On the HahaFiction shelf
Portuguese Irregular Verbs
Professor Dr von Igelfeld · Book 1
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.
From the publisher’s blurb
“Von Igelfeld is engaged in a never-ending quest to win the respect he feels certain he is due”Read the full description at Anchor publisher description
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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.
More funny campus novel
Sources & further reading
- Publisher
Publisher
- Author and opening sample
Author commentary
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