For immediate release | February 13, 2014

Alexander McCall Smith, Auditorium Speaker at 2014 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference

91´«Ã½

CHICAGO -- Attendees at 2014 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference will not want to miss the chance to hear the entertaining Alexander McCall Smith, author of the internationally acclaimed No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, when from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 28.

The more than 100 books he has written or contributed to also include solo novels, specialist academic titles, short story collections and popular children's books. Books in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series have been translated into 45 languages and sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, and the Isabel Dalhousie series that followed immediately leapt onto bestseller lists. His newest book, a standalone novel titled "The Forever Girl," was published in February 2014.

Born in what is now Zimbabwe, McCall Smith was educated there and in Scotland, became a law professor and returned to Africa to work in Botswana. He was professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and has been a visiting professor at universities in Italy and the U.S. and has served as vice-chairman of the Human Genetics Commission of the UK, the chairman of the British Medical Journal Ethics Committee and as a member of the International Bioethics Commission of UNESCO. His numerous awards include The Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger in the Library Award, UK Author of the Year Award, Sweden’s Martin Beck Award and multiple honorary doctorates. In 2010 he was awarded the Presidential Order of Merit by the President of Botswana.



And although it hasn’t won any awards, perhaps he’ll also entertain attendees with stories of "The Really Terrible Orchestra" that he co-founded and in which he plays the bassoon and his wife plays the horn. You can find more about McCall Smith and his work on . His appearance is sponsored by Random House.

—Transforming Our Libraries, Ourselves

are available through March 3, 2014.

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Contact:

Amy McGuigan

Conference Manager

91´«Ã½

Conference Services

amcguigan@ala.org