Product Description
John Mortimer’s bestselling barrister is back, in his most timely case yet

Just in case Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders gave fans the impression that the Great Defender was resting on his laurels, his new case sends him at full sail into our panicky new world. Rumpole is asked to defend a Pakistani doctor who has been imprisoned without charge or trial on suspicion of aiding Al Qaeda. Meanwhile, on the home front, She Who Must Be Obeyed is threatening to share her intimate view of her husband in a tell-all memoir. The result is Rumpole at his most ironic and indomitable, and John Mortimer at his most entertaining. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Rumpole: The Presumption of Excellence
When the character of Rumpole was first created in the mid-1970s, he was described as being on the cusp of retirement.The television series and the books detailing Rumpole's subsequent adventures have continued for over three decades, but the character has remained about the same age while the world and society alters around him.Keeping a static, stable and unchanging known-quantity as his main character allows author John Mortimer to give us an old-fashioned outlook into an increasingly changing world.

In the past few books this was used mostly for comic effect: Rumpole dealing with political correctness and smoking bans, the revelation of Sam Ballard's punk-rock youth, the need for his legal chambers to possess a modern and engaging website.However, in RUMPOLE AND THE REIGN OF TERROR we see Rumpole's values and principles challenged in a world of post-9/11 laws and procedures.

Fortunately for Rumpole, he isn't having to deal with the indignity of pointless shoe-removal at airport security lines; instead he's looking at the impact on the British justice system, the weakening of habeas corpus and the decline of the presumption of innocence.

In the story, a Pakistani doctor is being held without charge on terrorism suspicions.Of course, given the level of coincidence that's endearingly present in most Rumpole stories, it won't be a shock to reveal that the connection to Rumpole is not because of his stellar legal reputation.Rather it is because of the fact that the doctor's in-laws happen to be the Timson clan, a family of minor criminals who pop up frequently in the Rumpole stories.

In any event, the thought of someone held in custody without charge or explanation rattles the core of Rumpole's principles, regardless of whether the suspected crime is terrorism or not (although Rumpole does begin to have the glimmerings of doubt when he finds some disturbing correspondence which the accused supposedly had in his possession).Defending such an person leaves Rumpole out on his own, and not for the first time in his career.Not only is the press skeptical and unconvinced that terror suspects require access to the judicial system, She Who Must Be Obeyed cannot understand Rumpole's insistence that even accused terrorists are innocent until proven guilty.

Speaking of Rumpole's wife, a fun subplot involves Hilda Rumpole beginning to write her own memoirs as a balance to Rumpole's own writings, which she assumes will paint a less than flattering portrait of herself.As with many of the previous stories, the Hilda subplot is amusing and entertaining.And not for the first time, this seemingly unrelated storyline ends up having a major impact on Rumpole's success in the courtroom.

The tone of THE REIGN OF TERROR is light and comfortable, as is now traditional in Mortimer's Rumpole series.While there are important topics raised and discussed, they never overwhelm the narrative.The story is fun and never overly serious.

It says something about the power of Leo McKern's performance in the television version of the Rumpole stories that reading dialog written over four years after his death and fourteen years after his final performance as the character, I can easily imagineMcKern reciting lines from THE REIGN OF TERROR.John Mortimer is still utterly consistent in his writing, so fans of his earlier work should enjoy this.As for myself, I'm sure I'll be reading the Rumpole stories for as long as Mortimer can keep turning them out.

Rumpole as usual
Now this is how a mystery is done. There are several seemingly unconnected threads which come together effortlessly at the end. Rumpole is his usual sarcastic self. He's still irking judges and smoking small cigars. The book also brings up some very good points about the War on Terror ongoing in the U.S. and the U.K. Rumpole is the liberal view, willing to give his Pakistani client a chance. Hilda (aka She Who Must Be Obeyed) represents the conservative view that all Muslims are guilty until proven innocent. Given Rumpole's dedication to justice and the fact that he is the main character, it is easy to see where Mortimer's sentiments lie. Still, he does a good job of showing the arguments on both sides of the West's discrimination against Muslims, and the climate for terror suspects in the U.K. What results is a great story and a great discussion of current events.

