And Thereby Hangs a Tale [Hardcover]

Jeffrey Archer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 14, 2010

International bestselling author Jeffrey Archer has spent the last five years gathering spellbinding stories from around the globe. These fifteen brand-new tales showcase Archer’s talent for capturing an unforgettable moment in time, whether tragic, comic, or outrageous.

In India, Jamwal and Nisha fall in love while waiting for a traffic light to turn green on the streets of Delhi.

From Germany comes “A Good Eye,” the tale of a priceless oil painting that has remained in the same family for over two hundred years, until...

To the Channel Islands and “Members Only,” where a golf ball falls out of a Christmas cracker, and a young man’s life will never be the same...

To Italy and “No Room at the Inn,” where a young man who is trying to book a room at a hotel ends up in bed with the receptionist, unaware that she...

To England, where, in “High Heels,” a woman has to explain to her husband why a pair of designer shoes couldn’t have gone up in flames...

Some of these stories will make you laugh while others will bring you to tears but, once again, every one of them will demand that you keep turning the page until you finally discover what happens to this remarkable cast of characters.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bestseller Archer assembles 15 more of the clever stories for which he is known. They are split between tales of trickery, as with "Stuck on You," where an eager young man is played by a diamond thief, and decidedly sentimental stories, such as "Members Only," about a man who wants nothing more than to join a private country club. Archer marks with an asterisk stories that are based on true incidents (10 in this collection), and whether it is the weight of credibility these stories' genesis lends or if the author works better with some starting material, the entirely imagined stories are also the weakest. "Politically Correct" never gets out of the shallows in its attempt to be provocative, and "Better the Devil You Know," with its evil executive making a deal with the devil (aka Mr. De Ath), is silly even for this author, who usually writes with a winningly light touch. Still, Archer's writing exudes a certain charm and is mostly satisfying. His trademark twists--sometimes a surprise to the reader, sometimes not--and genial tone will endear these mostly cozy stories to his many fans.
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From Booklist

Like Cat O’ Nine Tales (2007), Archer‘s latest collection of short fiction features stories based (sometimes rather loosely, we suspect) on true incidents or people. Of the 15 stories, 10, we’re told, are based on “known incidents,” which means, for example, that something similar to the very clever method of stealing jewelry described in “Stuck on You” might actually have been tried. Or that someone like Benny, the too-clever-for-his-own-good prison stoolie, might really have sentenced himself to a life of looking over his shoulder. Aside from the fact that they’re marked with an asterisk, it’s hard to tell the true(-ish) stories from the outright fictional ones: in all of them, Archer creates engaging characters and puts them into situations that range from tragic to comic to, well . . . a little strange. Once again we have ample proof that Archer is as proficient with short stories as he is with novels. --David Pitt

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (September 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312539533
• ISBN-13: 978-0312539535
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #630,050 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jeffrey Archer was educated at Oxford University. He has served five years in Britain's House of Commons, fourteen years in the House of Lords and two in Her majesty's prisons, which spawned three volumes of highly acclaimed Prison Diaries. All of his novels and short story collections--including Kane and Abel, Sons of Fortune, and False Impression--have been international bestsellers. Archer is married with two children and lives in London and Cambridge.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars clever and compelling tales with straightforward, unadorned prose, October 4, 2010

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: And Thereby Hangs a Tale (Hardcover)

Just about everyone loves a good story. And after reading or hearing an especially good one, who doesn't want to know the real story behind the story? The title of AND THEREBY HANGS A TALE comes from a quote in a William Shakespeare play, and it means just that --- the story behind the story.

In the tradition of master storytellers, Jeffrey Archer has crafted a collection of 15 short tales. Set in England, Ireland, America, India, Germany and points between, the book includes heroes and villains, winners and losers, injustice and comeuppance, love and loss, the demonic and the divine, and features stories of double-crossing crooks, convicts and thieves; a conniving gold-digger; fortune hunters; star-crossed lovers; and much more.

Picking a favorite from such a diverse collection is not an easy task. Those who yearn for suspense and intrigue with a surprising twist will enjoy Archer's original story, "Politically Correct." If you're looking for a perfect blend of humorous and heartwarming, then you should read "The Queen's Birthday Telegram," the true story of a centenarian who gets an unexpected surprise. And in "High Heels," a wife's high-fashion skills help a determined insurance investigator solve a case.

One of the standouts for me is "A Good Eye," an inspiring tale of art, tradition, faith and divine intervention, set in the hills of the Bavarian state of Germany. The story begins in the 1600s, with Herr Hans Grebenar, a church elder who is trained in law but who also has a passion and an eye for art. While serving as a prosecutor in the town of his birth, Grebenar discovers Herr Friedrich Bloch, a gifted painter. Despite his marvelous talent, Bloch can't steer clear of his vices. Grebenar bails Bloch out of his troubles numerous times and becomes his advocate. In exchange for financial support, Bloch agrees to Grebenar's commission "to paint full-length portraits of Our Lord's disciples."

Over the course of decades, Bloch executes his commission, but he saves his greatest masterpiece for last. The final painting stays with the family for centuries until tragedy strikes. Without giving away the ending, I'll just note that it truly is a miraculous tale of passion, faith and God-given genius.

What I like best about AND THEREBY HANGS A TALE is Archer's obvious respect for the tradition of storytelling. Throughout the collection, he weaves clever and compelling tales with straightforward, unadorned prose. His writing is clear and concise, and many of his characters are memorable. But it's really the concept of story --- and the story behind the story --- that is at the heart of Archer's elegant and entertaining work.

--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenann

13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Story, September 11, 2010

By 

Barbara S (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: And Thereby Hangs a Tale, see ISBN 978-1-4299-8417-1 (Kindle Edition)

I thought the story was well-told and interesting. I'll definitely look into more by this author. I do think the publisher made a mistake on this one though - having a free short story to gather interest in the book was a great idea. I think it would have worked better though if the entire book was available to pre-order on Kindle to catch the impulse shoppers like me.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jeffrey Archer Does it Again, October 9, 2010

By 

Smiley42 (Wetumpka, AL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: And Thereby Hangs a Tale (Hardcover)

I have purchased and read every Jeffery Archer book I could find. He is a fantastic author. At first I didn't think I would like his books of short stories. I was wrong - they are great and "Thereby Hangs a Tale is no exception and ranks with my favorites of his books of short stories - A Quiver Full of Arrows, Twelve Red Herrings, and a Cat O'Nine tales. He graduated from Oxford University, was a Member of Parliament, a Playwright and served two years of a four year term in prison. If you have never read any of his books, do so now.