Peek at the Past: As it appeared in the July 28, 1983, Frontiersman

An internationally-known author is stopping by Fireside Books in downtown Palmer on Aug. 8 to sign books and talk to readers.

Alexander McCall Smith is the best-selling author of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, in which the fourth book, "The Kalahari Typing School for Men" has been a smash hit and has received critical acclaim from reviewers around the country, including the New York Times, People magazine and U.S. News and World Report.

"It's a real coup for us to have him here in Palmer," said Fireside Books owner David Cheezum.

Smith is a law professor at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, but he has been a visiting professor at universities around the world, including twice at the Southern Methodist University Law School in Dallas.

He has published more than 50 books, including specialist academic titles. He is best known for the "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, which debuted in 1998. He received two Booker Judge's Special Recommendations for the first installment. It has also been optioned by the Anthony Minghella/Sydney Pollack company to become a feature film.

Bringing national authors to Palmer is something Cheezum said he would like to continue, but local flavor is just as important.

"Certainly, every now and then, when we can, we'd like to bring a national writer here," Cheezum said. "But we want to have lots of special events, like our poetry events and local authors. We don't want to lose the local authors."

For more information about the book signing, interested people can call Fireside Books at 745-2665.