Of course, I have a distinct distaste for anything which uses the word 'omnibus' which is not in fact ALL, but for Rumpole, I shall gladly make exception. Omnibus of course requires all three omnibus volumes, and they are all worthy of reading, but the first is by far the best.

Here is where we are introduced to Rumpole, ever defender of the downtrodden criminal element, most successful of course when these minor villians have been wrongly accused, at least in the latest particular incident. As Rumpole said once during a defence, the English nation when it is long gone will be remembered for three things -- the English breakfast, the Oxford Book of English Verse (the Quiller-Couch Edition), and the presumption of innocence.

Even in the later story of Rumpole for the Prosecution, in which Rumpole is hired to conduct a private prosecution, he manages to provide through his searching for the truth the best defence for the defendant. Rumpole, it seems, will never be anything but the champion for the defence.

Mortimer is intimately familiar with the legal court setting about which he writes in the Rumpole series; judges such as Bullingham and Graves take their character from amalgamations of actual judges, and Mortimer once let it be known in a television interview that if he saw particular miscarriages of justice done, he would have no choice but to work it in to the plot of an upcoming Rumpole story.

One wonders if Hilda, Rumpole's wife, affectionately referred to as 'She Who Must Be Obeyed', is modeled on anyone specific in Mortimer's life. Other characters in chambers and in the dock seem very true to form, while also remaining interesting exaggerations of real persons. One might ask for a bit more character development in some, but largely, they serve their purpose as bit players on the stage.

So, sit back with your favourite glass of red wine (Chateau Fleet Street comes highly recommended) and wander into a London which is a blend of the thoroughly modern and practically medieval.

Horace Rumpole, the Old Bailey hack, shines in this collection of John Mortimer's stories. Rumpole is the master of acerbic wit and keen observation. Donned in a wig and robe, he thrusts and parries his way through the English criminal justice system, soldiering on for his mostly shady clients. One of Rumpole's rules is "never plead guilty." He also stands fast on the principle that hearing the truth from one's client can be dangerous. It usually puts the lawyer in an awkward position. Rumpole fortifies himself with an ample supply of little cigars, modestly priced claret, and an old copy of the "Oxford Book of English Verse," from which he quotes Wordsworth and others from memory. Amidst an hilarious ensemble of reappearing supporting characters, Rumpole goes forth daily to fight the good fight and also keep the legal fees and refreshers coming in to the Rumpole bank account. He fears only She Who Must Be Obeyed. His wife, Hilda, who rules their home in Froxbury Court with an iron hand. Written with humor, affection, and intelligence these stories are pure delight. The stories vary in length, but average 40-50 pages. Take Sherlock Holmes and P. G. Wodehouse, mix with Mortimer's background as a barrister, flavor with amusing vernacular and chatty first-person narrative, and you have good lite reading. Especially recommended for busy readers in the era of weighty tomes that populate popular fiction. ;-)

"[I]t's crime which not only pays moderately well, but which is also by far the greatest fun."--Horace Rumpole.

The problem with most lawyer stories, even those written by lawyers, is that they bear little resemblance to reality. John Mortimer makes Horace Rumpole as real as any fictional lawyer can be, and in the process, Mortimer perfectly captures the joys and woes of trial practice, giving it all a good leavening of humor--something essential to a trial lawyer's retention of sanity.

Mortimer entertains and enlightens. Not only do you get satisfying mysteries told with just the right amount of humor, you also get insight into the foils and foibles of trial lawyers and judges. The book abounds with dead-on insights into the mechanics of trying cases. Any lawyer would benefit from reviewing Rumpole's maxims of trial practice. A few examples:

"As for me, I'm not sure that I like cast iron alibis. They're the sort that sink quickest, to the bottom of the sea."

"A bit of delay, I have found it an infallible rule, never does any harm to the defense."

"It's no help to the defense in an obscenity case to have anyone actually read the works in question."

Mortimer tries to include at least one lawyerly aphorism in each short story in the collection, and part of the joy I find in reading and re-reading the stories comes from searching for these little nuggets of wisdom.

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).

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 being well-plotted mysteries. They're one of the few mystery series which don't lose enjoyment even after you've seen the film adaptations. My favorite Rumpoles are probably Rumpole a la Carte and Rumpole on Trial; this "Best of" compilation features stories, chosen by Mortimer, from several different eras, including Rumpole's very first appearance. The book is a good way to get acquainted with Rumpole, and it also makes a great gift.

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

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.

CLINGING TO THE WRECKAGE is the first of John Mortimer's three-part autobiography (to date--as of 2001 he is 83 years of age and going strong). Mortimer is known to BBC/PBS fans as the multi-talened writer who developed the screenplays for the TV series BRIDESHEAD REVISITED based on Evelyn Waugh's book of the same name; creator of Rumpole, Queen's Counsel (QC) for the underdog; and author of many novels including the Titmuss trilogy, and SUMMER'S LEASE. In WRECKAGE, John tells of his childhood and young adulthood.

