Days before his death, Jeffrey Archer answered questions for The New York Times’s By the Book column, just before the release of his novel “Adam and Eve.” He revealed that “To Kill a Mockingbird” remained his favorite book, having read it three times, and expressed disappointment in Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman.” He admitted to never finishing “War and Peace” due to Russian names and praised “Dissection of a Murder” by Jo Murray and “London Falling” as standout reads. Archer believed great storytelling could overcome poor prose, citing authors who topped bestseller lists despite weak writing. He emphasized that writers must not know what comes next, or readers won’t either.
His favorite gift was Jon Meacham’s “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power.” He considered “Adam and Eve” his best work, unlikely to be equaled at 86. His favorite heroine was Becky Sharp, and his favorite villain, Moriarty. He recommended Stefan Zweig’s “Beware of Pity” and noted “London Falling” revealed a London he never knew.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing