The Private Life of Spies and The Exquisite Art of Getting Even
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Narrated by:
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David Rintoul
About this listen
From the beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series comes a new short story collection: half spy stories, half tales of revenge, all highlight the kinder, funnier, and gentler side of espionage and retribution.
In this dual collection of short stories, Alexander McCall Smith brings his trademark humor and warmth to inventive tales of spying and vengeance. In one story, a spy dropped deep into enemy territory manages to disguise himself—quite convincingly—as a nun. In another, an invitation to join the Vatican Secret Service sends a prospective operative down a rabbit hole of controversy and confusion. A third story finds an author, on the brink of public ruin, seeing the error of his ways after an act of kindness saves the day.
A keen observer of humanity imbued with a sparkling imagination, Alexander McCall Smith illustrates throughout that transparency is paramount and forgiveness is restorative. With surprising insight and a healthy helping of humor, these stories remind us that, in the end, the high road is often the better one for all involved.
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On a beautiful spring day, Julia Harburn sat on a seat in Kensington Gardens enjoying the sunshine. She was wearing a white frock and a large straw hat with a sapphire-blue ribbon which exactly matched her eyes - a strange coincidence, as it turned out, for the blue sapphire was to have a far-reaching influence upon her life. So far, her life had been somewhat dull and circumscribed; but quite suddenly her horizons were enlarged. She began to make new friends.
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A meandering journey
- By Anonymous User on 07-10-14
By: D. E. Stevenson
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The Promise
- By: Damon Galgut
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Haunted by an unmet promise, the Swart family loses touch after the death of their matriarch. Adrift, the lives of the three siblings move separately through the uncharted waters of South Africa; Anton, the golden boy who bitterly resents his life’s unfulfilled potential; Astrid, whose beauty is her power; and the youngest, Amor, whose life is shaped by a nebulous feeling of guilt.
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Excellent novel
- By ALG on 11-09-21
By: Damon Galgut
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Tempest-tost
- The Salterton Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Robertson Davies
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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An amateur production of The Tempest provides a colorful backdrop for a hilarious look at unrequited love. Mathematics teacher Hector Mackilwraith, stirred and troubled by Shakespeare's play, falls in love with the beautiful Griselda Webster. When Griselda shows she has plans of her own, Hector despairs on the play's opening night.
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First of the first (and shows it)
- By Mary on 12-22-09
By: Robertson Davies
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The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova
- A Novel
- By: Ruth Hogan
- Narrated by: Nina Wadia
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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After inheriting her mother’s fortune-telling business as a young woman, Imelda Burova has spent her life on the Brighton pier practicing her trade. She and her trusty pack of Tarot cards have seen the lovers and the liars, the angels and the devils, the dreamers and the fools. Now, after a lifetime of keeping other people’s secrets, Madam Burova is ready to have a little piece of life for herself. But she still has one last thing to do—to fulfill a promise made in the 1970s, when she and her girlfriends were carefree, with their whole lives still before them.
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Trigger warning
- By Kristyn Rose on 01-30-23
By: Ruth Hogan
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Summer
- By: Ali Smith
- Narrated by: Juliette Burton
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is the exciting culmination of Ali Smith's celebrated Seasonal Quartet, a series of stand-alone novels, separate but interconnected (as the seasons are), wide-ranging in timescale and light-footed through histories.
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terrific book, beautifully read.
- By Sasha on 02-07-21
By: Ali Smith
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From New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith, creator of the phenomenally popular No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels and winner of the inaugural Saga Award for Wit, comes the first wonderfully entertaining novel starring Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, distinguished philologist, and frequently inept human.
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A Delightful Read
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When facing a moral dilemma, Isabel Dalhousie--Edinburgh philosopher, amateur detective, and title character of a series of novels by best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith - often refers to the great twentieth-century poet W. H. Auden. This is no accident: McCall Smith has long been fascinated by Auden. Indeed, the novelist, best known for his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, calls the poet not only the greatest literary discovery of his life but also the best of guides on how to live.
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On the Power of Poetry, Mostly Auden's
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BBC Classics: Ultimate Story Collection
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A treasure chest of timeless short stories by some of the world's greatest authors.
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These are not full cast audio dramas
- By Mollie on 03-25-23
By: Oscar Wilde, and others
What listeners say about The Private Life of Spies and The Exquisite Art of Getting Even
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- MSE
- 09-02-23
He never fails
May Alexander McCall Smith live forever. No matter what the subject, it is spot on.
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- CBI
- 12-11-23
McCall Smith does it again!
McCall Smith is a GREAT storyteller. Have read most of his books, and I especially like his few books that are not part of a series, such as this one. He explores flawed and interesting characters, but never in a judgmental way. Loved this book!
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- C. Gall
- 12-12-23
Brilliant
As ever, intelligent without bravado or pandering. McCall Smith is so gifted that I’m saddened there are those who’ve never read his work.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Patricia Gudsnuk-Jury
- 10-29-23
I agree with ‘he never fails’
Marvelous and worth sharing! I find myself smiling and laughing after each story. That feeling carries me through hours.
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- Nancy J Gallivan
- 11-14-23
Philosophy for everyman.
Alexander McCall Smith presents moral dilemas from his usual insightful perspective of human natures varieties.
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- mz
- 06-24-23
A variety of short stories
Spies and revenge are the main, separate, topics of this book. Entertaining and a variety of writing projects. Humor, surprise, suspense, but most of all, they stay along the lines of the author's signature of kindness, understanding, gentleness, and love.
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- N. C.
- 12-20-23
Not what one usually gets from an AMS novel
I sincerely love the author’s Dalhousie, and Scotland street series. I have read and enjoyed the Corduroy Mansions and No. 1 Ladies Detective series as well. This book … not so much. I guess I was expecting the quality of Ronald Dahl; considering the title. This fell quite a bit short of any of Dahl’s works. It was not always clear when one story was complete and the next started. Though I did not actively dislike the book, I was left disappointed.
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- acekell
- 07-09-23
Not worth my time
The stories were overly wordy and not engaging. I found myself wishing it was over. Really disliked last story.
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1 person found this helpful