My Italian Bulldozer
Alexander McCall Smith
2016, 232 pages
Fiction
Paul Stuart is a well-known food writer, living in Scotland. He is stunned when his girlfriend of four years, Becky, leaves him for a personal trainer. His editor Gloria realizes that he needs a change. She tells him that he should go to Tuscany and get material for a new book. Paul agrees, but when he arrives there has been a mistake and there isn’t a rental car booked for him. In fact, there are no rental cars to be had at all. And then there is a further mistake and Paul is accused of car theft! Luckily, a new acquaintance, the Professor, comes to his rescue. And the Professor also knows someone who can lend him a vehicle – the only vehicle available – which turns out to be a bulldozer! Paul resigns himself to slowly driving the bulldozer to the town of Montalcino. He finds that there are some advantages to driving a bulldozer, and helps a young woman who has driven a car into a ditch. She is delightful, and they are attracted to each other. Paul gets to know the people in the town and is enjoying wonderful meals, getting material for his new book. And the townspeople start to warm up to Paul. But then Becky turns up unexpectedly and wants to get back together again, and Paul is confused once more.
Alexander McCall Smith is the best-selling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, set in Botswana. He proves that he is equally at home in Tuscany and this is a charming tale full of likable characters and mouth-watering descriptions of food and drink. Maybe time in a small Tuscany town is just what Paul needs. Even if he has to drive a bulldozer to get there!
Robbin Bailey
Concord Public Library
Visit CPL at concordpubliclibrary.net.
