A Life of Books and Drama

In the news: The story

Read a 136-word news story: Remembering the Storyteller Who Lived Many Lives

British author and politician Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86. People around the world, including Queen Camilla, paid tribute to his colourful and energetic life. During his career, he wrote several novels that became an international bestseller, selling hundreds of millions of copies worldwide. His life was full of dramatic turns. While working at the top of British politics, a major legal scandal led to his arrest and prison sentence in 2001. The event damaged his public reputation, but he continued to write stories while inside. After leaving prison, Archer managed an extraordinary comeback and published many more popular novels. His final book appeared in shops on the same day people learned of his death. Readers and colleagues remember him as a creator whose real life was just as surprising as his fiction.

Vocabulary: Words in the news

5 items

Discussion: First reactions

2 discussion questions

• What types of stories or authors do you enjoy reading when you have free time?
• When a famous creator passes away, do you usually read the tributes, or do you not pay much attention?

Discussion: Starting over

2 discussion questions

• Jeffrey Archer managed to rebuild his career after prison. How hard is it to repair your reputation after a big public mistake?
• Have you or someone you know ever had to make a comeback after a difficult setback at work or in personal life?

Discussion: The bigger picture

2 discussion questions

• Can you still enjoy an amazing book or movie if the creator was involved in a serious scandal?
• Do you think public figures should be held to higher moral standards than everyday people?