The Kind Company of Others

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Poetry

Published on 2 April 2026 by Birlinn General (Polygon An Imprint of Birlinn Limited) in the United Kingdom.

Hardback | 176 pages, b/w throughout
137 x 206 x 22mm | 286g

A poet’s skill lies in their ability to distil complex themes into a few paragraphs; to pick out the fundamental quality in people that make us unique; they can describe nature in a way that makes us see its majesty. The poet traverses contents and political divides; they help us understand where we have come from which in turn allows us to figure out where we are going.

And no one does this better than Alexander McCall Smith. He has brought – through his novels – many wonderful characters to vivid life and entertained readers all over the globe. And in his third collection of poetry, he guides the reader by the hand and takes them through time and place exploring the majestic themes of nature and the complexities of relationships and what it is that makes us human with his trademark warmth and humour.