There Will Always Be A Rumpole
This is the second Rumpole book I've read and I think I'm getting the hang of the author and his character.It takes little exposure to become addicted.The Rumpole books are nominally mysteries and very much witty satires.They are the voice-driven "memoirs" of a man with one foot in the past (the time-honored conventions of the English legal profession, the British penchant for irony and wit, the taste for pub fare, etc.) and one foot in the present (9/11, 7/7, global warming, political correctness, etc.), a criminal defense lawyer with a colorful clientele who are all hopeless cases, especially given the biases of pompous prosecutors and judges they're up against.The mystery or suspense lies in how Rumpole prevails, which he does when it comes to making sense of the law and bad behavior; he does not prevail in matters involving politick sensitivity with colleagues or his wife, Hilda, aka She Who Must Be Obeyed.

This time out, Rumpole is defending a Pakistani national who has been detained as a terrorist without rights even though he is a respectable doctor who has practiced his entire career in London and has an English family.The Blair government seems as keen on packing up constitutional rights once and for all as is this side of the pond.Meanwhile, offering comic relief, Hilda's own memoirs are interspersed with Rumpole's.Lots of wit and satire zing the political and pompous without sacrificing due respect for the gravity of the issues.

Rumpole remains, even now... fun.
Rumpole at the end of his career with a shortage of briefs confronts Hilda's memoirs, her old age flirtation, a terrorist case and the ever present Timsons; all neatly wrapped together in what amounts to a novella.

One should always read these treasures with Leo McKern as Rumpole in mind.

Rumpole and the Reign of Terror
A book that uses the present panoply of fears to evoke the best in Rumpole and the author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Engaging profiles done with Mortimer flair....
The man who brought you Titmus and Rumpole tarries briefly with nonfiction in this delightful collection of interviews and profiles of some of Britain's most engaging individuals of the late 20th century.

With the same craftsmanship displayed in his novels, Mortimer quickly but deeply probes into the lives and thoughts of political leaders, religious icons, actors, musicians, and writers. Unlike much of today's so-called journalistic profiling, Mortimer approaches his subjects with a respectful distance that allows for more honest reporting and subtler observation. He always keeps the subjects -- and what they say -- as the center of attention.

Mortimer fans will not want to miss this one. ... Read more

Product Description
The lovable, irreverent, claret-swigging, Wordsworth-spouting criminal lawyer returns to the fray to fight new battles against injustice in this humorous and baffling tie-in to the series to air December 7 through January 11. (Movie/TV Tie-In) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Rumpole Fan
Our public library didn't have this Rumpole book.Now that I've read it I'll donate it to the library.I'm a Rumpole fan.

The splendours and miseries of an old Bailey hack!
In "Rumpole and the Age of Miracles", John Mortimer has served up a veritable smorgasbord of short snappy tales that are the very best that British courtroom humour has to offer. Whether it's criminal trials in the old Bailey or civil trials in Chancery division, Horace Rumpole takes on all comers with a trademarked irreverent disdain for the sanctity of the law, the court, the judiciary and his learned colleagues at the bar. But, make no mistake, Rumpole's disarming attitude and appearance mask a razor sharp legal mind able to cut directly to the heart of the matter and an ability to draw on brutally cunning legal tactics which, for many American readers, will be reminiscent of the television detective, Columbo. He's portrayed as an acute barrister who's quite capable of thinking on his feet and taking full advantage of his opposition, the judge and, indeed, the jury with whatever tricks or twists of fate come his way.

Whether Rumpole is in court or lighting up a cigar and quaffing a glass of Chateau Fleet Street at his favourite after-hours haunt, Pommeroy's Wine Bar, Rumpole is accompanied by an endearing supporting cast that is an integral part of the amusing, indeed often hilarious stories that Mortimer has produced - Guthrie Featherstone QC MP, the stiffly starched and prissy (yet often philandering) head of chambers; Claude Erskine-Brown, the slightly looser barrister who is head over heels in love with the only female member of chambers, the eloquent and deeply feminist Phillida Trant; Rumpole's wife, Hilda, the imposing "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed"; and Percy Timson, the patriarch of a widespread London family of low-level criminals whose bumbling failures are destined to keep Rumpole supplied with a steady stream of defense briefs for as long as he cares to work.

Hilarious brain candy guaranteed to take you away from the worries of the workaday world for a blissful all-too-short few hours. Highly recommended and always delightful.

Paul Weiss

Awesome again!
Mortimer never fails to delight, and this book of seven stories is just as entertaining as any of the others that I've read.As much as I love all the stories, I usually have one that stands out for me.Tbis book had two that were equally wonderful.I liked "Rumpole and the Tap End", and "Rumpole and the Quality of Life".Both are extremely funny, and totally "Rumpolian".Bring on lots more of these wonderful stories for me.Rumpole is truly one of the greatest British comic characters ever created!Grab any one of Mortimer's books, a cup of tea and some "bickies", and prepare to enjoy!

