# Portuguese Irregular Verbs

By Alexander McCall Smith · Professor Dr von Igelfeld, book 1

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/portuguese-irregular-verbs-7a7e51b6/

Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld expects his work on Portuguese verbs to earn him proper recognition. His certainty travels well beyond the Institute of Romance Philology in Regensburg, accompanying him into tennis, dentistry and European trips where expertise proves less useful than he assumes.

## What makes it funny?

In the opening sample, the professors borrow an old rulebook and decide they have the principles needed to play tennis. Their serves keep going into the net.

### The comedy at work

Von Igelfeld studies his colleague's unfortunate name and nose while admiring his own. McCall Smith lets the professor's dignified reasoning expose jealousy and vanity without a narrator interrupting to correct him.

### Try this if…

Readers who enjoy dry academic satire and a pompous man's elaborate justifications have a clear invitation here. The opening takes time over small grievances.

### Good to know

The book proceeds through separate comic adventures rather than a single large quest, including a duel, an Irish field trip and visits to Italy.

## What to expect

- Genre: Contemporary & literary
- On the shelf: Campus novel
- Kind of humor: Dry wit · Satire
- The atmosphere: Warmhearted
- Format: Novel

## Sources & further reading

- Publisher: [Publisher](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/110402/portuguese-irregular-verbs-by-alexander-mccall-smith)
- Author commentary: [Author and opening sample](https://alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/series/von-igelfeld-series)