My husband and I fought for rights to read this book first. Because there are 6 short stories we alternated ownership. Very enjoyable

Sit down with a glass of Pomeroy's finest wine and settle in for a good read. Rumpole continues his battles with Judges, avoiding Chamber politics (and efficiency experts) saving Claude Eskine Brown from his failed romances, and staying in the good graces of "She who must be obeyed". Hilda gets her say in this book too, as her letter to Dodo Mackintosh details on of the cases and even she says "he was a man in his element" in the courtroom. Indeed! May Rumpole always avoid the Angel of Death!

In this latest--is it the last?--addition to the Rumpole saga, She Who Must Be Obeyed lifts a pen and the result is "Hilda's Story", an engaging piece that shows that Mortimer is still coming up with new and entertaining angles on Rumpole. The only sour note is that "Angel of Death" rounded out the third 'Rumpole' omnibus, and the devotee fears that this could be the last. If it is, it's also one of the best.

Master storyteller and social critic, Charles Dickens, turns this social treatise on shortcomings of Victorian society into an entertaining and heartwarming Christmas ghost story which has charmed generations and become an icon of Christmas traditions. Who, in the Western world has not heard, "Bah, Humbug!" And who can forget the now almost hackneyed line of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one!" or his cheerfully poignant observation, that he did not mind the stares of strangers in church, for he might thus serve as a reminder of He who made the lame, walk and the blind, see. Several movie versions: musical, animated, updated, or standard; as well as stage productions (I recall the Cleveland Playhouse and McCarter Theatre`s with fondess.) have brought the wonderful characterizations to the screen, as well as to life. This story of the redemption of the bitter and spiritually poor miser, and the book itself; however, is a timeless treasure whose richness, like Mrs Cratchit`s Christmas pudding, is one that no production can hope to fully capture.

It's hard to think of a literary work that has been filmed and staged in more imaginative variations than Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"--there's the excellent George C. Scott version, the delightful Muppet version, the charming Mr. Magoo version, etc., etc. But ultimately true "Carol" lovers should go back to Dickens' original text, which remains a great read.

"Carol" tells the story of cold-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises the Christmas holiday and scorns all who celebrate it. But a visit from a series of supernatural beings forces him to reevaluate his attitude--and his life.

With this simple plot Dickens has created one of the enduring triumphs of world literature. It's a robust mix of humor, horror, and (most of all) hope, all leavened with a healthy dash of progressive social criticism. One thing I love about this book is that while it has a focus on a Christian holiday, Dickens puts forth a message that is truly universal; I can imagine this story resonating with people of any religious background, and also with more secular-oriented people.

This is a tale of greed, selfishness, regret, redemption, family, and community, and is enlivened by some of the most memorable characters ever created for English literature. Even if Dickens had never written another word, "A Christmas Carol" would still have, I believe, secured his place as one of the great figures of world literature.

Charles Dickens writes this story in such detail that you almost believe you have just enjoyed Christmas dinner at the Cratchits home. The characters have so much depth. The made for t.v. or movie screen renditions do not truly depict what Ebenezer Scrooge witnesses with the three spirits that causes such a change in his outlook on life. Such as Scrooge's emotions being quickened by the past heartache in his childhood; seeing how his bad choices caused the hardening of his heart and how deeply it cost him in the end; seeing what could have been his to enjoy and then thinking it could still be his with the Spirit of Christmas Present only to find out the future does not hold any love or joy for him by the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come and instead his actions leave him robbed at death and no one left to grieve for him. Read the book to hear how this story was really written. Even if you have seen every Christmas Carol movie every made, the book will offer so many gold nuggets that you will think you are hearing it for the very first time. Pictures are beautifully detailed throughout the book. Excellent!!!

There are many things to like about this book, most of which are described well by the other reviewers. What really struck me about this book (perhaps because I listened to the unabridged tape) was how so much of the plot turned on what happens when a writer is less than precise with language. Mortimer does a masterful job of creating Felix, a writer who doesn't even realize that his misstatements are misstatements or the trouble those statements cause.

