Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith was born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1948 to Scottish parents during the era of British colonialism. He studied law at the University of Edinburgh, where he completed his doctoral thesis and subsequently taught medical law from 1984 until his retirement as an emeritus professor. In 1981, he returned briefly to South Africa to assist in introducing legal education at the University of Botswana. He has been a member of several national and international organizations focused on bioethics, including UNESCO's International Bioethics Commission. He has authored numerous books on medical law, criminology, and philosophy, as well as children's books, short story collections, and novels. He has lectured at various universities across Africa. He is married, has two daughters, and resides in Scotland. In 2006, he was awarded the title of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to literature.