Mortimer grew up the son of a British barrister/counselor and his wife a former artist. Against his will he was sent off to boarding school at an early age. However, Mortimer's father lost his eyesight owing to a retinal detachment that could not be repaired. As a result the family source of income was placed in jeopardy and young John and his mother became his father's eyes helping him prepare his legal briefs.

Mortimer says he fell in love with the theater at an early age. His family made pilgrimages to Stratford-on-Avon to see the great Royal Shakespeare company perform the bard's works. There he was able to see Lawrence Olivier, John Gielgud, and other fabulous actors of the period. These theater experiences coupled with his work on his father's briefs, led to his own career as a QC, and planted a love of the English language and the theater in the young John which led to his subsequent success in the theater, on television, and in his many books.

The book also covers his first marriage to Penelope, with whom he formed a family of six childen which included her four daughters from a previous marriage.

Whether or not you have been lucky enough to enjoy the witty dialogue of Rumpole--including his verbal exchanges with wife Hilda (SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED), the clever plot twists of the Titmuss series, or the wonderful and inspirational BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, you will love this book if you love Brit Wit. Mortimer is incredibly human and very funny.

As always Mortimor has shown brilliance in the world of literature. I was surprized to have found this book without a customer review. I thoroughly enjoy it and highly recommend it for readers of biography. Comparable with Robert Graves "Goodbye to All That".

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Adler lays bare the underlying political structures that *guarantee* continued warfare between nations. His clear prose and logical, patient approach guides the reader carefully through the underlying assumtions of national sovereignty which serve as the flywheel for war. He provides a series of definitions for war and peace that provide a necessary foundation for understanding. He asseses both the possibility and probability that the human race will ever know international peace and provides useful recommendations for anyone who wants to work meaningfully on a world without war.

In CLINGING TO THE WRECKAGE, John Mortimer covered his childhood and young adulthood, marriage to his first wife Penelope and the family of six children, and his entry into British Law as a Queen's Counsel (QC). He only tangentially wrote about his literary accomplishments including his books SUMMER'S LEASE, the RUMPOLE series, and the Titmuss Trilogy, and his work as a screen writer on various plays including BRIDESHEAD REVISITED.

In MURDERERS AND OTHER FRIENDS Mortimer continues the saga of his life with tales from his days as a QC defending an assortment of clients from Sex Pistols to serial killers, tales of his work with the Labor Party, anectdotes about his marriage to wife Penny (#2), and an in-depth look behind the scenes at the creative process that led to his various artistic triumps including the creation of Rumpole of the Bailey.

It doesn't take too much imagination to see that Mortimer is Rumpole (except for the kids, he acquires two more in this book bringing the total to eight). It seems those tales we've read in the Rumpole series are based on real stories. The problem Mortimer says, is that he has had to tone down the real tales to make them believable as fiction. For example, in one of the Rumpole tales, a man is accused of attacking his wife because she made him sit next to the taps when they took their bath together. In the real case, he did not merely attack her, he killed her.

Mortimer also shares "behind the scenes" stories about his other creative efforts. He tells of his first encounter with Lawrence Olivier and how Olivier came to play the father in two of his productions, TRAVELS ROUND MY FATHER and BRIDESHEAD REVISITED. He tells of seeing the fabulous John Gielgud on stage as a child, then having him play an aging journalist in SUMMER'S LEASE. He tells of his friendships with David Niven and Rex Harrison and their rivalry. He shares anectdotes about other famous friends and their children. Some of those famous children include Emma Thompson and Natasha Richardson.

As a playwright and author, Mortimer has mingled with the cream of the British artistic world, and but this is not an expose of his friends and acquaintences--unless they are conservative members of Parliament, murderers, or other degenerates.

All of Mortimer's tales are told with humor, but occasionally, a sad note creeps in. It is impossible to reach the age of 83 and not have had at least a few sad moments. What Mortimer is able to do however, is find a way to keep the reader smiling at the foibles of human beings including himself. This is a very funny book and I recommend it to anyone who is fan of BBC/PBS productions.

I'm biased: I think John Mortimer's Rumpole stories are so perfectly written that I've never thought his longer works quite measure up. This one comes the closest; in Paradise Postponed, Mortimer follows a disparate group of characters from the Second World War up through the late 1960s, using their stories to reflect developments in England during the same period. As you might expect from the creator of Rumpole, there's also an interesting mystery, but the real focus is on the relationships and dynamics between the characters, as Mortimer centers on a young man from a working class background who eventually becomes a powerful politician. Mortimer has an uncanny knack for creating characters who are believable, quirky individuals, and he makes us care about their struggles. The dialogue crackles, which one might expect since Mortimer was writing the TV adaptation of Paradise Postponed at the same time he was writing the novel. Paradise Postponed has had two sequels, which don't have quite the same scope either in terms of character development or time period covered.

What surprises me is that the TV adaptation of Paradise Postponed has never been released on video, at least in the U.S. There'd be a large market for it.

