Lessons from Lady Detectives

One of my favorite book series is the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. The story is set in Gabarone, Botswana, and features Mma Precious Ramotswe, a private detective.

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A few years ago HBO made the books into a series starring Jill Scott.

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The first book begins with the line, "Mma Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of the Kgale Hill."

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While above is how I imagine the scenery there, the night scene below is also Botswana.

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Two important lessons I have taken away from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books:

1. It's okay to drive an old car
Mma Ramotswe thinks of her old white van as a loyal friend and refuses to drive something newer and flashier. This is how I feel about my old Volvo station wagon. It's not pretty, inside or out, but it has taken my little family on so many trips, kept us safe, and can do this.

2. If you can afford to support small businesses, you should
I don't even remember if this is a recurring theme, but in at least one of the books, Mma Ramotswe refers to the fact that she has a cleaning lady as her moral responsibility to give someone a job. It's definitely a concept I try to embrace--and it occurred to me after buying a soup for lunch from the small café in my office building today.

Are you a fan of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books? Have you ever traveled to Botswana? Africa is on my bucket list.