Superb
Classic Rumpole. John Mortimer has become progressively better with time. (The late Leo McKern's acting in the teleplay based on the story that gives this book its title had John Mortimer and Diana Rigg in splits.)

Maximum Material BUT Minimum Audio Pleasure
What great material John Mortimer wrote, only to have some hack of a producer/director and the reader to "put Mr. Mortimer in the frame" for a truely poor listening experience.

Mr. Mortimer should recall every issue of this product before it produces irreparable harm to the Rumple image.

The reader speaks soo fast and with such slur that only one in four words can be understood. For shame. ... Read more

Product Description
Horace Rumpole is the lovable, irreverent, claret-swigging, poetry-spouting criminal lawyer immortalized on TV. By the author of "Rumpole and the Golden Thread" and "In Character". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Enjoyed the book, like the television series better
First Sentence:I, Horace Rumpole, barrister at law, 68 next birthday, Old Bailey Hack, husband to Mrs. Hilda Rumpole (known to me only as She Who Must Be Obeyed) and father to Nicholas Rumpole (lecturer in social studies at the University of Baltimore, I have always been extremely proud of Nick); I, who have a mind full of old murders, legal anecdotes and memorable fragments of old murders, legal anecdotes and memorable fragments of the Oxford book of English Verse...

This first book in the Rumpole series introduces the barrister, his wife, Hilda, and three of his cases.

Rumpole is the consummate English character; he's lord of his courtroom but serf to his wife in his home.The sobriquet of "She Who Must Be Obeyed" is amusing the first couple references but wears thin quickly, although it suits the character.However, I enjoyed the character and the supporting characters around him.I thoroughly enjoyed his penchant for quotations, particularly those of Wordsworth. The stories were entertaining.I like British humor.The hardest part for me is that they were short stories, of which I'm not a particular fan, so there's less character development, arc and dimension.I enjoyed the book, but I actually like the television series better.

The splendours and miseries of an old Bailey hack!
In "Rumpole of the Bailey", John Mortimer has served up a veritable smorgasbord of short snappy tales that are the very best that British courtroom humour has to offer. Whether it's criminal trials in the old Bailey or civil trials in Chancery division, Horace Rumpole takes on all comers with a trademarked irreverent disdain for the sanctity of the law, the court, the judiciary and his learned colleagues at the bar. But, make no mistake, Rumpole's disarming attitude and appearance mask a razor sharp legal mind able to cut directly to the heart of the matter and an ability to draw on brutally cunning legal tactics which, for many American readers, will be reminiscent of the television detective, Columbo.

Whether Rumpole is in court or lighting up a cigar and quaffing a glass of Chateau Fleet Street at his favourite after-hours haunt, Pommeroy's Wine Bar, Rumpole is accompanied by an endearing supporting cast that is an integral part of the amusing, indeed often hilarious stories that Mortimer has produced - Guthrie Featherstone QC MP, the stiffly starched and prissy (yet often philandering) head of chambers; Claude Erskine-Brown, the slightly looser barrister who is head over heels in love with the only female member of chambers, the eloquent and deeply feminist Phillida Trant; Rumpole's wife, Hilda, the imposing "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed"; and Percy Timson, the patriarch of a widespread London family of low-level criminals whose bumbling failures are destined to keep Rumpole supplied with a steady stream of defense briefs for as long as he cares to work.

Hilarious brain candy guaranteed to take you away from the worries of the workaday world for a blissful all-too-short few hours. Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

Not Free SF Reader
An amusing book, with the unlikely hero, if you want to call it that, of Rumpole, a pretty ordinary looking lawyer, toiling away at his job of defending clients, putting up with his wife, his co-workers, and all that sort of thing.

However, he does tend to stick up the underdog and try and look into things that don't seem right.

Thank Heavens We Have Rumpole!
All is right with our world if we have Rumpole adventures to enjoy.This book is the first in a long line of books written by a great comedic author (John Mortimer).This little book contains six different adventures that are a pure delight to enjoy.There is no fictional character like the curmudgeonly Horace Rumpole.This book won't take long to read, but I promise that you will laugh out loud numerous times as we follow Rumpolethe barrister-in-law as he deals with a robbery, a drug-peddling affair at a commune, a rape, a divorce, a safe-cracking case and a nice little murder.I can't wait to read more.

