Tears of the Giraffe

No doubt about it, Mma Ramotswe is an astute woman, with "old Botswana values", according to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni; in his eyes, she is "one of the very best women in Botswana". As I read Tears of the Giraffe, I see why her husband-to-be admires her so much--she's intelligent, diplomatic, and independent. In her thoughts, Mma Ramotswe is displeased with Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's surly, sloppy maid, and grapples with the new case of a son who's been missing for ten years, a "stale enquiry" she almost wishes she did not agree to work on (but does out of compassion). She also thinks about larger issues, of the boundless dignity and kindness of Nelson Mandela , who extends forgiveness even towards those who imprisoned him for 27 years.

Tears of the Giraffe captures the beauty of Africa, of the endless, luminous sky, red-brown earth, acacia trees, and brilliant, blazing sun. I hope to watch the TV series in the future, and picture scenes of Mma Ramotswe driving her tiny white van along the dusty roads of Botswana and other parts of Africa.