Overall, it took me a while to warm up to the book but by the end I was rooting hard for the truth to emerge. The actual ending was a little corny but ok. It's a book filled with a fun assortment of characters. More than a few humorous jabs are made at the modern publishing world and modern society in general. Not a laugh out loud book but one that made me chuckle to myself.

A New York Times notable mystery in 1997 - for those who are fond of books with credentials.

A hapless middle-aged midlist author gets embroiled in the British legal system when he is accused of fathering a child and not paying support. You may need a certain amount of anglophilia and interest in the literary scene to fully appreciate it. The only fault I could find was that it's too short. I hate finishing books in one night before I fall asleep.

John Mortimer is the writer of many charming and wonderful books, although he is no doubt best known for his stories of Horace Rumpole, the irascible British barrister. In Felix in the Underworld, Mortimer showcases his comic and satirical talents most admirably.

Mortimer reminds me a little of bestselling Japanese novelist, Haruki Murakami, in that his characters in this book are quite ordinary people who live quite ordinary lives but have the absurdly bad fortune of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The protagonist of Felix in the Underworld, Felix Morsom, is a moderately successful, quiet, sensitive novelist at Llama Books who manages to become involved, much against his will, with a man named Gavin Piercey.

Soon after meeting Piercey, Felix notices the man everywhere in his life: at book signings, during radio talk shows and, most especially, at one fateful meeting where Piercey introduces Felix to a woman named Miriam. This meeting will have serious, but hilarious, repercussions on Felix's life.

From the moment Felix meets Miriam, his life becomes one of turmoil and wild, unbelievable events. He receives a letter from an agency calling itself PROD; he is accused of a brutal murder; he becomes involved with London's homeless population.

Mortimer's handling of the plot is superb, his writing as smooth as silk and the characters, although slightly cliched, are still polished and hilarious. One of the funniest is the lawyer, Septimus Roache, the man Felix turns to in desperation when he attempts to prove his innocence in the murder. Roache is an obtuse and self-satisfied man who has little to no interest in his clients and really doesn't listen to a word Felix is telling him.

Mortimer, who himself was a successful barrister before becoming a writer, knows how to create a rollicking good murder mystery and this is part of why Felix in the Underworld works as well as it does. Another large part is Felix, himself, an engaging character we can't help but like; a man who maintains his dignity and poise even in the face of adversity of the highest, and most unexpected, order.

Mortimer calls himself a "Champagne socialist," and is a champion of the poor and the downtrodden. In this book he manages to take us on a trip through contemporary British society, especially homeless society. The book is fun, though, above all, and never sounds like polemic. We can credit Mortimer's superb writing skills for that.

The snobbish character of Simon Tubal-Smith, Felix's boss at Llama Books is contrasted wonderfully with Esmond, a homeless man who was, at one time, a manager in a supermarket. Esmond left his job and home for a life in the streets when tragedy struck. Felix, himself, spends some time as a member of London's homeless population and is reminiscent of George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London.

The dialogue is pure Mortimer and always fun. When Felix is temporarily residing in jail, his cellmate is a man named Dumbarton who allegedly beat another man to death. "You killed him?" Felix asks. "Thoroughly," Dumbarton replies, quite satisfied with what he did.

Felix is both self-effacing and hilarious as he attempts to cope with unhelpful lawyers who do just as much to convict as help him, as he tries to sort out the mystery behind PROD, as well as develop his budding relationship with Brenda Bodkin, his publisher's publicity agent.

Although this book is a little formulaic at times, the formula works and works well. Maybe that is because Mortimer is a master who never lets us down. Felix in the Underworld is a first-rate murder mystery, a comedy of errors and a satire of the British class system. It is always delightful and filled with surprises up until the very last page.

I recently found this audio edition of "Rumpole on Trial." I had only heard Leo Mckern read the Rumpole stories, but knew other actors had portrayed the British barrister in the past. Unfortunately, after listening to the Timothy West version for awhile, I stopped listening. Those of us who have heard Mckern do Rumpole almost exclusively may be dissapointed with West's version. Mckern is much more bombastic and furious with his Rumpole. West's comedy is much more subtle to the point of non-existance. Where during an objection about a point of law, Mckern would have shouted with a great relish to the argument. West does not have that flair.