Rumpole v She Who Must Be Obeyed
The first title in the popular series by John Mortimer has Rumpole, the claret swigging, small cigar smoking barrister, facing off against the prosecution in six adventures. This may well be the funniest book that I have ever read. Mortimer is an excellent writer, with a real knack for character development, irony, and hilarious dialogue.

Rumpole is a somewhat broken down defender of criminals, in his 68th year of life and ruled by the iconic wife, "She Who Must Be Obeyed."Rumpole made something of a reputation, more than 30 years ago, as an expert in blood, fingerprints, and typewriters, by winning a few long-forgotten cases in the Old Bailey criminal court.

Now he is passed over for head of chambers and treated as a junior by other barristers with no interest in criminal cases. Crime is considered out of fashion in chambers, as those with an interest in civil cases and standing for parliament are moving ahead quickly.

In fact, Rumpole is not a particularly good attorney, by my count, he loses the majority of his chances.

However, he never fails to be extremely entertaining. In one case, after being relegated to the sidelines by an inept leader, he tries to distract the jury from the colleague's incompetence by the noisy application of flu remedies. Of course, he continues to entertain with the endless application of poetry, especially Keats, to all situations, including those of profound solemnity.

When accused unfairly of malfeasance and threatened with suspension, he indicates to all with great seriousness that his strategy and plan of attack is to trade in his current profession for a new one, growing vegetables behind a subway station. His only true confidante, his son, ultimately leaves London for a wife and job in America, leaving Rumpole to manage as best he can, fortifying himself with claret and small cigars, for the ride home each night.
... Read more

Product Description
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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good introduction to Rumpole
This is a selection of stories chosen by the author himself, showcasing the talents and idiosyncrasies of Horace Rumpole, described by his own wife (known as 'She Who Must be Obeyed') as a character. We follow Rumpole through various cases, which give us an insight into Rumpole's views of life and the law (he is quite scathing of both). We meet various regular inhabitants of the Rumpole stories - the Timosn family, who with their many and varied exploits provide Rumpole with much work; 'Miz Liz' Probert, Rumpole's feminist protégé; uncle Tom, who hasn't seen a brief for many a year and spends his days in chambers practicing his putting; and many others. While very humourous, some of the humour is a bit dated, though this may be part of its appeal for some.

The book is a collection of short stories, originally published elsewhere, and each stands alone. so you are able to dip in and out of this book. I am not really a fan of legal stories, humourous or otherwise, but in short dose these make a light break. It is also a good introduction to the Rumpole stories for those who haven't encountered Rumpole before, or have only met his television incarnation. And the individual stories are short, so it's not like you have wasted much of your time if they are not for you

A sampler of great stories
Well, yes, a strong case could be made that these stories represent the Best of Rumpole, although Rumpolemaniacs must argue for a few omitted cases, but, great as these stories are - and they are engaging, clever, funny, satisfying - I don't know what the purpose of this sampler is meant to be. To introduce Rumpole to a prospective reader I would start with The First Rumpole Omnibus. It addds much to the pleasure of reading Rumpole to get to know him as he develops over the course of the original stories. On the other hand, this makes a terrific airplane or travel read, even for those who've read them all before (Rumpole is one of those characters that not only holds up well read after read but actually improves with familiarity).

Any of the Rumpole books could be on a '10 Best' List
If you were introduced, as I was, to the Rumpole character through the excellent PBS series, there's a treat in store for you. John Mortimer's Rumpole stories are almost too good to be true; they're witty, humorous,and can be enjoyed as examples of good writing in addition to beingwell-plotted mysteries. They're one of the few mystery series which don'tlose enjoyment even after you've seen the film adaptations. My favoriteRumpoles are probably Rumpole a la Carte and Rumpole on Trial; this"Best of" compilation features stories, chosen by Mortimer, fromseveral different eras, including Rumpole's very first appearance. The bookis a good way to get acquainted with Rumpole, and it also makes a greatgift.

The only possible downside is that, after reading the Rumpolestories, you may think that Mortimer's other fiction doesn't *quite*measure up. Here's hoping he decides to bring back Rumpole!

A touch of wry British humour, and starkly genuine..
Mortimer paints a realistic picture of life in a barristers' chambers, but lightens the solemn and sombre mood with the playful descriptions of the characters to whom you will become strongly attached in time.

