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What Members Thought
Alexander McCall Smith’s Portuguese Irregular Verbs is very short and very funny. It follows a German professor of philology and some of his colleagues as they engage in that peculiar sport of academic infighting in the exclusive world of international conferences. This is not subtle humour. The core jokes are about stereotypes, funny exactly because they are spot on.
There is a sweet innocence about the hapless professors. Take for example, their decision to use the hotel tennis court, although ...more
There is a sweet innocence about the hapless professors. Take for example, their decision to use the hotel tennis court, although ...more
I listened to these books in my car. VERY different from No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I didn't love any of them, but I did get some laughs so I continued to listen.
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Maybe I was in the wrong mood, but I just couldn't get into this story. I prefer AMcS's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and Corduroy Mansions, and 44 Scotland Street series.
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Funny, funny funny. Igelfeld and his circle of friends (frenemies?) are a delightful crew. I love the subtle dry humor. The mishaps and missteps of the professor are priceless. Igelfeld is a delightful snob, self-important and unaware of his glaring oddness. A lonely sort who lives in his head. He almost finds a wife, but it was not to be, thanks to his nemesis. He holds grudges, judges everyone (most as inferior to him of course) and as a result of his odd pov and pride he finds himself in deli
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Great writing, but I never warmed to the characters -- due probably to some flaw in me.
I'm sorry but maybe this was supposed to be sympathetic but it seemed insulting to both Germans and Columbians- stereotyping.
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May 08, 2009
Liane
marked it as to-read
Jun 17, 2009
RAMONA
added it
Apr 07, 2012
Annie
marked it as to-read