But Timothy West is a good reader. I would encourage those who haven't heard Leo Mckern or have not decided that they won't accept any Rumpole other than Mckern's, to give this edition a chance. Those of us who have saturated ourselves with Mckern's acting ability, it might be best to save some money.

and, frankly, Timothy West falls just short. But considering that every drawing of Rumpole is a drawing of Mr. McKern, that he was so closely identified with the character that when he read the stories they were read "by Rumpole himself" for another reader to successfully render Rumpole was a pleasant surprise for me.

Since at least the second recording of this series uses a different actor I wonder about the quality but at least the first volume is a complete success with Mr. West's terrific reading making one (almost) forget the late "Rumpole".

With the recent death of character actor Leo McKern, there will be a resurgence of interest in video editions of his wonderful "Rumpole of the Bailey" series so dear to the hearts of Mystery Theatre watchers on PBS. In fact, HBO is reissuing all of the tapes onto DVD format and they will be available starting in in the Fall of 2002. So it was with great pleasure that I saw listed in the Audio Partners catalogue of books on tape, "Rumpole on Trial" ((61267). The set holds 6 cassettes with a running time of 8 hours and 7 minutes.

The reader is British actor Timothy West, whose voice is the next best thing to the gravel-throated chortle of McKern. Here he reads seven complete Rumpole tales: "Rumpole and the Children of Evil," "...the Eternal Triangle," "...the Miscarriage of Justice," "...the Family Pride," "...the Soothsayer," "...the Reform of Joby Jonson," and (to break the pattern) "Rumpole on Trial." All of these have been televised and all of them are a good deal of fun.

John Mortimer's custom was to create around the case Rumpole is handling a framing plot that has thematic likenesses or is antithetical to the main plot. So, for instance, all the while Rumpole is worried about being disbarred, his draconian wife, Hilda ("She Who Must Be Obeyed" as he calls her) is plotting to have him made a judge.

The army of minor characters are a joy in themselves. The pompous Head of Chambers "Soapy" Sam Ballard, the unhappily married clerk Henry, the pro-labor and pro-women barrister Liz Probert, the opera-loving snake in the grass Claude Erskine-Brown, the foot-in-his-mouth Guthrie Featherstone, and above all the (in)Justices Olliphant and Graves who love the prosecution and cannot see any humor in Rumpole's reminding them a trial should be fair.

Timothy West does all the voices, of course, but does not try to emulate the women as other readers do on (say) the Jeeves tapes. That would have been an error, since the tales are always told first-person from Rumpole's point of view.

For the most part, I think I clocked in about one good laugh per minute while listening to these tapes on long car trips; and I can highly recommend this set.

Despite the title, this isn't so very far along in the series and in fact features the introduction of the very politically correct "Ms. Liz Probert." The cases are the usual set, and Rumpole faces his usual trials and tribulations, most notably from a new member of chambers who wants to make everything much more efficient. The eponymous tale is one we've seen dramatized, where Rumpole has great success betting on a "four-horse accumulator," tells a judge exactly what he thinks of him, and is (of course) frustrated when his go-between leaves the country with his winnings.

Entertaining, as always.

Rumpole has an assortment of foes in this collection of 7 stories: Judge Bullingham, his Head of Chambers Sam Ballard, dishonest prosecution witnesses, police officers, prosecuting barristers, and even the barrister defending his client's co-defendant in a case of armed robbery where a bank guard was wounded. No wonder he thinks of winning a fortune betting on horse races and moving to Spain in the last story, "Rumpole's Last Case". You should enjoy reading this book to find out how many cases Rumpole wins and if he really retires.

I never thought to see any new Rumpole of the Bailey stories, but it seems that the fecund John Mortimer has come up with yet another seven put out by Viking Press. At the same time, Audio Partners has released a complete reading on 6 audio-tapes. "Rumpole Rests His Case" (61280) features actor Tony Britton and the six stories are as follows.

"Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces" (a fitting title for a "return" tale) concerns another inept robbery by a young member of the Timson clan, a Christmas pantomime, and an ex-con living it up as a gentleman.

"Rumple and the Remembrance of Things Past" somehow and neatly manages to put a framing device of a non-smoking rule in "chambers" around a gruesome major plot of a wife's skeleton found buried in a floor.

