“Blind Date” by Jeffrey Archer #23

Many of us have been set up on a blind date or two. Sometimes it ends up being an enjoyable experience, but it could also be awful. Thankfully these dates may just be for coffee or lunch, nothing too serious. If it is awful, you could take comfort knowing the awkwardness would be over soon. That would be bad enough, but what would you do if you were on a date, but you yourself were blind?

I must say, I think I am becoming quite a fan of Jeffrey Archer’s work. The prior two pieces I have reviewed here have been stories that were based on true events. I wanted to do something a bit different this time, and pick one that is entirely fictional and see what I thought. Like the others, I am quite pleased with what I have read here. I have wondered how the blind handle their situation, and this story gives a little “look” into what they have to do to compensation for their lack of eyesight. It was interesting to find out how the man on the date used his different senses to ascertain information about his date. At only five pages, it is a quick treat to read. You can find it in And Thereby Hangs a Tale.

Links of Interest:

Photo of Madonna and Child by Barbara Hepworth at Flickr.com (Mentioned in story)

“I Will Survive” by Jeffrey Archer #7

 "I Will Survive" begins like just a simple tale about the day-to-day activities of antique dealer Julian Farnsdale. Among his wares include an Adam fireplace, a Chippendale rocking chair, and best of all, a Faberge egg created by Carl Faberge in 1910. Everything is normal until he and his fellow shopkeepers meet the famous Gloria Gaynor who will be performing at the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington in London. I thought it was a pretty fun read because I find the way people behave around famous people entertaining, which this story touches on. Further, I liked being given a description of how a salesman thinks in this story as well.  You can find it in And Hereby Hangs a Tale.

Links of Interest:

Official Gloria Gaynor Website Multimedia

Official Faberge Collection Web Page

Royal Albert Hall Home Page (Includes Virtual Tour)

“The Queen’s Birthday Telegram” by Jeffrey Archer #1

“The Queen’s Birthday Telegram” by Jeffrey Archer tells the story of Albert and Betty Webber, an elderly couple living in the village of Street in the heart of Somerset. On his 100th birthday, Albert receives a congratulatory telegram on this achievement. Albert is so overjoyed at the recognition he receives for reaching to the milestone, that he cannot help but look forward to when his wife achieves the same milestone in three years. But what happens when her telegram never arrives as expected?

I must say that this is a very nice story, one that really doesn’t have a lot of mystery or danger so to speak, but one that I find downright charming. It is pleasant to read a story that doesn’t have a lot of nasty stuff in it, and I think is a good way to start this blog. I recommend checking it out. You can find it on Amazon.com by clicking here. Yes, I am an Amazon Associate.

Links to things related to this story:

Does the Queen of England still send telegrams to centenarians?

Somerset County Gazette

BBC Points West

Street Football Club