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Post by dem bones on Apr 24, 2014 8:53:48 GMT
Martin Fido - The World of Agatha Christie: The Facts and Fiction Behind the World's Greatest Crime Writer (Carleton, 2012; originally 1999) Introduction
Chronology & Family Tree
The Life of Agatha Christie The Lady - The Family - Ashfield - Reduced Circumstances - Fun And Finishing School - Cairo - Courted - Archie - World War One - Early Married Years - Round The World With Major Belcher - If At First You Don't Succeed - Crises - Eleven Days Wonder - Recovery - Up And The Woolleys - Max Mallowan - Success & Houses - World War Two - Queen Of Crime - The Road To The Mousetrap - Nimrud - 'Honour, Love, Obedience ...' - Reputation.
The Writer The Unchanging World of Cluedo - Before Styles - Styles - Piorot - Hastings and Other Narrators - Early Directions - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Scrambling - Settling - The Beresfords - Mr. Harley Quin And Mr. Peter Pyne - Mrs Ariadne Oliver - Miss Marple - Truth And Fiction - The Golden Age - Rivals - Romances - Mary Westmacott - Keeping Up With The Young - Hardening Of The Arteries - Solving 'em.
The Mind of Agatha Christie Travel - Archaeology And Ancient History - Music - The Arts - Literature - Politics - Religion
Adaptations Laughton, Larry And Rutherford - Film Triumphs - Joan Hickson And David Suchet
Index AcknowledgementsBlurb: In 1921 a publishing phenomenon began with the publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, a sophisticated murder mystery with a protagonist by the name of Hercule Poirot. It was the first of more than 60 crime novels by Agatha Christie, and heralded the career of an author who went on to outsell even Shakespeare. Agatha Christie's works remain a literary phenomenon and her mysteries continue to be immortalized through sumptuous television and cinema adaptations, while The Mousetrap is the world's longest running play. Highly illustrated, with informative and illuminating text, The World of Agatha Christie is the perfect companion to the work and world of this most popular of mystery writers.First loaned this 128 page crash course early last year before i'd properly sampled the delights of Halloween Party and Ten Little Niggers. Thought "what lovely pictures!," but, having no great interest in Agatha Christie just then, I returned it all but unread. Twelve months later and, with the aforementioned pair under my belt, The Pale Horse on the go and a huge appreciation of the David Suchet/Hugh Fraser/ Philip Jackson/ Zoë Wanamaker Poirot, Mr. Fido's book is of far greater appeal. A by-product of snagging the books purely on the strength of their cover artwork is that you'll wind up with a varied selection of the best and not-so-best as opposed to just the good ones. God knows what strange kink drives me to hunt down an author's 'worst' work with at least as much relish as I do their acknowledged "genre classics", but am particularly grateful to Mr. Fido for the entries Keeping Up With The Young, and, especially, Hardening Of The Arteries, both of which concentrate on lesser moments toward the tail-end of her career (am desperately seeking a copy of Passenger To Frankfurt - Fontana paperback edition, obviously - as a result). Ii is also interesting that he should cite The Pale Horse as heralding this perceived decline, although he's otherwise complimentary about Dame Agatha's excursion into 'black magic,' which, it seems, was partly inspired by the then popularity of our old friend Dennis Wheatley's occult novels.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Apr 24, 2014 9:48:27 GMT
PASSENGER TO FRANKFURT is one of the kookiest political tracts you will ever read.
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Post by dem bones on Apr 24, 2014 16:30:17 GMT
PASSENGER TO FRANKFURT is one of the kookiest political tracts you will ever read. Martin Fido is of much the same opinion. "But by the 1970s the signs of geriatric rambling were infecting most of her work. Passenger To Frankfurt (1970) comfortably takes the place as her politically silliest book ever. Anti-Vietnam war demonstrations, Beatlemania, over-lenient court sentences, recreational drugs and sexual promiscuity are all supposed to be part of a Nazi youth revival, taking the anti-imperialist thinkers Fanon, Marcuse and Lévi-Strauss as its gurus! An author's introduction suggests that this wild fantasy is a serious possibility. And for the only time in her life, Agatha sank to thinking that actively sexual young people were decadent." Yes, I reckon this one will sit just so next to the Duke's Gateway To Hell on the shelves of shame. Neither is he complimentary toward other late entries Nemesis and Elephants Can Remember, but can't say i'm especially inclined to attempt them. Apros to very little, if you've an interest in the subject, would also recommend Mr. Fido's Bodysnatchers: A History Of The Resurrectionists as an informative and entertaining read.
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Post by dem bones on Apr 28, 2014 10:45:29 GMT
Agatha Christie- Passenger To Frankfurt (Fontana, 1975: originally Collins, 1970) Cover painting by Tom Adams Blurb: Passenger to Frankfurt is the book Agatha Christie wrote to mark her 80th birthday. The 'Queen of Crime' turns her hand to international intrigue and a highly topical plot that sweeps across Europe, carrying with it a host of riotous characters.
"Marvellously entertaining." - Observer "Vintage Christie." - Evening Standard "Wonderfully written ... as unflagging as ever" - Sunday TimesPASSENGER TO FRANKFURT is one of the kookiest political tracts you will ever read. As luck would have it, netted a copy for 50p at the market yesterday, but it must wait patiently in line as still have Mrs. Christie's exciting The Pale Horse on the go. This Pale horse business is getting on top of Mark Easterbrook; his semi-girlfriend Hermia, true to form, refuses to even consider the possibility of murder by remote control - she is too deuced sensible: he's really going off her. At least Mrs. Dane Calthrop, the vicar's wife, has an open mind on the subject: Personally, Mrs. Calthrop has Thyrza Grey and cohorts figured as trendy showbiz pseudo-Satanists on account of their "look at us, aren't we evil!" posturing, but there's no denying the names on Father Gorman's list are falling like ninepins. "Those three are a bit much to take, I agree. I've wondered myself .... So much boasting. As a rule, in my experience, the really wicked don't boast. They can keep quiet about their wickedness. It's if your sins aren't really bad that you want so much to talk about them. Sin's such a wretched. mean, ignoble thing. It's terribly necessary to make it seem grand and important."Mrs. Calthrop suggests that, however deluded the witches may be, that they are involved in something damnably evil is beyond dispute. She insists that Mark put a stop to it! Meanwhile, Zachariah Osbourne, nosey chemist, is still insistent that the man he saw stalking Father Gorman through the fog was the mysterious Mr. Venables, and he is never wrong when it comes to a face. If Venables denies involvement then it's obvious - the man is faking his famous 'polio'. Inspector Lejeune is so impressed by this witness - Osbourne is the reigning neighbourhood Peeping Tom champion - that he is inclined to believe him. Up until now, we've suspected the 'Corrigan' on the death-list is Mark's pathologist pal, but Ariadne Oliver puts him in contact with a second, plucky, freckle-faced Katherine 'Ginger' Corrigan, who proves herself an amateur sleuth of some promise. Ginger gets Polly to tell all she knows about the Pale Horse. Her information leads Mark to Birmingham, and the office of a corrupt lawyer, Mr. Bradley, who explains how the organisation works. The more Easterbrook hears, the less he likes: how can these fiends be stopped when they operate within the law?
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2014 17:49:29 GMT
I spent Monday at Greenway, Agatha Christie's house near Dartmouth. Here are some photos...
Reading DEAD MAN'S FOLLY at Greenway, where the book was set
Library
The Boathouse where the body in DEAD MAN'S FOLLY was found
FIRST EDITIONS (No Jacket on Hound of Death though...)
Paperback Archive
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Post by Craig Herbertson on May 7, 2014 12:15:35 GMT
Funny. Just bought Endless Night this morning. I think my brother told me Hound of Death's Jacket was a near impossible find.
