Rating: 
Summary: Upper class Chopper Read
Review: Jeffrey Archer is no Dostoevsky or Solzhenytsin or even Charriere. He's more an upper class prat Chopper Read.This is a self indulgent whinging bore of a book. Archer and Pauline Hanson would get on famously.
Archer's strengths are his ingenious plots, the suspense of the situations he portrays and his interesting characters.This book has none of these elements. If, like me, you are a Jeffrey Archer fan stay away from this book
Rating: 
Summary: Superbly narrated by Martin Jarvis
Review: Jeffrey Archer was elected to the British House of Commons in 1969 and was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985. He was elevated to the House of Lords in 1992. On July 19, 2001, Jeffrey archer (an internationally known and best selling author as well) was sentenced to four years in prison for perjury. He became Prisoner FF8282 and spent the first 22 days of his sentence in a high-security British prison. Archer was moved to the Lifer's wing for the security it provided and became a trusted confidant for fellow convicts (his cellmate sold a story about him to the British Tabloids). A Prison Diary is Archer's candid account of his life behind bars. Superbly narrated by Martin Jarvis, this highly recommended New Millennium six-cassette audiobook edition is complete and unabridged with a running time of 8 hours.
Rating: 
Summary: Light at the end of the tunnel for Archer...
Review: That's how I would describe this book. Archer, upper middle class, MP, Deputy Chairman of the Tories finally faced the music when he was sentenced for obstruction of justice. Whether he is guilty or not doesn't really matter as there will always be two sides to the coin. What is interesting however is that Archer, who have had a very comfortable life prior to his sentence was placed into the prison. All of a sudden, a free man to a convict. The book simply describes his life in the prison. His daily routines and little things that happen each day. Though it may sound boring, it was actually a plesant read. I often imagined what it was like to be in his shoes and whether I could handle what he was going through. Do not expect the book to be one of his masterpiece with plots. This is a simple book about a man who enjoyed all the best in life and suddenly having all that taken away from him. He was able to bring to the reader a sense of humour, saddness and curiosity to life in prison. Prior to reading the book, I thought criminals deserve their time... after the book, I wonder whether society has done all it can to accomodate these people. Whether he is guilty or not I do not know... what I would love to see is that Archer can use this unique experience in helping others who are in need... Not an Archer fan... but I've just purchased First Among Equals.
Rating:
Summary: A Primer on Prison (British style)
Review: The content of this book was a total surprise--Jeffrey Archer convicted of perjury??? "A Prison Diary" was absorbing and instructive. Archer and his family apparently adapted to unnatural conditions with dignity and even productivity. How would any of us function in such circumstances?
Rating:
Summary: Interesting...and oh-so British
Review: This is a very interesting book, but labeling it a diary implies more emotional depth and intimacy than it actually has. Archer focuses primarily on other prisoners instead of giving us the full depth of his personal feelings. There really is truth to that old cliche about the British having stiff upper lips!
| 
