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Whether he's quoting Wordsworth or having words with a particularly obtuse judge, Horace Rumpole always knows what he's doing--even if no one else does. In this delightful collection of stories, Rumpole straightens everyone out in the shocking case of a "bent copper," gallantly teaches a professor of moral philosophy about blackmail, consults with the dear departed when a will is contested, traces the path of true love when a doctor is accused of murder, and (in the name of duty, of course) drinks to excess with a teetotaling member of the prosecution. There is even a rare moment or two when Rumpole finds himself appreciative of "She Who Must Be Obeyed" (Mrs. Rumpole), when she inadvertently provides some essential clues that clinch his cases. Stories in this collection include "Rumpole for the Defense," "Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail," "Rumpole and the Dear Departed," "Rumpole and the Rotten Apple," "Rumpole and the Expert Witness," "Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas," and "Rumpole and the Boat People."… (más)
I have written previously in this thread of my particular fondness for John Mortimer’s stories about Rumpole, and for some of the reasons behind it.
Of course, the principal reason that I enjoy the Rumpole stories is that they are so well written, and that Rumpole is a marvelous creation.
This particular volume was the third collection of stories following the significantly less than stellar legal career of Horace Rumpole. Although purportedly written by Rumpole himself, the stories are from a hagiography, and he emerges as querulous, self-opinionated, and frequently pompous to a frightful degree, Perversely, Rumpole is also an endearing character. I find it hard now to imagine Rumpole without seeing and hearing Leo McKern, who immortalised him in the long-running television series, although he has also been played very effectively on the Radio by Timothy West and Maurice Denham.
Rumpole is at heart a rebel, and a perpetual supporter of life’s underdogs. Consequently, he never prosecutes, preferring always to represent the defendant. This has not endeared him to the legal establishment, nor even to the fellow tenants of his Chambers at Equity Court, but that is of no moment to Rumpole. Neither is he an expert in the intricacies of the law, but, having confined himself to criminal cases, he has amassed a wealth of knowledge of the technicalities of crime in general (admittedly from a time before the DNA analysis was even dreamt of), and of bloodstains in particular. He also eschews legal jargon, preferring to pepper his summations with quotations from the Oxford Book of English Verse (specifically the Quiller-Couch edition), and Wordsworth in particular, and relies upon a pleasing blend of theatricality and pragmatism to win his cases.
The stories are certainly a joy to read, being beautifully written and mixing carefully crafted humour and satire against the pomposity of the legal system (although Rumpole himself is, in his way, perhaps the most pompous of them all.) ( )
I had not seen any adaptions of these, which is odd for one of the older ones. Tore through in one day of long processing and unblocking pipes and so very welcome it was. The older ones are a bit better.
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
This morning a postcard, decorated with an American stamp and a fine view of the Florida freeways, put me in mind of the long-distant day when my son Nick first left these shores, leaving his mother and father staring at each other in wild surmise alone in our 'mansion' flat in Froxbury Court, Gloucester Road.
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Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
Collection of short stories:
Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt
Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail
Rumpole and the Dear Departed
Rumpole and the Rotten Apple
Rumpole and the Expert Witness
Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas
Rumpole and the Boat People
Please note that the Rumpole short stories (and novels) are adaptations / novelizations of Mortimer's screenplays for the TV series starring Leo McKern and the BBC radio plays -- not the other way around.
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Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
Whether he's quoting Wordsworth or having words with a particularly obtuse judge, Horace Rumpole always knows what he's doing--even if no one else does. In this delightful collection of stories, Rumpole straightens everyone out in the shocking case of a "bent copper," gallantly teaches a professor of moral philosophy about blackmail, consults with the dear departed when a will is contested, traces the path of true love when a doctor is accused of murder, and (in the name of duty, of course) drinks to excess with a teetotaling member of the prosecution. There is even a rare moment or two when Rumpole finds himself appreciative of "She Who Must Be Obeyed" (Mrs. Rumpole), when she inadvertently provides some essential clues that clinch his cases. Stories in this collection include "Rumpole for the Defense," "Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail," "Rumpole and the Dear Departed," "Rumpole and the Rotten Apple," "Rumpole and the Expert Witness," "Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas," and "Rumpole and the Boat People."
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Of course, the principal reason that I enjoy the Rumpole stories is that they are so well written, and that Rumpole is a marvelous creation.
This particular volume was the third collection of stories following the significantly less than stellar legal career of Horace Rumpole. Although purportedly written by Rumpole himself, the stories are from a hagiography, and he emerges as querulous, self-opinionated, and frequently pompous to a frightful degree, Perversely, Rumpole is also an endearing character. I find it hard now to imagine Rumpole without seeing and hearing Leo McKern, who immortalised him in the long-running television series, although he has also been played very effectively on the Radio by Timothy West and Maurice Denham.
Rumpole is at heart a rebel, and a perpetual supporter of life’s underdogs. Consequently, he never prosecutes, preferring always to represent the defendant. This has not endeared him to the legal establishment, nor even to the fellow tenants of his Chambers at Equity Court, but that is of no moment to Rumpole. Neither is he an expert in the intricacies of the law, but, having confined himself to criminal cases, he has amassed a wealth of knowledge of the technicalities of crime in general (admittedly from a time before the DNA analysis was even dreamt of), and of bloodstains in particular. He also eschews legal jargon, preferring to pepper his summations with quotations from the Oxford Book of English Verse (specifically the Quiller-Couch edition), and Wordsworth in particular, and relies upon a pleasing blend of theatricality and pragmatism to win his cases.
The stories are certainly a joy to read, being beautifully written and mixing carefully crafted humour and satire against the pomposity of the legal system (although Rumpole himself is, in his way, perhaps the most pompous of them all.) (