Late in life, Louis Blom-Cooper (obituary, 21 September) and his wife, Jane, took on a near-derelict former pub over the Regent’s Canal in the De Beauvoir area of Hackney, east London, and revived it as a wonderful home for themselves and their books.
Although Louis was devastated by Jane’s death in 2006, he continued to write with great clarity well into his 90s. Unreasoned Verdict: The Jury Is Out, his final attack on the British jury system, which he felt to be inefficient, unsuitable and dangerous, will be published early next year.
Common sense, powerful argument and an intensely liberal view of life formed the backbone of his writing, and the (invariably lengthy) speeches he gave at his book launches revealed an astounding ability to captivate even the thirstiest of audiences.
