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Books that prove Jeffrey Archer is a master storyteller

TNN | Last updated on - Apr 15, 2020, 18:03 IST

1/10

Write India author Jeffrey Archer

When it comes to being a man of politics, Write India author Jeffrey Archer has led what can be called a somewhat checkered life. But that doesn’t take away from him the fact that he has managed to create a parallel life of a hugely successful author. A promising public life was always his calling and but for his financial woes, his talent for writing would never have surfaced. Nevertheless, four decades and a huge number of bestsellers later, the literary world is thankful to him for switching vocations and is all the richer. Here are some of his select few books that one must read.

Image: Jeffrey Archer/via Facebook

2/10

Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less (1976)

Jeffrey Archer’s first book was written during a tough phase of his life. This was right after when he had lost almost all his fortune in a financial scam and was facing bankruptcy. Interestingly enough, his book too is about four victims of a swindle and how they resolve to get their stolen money back. "Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less" sold so many copies it saved him from bankruptcy.

Image: Pan Macmillan

3/10

Kane and Abel

Arguably his most admired work ever, this is also the book that sold the most copies. "Kane and Abel" tells the story two business rivals who are born on the same date but in different circumstances and are locked in a bitter struggle to destroy each other. It remains an absolute favorite with the readers till this date and has since spawned two sequels and a television series based on it as well.
Image: Pan Macmillan

4/10

Honour Among Thieves

"Honour Among Thieves" is a fictionalized account of the original American Declaration of Independence being stolen and the attempts to recover it before it is burnt publicly by Saddam Hussein to avenge Iraq’s defeat in the Gulf War. An avowed supporter of the Kurdish uprising against Saddam, Archer gives us a peek into the evil machinations of the Iraqi dictator and the extent to which he can go to humiliate USA.
Image: Pan Macmillan

5/10

The Fourth Estate

As the name itself suggests, this 1996 novel is about the press and mass media. Archer narrates the tale of two leaders of two popular media houses and in a plot reminiscent of "Kane and Abel", pits them against each other. This book was also said to be inspired by the two real life media bosses Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell.
Image: Pan Macmillan

6/10

False Impression

A thriller spanning continents, "First Impression" is the story of a woman and her quest to sell a Van Gogh painting while warding off threats from her for former employer and FBI. Archer is at his best here, weaving a storyline of mystery and conspiracy that touches upon real life events such as the 9/11 attacks before concluding with the success of the protagonist.
Image: Pan Macmillan

7/10

A Prisoner of Birth

A yet another best seller, this book is a retelling of "The Count of the Monte Cristo". Archer revisits the classic revenge story and sets his story in a contemporary setting with his own set of characters. "A Prisoner of Birth" follows the wrongful imprisonment of Danny Cartwright and his efforts to find justice. It once again confirmed Archer’s skills as a master story teller after a decade of lull in his writing career.
Image: Pan Macmillan

8/10

Paths of Glory

"Paths of Glory" is Archer’s account of the famous disappearance of mountaineer duo George Mallory and Sandy Ervine at Mount Everest in 1924.They had come tantalizingly close to summiting the peak before disappearing about a couple of hundred meters off it. In his book, Archer supports the theory that the two mountaineers had actually succeeded in reaching the peak before they died, thereby, becoming the first ones to scale Mt. Everest.
Image: Pan Macmillan

9/10

Only Time Will Tell

This is the first installment in the seven-part Clifton Chronicles series that revolves around the life of a Harry Clifton. This book tracks Clifton in his younger days from his birth till the onset of the World War II. Like his previous works, the Clifton Chronicles too was received well by the readers and Archer has since gone on to successfully complete the series.
Image: Pan Macmillan

10/10

Sins of the Father

The second book to be published in the Clifton Chronicles series, "The Sins of the Father" picked up where the first book had left off. Harry Clifton has since enrolled himself in the navy and is seen here fighting in the Second World War. He is then subsequently imprisoned for desertion and the book concludes with his discovering his real parentage.
Image: Pan Macmillan

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