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Portuguese Irregular Verbs #6
The Lost Language of Oysters
The latest book in Alexander McCall Smith's entertaining and hilarious Professor von Igelfeld series
Professor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld is not just any German professor - he is the author of that great work of scholarship, Portuguese Irregular Verbs. His eminence in language studies is widely recognised, even if it is rarely acknowledged by his colleague, Professor Detlev-Amadeus Unterholzer, author of a much less important work on the subjunctive. Their rivalry bubbles away under the surface, but is apt to come into the open if something unusual disturbs the calm waters of the institute in Regensburg in which they both work.
One such event is the arrival from New Orleans of two visiting scholars. These ladies, Professor Pom Pom Boisseau, and her friend, Professor Alice Martinique, are both experts in the Provençal language as well as being keen bikers. When they choose to arrive on large, noisy motorbikes, Unterholzer is shocked, but von Igelfeld is rather taken with Pom Pom. In fact, he is very taken with her, even to the extent of going for a ride with her on her motorbike.
Anybody can tell that this infatuation will lead to disappointment, if not worse. But for von Igelfeld, disasters often arrive in twos and threes. The great professor is invited to attend a student occasion in which the old habit of duelling rears its head. He is handed a sword...
Von Igelfeld may suffer humiliation after humiliation, but at the end of it all there is the promise of a visit to Louisiana, a culinary paradise, where important research is being undertaken into communication among oysters...
Professor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld is not just any German professor - he is the author of that great work of scholarship, Portuguese Irregular Verbs. His eminence in language studies is widely recognised, even if it is rarely acknowledged by his colleague, Professor Detlev-Amadeus Unterholzer, author of a much less important work on the subjunctive. Their rivalry bubbles away under the surface, but is apt to come into the open if something unusual disturbs the calm waters of the institute in Regensburg in which they both work.
One such event is the arrival from New Orleans of two visiting scholars. These ladies, Professor Pom Pom Boisseau, and her friend, Professor Alice Martinique, are both experts in the Provençal language as well as being keen bikers. When they choose to arrive on large, noisy motorbikes, Unterholzer is shocked, but von Igelfeld is rather taken with Pom Pom. In fact, he is very taken with her, even to the extent of going for a ride with her on her motorbike.
Anybody can tell that this infatuation will lead to disappointment, if not worse. But for von Igelfeld, disasters often arrive in twos and threes. The great professor is invited to attend a student occasion in which the old habit of duelling rears its head. He is handed a sword...
Von Igelfeld may suffer humiliation after humiliation, but at the end of it all there is the promise of a visit to Louisiana, a culinary paradise, where important research is being undertaken into communication among oysters...
240 pages, Paperback
Published February 3, 2026
98 people are currently reading
3688 people want to read
About the author
Alexander McCall Smith
659 books12.8k followersAlexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 10, 2025
The latest episode in the life of Professor von Igenfeld at the Institute where he works in Regensburg. Two visiting scholars from New Orleans provide lots of entertainment especially as they are women as well as being keen bikers. Von Igenfeld even goes so far as to have a ride on the back of Professor Pom Pom Boisseaus' motor bike. Several uncomfortable events occur to upset von Igenfeld but by the end of the book he has recovered and is looking forward to a visit to Louisiana.
The story is about linguistics but I was mostly amazed by the author's own language skills. His prose is a joy to read and his knowledge of everything and anything is quite staggering. At only 226 pages this is a little gem of a book. Five stars!
The story is about linguistics but I was mostly amazed by the author's own language skills. His prose is a joy to read and his knowledge of everything and anything is quite staggering. At only 226 pages this is a little gem of a book. Five stars!
September 19, 2025
“Language evolved in the stomachs of the living, in the usage of ordinary people who were, for the most part, misinformed and wrong about so much.”
The Lost Language Of Oysters is the sixth book in the Professor Dr Von Igelfeld series. The Institute of Romance Philology at the University of Regensburg is about to host two female professors from the Tulane University in New Orleans, keen bikers who have hired red Ducatis on which to get around for their five-week stay. While Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld thinks trains would be perfectly adequate, he will, of course, be welcoming.
