"I think people in Botswana are pleased that my books paint a positive picture of their lives and portray the country as being very special. They've made a great success of their country, and the people are fed up with the constant reporting of only the problems and poverty of the continent. They welcome something which puts the positive side."

Philosophy

Create & Download Quote Graphic

Customize Image

1. Canvas Aspect Ratio

2. Palette Theme

Thematic Reflection

This quotation examines the core nature of Philosophy as articulated by Alexander McCall Smith. Within historical and literary traditions, reflections on Philosophy provide actionable mental models, challenging individuals to evaluate personal ethics, self-discipline, and daily actions.

Explore all Philosophy quotes → Browse all wisdom by Alexander McCall Smith →

About Alexander McCall Smith

Sir Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith is a Rhodesian/Zimbabwean-Scottish legal scholar and author of fiction. He was born and brought up in Southern Rhodesia and was formerly Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. He became an expert on medical law and bioethics and served on related British and international committees. He has since become known as a fiction writer, with sales in English exceeding 40 million by 2010 and translations into 46 languages. He is known as the creator of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. The "McCall" derives from his great-great-grandmother Bethea McCall, who married James Smith at Glencairn, Dumfries-shire, in 1833.

View all quotes by Alexander McCall Smith →
Editorial Integrity: Curated and fact-checked under our Editorial Standards to eliminate misattributions and preserve historical authenticity.
Learn about our methodology →

More by Alexander McCall Smith

"Manners are the basic building blocks of civil society."

— Alexander McCall Smith
Read more →

"My Botswana books are positive, and I've never really sought to deny that. They are positive. They present a very positive picture of the country. And I think that that is perfectly defensible given that there is so much written about Africa which is entirely negative."

— Alexander McCall Smith
Read more →

"I've also long since realized that the way to really engage children is to give out prizes it's amazing how it concentrates their minds."

— Alexander McCall Smith
Read more →

"But you cannot expect every writer to dwell on human suffering. I think my books do deal with grave issues. People who say they are too positive probably haven't read them."

— Alexander McCall Smith
Read more →

More about Philosophy

"So if I want to buy a light in a shop and I don't find a light that I like, I think to myself what would I like? What would I like to buy? Then I started to imagine and design it for myself a lot of the time."

— Marc Newson
Read more →

"Creative freedom is an imperative for me, but it doesn't really exist in a Hollywood game."

— Mira Nair
Read more →

"I think that rather than condemning Islam, Islam needs to be studied by those who are sincere."

— Louis Farrakhan
Read more →

"I think the reason why I'm an actress is because I got hooked on the feeling of studying for an audition, going to the audition, and then getting that phone call."

— Paula Garces
Read more →
Browse all Philosophy quotes →