John Mortimer: The Devil's Advocate

by Graham Lord

The life of the creator of Rumpole of the Bailey and the author of many best-sellers. Sir John Mortimer was also a distinguished barrister (lawyer) and political activist.

Genres: Biography

376 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 2005

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord got permission to do this biography, then Mortimer changed his mind -- possibly on his agent's advice. Lord has written a well-researched book, full of gossip, but also a mean-spirited and spiteful book. Mortimer comes across as a more complex, interesting, and astonishingly productive man than the affable official version suggests. A curious mixture of domesticity (he was responsible for about 9 children, including his step children) and irresponsibility; a sharp legal mind who was cavalier with the facts; lovable yet steely and self-interested; firmly anti-establishment in his attitude to permissiveness, yet fully enjoying his place in the heart of the establishment; forever chasing much younger women, party going, and taking boozy lunches (even when he was acting as a QC during important court cases), yet also a highly disciplined and successful author, much of whose output was disposable hack writing .... There are some great stories here. (At Oxford Ted Heath, future PM, is shocked to hear that a couple of students are sleeping together - "Good heavens! You'd never get members of the Conservative Association behaving like that").

[megHan · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Mortimer, for those of you who do not know, is the author of the Rumpole of the Bailey series, a show that I watched when I was younger and thoroughly loved. This is the unauthorized biography (originally authorized, but when Mortimer wasn't happy with what Graham Lord was going to write, decided to end their relationship, but the book continued on). I was tempted to put less stars than I did, but I realized that my dislike for the book had less to do with the author and his writing and more to do with the fact that I really didn't like some of the things I learned about Mortimer the man. (These reviews are hard for me, especially when I enjoyed the book or learned a lot from it, because I want to say so much, but can't for fear that I will give away too much and ruin the book/story/plot for you.) If you are a fan of the show/books, and are curious about the man behind the story, I recommend reading this book, but keep in mind what I said earlier about the fact that he wasn't always unauthorized - he tells that story in this book as well.

[Adebayo Oyagbola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talented, unusual, charismatic, demented, oddball, cad - all words that can be appropriately used to describe John Mortimer QC, a man who saw himself as above the social mores expected of ordinary mortals. A punchy and unexpurgated biography that supplies all the sordid details.