His colleague, Professor Unterholzer, though, is worried the Institute’s reputation will be irretrievably ruined, and at von Igelfeld’s indifference, he wonders “what hope there is of maintaining the Academy’s defences against the tides of vulgarisation lapping at its shores.” When von Igelfeld accepts a ride with Professor Pom Pom Boisseau, Unterholzer is sure he has taken leave of his senses, and devises a plan to have his sanity covertly assessed: perhaps von Igelfeld will need a break and his office can be appropriated?
After the ride though, Moritz-Maria believes he’s in love. The only thing distracting him from Pom Pom is trying to get hold of an advance copy of a book that has a chapter praising his seminal work, Portuguese Irregular Verbs. He learned of it at a conference, from an Italian professor he would have ignored on the basis of his paper, A Neanderthal Suppositional Grammar, until the man alerted him to the book. But the Institute’s only copy is out on loan to Professor Unterholzer: vanity and curiosity see von Igelfeld firstly in a situation of potential moral compromise with a local politician, then in a very tight spot.
Before their visitors return to Louisiana, von Igelfeld ends up with a duelling injury which, bizarrely, comes in handy when he overreacts to honours heaped upon his colleague and rival. He is grateful for the support of the unassuming (but often tedious) librarian, Herr Huber, and when he has the good fortune to himself have an honour bestowed, he is urged to be charitable to that rival.
Alexander McCall Smith has the singular talent of being able to write a whole series with tongue firmly in cheek, even as he makes insightful observations about academia: office envy, sensitivity over titles and qualifications, jealousy over accolades meted out to others, and the possessive guarding of coffee room privileges. And he allows his characters some wisdom: “There is no point in engaging with taxi drivers. With skills so sharp that they might have been honed in an ancient Greek academy of rhetoric, they always win.” Guaranteed to entertain.
The Lost Language Of Oysters is the sixth book in the Professor Dr Von Igelfeld series. The Institute of Romance Philology at the University of Regensburg is about to host two female professors from the Tulane University in New Orleans, keen bikers who have hired red Ducatis on which to get around for their five-week stay. While Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld thinks trains would be perfectly adequate, he will, of course, be welcoming.
His colleague, Professor Unterholzer, though, is worried the Institute’s reputation will be irretrievably ruined, and at von Igelfeld’s indifference, he wonders “what hope there is of maintaining the Academy’s defences against the tides of vulgarisation lapping at its shores.” When von Igelfeld accepts a ride with Professor Pom Pom Boisseau, Unterholzer is sure he has taken leave of his senses, and devises a plan to have his sanity covertly assessed: perhaps von Igelfeld will need a break and his office can be appropriated?
After the ride though, Moritz-Maria believes he’s in love. The only thing distracting him from Pom Pom is trying to get hold of an advance copy of a book that has a chapter praising his seminal work, Portuguese Irregular Verbs. He learned of it at a conference, from an Italian professor he would have ignored on the basis of his paper, A Neanderthal Suppositional Grammar, until the man alerted him to the book. But the Institute’s only copy is out on loan to Professor Unterholzer: vanity and curiosity see von Igelfeld firstly in a situation of potential moral compromise with a local politician, then in a very tight spot.
Before their visitors return to Louisiana, von Igelfeld ends up with a duelling injury which, bizarrely, comes in handy when he overreacts to honours heaped upon his colleague and rival. He is grateful for the support of the unassuming (but often tedious) librarian, Herr Huber, and when he has the good fortune to himself have an honour bestowed, he is urged to be charitable to that rival.
Alexander McCall Smith has the singular talent of being able to write a whole series with tongue firmly in cheek, even as he makes insightful observations about academia: office envy, sensitivity over titles and qualifications, jealousy over accolades meted out to others, and the possessive guarding of coffee room privileges. And he allows his characters some wisdom: “There is no point in engaging with taxi drivers. With skills so sharp that they might have been honed in an ancient Greek academy of rhetoric, they always win.” Guaranteed to entertain.