Even though for one who does not hail from an English background, it was relatively easy to comprehend the sarcasm and ironies aimed at the empty follies of the English legal practioners, which Mortimer portrays through the thoughts and words of Horace Rumpole.Rumpole is a good sort, who seems often the underdog, but deep down he is the barrister who would be the champion for the unjust. ... Read more

Product Description
'Charming, intelligent, cheerful, mellifluous, gossipy and wise. Buy it for Christmas' - Fay Weldon, "Mail on Sunday". John Mortimer recounts an extraordinarily full year in his life, which includes working on films, raising Lottery money for the Royal Court, chairing the committee that will decide on the new Trafalgar Square statue, having lunch with old lags in prison, and harrying New Labour. Public and private, poignant and frank, "The Summer of a Dormouse" is a vivid testimony to the pleasures and pains of old age. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"From this day forth, thou shalt not be able to put on thine own socks."
Using this imagined pronouncement from God as an introduction to his third autobiography, author John Mortimer, barrister, playwright, novelist, and creator of the Rumpole series, muses on aging and the fact that time passes far more swiftly in old age than in youth. He expects the rest of his life to pass as quickly as "the summer of a dormouse." More a diary in book form than an autobiography with a series of strong controlling themes, Mortimer comments on recent events in his life, jumping from topic to topic, then backing up and revisiting those topics when events change or he learns something new.

The beginning of the book emphasizes his relationship with Franco Zeffirelli, for whom he wrote the screenplay for "Tea with Mussolini." He was fascinated by the casting and filming of that production, and his comments about Judy Dench, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith, all Great Ladies of British theatre, who shared billing in the film with the American Cher, add life and spice to the behind the scenes stories, especially when these actors appear nude at Zeffirelli's pool. He jumps quickly from this to his problems with his own broken leg, followed by leg ulcers that will not heal, and his experiments with a "black box," and electrical treatments which have a healing effect.

Soon he is onto the subject of running a campaign to rebuild the Royal Court Theatre, the problems he has had with government financing, with foundations, and with donors. His liberal political goals and his anti-establishment screeds add contemporary British political information to the autobiographical mix, and his reminiscences about growing up with his father, a blind barrister who was carefully tended to by Mortimer's solicitous mother, put his own pre-occupations with the family house and garden into perspective.

Unfortunately, his discussion about his father's blindness, the surgeries his father underwent, his homage to his patient and long-suffering mother, and his own problems and surgeries for detached retinas (apparently inherited) are virtually (if not, actually) lifted from his previous autobiography, Murderers and Other Friends. His story about visiting Sir John Gielgud with his wife and baby daughter Emily in her "pink carry-cot" is also virtually identical to his previous reminiscence from "Murderers and Other Friends." Though he discussed at length his relationship with playwright Harold Pinter in that book, he sees Pinter in this book and comments as if he's never seen him before! Fascinating for anyone who loves Rumpole and the Mortimer writings, this third "autobiography" is more like a free-floating reminiscence written by Mortimer for himself than it is for a wider audience of Mortimer fans.Mary Whipple

Murderers and Other Friends
Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders
Rumpole Misbehaves: A Novel (Rumpole Novels)

... Read more

Product Description
In this, the third installment of his memoirs, John Mortimer, best known as the creator of the Rumpole stories, describes what it is like to be seventy-seven years old but to feel like an eleven-year-old at heart. Though he suffers from the afflictions with which his father contended-asthma, glaucoma-and has added some of his own, he continues to live with boundless energy, passion, and humor. While most people his age are in full retirement, Mortimer is still motoring through life-traveling to Edinburgh with a substitute wife, lunching with prisoners, and dealing with common politicians. Wherever he goes-London, Tuscany, Morocco-Mortimer embraces life and work with enthusiasm, revealing himself as one of the most astute and generous figures of his generation.

"If Mortimer is a dormouse, he is definitely a mouse that roars." (San Francisco Chronicle )

"Mortimer is an entertainer, yet his book addresses serious themes, declines at all turns to condescend to the reader, is written with grace and humor, and manages unfailingly to amuse." (The Washington Post Book World) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

"From this day forth, thou shalt not be able to put on thine own socks."
Using this imagined pronouncement from God as an introduction to his third autobiography, author John Mortimer, barrister, playwright, novelist, and creator of the Rumpole series, muses on aging and the fact that time passes far more swiftly in old age than in youth.He expects the rest of his life to pass as quickly as "the summer of a dormouse."More a diary in book form than an autobiography with a series of strong controlling themes, Mortimer comments on recent events in his life, jumping from topic to topic, then backing up and revisiting those topics when events change or he learns something new.

