The World According to Bertie is the fourth in the series and revolves around the many colorful characters that come and go at No. 44 Scotland Street. McCall Smith handles the characters with his customary charm and deftness-the stalwart Tory chartered surveyor, the pushy mother, and, most importantly in this vel, the beleaguered Italian-speaking prodigy, Bertie. This is classic McCall Smith-clever, witty and entertaining- and beautifully illustrated. A chance encounter with Armistead Maupin in San Francisco inspired Alexander McCall Smith to write this series of vels based around the fictional No. 44 Scotland Street in Edinburgh's New Town.