The Lost Language of Oysters by Andrew McCall Smith

 

I am particularly fond of Alexander McCall Smith’s Professor Dr. Von Igelfeld novels because they are imbued with delightful satire about college professors. These are the kind of people who can have long arguments about whether there is a case for the development of a new linguistic tense called the “past-trivial”, which would refer to things so unimportant that they should be forgotten immediately.  

The Lost Language of Oysters is set in a fictional hidebound German university, and the lead character is the good Professor Dr. Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, whose claim to academic fame rests upon the publishing of his seminal and highly regarded study of Portuguese irregular verbs. His coveted Chair is so august that it has no required teaching responsibilities and “almost unlimited funds for conference attendance.”

His friend, and also rival, is Professor Dr. Detlev Amadeus Unterholzer. Their coffee lounge sparring is constant, but goes astray when two female American scholars arrive for a visit. One of them is an avid motorcycle rider, and Professor Von Igelfeld develops quite an interest in her—so much so that he lets her take him for a ride on her rented bike. This unusual behavior is so out of character for him that Professor Unterholzer believes his colleague has gone insane. This allows him to suggest to higher authorities that Von Igelfeld should be sent to a rest home for treatment. This, by happenstance, would also allow him to take over Von Igelfeld’s plush and much envied office space.

These events could be the basis for major interpersonal warfare or even lead to a fine murder mystery,  but this is Andrew McCall Smith, and all the skirmishes end pleasantly amidst a full measure of amusement and gentle chuckles. Pick this little volume up for a quick, and enjoyable read.  There will be no need to ponder the great issues of life.   

I give it a solid four out of five

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 [JDY2]

Theater Kid by Jeffery Seller

 

Theater Kid is a newly published theatre memoir and Jeffery Seller is the almost perfect person to write this show business miracle story. He was adopted, ping ponged between a hard-working mother and a mentally unstable philandering father, and was gay. Although his early sexual awakenings were unrecognized, salvation came in the form of a love for the theatre and a literal worship of musicals. This culminated in a deep desire to make theatre happen.  

He goes to New York after graduating from the University of Michigan and gets a job in a booking agency. From there, he learns show business from the bottom up, finds boyfriends in spite of the scourge of AIDS, and ultimately captures the golden ring by producing Rent. That opens the floodgates of success and he follows up with Tony Awards for Hamilton, In the  Heights, and Avenue Q.

Yes, all this, can be in your future too, but little time is spent on reminding the myriads of wannabees that Broadway Roulette, like all gambling operations, produces far more losers than winners.   

4 out of five

 

Review: Andrew Shaffer, Hope Rides Again

 

It’s bit early for a beach trash novel, but Shaffer’s Hope Rides Again earns a spot on the list. As Joe Biden is feeling out running for the presidency, he visits Barack Obama in Chicago. Obama’s Blackberry goes missing and the two men set out to solve the crime. There are improbabilities galore and lots of inside political jokes about Chicago and both men. It is occasionally funny, but mostly it is confusing and lame. Save your money. Go swimming at beach and take this book in the water with you.