Six friends. One city. The time of their lives. The Private Side of Friendship is the brand new stand-alone novel from Alexander McCall Smith, which sees four Edinburgh university flatmates reunite after graduation in 1988, navigating friendships and love amid the background of the Miners’ Strike.

On Saturday, Alexander took part in a very special event at Braemar Literary Festival. Hosted by Vicki Perrin, CEO of The Queen’s Reading Room, Alexander celebrated the return of favourite characters in Bertie’s Theory of Ice Cream and In The Time of Five Pumpkins.

Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party in the running for the Vintage Bollinger Prize! Ten years ago, Alexander won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction for his novel Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party, and is now in the running for its 'winner of winners' prize!

The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, the latest No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel, is now out in paperback in the UK! Visit your local bookshop to dive into the wonderful world of Alexander McCall Smith's writing!

"It’s like ice cream, Mr Flynn," Bertie continued. "When you have ice cream, you need to eat it straight away, otherwise it melts." When despair for the world grows, Bertie’s theory of ice cream reminds us of the simple pleasures in life. Alexander's new novel is out today!

Today is World Oyster Day, the perfect date to celebrate some folk’s favourite seafood. Whether oysters are up your street or not, why not sit back this evening with a glass of champagne and read Alexander’s recently published The Lost Language of Oysters!

Alexander McCall Smith was delighted to hear that – for the second year running – The Great Tapestry of Scotland centre in Galashiels, which he was heavily involved in creating, has been awarded a place in Tripadvisor’s Top 10% of Attractions worldwide. Congratulations to the Tapestry team!

Today is the UK publication day for this brand new edition of Alexander’s charming novel, Trains and Lovers. ❤️ In this surprising and poignant story, four strangers meet on a journey from Edinburgh to London. What unfolds is a beautiful tale of love and railways.

Have you read the latest Alexander McCall Smith novel yet? The Lost Language of Oysters is the most recent in his Professor von Igelfeld series, in which there is the possibility of a trip to Louisiana, where important research is being undertaken into communication among oysters.🦪

Alexander is once again attending the @edbookfest.bsky.social this year with an event on 15th August! In-person tickets have already sold out but check back later for returns, or book your online ticket now! www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

The @edbookfest.bsky.social programme is live! Alexander will be speaking at an event in Edinburgh on 15th August, discussing his most recent novels. Browse the events now ahead of tickets going on sale on Saturday! www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

It's a double-whammy publication week! Now available in the UK is the latest latest Professor von Igelfeld novel, The Lost Language of Oysters, as well as the paperback edition of The Conditions of Unconditional Love, the fifteenth Isabel Dalhousie novel. 📚

Alexander is appearing later this month at the International Literature Festival Dublin! Join us for an evening of wit and warmth with one of the world’s best-loved authors! Find out more: ilfdublin.com/.../where-ha...

The Winds from Further West is out today in paperback! Described by BBC Radio 4 as 'a call to arms for a better society', this novel is set between Edinburgh and the beautiful Hebrides, and is a wonderfully atmospheric novel about chance encounters. birlinn.co.uk/product/the-...

Over the last week, Alexander has been out travelling on a very special Readers’ Safari in glorious Botswana, home to Precious Ramotswe and The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. His friend Mats Ögren Wanger has sent some outstanding photographs from the Okavango for us to share.

Alexander is back in his happy place, Botswana! He is joining readers from around the world for a very special safari experience in the country. On Sunday they visited Elephant Havens, a charity Alexander is very happy to support – their mission is to protect and preserve the African Elephant.

In January, Alexander travelled to South Africa to work with his good friend, Nicholas Ellenbogen on a play, Darwin: A Curious Mind. It is now playing there to rave reviews. Read more: www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/news/darwin-...

Have a look at Alexander's website for this month's story calendar, an exclusive short essay 'Manners Count' where Alexander muses on morality and manners in the modern age. Check it out: www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/story-calend...

Happy Mother's Day to all of Alexander's readers! 💐

Alexander is very touched by the many lovely reader letters and emails he receives from all across the world. ✉️ Many of them reflect on the peace and happiness that his characters bring them. What is it you enjoy about Alexander's writing?

Alexander is taking part in some UK events in May this year! 📚 Make sure to check out his website for full details of all forthcoming book events and to buy tickets. Alexander looks forward to seeing you there! www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/category/eve...

Join Alexander McCall Smith in conversation with Nick Higham at the Oxford Literary Festival on Friday 4th April. Tickets available now. oxfordliteraryfestival.org/literature-e...

