hints, allegations and things left unsaid...
A Prison Diary - Volume II: How about a blog instead Lord Jeffrey?
Having read volume one of this thee part series, I picked up Jeffrey Archer�s A Prison Diary Volume II with much anticipation. It disappoints to say the least (no its not my grumpy mood today). The first volume had the novelty of depicting, how when someone of the social stature of Lord Jeffrey, confronted with vile realities of Britain�s prison system, reacts. That novelty seems to have worn off. Unless you are keen to know what Mr.Archer had for each meal or his mundane prison routine or those banal tales of drug trade in prison (which we got enough of in the first volume) stay away from this book.
To be fair, the book is not without its brilliant moments � Sergio�s discourse on precious stone trade in Colombia and Botero are engrossing. There are hues of British humor as well �Jules and I watch Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline in French Kiss which has us both laughing, but then we are a captive audience� but are they reasons enough to get the book, I am not quite sure. An author always walks the tightrope between personal and professional lives � how much of your personal life do you allow to spill over into your works � given that it�s a diary you would expect a lot. Agreed that perhaps Mr. Archer was wrongly at the receiving end of a one off error by British legal system but then one wishes that he was a little more sporting and graceful about the entire episode. The book is replete with numerous cynical references to Ms. Nicholson which coming from Mr. Archer, feel a little petty. Overall the book comes across as a mere lackluster whine of an embittered person treated unfairly by system than as an exceptional chronicle of hardships of prison life (which is what one would expect from an author of the caliber of Lord Jeffrey Archer).
Having read volume one of this thee part series, I picked up Jeffrey Archer�s A Prison Diary Volume II with much anticipation. It disappoints to say the least (no its not my grumpy mood today). The first volume had the novelty of depicting, how when someone of the social stature of Lord Jeffrey, confronted with vile realities of Britain�s prison system, reacts. That novelty seems to have worn off. Unless you are keen to know what Mr.Archer had for each meal or his mundane prison routine or those banal tales of drug trade in prison (which we got enough of in the first volume) stay away from this book.
To be fair, the book is not without its brilliant moments � Sergio�s discourse on precious stone trade in Colombia and Botero are engrossing. There are hues of British humor as well �Jules and I watch Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline in French Kiss which has us both laughing, but then we are a captive audience� but are they reasons enough to get the book, I am not quite sure. An author always walks the tightrope between personal and professional lives � how much of your personal life do you allow to spill over into your works � given that it�s a diary you would expect a lot. Agreed that perhaps Mr. Archer was wrongly at the receiving end of a one off error by British legal system but then one wishes that he was a little more sporting and graceful about the entire episode. The book is replete with numerous cynical references to Ms. Nicholson which coming from Mr. Archer, feel a little petty. Overall the book comes across as a mere lackluster whine of an embittered person treated unfairly by system than as an exceptional chronicle of hardships of prison life (which is what one would expect from an author of the caliber of Lord Jeffrey Archer).
posted: 18.11.03
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