‘And Thereby Hangs a Tale’: Short and sweet
By Swetha Amit | 31 Dec 2011
Author: Jeffery Archer
Published by: Pan Macmillan
Price: Rs260
Classification: Fiction
Life’s lessons are sometimes learnt through encounters with other people. The uniqueness of this book lies in Jeffery Archer penning down such experiences to share them with millions across the world. Jeffery Archer’s book ‘And Thereby Hangs a Tale’ is a compilation of 15 short stories derived from the author’s real-life experiences and imagination, of which 10 are from life. The stories undoubtedly leave a long-lasting impact on the minds of the readers with their unexpected twists and turns.
This collection portrays an interesting mix of stories gleaned and experienced by Archer during his travels around the world. A few of the stories in this collection are especially riveting and deserve a special mention. ‘The Queen’s Birthday Telegram’ is a wistful story about an old man waiting for a queen’s letter of appreciation to his wife on her 100th birthday. ‘High Heels’ is another story which talks about a loss adjuster working on his first case. ‘Blind Date’ has a touch of irony, and is about two visually challenged individuals who have a conversation across tables at a restaurant and are unaware of each other’s physical condition. ‘Caste off' is the story of an Indian couple whose romance blossoms after a chance encounter at a traffic signal. As the name suggests, it is also about an inter-caste marriage and how it affects their lives.
The language of the stories is explicit, similar to many of Archer's earlier works. The tales are narrated wittily and make a compelling read. While some linger on in the minds of the readers, others do not make much of an impact. However, each story certainly manages to evoke an emotion. Overall, a light travel read which can be flipped through quickly.
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