Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith (2006, Paperback)

I was not a HUGE fan of this writer's Ladies Detective Society series so I approached this book with some (okay, a LOT) of hesitation. I'm glad I took a chance on it because it is a wonderfully entertaining look at several citizens of Scotland. Of particular interest is Bertie, a precocious 6 year old with a very confused mother and the descriptions of Bertie's psychotherapy and his mother's inept attempts to raise a boy (something she is terribly unsuited to doing) are both poignant and funny.
Several other characters fill this book: Matthew, feeling ambivalent about his father's new girlfriend....Bertie's father, a man who is inevitably drawn into a confrontation with his domineering wife and even a dog (yes, a dog) who is a springboard to philosophical discussions about dogs in different parts of the world.
Much of this quirky book is nearly surreal and some of it is fantastical (the dog's thoughts) but this book somehow highlights people's foibles so clearly that I can't wait to reread it. I read it in one gulp the first time and now I want to savor it!