The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs

In his most recent book, Alexander McCall Smith reveals some of the intrinsic characteristics of collegiate academic life. He highlights the pomposity, arrogance and constant quest for self-recognition that characterizes the avocation. With tremendous aplomb, McCall Smith relates the misadventures of Herr Professor Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, a professor of "Romance Philology." His great work of academic achievement in his lifetime is a respected book called "Portuguese Irregular Verbs."While his specialty and achievement are surely somewhat esoteric and of interest mostly to academicians, rather than regular people, the book presents multiple situations in which Dr. von Igelfeld presents his specialty to regular people. As per the title of the book; the good `Doktor' presents a lecture on "Sausage Dogs" or as we know them better, "Dachshunds," in an attempt to get American recognition. Interestingly, he thought he was to speak on "Portuguese Irregular Verbs" but with a little last minute adjustment, the Professor does in fact give a lecture on "Sausage Dogs."In the book, it is the interrelation of this "Ivory Tower" mindset and the more mundane mindset of people outside this environment that McCall Smith concentrates on illustrating. He keenly shows the reader the almost `back-biting' environment internal to academic life, and then, more specifically and graphically, shows us the way in which one of these academics relates, or fails to relate, to normal people in a world outside of academia. As can be expected, this combination results in some extremely amusing outcomes.Smith is in good form in this book, although it is not one of his best. Nonetheless, devotees of the Alexander McCall Smith multiple scenarios and other works, will find this book quite in line with the McCall Smith they have grown to know and love.

Golly! I appear to be just a tad out of tune with everyone else who's read this book. I first tried reading Alexander McCall Smith's "The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs" about 10 years ago and stopped, aghast, in Chapter 2. This time, I forced my way through. Structurally, the book is fairly similar to the first book in that it's more a series of vignettes than a novel. However, in this book, the five "chapters" are more closely tied together. So, it does come fairly close to reading like a coherent novel. Story-wise, the first chapter is a bit humorous in an awkward way, and is OK. It also sets the theme for most of the rest of the book. The second and third chapters, though, are just awful. In general, the "humor" in these books is of an embarrassing sort. But, in these two chapters, it regresses all the way down to the maiming of animals and the attempted destruction of a colleague's mental health. Chapter 4, the longest of the chapters, is interesting and is the best in the book. Chapter 5 is fairly short and OK. Though, like the last chapter in the previous book, it seems like it doesn't really belong. If it weren't for the pure nastiness in Chapters 2 and 3, I'd have rated this book at OK (the writing is technically pretty good). But, because of those chapters, I'm dropping my rating a star and giving it the same Pretty Bad rating of 2 stars out of 5 that I gave the first book.The books in Alexander McCall Smith's "Professor Dr von Igelfeld" series are:1.  Portuguese Irregular Verbs: A Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainment Novel (1) 2.  The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs: A Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainment Novel (2) 3.  At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances: A Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainment Novel (3) 4.  Unusual Uses for Olive Oil: A Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainment Novel (4)

This used paperback book was in wonderful condition! It exceeded my expectations.

I have not read the other books in this series. I purchased this one first as it got the best reviews from Amazon readers. I loved this absurd take on a clueless, selfcentered German academic who bumbles his way from the southern U.S., to Italy and a Mediterranean cruise, This is absurd satire at its best and reminded me a great deal of Nikolai Gogol's short story "The Nose."It's nothing like Alexander McCall Smith's Corduroy Mansions and Isabel Dalhousie series (I haven't yet read the No. 1 Ladies Detective and 44 Scotland St. Series). His other works can sport dry humor and irony, but this series is off the Richter scale when it comes to dry humor and absurd coincidence.. I loved it and had to share the stories. I have more than a dozen other AMSmith books on my bookshelf to read from his other series that I've collected over the past year, but I will eventually be looking for the other volumes in this series because the doctor and his colleagues, no matter the predictability of their relationship, are great reading.

I love Alexander McCall Smith's books and the professor in this book does not disappoint the reader. He ends up operating on a friend's dachshund without a license and he goes on a cruise to lecture, is put in a cramped cabin and nobody comes to his lecture. Dr. Igelfeld and his friends, Professor Dr.Dr. Florianus Prinzel and Dr. Underholzer are always getting themselves in predicaments as they follow their life's work at the Institute of Romance Philology. I look forward to reading "At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances."

A VERY GOOD LAUGH, EXCELLENT BOOK, GOOD PRICE

Another excellent story from Alexander McCall Smith about Moritz-Maria con Igelfeld, one of three.

This novel was McCall Smith at his most whimsical. It is delightful to read,,especially the wonderful names,he gives his characters. I have really enjoyed all of the books that I have read of his prodigious output

no further comment needed - happy with purchase

Not what I was expecting