The beginning of the book emphasizes his relationship with Franco Zeffirelli, for whom he wrote the screenplay for "Tea with Mussolini."He was fascinated by the casting and filming of that production, and his comments about Judy Dench, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith, all Great Ladies of British theatre, who shared billing in the film with the American Cher, add life and spice to the behind the scenes stories, especially when they appear nude at Zeffirelli's pool.He jumps quickly from this to his problems with his own broken leg, followed by leg ulcers that will not heal, and his experiments with a "black box," and electrical treatments which have a healing effect.

Soon he is onto the subject of running a campaign to rebuild the Royal Court Theatre, the problems he has had with government financing, with foundations, and with donors.His liberal political goals and his anti-establishment screeds add contemporary British political information to the autobiographical mix, and his reminiscences about growing up with his father, a blind barrister who was carefully tended to by Mortimer's solicitous mother, put his own pre-occupations with the family house and garden into perspective.

Unfortunately, his discussion about his father's blindness, the surgeries his father underwent, his homage to his patient and long-suffering mother, and his own problems and surgeries for detached retinas (apparently inherited) are virtually (if not, actually) lifted from his previous autobiography, Murderers and Other Friends.His story about visiting Sir John Gielgud with his wife and baby daughter Emily in her "pink carry-cot" is also virtually identical to his previous reminiscence from "Murderers and Other Friends."Though he discussed at length his relationship with playwright Harold Pinter in that book, he sees Pinter in this book and comments as if he's never seen him before!Fascinating for anyone who loves Rumpole and the Mortimer writings, this third "autobiography" is more like a Mortimer reminiscence written for Mortimer himself than it is for a wider audience of Mortimer fans.nMary Whipple

Murderers and Other Friends
Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders
Rumpole Misbehaves: A Novel (Rumpole Novels)

Aedes Gliris
Mortimer, with what I'm sure was a subtle twinkle in his eye, had the words Aedes Gliris -- Latin for "Summer of a Doormouse" -- stitched onto his shirts, as a motto for a happy life that in retrospect passed quickly.

This book made me smile very often, with its understated hilarity and reminiscences of adventures that would exhaust most men, never mind a man of 80 years.Mortimer celebrates his good fortunes in art, in the law, and in love.We learn that women friends had dubbed him "the thinking woman's crumpet."

I enjoyed this small book, but then I should confess to having read all the Rumpole stories many times. I see Mortimer as full of joy, self-effacing, and very wise at this time of his life.

May he write much more.

For what it may be worth
I read a little of this book and then found that I just didn't want to waste my time reading any more.And it sounded so interesting in the NYTimes review!I feel this book is pure garbage.He seems to be under the impression that every thought and memory which flits through his head is of great value.Just as power corrupts, fame insufflates the ego - unless you have the supreme wisdom to resist it.I read halfway thru another book called something like 'the delights of aging'.It was just as disappointing.And I'm aging.Are there any books which genuinely make you believe aging isn't as bad as it feels?Like that music isn't as bad as it sounds? Maybe self-delusion is the only way to joyfully tolerate the whips and scorns. Maybe that's Mortimer's real message here - message by example.

A Man in His Best Season
Everybody and their brother and sister, which includes Gertrude Stein, of course, seems to be penning memoirs. A caveat to the form practiced at its best:The memoir of a man nearly eighty should be read quickly. In part to raise demand - if the recounting is revisited in prose artfully and summons forth a brilliant life - for a return engagement of cottage industriousness from the un-retiring pensioner, and chiefly because the best memoirs offer frothy recollections and musings which naturally propel alacrity.

In the case of "The Summer of a Dormouse" by John Mortimer, the episodic visits taken around the world and within the circle of the celebrated novelist, Queen's Counsel, playwright, knight (bearing a unique coat of arms), and "champagne socialist" end all too soon. We need some levity to dispel the infirmities of old age, septuagenarian John Mortimer advises.

The adapter of "Brideshead Revisited," Mortimer compares his life to scriptwriting's pace, "scenes get shorter and the action speeds up towards the end." And sped-up indeed it is for Mortimer. He plays the strolling scribe and player, from the "Chiantishire" to San Francisco and Watford to Antibes, respectively. He loosely adapts Franco Zeffirelli's life in "Tea with Mussolini" and Laurie Lee's (with whom he worked in government films during WWII) "Cider with Rosie"; for the former he is whisked off to Cinecitta - enclave of la dolce vita for the film industry set.

