The Second Rumpole Omnibus

I have seen the series on PBS and it was excellent, so I was looking forward to reading the books. Rumpole in the book is not like the one in the series. He's self-important and vain, and not a all like the appealing person in the series. The author of this book was apparently into causes, and lets us know how concerned he is with the downtrodden.... over and over again.

I regard John Mortimer as the successor to P.G. Wodehouse - the character of Rumpole was rendered beautifully on the small screen by the great Leo McKern, who personified Rumpole the way Sean Connery did James Bond.This collection of short stories is an aggregation of three previously published books. As you go through them, you see the transition of the stories from straight mystery (with incidental humor) to laugh-out-loud humor (with incidental mystery ). The teleplays starring McKern were made in parallel with the release of the books, and Mortimer apparently injected more humor so that the stories would be worthy of McKern's comedic talents. Particularly hilarious stories include "Rumpole and the Female of the Species", "Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow" and "Rumpole and the Wine Tasting".The stories are not always straight humor - there is occasionally an element of pathos. But even when you're laughing hard, the stories make you reflect.

GREAT! I really enjoy the Rumpole series of stories!I have now bought every one of the Rumpole books - have read most of them - and am looking forward to reading the last 2.And - unlike most books (which I usually read and then pass on) - I'm saving all of the Rumpole books to read again at some time in the future!Comment: as the Rumpole stories deal with British law - there were a few terms (ie: "QC" and "taking the silk") which were unfamiliar to me at first. But - they did not interfere with my enjoyment of the stories, And - as I read further - it quickly became obvious just what they mean. (They signify an elevation in stature to "Queen's Counsel" which is marked by a change to silk robes and stockings.)

Of course, Rumpole is a "super lawyer" and could possibly be credible in the UK in his day. In the USA a clever lawyer is more rare than a sane politician. Every Rumpole story leaves me astonished.

good read

Rumpole!! Love the stories, cases and his commentary on clients, his strategies, personal characters including she who must be obeyed. The stories are a nice length to be complete, but not take a few days to read. Perfect travel and hammock book of anywhere else really.

gooood

Fortunately many of these stories were made into videos on BBC and can be seen on YouTube... LOVE them. One thing about Rumpole is that he is always keen on JUSTICE.... and his viewpoints are somewhat unusual. These stories always make you think. I gave them to my home health nurse and she had never heard of Rumpole but now is quite a fan.

There are at times clear literary salutes to P G Wodehouse in Mortimer's Rumpole. The stories are more short and succinct than Lord Emsworth or Bertie's convoluted travails, but there are broad similarities between these tales of the roaring twenties and early Thatcher eighties. Rumpole and Wooster share romps aplenty but back at home, both She Who Must Be Obeyed and Jeeves always have a secondary weightier matter to resolve, whether loose sofa covers or ukeleles.Brilliant from start to finish, Mortimer has a 1st 2nd and 3rd Rumpole Omnibus to collect in addition to the unmissable 'Penge Bungalow Murders'. All are excellent additions to any fiction shelf.

This omnibus edition contains 'Rumpole for the Defence', Rumpole and the Golden Thread' and Rumpole's Last Case'. This is a marvellous collection of short stories and I have read and re-read it many times since it was first published. Rumpole is as ever on good form with various fallings out with 'She Who Must be Obeyed' - AKA Hilda Rumpole and plenty of disagreements with judges, especially with Judge Bullingham.Rumpole is always in search of the truth and sees possible defences where other people may only see a guilty plea. There are some of my favourite stories in this collection including 'Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail' - which shows Rumpole dealing with a crime which he prefers not to touch if he can avoid it and 'Rumpole and the Dear Departed' in which he receives his instructions from beyond the grave.I also particularly like 'Rumpole and the Genuine Article' in which the art world comes in for some scorn, and 'Rumpole and the Old Boy Net' which ridicules the idea that everyone from the same school should stick together in later life. 'Rumpole and the Last Resort' is priceless and shows Rumpole getting round the convention which stops barristers suing for unpaid fees.Of the third selection in this volume I particularly enjoy 'Rumpole and the Official Secret' in which his brief is delivered in a safe and involves the number of biscuits consumed by Ministry staff. 'Rumpole and the Bright Seraphim' is a sober and thought provoking story which examines the question of loyalty and how far people will go to uphold it.Many of the stories in this volume will make you smile but others do raise some disturbing questions and will cause the reader to think more deeply about the law and justice.

Another collection of superbly written stories about the Old Bailey Hack, concentrating on Rumpole's seemingly relentless inability to get ahead. Back from retirement, under yet another safe pair of hands as Head of Chambers who has not half the wit or charm of our protagonist, Rumpole works his way up the the ironically titled "...Last Case." Can this be the end for Rumpole? You'll have to read it to find out, but you will not regret having to read these tales from the courthouse which are never less than entertaining if not actually instructive on the vagaries of life, law and She Who Must Be Obeyed.

After refreshing our memories of the TV shows of Rumpole, I bought both Omnibus editions as our library was in lockdown. They both caused a great deal of hilarity and were thick enough to last a few weeks.BB

John Mortimer’s story lines, and characterisations are compelling. The Rumpole character is larger than life, you expect to actually see him on the Gloucester Road.