September 26, 2025
More amusing exploits from the pompous German professors bumbling through ridiculous rivalries and romantic missteps.
March 16, 2026
Reading just the sixth book of a series of 6 actually worked for me. I was amused but probably not enough to go back to the beginning. I have a vague memory of having tried it and put the book back on the shelf at the library.
Library Loan
Library Loan
February 22, 2026
von Igelfeld rides on a motorbike, fights a duel, and hides in a closet. This series is so silly and so funny.
March 3, 2026
The last few pages of this book are just splendid and redeeming to my soul. The ending elevates the entire book and all the petty and often very entertaining situations that lead up to the beautiful ending.
I often say that I feel like a better person when I finish almost any book my Alexander McCall Smith.
I might be his #1 fan or at least in the top 97%.
I often say that I feel like a better person when I finish almost any book my Alexander McCall Smith.
I might be his #1 fan or at least in the top 97%.
July 24, 2025
Begins and develops as another charming, gentle and politely surreal pastiche of academic life, but I found the ending unsatisfactory.
March 1, 2026
Whoever says that the study of linguistics is dry and without humor has not read this latest book about Moritz-Maria von Ingelfeld, author of Portuguese Irregular Verbs.
Alexander McCall Smith has a delightful sense of language, as he delves into this off-beat character, a writer and professor at a prestigious institute in Germany.
This is a delightfully humorous look at linguistics and the politics of an institute of higher thought.
Alexander McCall Smith has a delightful sense of language, as he delves into this off-beat character, a writer and professor at a prestigious institute in Germany.
This is a delightfully humorous look at linguistics and the politics of an institute of higher thought.
March 26, 2026
Professor Dr. Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld - blumbler academic is good for a chuckle.
February 17, 2026
I love this author so much, and this series is a delight.
March 2, 2026
I started this book being familiar with the author but not this series and fully expected a mystery to take place. When I realized there was no mystery I was taken in so much by the characters and tongue in cheek humor that I didn’t mind. It feels like the kind of book that the author was meant to write all along. He clearly loves manipulating words and I enjoyed being along for the ride.
It follows Professor von Igelfeld, an important author of Portuguese Irregular Verbs and his antics with his colleagues at an institute in Regensburg, Germany. I was surprised how much humor there was in it. It’s a very dry, what I think of as very British humor, heady and subtle, straight faced ridiculousness. The plot was slow-moving but enjoyable.
This book is not for everyone but if you like character driven stories, dad jokes and word of the day calendars you will love this book. I will definitely go back and read the earlier books and look forward to another book after this.
It follows Professor von Igelfeld, an important author of Portuguese Irregular Verbs and his antics with his colleagues at an institute in Regensburg, Germany. I was surprised how much humor there was in it. It’s a very dry, what I think of as very British humor, heady and subtle, straight faced ridiculousness. The plot was slow-moving but enjoyable.
This book is not for everyone but if you like character driven stories, dad jokes and word of the day calendars you will love this book. I will definitely go back and read the earlier books and look forward to another book after this.
July 13, 2025
Rather an odd addition to the series, Von Igelfeld is a figure of absurdity and pomposity in the other books, here he's just a slightly eccentric academic... two stereotypical 'dykes on bikes' are introduced, visiting professors from New Orleans, but no, they're married heterosexuals? Then at the end, a plot device is lifted (can one plagiarise oneself?) wholesale from the last Isabel Dalhousie...
Is AMS even writing these books?
Is AMS even writing these books?
October 5, 2025
This is my favourite McCall Smith series.
Some of his books have rather tedious know-it-all characters who take themselves very seriously, such as Ms Dalhousie and they are not at all humorous.
The Professor Dr Von Igelfeld books (interestingly called "entertainments") are full of tedious characters who are actually very funny.Nowhere else in this writer's canon does one laugh out loud so much.