Big news! 🌟 Award-winning production company Synchronicity Films have optioned the rights for screen development to the internationally popular Isabel Dalhousie novels from best-selling author Sir Alexander McCall Smith. Read more: www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/news/screen-...

'Her business was an unusual one—an introductions agency, or marriage bureau, as she sometimes described it, called the Perfect Passion Company.' Read an extract from Alexander's latest book Looking for You on his website! www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/story-calend...

Have you seen all the glowing reviews for Alexander's newest book, Looking for You? 💕 🌟'Brimming with joy' - Sunday Post 🌟'Wonderfully amusing and heartfelt' - LoveReading 🌟'McCall Smith's novels are shaped by ideas of community, tolerance, and civility' - The Telegraph

Hurry! For the next three days only, The Winds from Further West paperback is included in an exclusive pre-order promotion from Waterstones. Get 25% off pre-order using the code PREORDER25. #WPreorder www.waterstones.com/book/the-win...

Alexander is fortunate to receive many wonderful letters, emails and social media messages from readers across the world who have enjoyed his many books, and we would love to share some of these comments with you!

Happy Valentine's Day! 💕 What better way to celebrate this day of love than to pick up the just-published Looking for You, the latest instalment in Alexander's Perfect Passion Company series. Find out more: www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/book/looking...

What if you met the person you were destined to be with? And what if you never saw them again? 💔 There’s a new case for the Perfect Passion Company. Alexander’s brand new novel Looking for You is available just in time for Valentine’s Day in the UK!

44 Scotland Street is back! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 From today, the latest novel in the 44 Scotland Street series will be serialised in the pages of @thescotsmanpaper.bsky.social. This is the 18th instalment of the world’s longest running serial novel, which will be published as Bertie’s Theory of Ice Cream in August.

Happy New Year! 2024 was a busy year for Alexander with several new books and events across the world. Did you read any of Alexander's new books? Watch this space for news of forthcoming publications! 👀

Spotify has released #SpotifyWrapped for Authors giving some insights into which of their audiobooks have been enjoyed by readers. The perennial favourite The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency tops the list for Alexander's most-listened title! 🎧

It’s Super Saturday at the St Andrew’s Book Festival in London! Come along!! @anncleeves.bsky.social @ianrankin1.bsky.social @jenstout.bsky.social @robbiddulph.bsky.social @gavinesler.bsky.social @mccallsmith.bsky.social @chitgrrl.bsky.social @hugorifkind.bsky.social www.standrewsbookfestival.org

Handwritten and signed by #AlexanderMcCallSmith, the first line of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency could be yours for Christmas! Good bidding and good luck 🍀 It will help our work! Thank you @mccallsmith.bsky.social 💚 jumblebee.co.uk/thefirstline

It's your last chance to buy tickets to see Alexander in London on Saturday! He will be taking part in an exciting event discussing his most recent books at the @standrewsbookfest.bsky.social chaired by Georgina Godwin. Limited tickets still available!

The paperback edition of Alexander's charming novel The Perfect Passion Company is the Blackwells Scottish Book of the Month! If you haven't yet read this wonderful antidote to the world of online dating, don't miss out!

Next week the magnificent @AlexanderMcCallSmith.bsky.social is taking part in two special events in London as part of the St Andrew’s Book Festival - an exclusive literary dinner, as well as an in conversation event about his latest books. Find out more! www.standrewsbookfestival.org

This is one way to keep a book open as I read for @standrewsbookfest.bsky.social a celebration of Scottish writers, taking place in central London this week #booksky #alexandermccallsmith #scotland #litfest #springerspaniel #dogsandbooks

Here we are, our first post! 📢 The brand new St Andrew’s Book Festival is in London. 25/11 - 1/12. 📚That’s next week! 👀 Check us out, follow, share, buy tickets. 🎫 Free events too. 🆓 We have an AMAZING programme www.standrewsbookfestival.org

Come and hear renowned historian Alistair Moffat and project director Jan Rutherford discuss The Great Tapestry of Scotland, the longest stitched tapestry in the world. Concept by AlexanderMcCallSmith.bsky.social . Saturday 30 next week in central London. Tickets www.standrewsbookfestival.org

The paperback edition of Alexander's charming novel The Perfect Passion Company is the Blackwells Scottish Book of the Month! If you haven't yet read this wonderful antidote to the world of online dating, don't miss out!

Join Alexander for an intimate poetry event at Push the Boat Out in Edinburgh, in discussion with his editor Edward Crossan. Not to be missed! 📍Pleasance Theatre 🗓️Saturday 23rd November, 12pm pushtheboatout.org/events/a-lif...