Rumpole of the Bailey

<b>Sir John Mortimer</b> was a novelist playwright and barrister. The first book featuring his most famous character Horace Rumpole was published by Penguin in 1980 and Mortimer went on to publish a dozen collections of Rumpole stories as well as a handful of novels culminating in 2007 in RUMPOLE MISBEHAVES. He was knighted in 1998 for his services to the arts and died in January 2009. I thank heaven for small mercies. The first of these is Rumpole. Rumpole is worthy to join the great gallery of English oddballs ranging from Pickwick to Sherlock Holmes Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. <p><b>'Rumpole like Jeeves and Sherlock Holmes is immortal' P. D. James</b><br><br>Horace Rumpole - dishevelled barrister at law drinker of claret and smoker of cigars inveterate quoter of Wordsworth and eternal defender of the underdog - is one of the greatest English comic characters ever created. This is the original volume of Rumpole stories introducing us to the legal triumphs that first made the Old Bailey Hack's name along with a host of choice villains frequent forays to Pommeroy's wine bar and of course his formidable magisterial wife Hilda She Who Must Be Obeyed. <br><br>'I thank heaven for small mercies. The first of these is Rumpole' Clive James<br><br>'A fruity foxy masterpiece defender of our wilting faith in mankind' <i>Sunday Times</i></p> <p><b>'Rumpole like Jeeves and Sherlock Holmes is immortal' P. D. James</b><br><br>Horace Rumpole - dishevelled barrister at law drinker of claret and smoker of cigars inveterate quoter of Wordsworth and eternal defender of the underdog - is one of the greatest English comic characters ever created. This is the original volume of Rumpole stories introducing us to the legal triumphs that first made the Old Bailey Hack's name along with a host of choice villains frequent forays to Pommeroy's wine bar and of course his formidable magisterial wife Hilda She Who Must Be Obeyed. <br><br>'I thank heaven for small mercies. The first of these is Rumpole' Clive James<br><br>'A fruity foxy masterpiece defender of our wilting faith in mankind' <i>Sunday Times</i></p>