In this day of tedious wokery and attempts to censor free speech, it is nice to see that one can still poke fun at people and not be cancelled.The author's very funny gentle teasing of Germans gets by, unlike John Cleese's dangerously censored "Fawlty Towers".
McCall Smith is also I think laughing at himself when talking about the characters' pursuit of honorary degrees, as he himself is the recipient of these from 13 universities.
I enjoyed the Italian Professor lecturing on early languages that were so early and obscure as to have left behind no evidence of their existence at all.That won't stop a good linguistics expert!
To prove there is nothing wrong with repeating other people's witticisms,I loved his reference to Lord Palmerston's quote:"Only three people have really understood the Schleswig-Holstein business;the Prince Consort,who is dead;a German professor, who has gone mad and I,who have forgotten all about it." Nice to see the use of the much maligned semi-colon,and what a contrast to the hopeless and foolishly embarrassing David Lammy version of a Foreign Secretary.
I loved von Igelfeld's ruminations on whether Tennyson actually stole the famous quote about being better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all from Goethe,because it was such a good line reported to be by the English lord.
The whole book is McCall Smth at his finest:witty,thoughtful and teasing of others.
Some of his books have rather tedious know-it-all characters who take themselves very seriously, such as Ms Dalhousie and they are not at all humorous.
The Professor Dr Von Igelfeld books (interestingly called "entertainments") are full of tedious characters who are actually very funny.Nowhere else in this writer's canon does one laugh out loud so much.
In this day of tedious wokery and attempts to censor free speech, it is nice to see that one can still poke fun at people and not be cancelled.The author's very funny gentle teasing of Germans gets by, unlike John Cleese's dangerously censored "Fawlty Towers".
McCall Smith is also I think laughing at himself when talking about the characters' pursuit of honorary degrees, as he himself is the recipient of these from 13 universities.
I enjoyed the Italian Professor lecturing on early languages that were so early and obscure as to have left behind no evidence of their existence at all.That won't stop a good linguistics expert!
To prove there is nothing wrong with repeating other people's witticisms,I loved his reference to Lord Palmerston's quote:"Only three people have really understood the Schleswig-Holstein business;the Prince Consort,who is dead;a German professor, who has gone mad and I,who have forgotten all about it." Nice to see the use of the much maligned semi-colon,and what a contrast to the hopeless and foolishly embarrassing David Lammy version of a Foreign Secretary.
I loved von Igelfeld's ruminations on whether Tennyson actually stole the famous quote about being better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all from Goethe,because it was such a good line reported to be by the English lord.
The whole book is McCall Smth at his finest:witty,thoughtful and teasing of others.
March 23, 2026
For years I’ve been reading just about every title from Herr Dr Prof Alexander Smith. He is dryly hilarious — pomposity popped! Egos exposed! Societal norms questioned! There’s some redundancy, predictable patterns of behavior (characters often search the ceiling for insights), but scholarship and keen observations are everywhere evident, nowhere more so than in the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series. They can be read independently but it helps enrich one’s appreciation of Von Iglefeld’s academic brouhahas to read them all in sequence. The Lost Language of Oysters has little to do with oysters but there’s a connection with New Orleans via two visiting motorcycling scholars, one of whom, “Pom Pom,” stirs romantic feelings in Iglefeld, who is invited to ride Pellion with her around the Regensburg university where low-stakes competitions for office space and acknowledgment continue. The usual sorts of bureaucratic effronteries are met archly but with regard for academic etiquette.
February 22, 2026
I was looking forward to another charming mystery set in Germany and was disappointed in this book because it consisted of a lot of posturing, with the MC, Prof Igelfeld looking for accolades about his book Portuguese Irregular Verbs which he thought were written in another book that a colleague borrowed from the library and kept for the full 6 weeks. In addition to this stressor, Igelfeld's office was in a highly desirable location, and another professor wanted his space. Enter two female visiting professors from Tulane University, who arrived on motorcycles, and the staid scholars are shocked. Even so, Iglefeld is smitten with one of the women- Pom Pom and they do have some amusing moments. Unfortunately, for me there was very little story to this book and it lacked the charm that I've been used to with the author's other series.
