At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances

This novella features Professor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, a German philologist and the author of PORTUGUESE IRREGULAR VERBS. Mayhem follows von Igelfeld as he travels from Cambridge University to the Institute of Philology to the country of Colombia, where he somehow becomes EL PRESIDENTE. Paul Hecht has fun with the comic atmosphere that envelops von Igelfeld. The frequent misunderstanding and misinterpretations between German and English academics are given a bemused and perfect reading. Hecht also has fun with the German, British, and Hispanic accents required by the dialogue. This is a clever reading of a work of inspired nonsense. R.E.K. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

May 15, 2005
The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs. ISBN 1-4025-9052-0. Smith, Alexander McCall.Portuguese Irregular Verbs.ISBN 1-4025-9048-2.ea. vol: 3 cassettes. unabridged. 4 hrs. Recorded Bks. 2004. $26.75.F

In these sequential collections of stories by the author of the "No. 1 Ladies" "Detective Agency", the venue is Europe rather than Botswana. Dr. Moriz-Maira von Ingelfeld, professor at the Institute of Romance Philology in Regensburg, Germany, and his colleagues Dr. Florianus Prinzel and Dr. Detlev Amadeus Unterholzer share in eight comic vignettes based on the classic form of minutiae inflated to monstrous proportions. In one installment, von Ingelfeld falls in love with his dentist. Through procrastination in declaring his amour, his colleague becomes engaged to her first. Even Paul Hecht's lively narration with accurate pronunciation of European languages can't breathe the charm of Gabarone into these novellas. Purchase for demand for Smith fans. -Sandy Glover, Camas P.L., WA

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