Heaven, Jeffrey Archer's final volume in his trilogy of prison diaries, covers the period of his transfer from a medium security prison, HMP Wayland, to his eventual release on parole in July 2003. It includes a shocking account of the traumatic time he spent in the notorious Lincoln jail and the events that led to his incarceration there, and also shines a harsh light on a system that is close to its breaking point.
Told with humor, compassion, and honesty, the diary closes with a thought-provoking manifesto that will be applauded by reform advocates and the prison population alike.
"The books form the most detailed and illuminating account of life spent under lock and key since Dostoyevsky." ---Mail on Sunday (UK)
"Compelling reading. . . . Archer knows how to tell a story. He exposes real problems in the penal system." ---Houston Chronicle on A Prison Diary
"A tale that is not only important but true." ---The Washington Post on A Prison Diary
"The finest thing that he's ever written . . . so clear and crisp is the prose, a vivid and almost 'live' account that bubbles with Dickensian detail and a Shavian sense of outrage…. Riveting." ---Independent on Sunday (UK) on A Prison Diary
"Surprisingly effective . . . a devastating critique . . . written simply and directly." ---Sunday Times (UK) on A Prison Diary
"False Impression…may be a worthy successor to the still bestselling The Da Vinci Code….Sail along from one high crime to the next." ---Liz Smith, The New York Post
"Archer's usual plot twists and fast pace make for an enjoyable page-turner." ---Library Journal (starred review) on False Impression
Description:
Heaven, Jeffrey Archer's final volume in his trilogy of prison diaries, covers the period of his transfer from a medium security prison, HMP Wayland, to his eventual release on parole in July 2003. It includes a shocking account of the traumatic time he spent in the notorious Lincoln jail and the events that led to his incarceration there, and also shines a harsh light on a system that is close to its breaking point.
Told with humor, compassion, and honesty, the diary closes with a thought-provoking manifesto that will be applauded by reform advocates and the prison population alike.
From Publishers Weekly
In 2001, bestselling novelist Archer (Sons of Fortune; etc.) was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for perjury. Volume one of his diaries detailed his first 22 days at a facility for violent offenders; volume two described his move to a place mostly populated by drug offenders and armed robbers. Volume three opens on Day 89, as Archer arrives at North Sea Camp, an "open" prison for well-behaved lifers and convicts nearing parole. As hospital orderly, Archer has certain perks—a private room with bath—and a full work schedule, essential for staving off prison's big challenge: boredom. Being a writer helps; he fills the hours writing his diary and interviewing fellow inmates. There's a whole lot of tedious "what I ate for breakfast"-type entries which make a strong case for how dull prison life really is. There's no discussion anywhere of Archer's crime and little talk of British Conservative politics; the focus stays on daily prison life. Archer's fiction fans will read this volume just to see him home free; for prison reform advocates, the entire series may open doors to Archer's other work.
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Review
Praise for Jeffrey Archer:
"The books form the most detailed and illuminating account of life spent under lock and key since Dostoyevsky."
---Mail on Sunday (UK)
"Compelling reading. . . . Archer knows how to tell a story. He exposes real problems in the penal system."
---Houston Chronicle on A Prison Diary
"A tale that is not only important but true."
---The Washington Post on A Prison Diary
"The finest thing that he's ever written . . . so clear and crisp is the prose, a vivid and almost 'live' account that bubbles with Dickensian detail and a Shavian sense of outrage…. Riveting."
---Independent on Sunday (UK) on A Prison Diary
"Surprisingly effective . . . a devastating critique . . . written simply and directly."
---Sunday Times (UK) on A Prison Diary
"False Impression…may be a worthy successor to the still bestselling The Da Vinci Code….Sail along from one high crime to the next."
---Liz Smith, The New York Post
"Archer's usual plot twists and fast pace make for an enjoyable page-turner."
---Library Journal (starred review) on False Impression