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Indlæser... Trials of Rumpole (1979)af John Mortimer
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Bliv medlem af LibraryThing for at finde ud af, om du vil kunne lide denne bog. Der er ingen diskussionstråde på Snak om denne bog. Though it is the second in the series, this was my first Rumpole. I was charmed, and I fully enjoyed it. Rumpole is an aging, cantankerous barrister. He specializes in defense in seemingly hopeless cases. His domineering wife, Hilda, is "she who must be obeyed." Amidst a cast of thoroughly quirky, thoroughly English characters, Rumpole proceeds in his goal of protecting the notion of innocent until proven guilty, and upholding the importance of the jury. Rumpole's (a.k.a. Mortimer's) use of language is fabulous, calling the court the "palais de justice," describing himself in the third person at just the right time. This volume sees Rumpole sorting out a group of actors, defending a schoolteacher accused of leading on a student, and fighting his family as they try and get him to retire. ingen anmeldelser | tilføj en anmeldelse
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Horace Rumpole-who never prosecutes, whose fame rests on an infinite knowledge of blood and typewriters, whose court scenes are proverbial, whose home is ruled by Mrs. Rumpole ("She Who Must Be Obeyed")-is back on the defense, as irreverent, as iconoclastic, as claret-swilling, poetry-spouting, impudent, witty, and cynical as ever. This time the judge-debunking barrister-at-law is embroiled with a minister accused of shoplifting, an actress accused of murder, and a racist candidate for Parliament, with art theft and mistaken identity thrown in for good measure. The result is a delightful excursion into hidden corners of the British judicial system served up in typically colorful Rumpole style. Stories include: "Rumpole and the Man of God", "Rumpole and the Showfolk", "Rumpole and the Fascist Beast", "Rumpole and the Case of Identity", "Rumpole and the Course of True Love", and "Rumpole and the Age for Retirement." No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Indlæser... GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC-klassificeringVurderingGennemsnit:
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This was the original collection of six short stories that introduced the querulous, self-opinionated yet also strangely endearing Rumpole to the world. Of course, it is difficult now to imagine Rumpole without seeing and hearing Leo McKern, who immortalised him in the long-running television series.
Mortimer was clearly a very accomplished barrister, having (unlike Rumpole) taken silk as a Queen’s Counsel, and also sitting occasionally as a Recorder (one of the various grades of judge within the English legal framework). Rumpole never prosecutes, always choosing to work for the defence. He also eschews legal jargon, and even the technicalities of the law itself, preferring to pepper his summation with quotations from Wordsworth, and relying on a pleasing blend of theatricality and pragmatism to win his cases.
The stories are certainly a joy to read, beautifully written and mixing carefully crafted humour and satire against the pomposity of the legal system (though Rumpole himself is, in his way, possibly the most pompous of them all. The cast of supporting characters is also finely drawn, ranging from Rumpole’s frosty, long-suffering wife, Hilda (generally referred to by him as ‘She Who Must be Obeyed’), the feeble commercial lawyer Claude Erskine-Browne and smug head of Chambers, Guthrie Featherstone QC MP. They all complement each other admirably, allowing Mortimer to poke fun at all aspects of the legal profession.
In this first volume the stories are a lot longer than most of their successors, perhaps reflecting the fact that Mortimer had not yet identified Rumpole’s potential for portrayal on television. They are, however, a glorious mix of humour and social comment, minutely observed and joyously recounted. ( )