Portuguese Irregular Verbs, Alexander McCall-Smith.
Polygon, 2003. isbn 0 954 40756 3, rrp $19.95
The misleading title of Portuguese Irregular Verbs is the beginning of a frolic through the banal world of Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld. The novel follows the professor through his life as the author of a highly praised philology treatise, entitled ‘Portuguese Irregular Verbs’. Praised by his peers and flattered by his own ego, von Igelfeld convinces the reader that his academic success was ‘a work of such majesty that it dwarfed all other books in the field’. The story follows von Igelfeld’s journeys to Dublin, Goa and Venice on an insatiable quest to discover language and to promote his prowess in the knowledge of, amongst other things, irregular verbs in Portuguese.
Portuguese Irregular Verbs is an addictive work of fiction. While the triviality of Dr von Igelfeld’s life may seem tedious, the vernacular in which the story is told is delightful. As a result, the narrative drifts without any real climaxes or pitfalls, leaving the beauty in the detailed descriptions: ‘He stared at his roll. Had the honey been evenly spread, or was it too concentrated on one side?’
The story does not invite the reader to empathise with von Igelfeld’s profession, but more with his personal endeavours to make sense of a world in which he cannot quite fit. Von Igelfeld’s musings are hilarious, and his oddball observations of language and personality are more than enough to keep turning the pages.
Kate Stowell
Golden Threads: The Chinese in regional New South Wales 1850–1950, Janis Wilton.
Powerhouse Publishing, 2004. isbn 1 863 17107 X, rrp $34.95
Golden Threads is a visually captivating, beautifully presented insight into the lives and experiences of Chinese immigrants in our nation’s recent history.
In the interests of simplicity and coherence, the book is organised by theme; work, language, leisure, food, beliefs, leaving and staying. A heavy reliance on objects, photos and paintings throughout only enhances the work and provides a focal point for the text. Within each theme, Wilton weaves factual information, immigrants’ recollections, museum collections, and the ‘fluctuating attitudes of white Australia’ into a seamless account of life for early Chinese immigrants in colonial Australia. Skilfully done, it is the recollections of the subjects themselves that bring the book to life. From long hours spent labouring to weekly cricket matches, each story captures the tone and voice of its speaker providing the reader