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Product Description
Review
Praise for Rumpole and the Reign of Terror:
'Rumpole is back, as gloriously seedy as ever. Mortimer's divine hero is one of the few fictional immortals of our time' The Times
'Written with Mortimer's customary aplomb and an infectious enjoyment' Elizabeth Buchan, Sunday Times
'A fine comic creation. A figure who represents something important: the defence of liberty against the arrogance of power' Scotsman
Product Description
ASBOs may be the pride and joy of New Labour, but they don't cut much ice with Horace Rumpole - he takes the old-fashioned view that if anyone is going to be threatened with a restriction of their liberty then some form of legal proceeding ought to be gone through first. Not that Hilda agrees, of course, but she's too busy completing her memoirs to dissuade him from taking an interest when one of the Timson children is given an ASBO for playing football in the street. And pretty soon he realizes something fishy is going on. Why are the residents pursuing their vendetta against the Timson boy quite so strongly? Could they have a sinister reason for not wanting him on their street?
John Mortimer's delightful new Rumpole novel sees the magician of the Old Bailey, and Pommeroy's Wine Bar, at his implacable best as he defends our ancient freedoms, even as he remains uneasy about what it is exactly Hilda is writing ...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Mae West.
Any doubts anyone may have that Horace Rumpole doesn't share a bit of Mae West's mischievous world view will be dispelled after reading John's Mortimer's latest Rumpole romp, "Rumpole Misbehaves".
When we last saw the esteemed barrister, in Rumpole and the Reign of Terror (Rumpole Novels) he was doing verbal and legal battle against what he perceived as an invidious threat to historic civil liberties enjoyed in Britain by anti-terror legislation enacted by Parliament. He now takes on what he considers to be another invidious threat to civil liberties in the form of Anti-Social Behavior Orders (ASBOs). In Rumpole's eyes these laws, thought well-intended, enable the police and judiciary to criminalize conduct that is lawful but annoying.
In the case at hand the ASBO-worthy conduct is the constant kicking of a football by one Peter Timson, a child of the criminally-inclined clan that has provided Rumpole with a significant portion of his legal fees over the years, into a quiet upper-class street where the noise of children is perceived by one resident to be ASBO-worthy. Mortimer supplements this case with two additional legal matters. In one Rumpole finds himself defending a mild-mannered government employee in what appears to be an open and shut case of the murder of an illegal Russian immigrant working as a prostitute. In the other, Rumpole finds himself in the docket defending himself on an ASBO related charge brought against him by his colleagues in his chambers, that his smoking a cheroot, drinking cheap wine, and eating at his desk is anti-social behavior. As the story plays out Rumpole and the reader discover that these seemingly unrelated story lines may not be as unrelated as they first appear. To top things off, Hilda is continuing to write in her diary (a nice comedic device first used in Reign of Terror) and, of all things, threatening to read for the bar and become a lawyer.
The enjoyment of any of Mortimer's Rumpole series is not really found solely in the story line but in the wit and humor of Mortimer's writing. Rumpole feels like an old friend after all these years and yet every `harrumph' or muttered `she who must be obeyed' or barely-whispered cracks about insurable judges and stuffy colleagues in chambers still makes me laugh. And even though Rumpole acts just as we expect him to, and even as events play out just as we thought they might, Rumpole's ongoing willingness to fight the good fight on matters of principle large and small still leaves me rooting for one more favorable verdict. My own verdict on Rumpole Misbehaves: you keep on misbehaving Horace and I'll keep reading!
Any doubts anyone may have that Horace Rumpole doesn't share a bit of Mae West's mischievous world view will be dispelled after reading John's Mortimer's latest Rumpole romp, "Rumpole Misbehaves".
When we last saw the esteemed barrister, in Rumpole and the Reign of Terror (Rumpole Novels) he was doing verbal and legal battle against what he perceived as an invidious threat to historic civil liberties enjoyed in Britain by anti-terror legislation enacted by Parliament. He now takes on what he considers to be another invidious threat to civil liberties in the form of Anti-Social Behavior Orders (ASBOs). In Rumpole's eyes these laws, thought well-intended, enable the police and judiciary to criminalize conduct that is lawful but annoying.
In the case at hand the ASBO-worthy conduct is the constant kicking of a football by one Peter Timson, a child of the criminally-inclined clan that has provided Rumpole with a significant portion of his legal fees over the years, into a quiet upper-class street where the noise of children is perceived by one resident to be ASBO-worthy. Mortimer supplements this case with two additional legal matters. In one Rumpole finds himself defending a mild-mannered government employee in what appears to be an open and shut case of the murder of an illegal Russian immigrant working as a prostitute. In the other, Rumpole finds himself in the docket defending himself on an ASBO related charge brought against him by his colleagues in his chambers, that his smoking a cheroot, drinking cheap wine, and eating at his desk is anti-social behavior. As the story plays out Rumpole and the reader discover that these seemingly unrelated story lines may not be as unrelated as they first appear. To top things off, Hilda is continuing to write in her diary (a nice comedic device first used in Reign of Terror) and, of all things, threatening to read for the bar and become a lawyer.
