An Autobiography

by Agatha Christie

Overview

Back in print in the exclusive authorized edition, is the engaging and illuminating chronicle of the life of the “Queen of Mystery.” Fans of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple and readers of John Curran’s fascinating biographies Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks and Murder in the Making will be spellbound by the compelling, authoritative account of one of the world’s most influential and fascinating novelists, told in her own words and inimitable style. The New York Times Book Review calls Christie’s autobiography a “joyful adventure,” saying, “she brings the sense of wonder...to her extraordinary career.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062204578
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/11/2012
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	576
Sales rank:	50,971
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 6.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976, after a prolific career spanning six decades.

Date of Birth:

September 15, 1890

Date of Death:

January 12, 1976

Place of Birth:

Torquay, Devon, England

Education:

Home schooling

Website:

http://www.agathachristie.com

Table of Contents

DAME AGATHA CHRISTIE opens the door to her fascinating and colorful life...

Her mysteries made her the world's bestselling author, but her private life has remained hidden for decades.Now, in her own words, Dame Agatha sheds light on her secretive life and tells of her early years in Victorian England; her marriages and world travels; her rise to success; the creative process behind her acclaimed novels and plays; and the events, places, and people that shaped her work.

Every fan of Agatha Christie will delight in the engaging chronicle of this remarkable woman of mystery.

Editorial Reviews

This book proves as inspiring as it is charming and absorbing.” — Boston Globe

“Brisk and admirable….Capturing the experience of a generation too often made over-grim or over-glorious, it is the autobiography of a woman, not merely a writer.” — Los Angeles Times

“Especially welcome.” — Publishers Weekly

“Contains some wonderful treats....Christie writes with such wit and insight that all 542 pages fly.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer

“A fun read, full of detail about upper-crust life in the Victorian era and about Christie’s own surprise at finding herself a mystery novelist.” — Charlotte News & Observer

“The history of a unique upbringing in a time long gone. It’s a portrait of a childhood and young womanhood that vanished with World War I.” — Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

“Christie writes with a wonderful dry wit. It is fascinating to see how people she met became characters in her novels.” — Daily American

“Joyful adventure….She brings the sense of wonder…to her extraordinary career.” — New York Times Book Review

“Agatha Christie is no longer merely one of my favorite writers. She is now one of my favorite people.” — Chicago Tribune

“A delightful autobiography….Warm, witty and discerning.” — Los Angeles Times

“Wonderfully easy to read and engrossing.” — The Times (London)

“Agatha Christie’s most absorbing mystery – the story of her own unusual life. She has put it all on record: her early romances; a broken (and a happy) marriage; strange events on the path to roaring success.” — Daily Mail (London)

“A wonderful book—written with a delight in the gradual unfolding of 75 years through the eyes of an exceptional old lady and writer.” — Financial Times (London)

From the Publisher

Agatha Christie is no longer merely one of my favorite writers. She is now one of my favorite people.

Chicago Tribune

The history of a unique upbringing in a time long gone. It’s a portrait of a childhood and young womanhood that vanished with World War I.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Brisk and admirable….Capturing the experience of a generation too often made over-grim or over-glorious, it is the autobiography of a woman, not merely a writer.

|Los Angeles Times

Christie writes with a wonderful dry wit. It is fascinating to see how people she met became characters in her novels.

Daily American

Contains some wonderful treats....Christie writes with such wit and insight that all 542 pages fly.

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Joyful adventure….She brings the sense of wonder…to her extraordinary career.

New York Times Book Review

This book proves as inspiring as it is charming and absorbing.

Boston Globe

A fun read, full of detail about upper-crust life in the Victorian era and about Christie’s own surprise at finding herself a mystery novelist.

Charlotte News & Observer

A delightful autobiography….Warm, witty and discerning.

Los Angeles Times

Agatha Christie is no longer merely one of my favorite writers. She is now one of my favorite people.

Chicago Tribune

Wonderfully easy to read and engrossing.

The Times (London)

A wonderful book—written with a delight in the gradual unfolding of 75 years through the eyes of an exceptional old lady and writer.

Financial Times (London)

Agatha Christie’s most absorbing mystery – the story of her own unusual life. She has put it all on record: her early romances; a broken (and a happy) marriage; strange events on the path to roaring success.

Daily Mail (London)

Originally published in 1977 and out-of-print, this new edition of Christie’s autobiography includes a CD of the grand dame of mystery authors expounding on her life as a writer—making it especially welcome as a holiday treat for all Christie fans. Although Christie’s tales reportedly still sell in numbers only exceeded by the Bible and Shakespeare, and are almost as timeless, her life (1890–1976) and work go back a long way. If the descriptions of the happy (despite the death of her feckless father), comfortable Victorian-era childhood of a genius of genre strikes as a bit ingenuous, things become more delectable with maturity: the travels, the coming-out parties, the nursing career, first marriage, and first publication (The Mysterious Affair at Styles). Christie’s decision to utter not a word about her celebrated disappearance is as revealing as it is secretive. Her second marriage, to a younger Catholic archeologist, marks the beginning of the “satisfying” years (known to most people as the Great Depression). In all, after a somewhat tiresome first third in muted colors, this memoir fulfills the intention to extend by one year the 120th anniversary celebration of Christie’s birth. 8 pages of color, 16 pages of b&w photos. (Nov. 22)

Publishers Weekly