British author and politician Jeffrey Archer dies at 86

British author and politician Jeffrey Archer passed away at his home today at the age of 86. Publisher HarperCollins announced that he died of natural causes, suddenly and peacefully. Archer sold over 300 million books in 49 languages, and is the only author to have reached number one on bestseller lists in three categories: fiction, short stories, and non-fiction.

British author and politician Jeffrey Archer passed away at his home today (Monday) at the age of 86. Publisher HarperCollins announced that he died of natural causes, 'suddenly and peacefully'. Archer served as a Member of Parliament and as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, and was a member of the House of Lords. His political career ended in 2001 when he was sentenced to prison for perjury and perverting the course of justice, following a libel lawsuit he filed in the late 1980s. In the literary field, Archer is considered one of the world's most successful authors. Over five decades, he sold more than 300 million books translated into 49 languages. According to publishing data, Archer is the only author to have reached number one on bestseller lists in three different categories: fiction, short stories, and non-fiction. Among his notable works is the book 'Kane and Abel', which was adapted into a successful miniseries on CBS in the 1980s. Other books, including 'First Among Equals' and 'A Matter of Principle', were adapted into series on British networks ITV and BBC. His final book, 'Adam and Eve', is expected to be published shortly. Meanwhile, it was reported that Paramount Studios is in the process of developing an additional film or television adaptation of 'A Matter of Principle', marking 50 years since its publication.