AGATHA CHRISTIE, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

 Dodd Mead 1977.

At the age of 60 this extraordinary author of the most popular mystery novels ever published began writing of her life and career which ended with her death at 85 in January 1976.

She was christened Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller. Her story starts with her childhood in "Ashfield," the Miller family residence in Torquay on the southern coast of England.

Hers was a delightful upbringing in the late Victorian period when costumes, manners, and the family group were so very important in that upper-class society.

Here is a nostalgic description of a time much removed from her later life. Dame Agatha goes on to tell of her early writing attempts, her marriage to Archibald Christie, the birth of her only child, Rosalind, her work as a red cross volunteer during World War 1, her modest success with the publication in 1921 of her first mystery, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, her unhappy separation and divorce from Christie.

There follow vivid descriptions of her travels abroad while her novels were growing in popularity, of her meeting at an archaeological excavation site in the Middle East with Max Mallowan, who was to become one of Britain’s foremost archaeologists, and their subsequent marriage in 1930.

Dame Agatha writes in a charming manner about her work with her husband at various "digs" abroad, of the many well known people they came to know, and of the purchase of their estate, "Greenway," on the River Dart in Devon.

World War 11 drastically changed her way of life with Max Mallowan and her family. While her husband was overseas, Agatha Christie again became involved in volunteer work, but continued to write. She describes producing during those trying times the two novels, Curtain and Sleeping Murder, which was not intended for publication until she was gone.

The 1950’s and 1960’s were the years of repeated successes with her books, plays and films. Her reaction at being recognized as one of the most widely read authors of all time makes interesting reading.

The dust jacket has splits rubs and creases including a 3cm split and associated diagonal crease at the top mid rear. The boards are slightly sunned at the top and bottom extremes. The (529) pages are clean and tightly bound and the book is in good condition with the exception of the reported minor faults. An illuminating book on one of the world’s greatest writers. The book is illustrated in black and white. It is a heavy book and so parcel or surface mail might be required.