Nobody reads Rumpole like Leo McKern! I love John Mortimer's Rumpole and this tape was great. Even though the fun of Rumpole is in the writing and the play on words, Leo McKern makes Rumpole come alive.

Mortimer gives another magnificent collection of stories with a good leavening of mystery, whimsey, and insight into the workings of the criminal justice system. One recurring theme of the stories is lawyer-client relations, which can become quite strained on occasion. As always, Horace Rumpole has a few insightful remarks to make on the subject:

"People show an almost comic relief at not being locked up. They actually enjoy not having to share one chamber-pot through endless nights with vindictive, frightened, and sexually frustrated strangers."

"One thing you can never guarantee about clients is that they won't behave like lunatics."

"I could win most of my cases if it weren't for my clients. Clients have no tact, the poor darlings. No sensitivity. They will waltz into the witness-box and blurt out things which are far better left unblurted."

"They're all guilty of something, my dear old thing. Everyone's guilty of something."

And the mystery fan will be guilty of thoroughly enjoying these wonderful stories.

John Mortimer's "Rumpole of the Bailey" short stories remain distinguished for their gently ironic humor, their iconic character sketches, and their willingness to take on all political comers. One critic has described the politics of this series as "Tory anarchist," and it isn't hard to see why: Rumpole is an anti-establishment individualist who dislikes any "ism" that gets in the way of his primary goal, namely, keeping his clients out of the clink. These stories are mostly of high quality, although _Rumpole and the Angel of Death_ is a bit uneven: aside from the title story, the others lack Mortimer's usual incisiveness, and the attempt to write a story from Hilda's point-of-view is a noble failure ("Hilda's Story"). I would also add that these stories are best read over time, rather than at one fell swoop. Taken in close proximity, the tics of Rumpole's garrulous and repetitive narrative voice begin to wear--perhaps he could quote from something _besides_ "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" whenever he sees Claude Erskine-Brown?--and the reader becomes a little too conscious of the stories's essentially formulaic nature. Overall, however, "Rumpole of the Bailey" remains one of the most enjoyable mystery series around today.

Other than Sherlock Holmes, Horace Rumpole is arguably the best and most fully described character in crime fiction. The depth of his character, and indeed the whole ensemble of characters in the Rumpole stories, even outdoes those in the Peter Wimsey, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple tales. We know Horace Rumpole as well as we know any friend or relative. We also know Hilda - she who must be obeyed. We know Guthrie, Claude Erskine-Brown, Liz Probert, Bollard. Need I go on.

This could be due to Leo McKern's portrayal of Rumpole on television. It was such a tailor-made role that one wonders whether Rumpole defined McKern or McKern defined Rumpole. Be that as it may, we can never go wrong with a good Rumpole story. And any collection, such as this, will bring joy to those who like eccentric personalities and crime fiction.

The crimes themselves are sometimes secondary to the interplay of the cast of characters.

Enjoy, with a touch of Pomeroy's plonk - Chateau Thames Embankment.

I've read all of the Rumpole stories and this collection contains some of the best. Like the previous two Rumpole omnibi (or is it omnibuses?) it contains three Rumpole books. The one thing about it that puzzles me is that it's the first Rumpole omnibus to skip over a book. For some reason the publisher chose not to include "Rumpole on Trial" as the third book in this omnibus but "Rumpole and the Angel of Death" instead. The First and Second O's each contained three Rumpole books in the order in which they were originally published. I'm curious to know why this was not the case with the Third Omnibus.

The setting is an English family in a rented summer home in Tuscany. Odd things happen, water disappears, and then someone dies. The mother, Molly Partiger, becomes obsesses with getting to the heart of these mysteries, and with meeting her mysterious landlord. It is a particular pleasure to see Mortimer's love of Shakespeare comes through in Molly's Falstaff of a father, and the Hamlet-like play-within-a-play which gives Molly the final clue to the murder. Interwoven with the plot is an homage to Piero della Francesca (although it has been written that Mortimer gets everything wrong about Piero's Flagellation). The book ends with typical Mortimer poigniancy. The book is light in the way that a Tom Stoppard play is light -- an intelligent guilty pleasure.

this book is fantastic. the masterpiece theatre production was awesome too. i would like to buy a copy of the video if anyone has one. this is definitely worth reading - and watching too!

I read this book because I saw the Masterpiece Theatre production on TV in the early nineties and fell in love with the characters and the story. This is the type of detective mystery novel where one can truly relate to the detective as she is an average person with a highly developed sense of curiosity. While I shared Molly's intense curiosity about her absent landlord and her outrage at the so called "water racket", I would not have gone as far as she did to satisfy that curiosity. Molly is rather reckless (if not stupid) towards the end and doesn't realize the consequences of her actions until too late - and even then chalks it up to coincidence. All in all the book is a quick and delightful read that will have you longing to travel to those Tuscan hills. I wish Masterpiece Theatre would rerun the film or make it available on video. You've got to see the film. The cast was so well chosen and the locations are beautiful, especially the terrace on La Felicita.