Click and Clack, the Tappert brother, of the NPR show Car Talk are just like Nero Wolfe, except ambulating and comedic. People call in about their car problems providing only a mysterious situation with little information. Click and Clack go to town with probing, seemingly unrelated queries. Their intuition, experience and brilliance guide them to a certain solution.
Clients hire Nero Wolfe, the detective extraordinaire of Rex Stout, to solve their impossible quandaries. Wolfe is an unamicable, obese, agoraphobic, alcoholic genius that haughtily and smoothly uncovers the mysteries of his clients by direct questioning, precise observation and the errands of his employee and the narrator, Archie Goodwin.
The same observant genius permeates both Click and Clack and Nero, which differs significantly from Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Archie is the humorous narrator and lacky, who admits Wolfe's genius in a somewhat flippant and disrespectful way. Watson worships the feet of Holmes, never questioning him and always in awe of his reason. Wolfe's utilizes observation of humans, while Holmes is focused more on his genius knowlege of minute details that would challenge any Wikipedia buff. Wolfe's addition is beer and food, while Holmes' are cocaine and opium. The mysterious violin playing of Holmes and the orchidae obession of Wolfe's are similar in their ability to recharge the detective and probably incubate theories.
So, in short, Car Talk, Nero Wolfe and Sherlock Holmes are three intriguing deliveries of detection with completely different format and presentation, yet with underlying similarities, which make them all a good read or listen.
You are a literary highbrow. If you had the time you could make a living doing book reviews!
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