"Rumpole and the Asylum Seekers" is a timely tale of refugees escaping an oppressive government and those who make money by betraying them.

"Rumpole and the Camberwell Carrot" is about a flaming affair between the lovely "Portia of the Chambers" and a noted pillar of morality who has more than just clay feet.

"Rumpole and the Actor Laddie" is the shortest Rumpole story ever and the most unsatisfactory, revolving around a ring that might or not be stolen.

"Rumple and the Teenage Werewolf" is another very timely tale about sexual stalking by e-mail. (Here I was sure I knew who the culprit was--it HAD to be!--and was wrong.)

The final tale, "Rumpole Rests His Case" is the most unusual Rumpole story ever. After collapsing at the end of a particularly trying trial, Rumpole spends the story in a hospital bed in which he solves a crime and presents his case--to the other patients! A very touching finale.

Britton lacks that Leo McKern blusteriness that Timothy West had on an earlier Audio Partners set of Rumpole tales, but he is quite good on his own terms. In general, the sparkle seems to have gone out of these Rumpole yarns; but any Rumpole is better than none. I therefore recommend this set without much reservation.

There are all here: Sam Ballard, Liz Probert, Claude Erskine-Brown, Hilda (she who must be obeyed) and the wonderful Timsons who keep Rumpole employed. And the stories go down perhaps a bit smoother than a glass of Chateau Thames Embankment. To those who know Rumpole there is no need of introduction. For those who don't there is wonderful intoxication ahead but do start at the beginning with Rumpole of the Bailey and work your way up to Rumpole Rests his Case. These stories are good but are too brief. This volume is not an aperitif but a nightcap. One can only wish for a more substantial serving in the future. Let's hope Mortimer has more tricks up Rumpole's sleeve before that long goodnight.

Rumpole fans, John Mortimer has rewarded us generously with seven new "thrills and spills in the life of an Old Bailey hack". Much of the usual line-up is present: wife Hilda (SWMBO), the Erskine-Browns (Claude and Phillida, formerly the Portia of Chambers), faithful solicitor Bonny Bernard, Soapy Sam Ballard (a/k/a Bonzo), Mizz Liz Probert, private eye Fig Newton, Mr. Justice Featherstone, and Judge Bullingham (the Mad Bull). The old spots and props are in place: Froxbury Mansions, 1 Equity Court, Pommeroy's Wine Bar, the Sheridan Club, cheroots, steak and kidney, and our old darling Horace's favorite plonk: Chateau Fleet Street, Chateau Thames Embankment and Pommeroy's Very Ordinary. The issues are timely. The laughs are plentiful. At one point Rumpole, while attempting to gather information is handed "the wet-ended stub" of a "fairly fat cigarette" which he accepts, "feeling that the information might peter out if I rejected it." In the last story("Rumpole Rests His Case,") John Mortimer seems to be saying Cheerio to Rumpole. Say it isn't so! Now that the remarkable Leo McKern is no longer with us, perhaps we should bite the bullet and accept the inevitable. But (dare I suggest it?) there is someone out there (British actor, Ian McNeice) who could do a proper Rumpole, I'm certain of it.

Dunster is John Mortimer's most interesting novel to date and also his most underrated. It is a parable of betrayal and revenge, and describes the relationship between two men, one boring and ordinary (Philip), the other flamboyant and charismatic (Dunster), who have known each other since school. We meet them in middle age, when Dunster has just run off with his friend's wife. Dunster's confidence comes from his belief in his own abilities, especially his judgement of other people. Philip, by chance, gets the opportunity to undermine Dunster's judgement, which destroys Dunster. Ironically, it is Dunster's inability to grasp what Philip (or anybody) is capable of that leads to his undoing. Dunster has the charismatic man's belief that he can treat his friends how he likes because he's doing them a favour just by being there. Mortimer shows that even the most placid of people won't forgive if you treat them badly enough, no matter how charming you are.

Don't let the Kirkus review stop you from reading this book - it is well-written, interesting, subversive --- and funny! I enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed 'Feast of Snakes' by Harry Crews.

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.

My seven year old was able to read most of the words. Words were large, easy to read. Story was humorous. Pictures were very funny.