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
March 8, 2026
9/10! never read any of the books in this series or by this author, just picked itbecause i thought the cover and title were lovely. it's? surprisingly subtle about basically everything even though i laughed aloud quite a few times and was throughly amused. there are lots of callbacks to other books in ther series (which i can tell just from the titles and summaries of the other books, lol) but it wasn't distracting at all. shoutout to my favorite joke (uber-huber/mega-huber) and to the very short chapter about picnicking, which i thought was very silly and sweet <3
December 6, 2025
Elinor Oliphant/Olive Kitteridge style characters, except a million of them and was a bit too ridiculous for me. Bumped up to 3 stars because a few moments did make me laugh out loud including the natural use of the word pettifoggery, someone called Herr Huber grumbling about a Herr Uber-Huber etc etc.
March 4, 2026
Professor Dr. von Igelfeld is very aware of vaunted position in the academic world, and he tries to rise above the petty squabbles around him. However, the squabbles land on his office doorstep this time. There are conspirators to deal with, bureaucrats to put firmly in place, and motorcycles to ride. There is quite a lot going on in this episode, and it is all very funny and entertaining.
March 24, 2026
I have read and enjoyed several of McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels, so I decided to enter this Goodreads giveaway. Thank you to Vintage Books for the opportunity to read and review the book. Unfortunately, there is not much to say other than that I found it mildly amusing. Perhaps if I had read the previous five installments, it would have been better appreciated.
August 8, 2025
Im a big fan of AMC overall, although Less of a fan of the Von-Ingelfeld series. The characters, while quirky are just a tad not as attractive as the others like Bertie. This series feels much more of a parody than the other series.
Nonetheless there are a fun and diverting read
Nonetheless there are a fun and diverting read
February 18, 2026
I love Alexander McCall Smith!! That said, Portuguese Irregular Verbs is my least favorite of his series. Top two: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and 44 Scotland Street. I still love his sense of humor. The Isabel Dalhousie books are a study in philosophy - this series is a study of egos and absurdity. Professor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld's claim to fame is a book on Portuguese irregular verbs - hardly significant except in a very small world. His self-importance would lead you to believe he was a Nobel contender. Still fun... Kristi & Abby Tabby
March 4, 2026
Oyster Talk
Another McCall Smith delight! The stuff-shirtedness of Von Igelfeld and the subtle humor of Master McCall Smith never fail to elicit a chuckle and I sometimes just have to laugh out loud!
Another McCall Smith delight! The stuff-shirtedness of Von Igelfeld and the subtle humor of Master McCall Smith never fail to elicit a chuckle and I sometimes just have to laugh out loud!
March 12, 2026
*** Possible Spoilers ***
A charming and amusing book. The plot is a bit thin and character development is minimal; however, if you like whimsy, and a little satire directed at certain professors within academia, I think you might like it.
A charming and amusing book. The plot is a bit thin and character development is minimal; however, if you like whimsy, and a little satire directed at certain professors within academia, I think you might like it.
March 26, 2026
Picked this up off the library's new acquisitions shelf without knowing it was part of a larger series; it works wonderfully as a standalone.
Totally hilarious, had me laughing out loud at a few points. I work in academia loved seeing that particular brand of silliness on the page.
Totally hilarious, had me laughing out loud at a few points. I work in academia loved seeing that particular brand of silliness on the page.
May 27, 2025
Gentle leg pulling among German professors. Two lady professors arrive on motorbikes from the University of Tulane and Von Iglefeld falls in love.
June 22, 2025
Absolutely brilliant! Simplicity that brings joy to my soul.
July 15, 2025
Utterly delightful.
July 30, 2025
A bit silly, and not his best work in my opinion, but it was ok.
August 10, 2025
Professor Moritz-Maria von Iglefeld stays one of my favourite characters in literature.
Read
August 24, 2025Very entertaining
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews