An Autobiography
Agatha Christie
William Morrow
Paperback
576 pages
September 2012
The best biographies tend to balance the charming with the overindulgent in a way that keeps you turning pages even through much of the uninteresting parts--unless the bio is
a sleazy tell-all; then you'd better drop the details and get to the dirt. Far from a sleazy tell-all (a Dame wouldn’t say such things anyway), Agatha Christie writes about her life with a leaning toward the overindulgent, but she does it with enough charm and wit to make it worthwhile.
Perhaps it is the writer’s privilege to immerse in the rather trivial aspects of life that likely shape us more than we care to admit.
Originally published in 1977, Christie’s autobiography was warmly received at the time and is now receiving a renewed life thanks to the discovery of audiotapes of her reading passages
from the book. The unearthed tapes are available for download as part of a package deal with purchases of the book.
The endlessly inventive Christie is one of the most celebrated mystery writers in the world, but for many readers of Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot, it was the author who remained the mystery. The private Christie often dodged the press, never gave interviews and even disappeared for some time, yet enjoyed an extended and successful writing career. The publication of her biography was the opportunity Christie fans had to finally learn about their favorite mystery author.
Fans surely enjoy the insight into her life given straight from the woman herself with a candor and humor that makes it a breeze to read. Those unfamiliar with her work (there must be someone, somewhere) can enjoy the tales of a unique life,
unique even by the standards of successful mystery writer.
As much as it is a breeze to read and the writer’s charm is on ample display, you may find yourself skipping ahead to more compelling chapters of her life.
Christie is able to write about her childhood hula hoop, World War II and her career with the same gravity. Artists think everything is significant. They are probably right, but readers might not always be interested in the hula hoop, regardless of how formative it was.