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.

Listening Length

3 hours and 52 minutes
Author

Alexander McCall Smith
Narrator

Paul Hecht
Audible release date

January 7, 2005
Language

English
Publisher

Recorded Books
ASIN

B0007OB5I0
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
See all details

Read & Listen

Switch between reading the Kindle book & listening to the Audible narration with Whispersync for Voice.
Get the Audible audiobook for the reduced price of $7.99 after you buy the Kindle book.

Your audiobook is waiting!

Click above for unlimited listening to select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection — yours to keep (you'll use your first credit now).
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel online anytime.

Learn more about Membership

List Price: ~~$16.09~~

You Save: $1.14 (7%)

By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use

Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company

People who bought this also bought

Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1

Only from Audible

Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1

Product details

Listening Length	3 hours and 52 minutes
Author	Alexander McCall Smith
Narrator	Paul Hecht
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	January 07, 2005
Publisher	Recorded Books
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0007OB5I0
Best Sellers Rank	#177,911 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #555 in Satire Fiction (Audible Books & Originals) #2,197 in Humorous Fiction (Audible Books & Originals) #8,296 in Fiction Satire

Customer reviews

5 star		63%
4 star		16%
3 star		13%
2 star		4%
1 star		4%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Avid Reader

Clueless professor stumbling his way through life

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2013

Verified Purchase

I have not read the other books in this series. I purchased this one first as it got the best reviews from Amazon readers. I loved this absurd take on a clueless, selfcentered German academic who bumbles his way from the southern U.S., to Italy and a Mediterranean cruise, This is absurd satire at its best and reminded me a great deal of Nikolai Gogol's short story "The Nose."

It's nothing like Alexander McCall Smith's Corduroy Mansions and Isabel Dalhousie series (I haven't yet read the No. 1 Ladies Detective and 44 Scotland St. Series). His other works can sport dry humor and irony, but this series is off the Richter scale when it comes to dry humor and absurd coincidence.. I loved it and had to share the stories. I have more than a dozen other AMSmith books on my bookshelf to read from his other series that I've collected over the past year, but I will eventually be looking for the other volumes in this series because the doctor and his colleagues, no matter the predictability of their relationship, are great reading.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jon Linden

Academia Meets Life!

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2005

Verified Purchase

In his most recent book, Alexander McCall Smith reveals some of the intrinsic characteristics of collegiate academic life. He highlights the pomposity, arrogance and constant quest for self-recognition that characterizes the avocation. With tremendous aplomb, McCall Smith relates the misadventures of Herr Professor Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, a professor of "Romance Philology." His great work of academic achievement in his lifetime is a respected book called "Portuguese Irregular Verbs."

While his specialty and achievement are surely somewhat esoteric and of interest mostly to academicians, rather than regular people, the book presents multiple situations in which Dr. von Igelfeld presents his specialty to regular people. As per the title of the book; the good `Doktor' presents a lecture on "Sausage Dogs" or as we know them better, "Dachshunds," in an attempt to get American recognition. Interestingly, he thought he was to speak on "Portuguese Irregular Verbs" but with a little last minute adjustment, the Professor does in fact give a lecture on "Sausage Dogs."

In the book, it is the interrelation of this "Ivory Tower" mindset and the more mundane mindset of people outside this environment that McCall Smith concentrates on illustrating. He keenly shows the reader the almost `back-biting' environment internal to academic life, and then, more specifically and graphically, shows us the way in which one of these academics relates, or fails to relate, to normal people in a world outside of academia. As can be expected, this combination results in some extremely amusing outcomes.

Smith is in good form in this book, although it is not one of his best. Nonetheless, devotees of the Alexander McCall Smith multiple scenarios and other works, will find this book quite in line with the McCall Smith they have grown to know and love.

14 people found this helpful

Helpful

Wolf Finkbeiner

Witty, Dark humor, superbly done!

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2005

Verified Purchase

Very, very few books make me laugh out loud. This book did. Professor von Igelfield is a great character who isn't above misrepresenting himself in tight situations.

Through one such situation he ends up operating on a colleague's Dachsund sausage dog. Tragically, through a series of errors, three of the poor dog's legs end up amputated: "An elaborate harness was secured round the dog's body and attached to this were three small wheels. By using its remaining leg as a paddle, the dog could propel itself on its wheels and get anywhere it wished to get. Only very occasionally did the system not work, as had happened once or twice on a hill, when the dog had got out of control and careered down the pavement on its tiny wheels, unable to stop itself, and had ended up on a lawn or in a bush." Thus a feud starts between Dr. von Igelfield and his colleague over the unfortunate state of the dog. A great and fun book that I highly recommend.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Judith A. Lemmon

Professor Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld world is insane and funny.

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2019

Verified Purchase

I love Alexander McCall Smith's books and the professor in this book does not disappoint the reader. He ends up operating on a friend's dachshund without a license and he goes on a cruise to lecture, is put in a cramped cabin and nobody comes to his lecture. Dr. Igelfeld and his friends, Professor Dr.Dr. Florianus Prinzel and Dr. Underholzer are always getting themselves in predicaments as they follow their life's work at the Institute of Romance Philology. I look forward to reading "At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances."

One person found this helpful

Helpful

John A. Buehrens

Dog Crap

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

This is dog crap. AMS has a well-deserved rep for characterization, humor and humanity. But he has now turned into a sausage factory with no quality control. He, his editor, and his publisher should be ashamed.

Helpful

Barbara

Another recommendable McCall Smith novel

Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2013

Verified Purchase

I have never read an Alexander McCall novel I did not like, and this book of his is no exception. It is entertaining, even funny, and well written. Having been born German I enjoyed the references to German character and quirks. The effect it had on me is that I will continue to purchase more McCall Smith novels. This novel is not a suspenseful adventure type novel, but I was not looking for that. As always the author proves to be good in developing a story and providing us with an interesting protagonist.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Bonny Scot

especially the wonderful names, he gives his characters

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

This novel was McCall Smith at his most whimsical. It is delightful to read,,especially the wonderful names,he gives his characters. I have really enjoyed all of the books that I have read of his prodigious output

RICHARD

EXCELLENT BOOK

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2019

Verified Purchase

A VERY GOOD LAUGH, EXCELLENT BOOK, GOOD PRICE

Babs

An excellent read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

Another excellent story from Alexander McCall Smith about Moritz-Maria con Igelfeld, one of three.

Cheryl Barrow

Misleading

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2019

Verified Purchase

Not what I was expecting

Jeremy G

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 24, 2015

Verified Purchase

no further comment needed - happy with purchase

See all reviews

The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Read & Listen

Enjoy a free trial on us $0.00

Buy with 1-Click $14.95

People who bought this also bought

Related to this topic

Only from Audible

Product details

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Enjoy a free trial on us

$0.00

Buy with 1-Click

$14.95