Alexander McCall Smith

We were planning a trip to Lizbon and in the bookshop I saw this book "Portuguese Irregular Verbs" First I fancied the tittle than read the back cover introduction..

I haven't read any books of Alexander McCall Smith at that time, didn't know much about the author.

I began to read the book that night and felt in love with it:)

The main character of the book ; Herr Doctor Professor von Igelfeld captured my whole attention, I pictured him somebody as Inspector Clouseau (fictionous character of Pink Penter created by Blake Edwads, Peter Sellers or Mr. Bean (M)r. Bean is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson ).

Von Igelfeld works as a professor in the Institute of Romance Philology in Regensburg, Germany, where also his friends Dr Detlev Amadeus Unterholzer and Dr Dr (honoris causa) Florianus Prinzel, are working as professors. There are eight quite independent, though interconnected stories in the book. It was first published in 1997. In the book Professor Dr von Igelfeld learns to play tennis, and forces a college chum to enter into a duel that results in a nipped nose. He also takes a field trip to Ireland where he becomes acquainted with the rich world of archaic Irishisms, and he develops an aching infatuation with a Dentist fatale. Along the way, he takes two ill-fated Italian sojourns, the first merely uncomfortable, the second definitely dangerous. I found the book easy to read, ironic some how but also very entertaining.

The good thing is that; this book is the first of a series. I bought the other books; The finner points of sausage dogs (2nd book) and At the villa of reduced circumstances (3rd book)

I will enjoy reading them:))

As I confessed in the introduction part of my hub, I picked this book by its tittle and I think this was a very wise decision as I became acquainted a very good writer and a very enjoyable book..

In the author's web page (www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk) it is written that

"Welcome to the insane and rarified world of Professor Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld of the Institute of Romance Philology. Von Igelfeld is engaged in a never-ending quest to win the respect he feels certain he is due-a quest which has the tendency to go hilariously astray.

In Portuguese Irregular Verbs, Professor Dr von Igelfeld learns to play tennis, and forces a college chum to enter into a duel that results in a nipped nose. He also takes a field trip to Ireland where he becomes acquainted with the rich world of archaic Irishisms, and he develops an aching infatuation with a Dentist fatale. Along the way, he takes two ill-fated Italian sojourns, the first merely uncomfortable, the second definitely dangerous. "

I found Professor very naïve, optimistic, happy in his own world. His trip to Goa and meeting the Guru was the part I liked most. I felt sorry for him in his unfortunate love affair with the dentist.

He was born August 24, 1948, in Africa, Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now we now this country as Zimbabwe); is a lawyer specified in medical ethics ; taught in Swaziland Africa; helped found the law school at the University of Botswana, then served as law professor in England ; professor of medical law, University of Edinburgh; was deputy chairman of Human Genetics Commission for the British government; served as Great Britain's representative on the bioethics commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Although he is a worldwide recognized expert on issues of medical ethics, Alexander McCall Smith became better known as the author of best-selling adult mysteries. His 1998 book The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, focusing on a female investigator in the African country of Botswana, launched his fiction-writing career into international fame and acclaim. The growing success of his books led him to take a leave of absence from his professorship at the University of Edinburgh to focus on writing full-time

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Tears of the Giraffe

Morality for Beautiful Girls

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency 3-Book Box Set

The Kalahari Typing School for Men

The Full Cupboard of Life

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

Blue Shoes and Happiness

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive