One Bar to Another:  Book Review

            B.G. Wumpkey is sorely in need of a change in venue.  The most memorable lawyer of mid-coast Maine, first introduced in the author’s debut, Practice Not Perfect, is suffering from a sort of mid-life crisis.  Thus, when the opportunity presents itself to relocate to Florida and assume management of his friend Boopsy’s tavern, Wumpkey rises to the bait.  Confronted upon his arrival by a house devastated by a tropical storm, the erstwhile lawyer must call upon weary but ever present inner resources to salvage the home and turn his attention to the operation of the unfamiliar business.

            Melesky, a practicing attorney himself, spins a whimsical tale filled with vivid dialogue and colorful characters, none more so than Wumpkey himself.  The legal elements of the story ring true and fans of the genre will enjoy the detailed depiction of legal life.  In Wumpkey, the author has created a stateside lawyer reminiscent of John Mortimer’s beloved Rumpole of the Bailey.  The corpulent Wumpkey is endearing enough that one hopes his new adventures (and the series) continues.

Mary Ledoux
Director of Library Services
Franklin Pierce College

Practice Not Perfect.

Tribune Chronicle - Sunday May 7, 2006
Warren, Ohio

Recommended Reading by Warren-Trumbull County Public Library Staff.
Practice Not Perfect
by David M. Melesky
(Adult Fiction)

This is a charming first novel from Greenville, PA Attorney David Melesky. Low-key and humorous, the book deals with the everyday trials and tribulations of Maine Attorney B.G. Wumpkey, a transplant to the state which boasts a moose under a pine tree on its flag. Maine offers blueberries, bugs and more snow than one would ever care to see. Each short chapter invites the reader to experience a day in the life of Wumpkey and be entertained by his musings on a variety of topics, from the legal system to fishing. The introduction states that Maine is a land of contrasts – let Wumpkey be the one to show you around.

I Remember Bethlehem

A Nostalgic Look at Connecticut's Christmas Town.
This is "a delightful trip down Memory Lane," which readers call "Hilarious!"