Back in London, Sir John chairs the Royal Court Theatre's - presenter of George Bernard Shaw and John Osborne - rebuilding. Despite stupefying behind the scrim skirmishes, he soldiers on through meetings with overly sensitive playwrights of the cut-off-your-nose-in-spite-your-face variety. Finally, Mortimer's common sense prevails and the theatre gets built. The redoubtable David Hare, none the worse for bygone artistic differences, writes a play for the new stage.

Goaded by a politico hostess to "have a go" at [then] Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw, this former barrister uses a lunch encounter to argue the defense of civil liberties and Magna Carta, and he hosts another lunch, a fundraiser on behalf of prison reformation, where a CEO is drilled over the company's annual report by a major stockholder--a convict--at the prison's groaning board. He also dispatches his opinion to the newspaper on the crisis in farming, easily deducible from the vantage point of his countryside home that is roundly ignored by Tony Blair's New Labour government. In fact, Mortimer questions whether "the promised land of a Labour Britain" looks or acts any different from its Conservative Party predecessor.

Mortimer recalls, from his youth, the Shakespearean passages his father quoted and conjures the blinded in middle age, intrepid, yet reliant for personal matters such as daily dressing on his wife (Mortimer's own Shavian, strong-willed mother), barrister that mirrors Mortimer's own age-related frailties - from use of a wheelchair to not being able to put on socks anymore - to wistful effect. A tinge is likewise evoked during a visit to an old artist friend with late-stage Alzheimer's who has, nevertheless, recapitulated a radiant painting he had done twenty years earlier, "this was only an echo, something left stranded on the beach after the sea had retreated."

Famed as Mortimer is for his Rumpole of the Bailey series, he acknowledges that when filling up his writing pads he draws more interest from failure than success. Coincidence, perhaps fate, abounds in his lifetime, and he attends the funeral of his first wife, Penelope, with his wife, Penny (for Penelope), surrounded by children of the first marriage and his teenaged daughter from the later union. The couple of years chronicled in this memoir include an eclectic cast of friends and colleagues: Muriel Spark, Neil Kinnock, Stephen Daldry, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Alec Guinness, Lord Richard Attenborough, Joss Ackland, and twins, Vicky and Jackie, who married Deep Purple band members. When an elegiac tone sets in, as birthdays come and friends die, Mortimer says the "cure is to be found among the living..." And so it is.

In the interim between another trip down memory's lane, once past the surfeit of this writer's well-lived life is consumed, the reader can go back to John Mortimer's catalogue of autobiography (now in three published books), novels, and plays. Then, with delight still at the fingertips, perhaps the champagne-tippling dormouse will serve up yet another rich and textured morsel from a gracious and blessedly prolonged summer for Sir John Mortimer, Esquire.

More like a door stop
John Mortimer is a wonderful English author. My husband is a great fan of his work. I read of this book this summer in England and when I returned home I rushed to buy it.
My husband hated it! He said he had already read most of the stories in other works. The author also gives his opinion on the wonderful Labor Party in England. His mother should have taught him not to discuss politics in polite society.
It is really a dreadful book. Only useful as a door stop on a windy day. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A powerful and fascinating play
John Mortimer is well known for his excellent Rumpole of the Bailey books, which were turned into brilliant television shows starring veteran actor Leo McKern. Actually, one of Mr. Mrotimer's earliest works was an autobiographical work entitled A Voyage Round My Father, which in 1971 was adapted as a stage play. This version of the play was first performed on June 8, 2006 at the Donmar Warehouse, and starred Derek Jacobi and Dominic Rowan.

Now, I must admit that I do not read many play scripts, preferring prose narratives (novels, usually) instead. However, this powerful and fascinating play conjures up all of the mental images you need to see it performed in the comfort of your own skull. I loved the way the son narrates the story, from school days through to his law career, as he looks back on himself interacting with his irascible father - it's the story of his life, his interaction with his beloved, though exasperating father - a voyage round his father! ... Read more

