A Prisoner of Birth

Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare, born on April 15, 1940, is an English novelist, life peer, convicted criminal, and former elected politician who continues to hold a seat in the House of Lords. Prior to his career as an author, Archer served as a Member of Parliament from 1969 to 1974. However, he chose not to seek re-election following a financial scandal that nearly left him bankrupt.

Despite facing adversity, Archer found success as a novelist. His 1979 work, "Kane and Abel," stands among the best-selling books globally, boasting an estimated 34 million copies sold worldwide. In total, his literary works have surpassed 320 million copies in global sales.

Archer assumed the role of deputy chairman of the Conservative Party from 1985 to 1986 but resigned amidst allegations of paying money to a prostitute, a claim he successfully refuted in a 1987 court case. Honored as a life peer in 1992, he later became the Conservative candidate for the inaugural Mayor of London election. However, in 1999, Archer withdrew from the candidacy after it was revealed that he had lied during his 1987 libel case. His active political career came to an end when he was incarcerated from 2001 to 2003 for perjury and perverting the course of justice.