The Best of Rumpole: Chosen By the Author

Rumpole of the Bailey #1-10

by John Mortimer

Here are seven stories--selected and with an introduction by the author--featuring Horace Rumpole, star of the popular PBS television series "Rumpole of the Bailey." The corpulent "great defender of muddled and sinful humanity" is joined by a winning cast in tales that deftly send up the British legal system with their wry humor and sparkling wit.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Literature, Short Stories

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

John Clifford Mortimer was a novelist, playwright and former practising barrister. Among his many publications are several volumes of Rumpole stories and a trilogy of political novels, Paradise Postponed, Titmuss Regained and The Sound of Trumpets, featuring Leslie Titmuss - a character as brilliant as Rumpole. John Mortimer received a knighthood for his services to the arts in 1998.

Series:
Rumpole of the Bailey
Rapstone Chronicles

Reviews

[Susan Kendrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this while waiting to see if I was going to get picked for jury duty, which felt appropriate. Rumpole is funny, sarcastic and cynical. I enjoyed this book because each chapter was its own little short story. Recommend if you like dry British wit.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read any Rumpole stories until now. This is a great collection, and if you are curious about British legal thrillers this is a wonderful introduction. I especially appreciate that although Rumpole is a learned member of the legal class, he has no patience for the upper class twits that populate the courts.

[Jyothi Menon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, excellent read. Humorous. And also the realities of the legal system.

[Mike Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never read Rumpole before but I enjoyed it.
Enough said, I think.

[Mikeh5972 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a delight to re-read the stories in this collection. John Mortimer has created a wonderful character whose antics still make me laugh. Rumpole is one of the great comic characters. His interactions with Hilda and his colleagues are an absolute delight.

[Nancy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely collection of short stories by one of my favorite authors. The humor is typical English and very dry, never hurtful and the characters well drawn. It is fun to remember the old series seen on PBS. Almost makes you like lawyers (just kidding).

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading anything by John Mortimer and I have not seen any of the Rumpole of the Bailey Television shows. I loved the very English humour. I will definitely read more.

[Mark Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable trip down memory lane and reminiscing about Leo McKern's performance as Rumpole of the Bailey.

[Vivien Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. Great insight into life in chambers and the great characters. The best character of all being Rumpole himself. Very funny and clever book. Thoroughly recommend it.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's years, decades even, since I last read a Rumpole story, but hearing and enjoying some of the recent reruns of the radio series on BBC Radio 4 Extra prompted me to keep a look out for collection. There are a lot to be had in second hand bookshops but I picked this because it's a personal selection made by the author. What surprised me most was how much the stories in this collection have the feeling of belonging to another era, although they were originally published between 1978 and 1992. Each story is perfectly formed, entire of itself; the plotting and pacing are spot on, and the character of Horace Rumpole is a wonderful creation, but the subject matter and the attitudes that John Mortimer is mocking in the stories seem to come from a world that is now lost, and the treatment occasionally heavy-handed. This is particularly true of stories like Rumpole a la Carte and Rumpole and the Children of the Devil. The most successful stories are those least tied to a social issue of the time: Rumpole and the Tap End (the funniest story in the book) and probably the best story in the whole collection, Rumpole on Trial.

[Natali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fun detective-ish stories starring the curmudgeonly, poetry-quoting barrister Rumpole. I'd like to see the BBC TV versions now. There were some great one-liners, but one of my favorites is below from the story "Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation." Claude, one of Rumpole's colleagues, is staying with Rumpole & his wife, and instead of bacon and eggs for breakfast, he "preferred a substance, apparently made up of sawdust and bird droppings, which he called muesli." Claude then asked for some organic honey.

"And what the hell," I took the liberty of asking, "is organic honey?"
"The bees only sip from flowers grown without chemical fertilizers," Claude explained patiently.
"How does the bee know?"
"What?"
"I suppose the other bees tell it. 'Don't sip from that, old chap. It's been grown with chemical fertilizers.' "

[Carmille · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading Rumpole and I think because of this book, I will ty to read more of this witty, poetic old hack. His unique "character" puts him in grave contrast to the bleak countenance that his co-workers possess. His dry humour, barely shielded insults and quick brains brings life to the otherwise traditional, almost aristocratic court life in Old Bailey.

Also, I love the interaction between the old man and She Who Must Be Obeyed. Their love-hate relationship never fails to bring a smile to my face!

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these short stories. Rumpole is a very funny narrator in both his perception and explanation of things around him. For example, he mentions a little girl having 'a Barbie doll, which I have since discovered to be a miniature American person with a beehive hairdo and a large wardrobe.' These stories were full of interesting twists and unique characters, and provided a pleasant diversion during a very long car trip!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good bedtime book. I quite liked the characters, including the villains, and I found myself not liking Rumpole's esteemed colleagues. How much of this is close to reality and how much of it is fantasy, only goodness knows. The key thing is that I enjoyed the stories and that they settled me well enough before bed.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are few things not to love about Rumpole; his constant battle for the underdog, fondness of a good quip, and his never-ending love of a bottle, or ten, of claret (good or otherwise!).

Few fictional barristers come close to the richness that Mortimer instills in Rumpole.

[JoAnn Ainsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only I can emulate his sense of humor. Terrific short stories.

[Jlnpeacock Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mortimer writes in a delightful way. I don't appreciate his view of marriage, but I do enjoy his humour. I appreciate, too, his view of the legal system.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too clever, while lacking enough other qualities to hold my attention, so I lost interest. Not bad, might be fun some other time.

[Muneera Salem-Murdock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read years ago and enjoyed it.

[Karen Baadsgaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

BORING- DIDN'T READ