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John Mortimer was a promising barrister who married a successful novelist (Penelope Mortimer) and then started writing himself. At first he wrote plays, most famously the autobiographical A VOYAGE ROUND MY FATHER, about his blind barrister father. Alec Guinness, Laurence Olivier and Michael Redgrave were among those who played the role. But it was Mortimer's creation of Rumpole of the Bailey, the irrascible barrister created on TV by Leo McKern, which catapulted him to wider fame and fortune, as his career as a novelist and screenwriter took off. He is credited with the hugely successful TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited (Olivier, Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Toyah Wilcox) and then Summers Lease (John Gielgud), based on his own story. Meanwhile he had become increasingly well-known as a lawyer. His most famous case was his (initially unsuccessful) defence of two of the three editors of the underground magazine Oz on a charge of obscenity in 1971. In a profession dominated by conservatives, he became everyone's first thought when a barrister with liberal principles and left-wing political beliefs was required. He increasingly moved in (old) Labour circles.The phrase 'champagne socialist' might have been invented for him. He divorced his first wife and married a second Penelope (Penny 2, as she became known). Their daughter is the actor Emily Mortimer. Graham Lord's biography is all the better for being unauthorised. Good stories abound; there are revelations aplenty. The disclosure that he fathered Wendy Craig's love-child only reached the press as a result of Graham Lord's research. There is much more. This biography will provide the full, unvarnished story. ... Read more

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Its June 1944 in an English seaside resort and a shy young man has just joined an army film unit making a documentary about army training. While shooting a cliff-scaling exercise a sergeant plunges to his death. It seems like an accident, but the shy young man is not convinced. ... Read more

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Murderers, victims, attorneys, and judges come together in a collection of fourteen short stories, including the works of John Mortimer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lawrence Block, Erle Stanley Gardner, and others. ... Read more

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Includes: A Voyage Around My Father, one of Mortimer’s greatest theatrical successes and a celebration of the Shakespeare-quoting, eccentric, brave, and impossible barrister the author had as a father. Also includes: The Collaborators, The Dock Brief, Lunch Hour, and What Shall We Tell Caroline?

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A collection of mystery stories culled from the pages of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine features the work of John Mortimer, G. K. Chesterton, Ralph McInerny, and others. ... Read more

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The Benedictine monk John Lydgate was the most admired poet of the fifteenth century. He received commissions from some of the most powerful men in the land (including Henry V); he is spoken of with constant admiration; manuscripts of his work are abundant; many of his poems were put into print by England's earliest printers, ensuring that his influence extended well into the sixteenth century. The Fall of Princes, probably the longest poem in the language, is arguably Lydgate's masterwork; yet, until now, it has received only cursory critical attention. This book offers the first extended discussion of the poem. The Fall of Princes accumulates accounts of nearly 500 figures from mythology and history (biblical, classical, and medieval) who have fallen from their positions of fame and power into obscurity, adversity, or poverty. In presenting these tragedies Lydgate probes the causes of the reversal of their fortunes; how far can the caprice of a blind Lady Fortune be blamed? How far are the protagonists themselves responsible for their undoing? Most pressingly of all, why is it that bad things happen to seemingly innocent people? In drawing its conclusions about the downfalls of powerful men and women, Lydgate's poem operates within the popular medieval genre of "advice to princes" literature. This book locates Lydgate's work within its contexts, exploring the nature of his relationship with the uneasy Lancastrian dynasty during the minority of Henry VI as well as his response to contemporary conflicts between ecclesiastical and secular authority. In particular, this book closely analyses Lydgate's manipulations of his French source text, allowing readers to see in detail for the first time what it is that Lydgate was setting out to achieve. Finally, the book identifies the readership of Lydgate's poem in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, discussing its influence on the evolution of narrative tragedy in English. ... Read more

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Unique among all possible options for mitigating climate change, forests and forestry can both prevent and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and simultaneously provide essential environmental, social, and economic benefits-from clean water and wildlife habitat to outdoor recreation and forest products.

This book lays out the possibilities:

• using energy from wood biomass and mill residuals instead of fossil fuels;
• substituting wood products for fossil fuel-intensive steel, concrete, brick, and aluminum building components;
• adjusting forest management practices to capture additional atmospheric carbon dioxide;
• retaining forest cover and its potential to mitigate climate change;
• capturing and storing atmospheric carbon in forest carbon "pools" and long-lived wood products; and
• developing markets for carbon trading and creating market-based incentives for forestry projects that offset emissions from industrial and other polluters.

Immediacy is critical: The forces of climate change are already at work. The forestry solution can and must be implemented now. ... Read more

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"Clinging to the Wreckage" is the first and most celebrated volume of John Mortimer's memoirs. It recounts with great wit and style his peculier childhood in the Chilterns - the only son of a blind, poetry-spouting barrister and his devoted wife - followed by the author's own experiences in the law. A bestseller in its day, the book remains one of Mortimer's greatest achievements. ... Read more