ian Mackenzie
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,826
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,455
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,451
The brilliant Alexander McCall Smith became an international sensation with his New York Times best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels. His award-winning wit, made famous through that series, is fully on display in 44 Scotland Street.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Smith's answer to Maupin
- By Amazon Customer on 10-23-05
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The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 2 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 110
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 96
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 95
Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an inquiry on behalf of his own family. Is such a thing ethical? Adding to Ulf's moral discomfort is the fact that he does not exactly see eye to eye with his younger brother Bjorn - a leading player in one of Sweden's right-wing parties, the Moderate Extremists. Still, family is family, so Ulf finds himself working to uncover the mole leaking secrets to a rival party, the Extreme Moderates.
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4 out of 5 stars
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I wanted to know who did what.
- By A. Bohn on 07-31-20
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My Italian Bulldozer
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Timothy Ackroyd
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 701
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 622
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Story4 out of 5 stars 624
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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5 out of 5 stars
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Suffused with Wisdom and Humor
- By SW Clemens on 04-17-17
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Corduroy Mansions
- A Novel
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 660
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 517
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Story4 out of 5 stars 519
In London’s Pimlico neighborhood lies a tenement described in architectural guides as “a building of no interest whatsoever.” But the residents of Corduroy Mansions—including a literary agent, a wine merchant, a thoroughly unpleasant member of Parliament, and a vegetarian dog—are a rather fascinating lot.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Oedipus Snark, MP
- By connie on 04-25-12
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The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Lisette Lecat
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 5,838
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,986
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,988
Mma "Precious" Ramotswe sets up a detective agency in Botswana on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, making her the only female detective in the country. At first, cases are hard to come by. But eventually, troubled people come to Precious with a variety of concerns. Potentially philandering husbands, seemingly schizophrenic doctors, and a missing boy who may have been killed by witch doctors all compel Precious to roam about in her tiny van, searching for clues.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Transcends its Genre
- By Gene on 12-07-03
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44 Scotland Street: The Complete Series 1-5
- Full-Cast BBC Radio Adaptations of the Much-Loved Novels
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Crawford Logan, Carol Ann Crawford, Belle Jones, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 12
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 12
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
The complete BBC radio adaptations of Alexander McCall's bestselling series. Inspired by Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, 44 Scotland Street started life as a serial in The Scotsman. It was a huge hit, and was soon novelised, adapted on stage and dramatised for BBC Radio 4. Collected here are all five radio series, in which we follow the interconnected lives of the residents of adjoining flats in a tenement in Edinburgh's Georgian New Town.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Very entertaining
- By Anonymous User on 09-26-23
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The Modern Scholar
- Creating Humans: Ethical Questions Where Reproduction and Science Collide
- By: Alexander McCall Smith
- Narrated by: Alexander McCall Smith
- Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 15
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10
In this course, we will discuss the moral aspects of human reproduction. We will discuss various influences on reproduction as well as the scientific advances in reproductive technology. At the end of this course we will not have arrived at answers to the various questions raised, but instead will have provided a base for us to consider the issues at hand and a desire to pursue more study in the important aspects of creating humans.
Another good listen
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A World Away
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And now, with "La's Orchestra" he brings to life the civilian world of WW II with such clarity and resonance it feels as though he could be talking about things that happened yesterday.
When I am in the middle of an Alexander McCall Smith listen, I always feel as though I am with a friend. I think that Precious Ramotswe of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Isabel Dalhousie of the eponymous series, and now La, are all soul mates, rendered in perfect nuance and salient, luxuriant, radiant detail by Alexander McCall Smith. It's always a bit of a downer when and one of these books ends, and sometimes I feel I need a support group for McCall Smith addicts! Fortunately for like-minded readers, McCall Smith is prolific, and one does not have to wait very long for Mme. Ramotswe or Isabel Dalhousie to reappear. Let's hope we see more of La, as well.
McCall Smith Does It Again!
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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes. It's a terrific read, very enjoyable, and also a sophisticated little piece of writing.What was one of the most memorable moments of La's Orchestra Saves the World?
I don't think in terms of memorable moments.Which character – as performed by Emily Gray – was your favorite?
I don't have favorite characters.Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes.Any additional comments?
Alexander McCall Smith is underrated because he's such a good read. The way he twists this story, reveals who was involved in the first scene only near the end, avoids cheap tricks, gets inside characters heads...this is a sophisticated writer.Wonderful historical novel
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Alexander McCall Smith Does It Again
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narrator was perfect,
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The story is itself charming, as usual for Mr. Smith, but what got me was I could see and almost feel how it must have been to be "on the ground" at that time and realize Hitler and the Germans might actually conquer England. To not know how it would all turn out in the end.
A trip back into time
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A change, but good
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This quiet story stole my heart.
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If you could sum up La's Orchestra Saves the World in three words, what would they be?
loads of atmosphereIf you’ve listened to books by Alexander McCall Smith before, how does this one compare?
musing, quiet, not as clever or rollicking as Scotland Street series -author and listener try hard to put themselves in the time and placeWhich scene was your favorite?
rushing through the rain to the farm by bike - or perhaps the moment of looking up as the concert begins and there he is in the woodwind sectionWho was the most memorable character of La's Orchestra Saves the World and why?
mostly told from La's point of view: she tries to understand everyone - farm folk were particularly nicely evokedAny additional comments?
not nearly enough bookmark breaks for skipping forward and back in case you missed something: not even one per chapter, but something like one every eight chapters--drove me crazy!haunting, thoughtful
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