Selected by his son, these are the speeches of William Hughes Mulligan, litigator, judge, law professor and dean, and unrivaled artisan among after-dinner speakers. Mulligan's natural ability to compose and deliver a speech with impeccable timing and laced with urbane and timely wit combined with a sampling of his gentle wisdom made him a favorite practitioner of this art. Audiences were ever delighted with his recurring cast of characters, including "Hercules Mulligan," Christopher Lynch, the discoverer of America, and that noted Irishman of ancient renown, King Tut.

A graduate of Fordham College and Fordham Law School, where he was editor of the Fordham Law Review, William Hughes Mulligan (1918-1996) joined the Fordham Law School faculty after service in World War II and was named Dean in 1956. In 1971 President Nixon appointed him to the United States Court of Appeals. After a decade on the federal bench, he became a partner in the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom.