The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs

De: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrado por: Paul Hecht

With millions of copies of his New York Times best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency mysteries in print across the globe, Alexander McCall Smith is one of the most popular novelists and humorists in the world. Starring the brilliant but bumbling Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs is a wonderfully entertaining showcase for Smith's award-winning wit.

Invited to lecture in America, von Igelfeld envisions a visit to California or New York. Instead, he finds himself at the University of Arkansas. Still, in von Igelfeld's view, one American state is very like another. An expert philologist, von Igelfeld prepares to deliver a talk on verbs, until he makes a grim discovery: he has been mistaken for a German master of veterinary science who has recently passed away. One man at the reception is quick to point this out. But von Igelfeld explains that since Germans are so efficient, they sometimes publish obituaries before a person's demise. Before long, he takes the podium and faces an attentive crowd expecting to hear some fine points on the nature of sausage dogs.

©2003 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Very funny, very clever!

Brilliantly read, terribly clever, far better than #1 Ladies Detective Agency (which got very high reviews but I found dry, unfunny, and slow). This is especially funny if you know any German or know about German culture. The whole thing is very tongue-in-cheek, about linguists and their world in which the Portuguese Irregular Verb is the most important thing in existence, and the struggles for position that lead to ridiculous scenarios. Very funny!

Not really what I expected.

While this was at times entertaining, and somewhat funny, it was not really to my liking. It was more a series of short stories than a cohesive novel. I find the narration a bit slow, and a bit of a drone. Just not my cup of tea, I guess.

Funny events and nice book about friendships

What a nice book about friendships! I do enjoy the laughs from the funny and unlikely events in this series. Some points are exaggerated but funny because they are true, some twists of the story are funny because they're so impossible. It's the kind of thing where you wonder, what if this happened? This book extends these suppositions into full stories!

Enjoyable Story

Interesting interactions amoung the self-absorbed academics involved. Felt sorry for the sausage dog, but at least it triumphs in the end.

Very funny

What made the experience of listening to The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs the most enjoyable?

Everything!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs?

Just the story and anything by this author.

What about Paul Hecht’s performance did you like?

Perfect

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Very sophisticated humor!

Any additional comments?

One of the best writers today!

Witty caricature with dry humor

Witty and all to valid a caricature of certain people. First part not funny if love dogs but then does turn cute. Usually I like a mystery. This makes for light reading and fun.

Great story and great reader

What did you love best about The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs?

I loved this story by Alexander McCall Smith. The main character is hilarious -- so pompous and full of himself, but he gets taken down a peg every now and then. All the other characters are great, too. The story is inventive, has a degree of complexity, holds your attention, and is amusing.

What about Paul Hecht’s performance did you like?

Paul Hecht was PERFECT as a reader! He did all the voices cleverly, he read clearly and caught the mood of the book completely. I enjoyed his reading of all three books in this series. I'm just sorry the series is complete. I think it's McCall Smith at his very best.

Wit Supreme

I laughed all the way through this short book--more, possibly, than any other of McCall Smith's that I have read. Half of what makes it so delightful is the narration--which perfectly presents the dry German intellectuals in all their dry intellectual solemnity. The other half is, of course, the author's wit. Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld is so utterly self-satisfied, and yet at the same time quite likeable, that the reader finds she can view him as an old, though ridiculous, friend. I would give this 5-stars, but felt the earlier stories were more successful than the last 2 or 3, which turned overly ridiculous in my view, though still very enjoyable.

Narration exceptional! Story weak

Many small plots mixed together that really do not have any relation from one to the next.

Narrator has an amazing voice and does wonderful accents throughout on various international dialects.

Mindless, Quick Read

This book started out with a clever premise, but it didn't stay as delightful to the end.