The Scales of Justice

by John Mortimer

John Mortimer has not only successfully juggled the roles of barrister and author in his life, but he has also combined them in his brilliant comic stories about Horace Rumpole all of which are published by Penguin. Mortimer has also written wittily about the attendant pleasures of a life well-lived, and in The Scales of Justice we are treated not only to one of Rumpole's finest cases but also to some of the author's own very personal recollections.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Law

55 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

John Clifford Mortimer was a novelist, playwright and former practising barrister. Among his many publications are several volumes of Rumpole stories and a trilogy of political novels, Paradise Postponed, Titmuss Regained and The Sound of Trumpets, featuring Leslie Titmuss - a character as brilliant as Rumpole. John Mortimer received a knighthood for his services to the arts in 1998.

Series:
Rumpole of the Bailey
Rapstone Chronicles

Reviews

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Scales of Justice” by John Mortimer - “A Part of Life” (ISBN: 9780141022642)
“We had a gardener called Mr Smith .. and a gardener's boy who got blamed for everything.” (p3) [something I can relate to as a lad.]

“To me the law seems like a sort of maze through which a client must be led to safety, a collection of reefs, rocks and underwater hazards through which he or she must be piloted.” (p6)

“If these were not good times we were deceived by never having known anything better.” (p12)

“The writer cannot help exposing himself, however indecently.” (p18)
- - -

“Rumpole and the Scales of Justice” by John Mortimer - “A Part of Life” (ISBN: 9780141022642)

Intriguing short story about how a small time lawyer takes charge of a case and successfully turns it around.
“Knuckles lifted a fistful of crisps to his mouth and a sound emerged like an army marching through a field of dead bracken.” (p33)

[Liam Binfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pocket penguin. Good train read. Look cool whipping it out your back pocket and reading on the tube next to sweaty milfs.

Bit of autobiography and a short story of rumpole.

I have a feeling I’d absolutely hate him as a person even though he’s dead now but I quite like his writing. He talks of things that don’t interest me, I have no connection to, and that were done in a time I was not close to being in. Yet somehow it’s thoroughly engaging.
The short story was decent.

[jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

not my favourite of these little books so far. perhaps i am not knowledgeable enough in the field of law. the uninspired cover didn't help.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were two pieces in this little book -- one that was autobiographical and a second that was a short story featuring the author's best-known creation, Horace Rumpole. Now, I knew nothing of that until after finishing the book -- apparently, "Rumpole of the Bailey" was a television show created by Sir John Mortimer, and it spun off into things like short stories (aka what's featured here). I actually preferred the bit of autobiography that discussed Sir John Mortimer's past and how he got into law. A quick read, to be sure, but that's the nature of these little Pocket Penguins. Not quite enough to make me seek out anything else, though, with any real speed.

Oh a trivial note, I love these little Pocket Penguin books. They're so wonderfully convenient to slip into one's purse when it's weighted down with so many other things these day. I kept thinking that 4 out of 5 chiropractors would probably recommend them to keep the weight out of one's bag.

[Coenraad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The compilers of the Pocket Penguin 70s set knew what they were doing by giving popular authors from their anniversary set of ten years before another chance. In this book by John Mortimer there are two texts. The first is an autobiographical extract, giving us some facts about Mortimer's life, including a description of his father, the blind barrister, who was also an avid gardener. The second is another enjoyable Rumpole story, where Rumpole sticks his neck out as junior barrister and saves his client's bacon with a finely observed insight into human nature. The clear, unadorned writing makes the reading a joy.

John Mortimer skryf gemaklik en onopgesmuk. Hier bied hy in 'n outobiografiese teks met 'n ligte toon insig in sy huwelike en sy blinde vader. Daarby is daar nog 'n lekkerkry verhaal van Rumpole, Mortimer se geluefde hoofkarakter, wat net fyn insig in die menslike aard sy kliënt van ruïnerende tronkstraf red. Heerlike vakansieleesstof.

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second story was actually really good, and made me want to read more by Mortimer, very humorous.