an excerpt, for your reading enjoyment

If you are wondering what book to pick up for your next vacation, next day away, or just to fill up your nightstand, I have the answer for you.

But before I tell you what it is - and the many, many reasons why I love it- I'm going to include a little excerpt, because I feel that this excerpt pretty much sums up my life. [My life apart from the serious things, of course. This is a summation of the unserious parts of my life.]

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"I must think about what you have said," she said. "Should we really go around telling other people what not to do?"

The question was asked and hung heavily in the air while the tea tray was brought in and laid on Mma Potokwane's desk. Mma Ramotswe looked discreetly at its contents; yes, there was cake - two large slices of fruit cake of the sort that she always hoped for when she visited the orphan farm. The absence of cake from the tray could have meant that she was for some reason in disfavour or disgrace; but fortunately, that was not the case today.

Mma Potokwane reached forward and placed the larger slice of cake on her friend's plate. Then she placed the other piece on her own plate and began to pour the tea.

"The question you have asked is a very important one, Mma," she pronounced, picking up her slice of cake and taking a bite. "I must think about it. Maybe there are people who would say that I eat too much cake."

"But you do not eat too much, do you?" observed Mma Ramotswe.

Mma Potokwane's response came quickly. "No, I do not. I do not eat too much cake." She paused, and looked wistfully at her now emptying plate. "Sometimes I would like to eat too much cake. That is certainly true. Sometimes I am tempted."

Mma Ramotswe sighed. "We are all tempted, Mma. We are all tempted when it comes to cake."

"That is true," said Mma Potokwane sadly. "There are many temptations in this life, but cake is probably one of the biggest of them."

For a few moments neither of them said anything. Mma Ramotswe looked out of the window, at the tree outside, and beyond that at the sky, which was an empty light blue, endless, endless. A large bird, a buzzard perhaps, was circling on high on a current of air, a tiny, soaring point of black, looking for food, of course , as all of us did, in one way or another.

She looked away from the sky and back towards Mma Potokwane, who was watching her, the faintest of smiles playing about her lips.

"Temptation is very difficult," said Mma Ramotswe quietly. "I do not always resist it. I am not a strong woman in that respect."

"I am glad you said that," said Mma Potoswane. "I am not strong either. For example, right at the moment, I am thinking of cake."

"And so am I," comfessed Mma Ramotswe.

Mma Potokwane stood up and shouted to the girl outside. "Two more pieces of cake, please. Two big slices."

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This excerpt is from the sixth book in the series The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, and is just as good and endearing as the previous five. Why do I like this series so much? Here are a few reasons:

• It's lighthearted and funny. I like laughing - outloud - when I read books.
• It's a page turner, but not in a tense sort of way. I don't feel gripped when I read it, but I continue reading with pleasure because I love watching what the characters do.
• I can recommend it with a clean conscience to others, without saying, "But there is this one part..."
• The main character describes herself as being "traditionally built".
• It's about Africa. I know very little about Africa, so I love the new perspective.
• The story, dialogue, and characters are all very simple and innocent. Not in a naive sort of way, but in a very endearing sort of way.

I don't know how the HBO miniseries has fared since adapting it from the books - I obviously don't get HBO out here - but I love the books. If you're up for some new reading, I beg you to try these. =)

And if there's any other Precious Ramotswe fans out there, give me a shout out!