The enjoyment of any of Mortimer's Rumpole series is not really found solely in the story line but in the wit and humor of Mortimer's writing. Rumpole feels like an old friend after all these years and yet every `harrumph' or muttered `she who must be obeyed' or barely-whispered cracks about insurable judges and stuffy colleagues in chambers still makes me laugh. And even though Rumpole acts just as we expect him to, and even as events play out just as we thought they might, Rumpole's ongoing willingness to fight the good fight on matters of principle large and small still leaves me rooting for one more favorable verdict. My own verdict on Rumpole Misbehaves: you keep on misbehaving Horace and I'll keep reading!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is how Rumpole decided to address a letter to the High court Judge Bullingham in order to ask him for a referal in his application to be a QC. It caused me to laugh out loud while standing on a packed train much to my embarrassment. Rumpole is an institution. Mortimer's genius is in getting the reader to tear his/her hair out at the blatant bias of the judges and the trampling of fundamental rights. He does this with his usual tact. As in previous books, the Rumpole character is so appealing because of his joy in the simple things in life. The small cigar, Pommeroys finest, the Guinness and pie for lunch. His morality is not self rightousness but is a basic sense of right and wrong. He as ever puts his genius to the benefit of the client at the expense of himself. The only critisism is that the book is too short. Please Mr. Mortimer Keep the Rumpole series going.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am writing this just a few days after the death of John Mortimer.
Like his creator Rumpole is a great champion of freedom, and this is very much the theme of this book; where even Rumpole's own liberty is at stake!
Rumpole and Mortimer stand shoulder to shoulder (yes I did mean to say that) against the authoritarianism which constricts our lives from both ends of the political spectrum. Rumpole challenges the absurdities of orthodoxy and privilege with wit and panache. He is no less effective now than he was at the beginning.
A few reviewers have complained that this is rather short. Well so it is, but it is packed with gems.
Rumpole has become one of the great characters of literature. Many will think of these books as light reading, but they serve a profound purpose reminding us how important it is to resist efforts to constrain our freedom.
John Mortimer has gone, but his name will live on for decades, if not centuries. This will be partly as a result of his own distinguished career as a passionate advocate and defender of human rights. But many of us will remember him more as the creator of Horace Rumpole of the Bailey.
Like his creator Rumpole is a great champion of freedom, and this is very much the theme of this book; where even Rumpole's own liberty is at stake!
Rumpole and Mortimer stand shoulder to shoulder (yes I did mean to say that) against the authoritarianism which constricts our lives from both ends of the political spectrum. Rumpole challenges the absurdities of orthodoxy and privilege with wit and panache. He is no less effective now than he was at the beginning.
A few reviewers have complained that this is rather short. Well so it is, but it is packed with gems.
Rumpole has become one of the great characters of literature. Many will think of these books as light reading, but they serve a profound purpose reminding us how important it is to resist efforts to constrain our freedom.
John Mortimer has gone, but his name will live on for decades, if not centuries. This will be partly as a result of his own distinguished career as a passionate advocate and defender of human rights. But many of us will remember him more as the creator of Horace Rumpole of the Bailey.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Review of The Misbehavior of Rumpole
As usual with the Mortimer Rumpole series, this book is delightful. It embodies all of the characters and courtroom/ law office situations that have come to be classic with Horace... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Smalltown
Freedom Versus the Tyranny of the Majority in a Humorous Reading by...
"Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. Read more
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Donald Mitchell
Sad - a Disappointment.
I bought the hardcover edition and was struck by the unnecessarily large typeface and the wide margins on each page. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Amos Spitalhatch
reader perfection
I FULLY ENJOYED THIS RUMPOLE STORY,AS ALWAYS IT BROUGHT BACK ALL HIS OTHER ADVENTURES AND KEPT A SMILE ON MY FACE FOR SOME TIME. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Andrew C. Fraser
The Anti-social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole
Just brilliant. One I hadn't read before but, like all Rumpole books, so enjoyable. John Mortimer is a great author.
Published on 5 April 2010 by J. Staveley
The Anti-social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole by John Mortimer...
Gift for someone else.
Rating for delivery (quick), and condition of item when it arrived (excellent).
Rating for delivery (quick), and condition of item when it arrived (excellent).
Published on 20 Jan 2010 by A. Knight
Rumpole Misbehaves. John Mortimer
Our infamous wine swigging cigar smoking barrister is back with the new modern challenge of ASBO'S. Intoning his mantra of 'Innocent until proven guilty', Rumpole wades in in his... Read more
Published on 27 May 2009 by Mrs. Ce Osborne
disappointing
The universal verdict of our book club was that this is one of John Mortimer's weakest Rumpoles. Although it was entertaining enough, it was very thin on character development and... Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2009 by Anne Readalot
An east wind blowing through Mortimer Mansions
Fact - there is no bigger Rumpole fan than me. So I have to report with considerable sadness that the latest Rumpole is IMHO the work of a tired and/or ill old man. Read more
Published on 5 Sep 2008 by Keith Mitchell
Rumpole lives on
I am a criminal lawyer and mourn the fact that we don't have many characters in the legal profession these days. Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2008 by Paul Hanratty
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