For the second entry in my week of humor books, I’m going to do something very stupid. I am going to recommend a book that I have never, ever, ever* been able to get anyone to read. The one person who tried gave up in disgust after a few pages. There is nothing to suggest that my luck is about to change. This is a completely futile, useless blog entry.
*Okay, one exception: I did get Mom to read it, but that doesn’t count. She’s obligated to read the books I suggest. She’s the one what made me watch musicals growing up. It’s payback time.
(For the record, she loved the book.)
The book that you won’t be reading on my recommendation is Portuguese Irregular Verbs, by Alexander McCall Smith. That’s the same chappie who gave us The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, a fine series in its own right, though nothing at all like Portuguese Irregular Verbs.
PIV is the finest example of academic humor I’ve read, apart from Kingsley Amis’s Lucky Jim (“Thank God for the twentieth century!”), which is in a humor class all to itself.
The best part of the book is its protagonist, Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, whose magnum opus was the academic text Portuguese Irregular Verbs, which ought to tell you everything you need to know about him right there. He’s a prissy college professor. No one actually likes him, but the great part—what gives the books its humor—is that he’s clueless. He thinks himself a great man and an academic giant, when in fact he’s a grade-A twerp. The professor’s unerring ability to delude himself is what makes the story so funny. Mix that with the sardonic subtext of university humor, and you’ve got yourself a great story.
I would note that PIV is a novella and the first in a series, but since none of you are going to read it anyway, nevermind.
Blogging for a Good Book 
I’ll read it. I love academic fiction. That’s because I was almost a professional academic. Is that even a profession? You know, that “can do teach” thing? Professional inexpert. Hmmm. Must to ponder. At any rate, it’s now on hold at my ‘brary.
Parts of McCall Smith’s Portuguese Irregular Verbs and The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs forced me to laugh, until I cried. I enjoy the majority of his writings, but for me, this series tops the list. He’s sort of like a jolly modern Tolstoy; with his ability to capture the vast complexities of human’s idiosyncrasies, quirks, and hypocritical nature. However, McCall Smith’s version is always hilarious and yet, very relatable.
Ok Jessica, I’ll take that challenge. Will I get full marks for finishing it even if I am an academic librarian?
I’ve read this, and thought it was pretty entertaining! It’s a comedy of manners, although some of the things that he contemplates are over the top, they are no doubt entertaining! If I may be so bold to recommend the audio book. The one I listened to was narrated by Hugh Laurie and all the voices were amazing!
Ok, I read the first chapter standing in Books-A-Million in Port Charlotte, FL I probably could have read the whole thing there except a Panera’s iced green tea was calling.
It was quite amusing, particularly the tennis match and the subsequent dismissal of Cambridge. I expect I will finish it upon return to the ‘Burg. I see there are two more in the series.
Who could resist a challenge like Jessica’s? The fact that the book is a novella (read: short!) helped. So I checked it out and guffawed through it. Loved the 2nd chapter especially, “Duels, and How to Fight Them,” and I know I’d have loved “Death in Venice” if I could have remembered more of Thomas Mann’s story better. It made me almost want to re-read Thomas Mann’s to pick out the similarities (I know there were many, but I think I got the gist of McCall Smith’s take-off anyway).
It’d be great to hear Hugh Laurie read it — he’d be a perfect reader. I think I’ll have to find a copy.
I just read this, and on your recommendation. I LOVED it.
Awwwww shucks. That makes my little librarian heart flutter. *Beam*
Isn’t it a great book?
Now go read the two sequels, The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs and At The Villa of Reduced Circumstances.