Alexander McCall Smith’s career has been a varied one: for many years he was a professor of Medical Law and worked in universities in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Then, after the publication of his highly successful No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which has sold over fifteen million copies, he devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over forty-five languages and become bestsellers through the world.

These include the Scotland Street novels, first published as a serial novel in The Scotsman, the Isabel Dalhousie novels, and the von Igelfeld series. In November 2008, a new stand-alone novel will be published: La’s Orchestra Saves the World.

Alexander is also the author of collections of short stories, academic works, and over thirty books for children. He has received numerous awards for his writing, including the British Book Awards Author of the Year Award in 2004 and a CBE for service to literature in 2007. He holds honorary doctorates from nine universities in Europe and North America.

Alexander McCall Smith lives in Edinburgh. He is married to a doctor and has two daughters.