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Post by Craig Herbertson on May 7, 2014 18:30:35 GMT
Ah, brother says I'm totally wrong about Hound of Death - common as muck apparently
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on May 7, 2014 19:02:38 GMT
Ah, brother says I'm totally wrong about Hound of Death - common as muck apparently This is "Batman" we are talking about, right?
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Post by Craig Herbertson on May 7, 2014 20:00:39 GMT
Ah, brother says I'm totally wrong about Hound of Death - common as muck apparently This is "Batman" we are talking about, right? It is indeed that very Caped Crusader
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Post by dem bones on Nov 5, 2014 17:58:27 GMT
Agatha Christie - Poirot Investigates (Pan 1981: originally 1924) The Adventure of "The Western Star" The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor The Adventure of the Cheap Flat The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge The Million Dollar Bond Robbery The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb The Jewel Robbery at The Grand Metropolitan The Kidnapped Prime Minister The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman The Case of the Missing WillBlurb: 'THE ACKNOWLEDGED QUEEN OF DETECTIVE FICTION THE WORLD OVER' - OBSERVER
The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge In a shooting box on the bleak Derbyshire Moors a man is killed, and Poirot solves the crime —150 miles away! The Kidnapped Prime Minister First an attempted assassination, then the kidnapping — and Scotland Yard had to call in Poirot to find him! The Case of the Missing Will Andrew Marsh's niece had a puzzle to solve before she could inherit her uncle's estate—so she called Poirot to her aid.
Eleven exciting cases brilliantly solved by Hercule Poirot—and the inimitable Captain HastingsNot really interested in all eleven of these, but having greatly enjoyed the ITV Poirot screen adaptations, I always wanted to read this pair of anti-'supernatural' shockers.. The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor: ( The Sketch, April 1923). Shortly after insuring his life for £50, 000, Mr. Maltravers is found dead in the grounds of his Essex home. Northern Union smell a rat, especially when it transpires their late client was facing bankruptcy, but Dr. Bernard, the local GP insists that Maltravers died of an internal haemorrhage and there are no suspicious circumstances. Poirot and Hastings interview Mrs. Maltravers, a "beautiful young creature" several years her husband's junior, who is, obviously, distraught. That wedded bliss should be so cruelly destroyed after only one year! Thankful for small mercies, at least she can look forward to a very merry widowhood although it is vulgar to think about money at such a time. Hastings - he never could resist a pretty face - is all sympathy, Poirot far from convinced, and the detective contrives a "supernatural" manifestation to get to the bottom of the matter. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb ( The Sketch, Sept. 1923: Poirot Investigates, 1924). "The unlucky mummy of the British Museum, that hoary old chestnut, was dragged out with fresh zest, quietly denied by the museum, but nevertheless enjoyed all its usual vogue." In the wake of Lord Carnavon's discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, a rival party, headed by the Sir John Willard and New York financier Mr. Bleibner, get busy excavating that of the Pharaoh Men-her-Ra. Within weeks, both men are dead. On returning to the States, Bleibner's nephew, Rupert, blows out his brains, leaving behind a suicide note bemoaning his life as an outcast and a leper. Lady Willard, worried that son Guy will be the next victim, wonders if perhaps there is something to this "Egyptian curse" business after all. Poirot astonishes Captain Hastings by assuring the widow of his belief in the power of superstition and, despite an aversion to a climate likely to distress his immaculate moustache, sets off for Cairo. Even before the ship docks, a fourth fatality. According to Dr. Ames, the young, slightly shady physician, this latest tragedy was a clear case of tetanus. Even as they speak, the shadowy figure of Anubis, the jackal-headed God, passes the tent. That same night, the forces of darkness spike Poirot's drink with a fast-acting deadly poison. Has he finally met his match?
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Post by dem bones on Aug 8, 2017 8:57:14 GMT
Agatha Christie's Poirot: Book Two (Fontana, 1990) Blurb: Monsieur Hercule Poirot pits his mind against fiendishly clever murderers, thieves and kidnappers.
Unmasking murderers ... THE CORNISH MYSTERY Mrs Pengelley believed she was being poisoned by her husband. When she died, he was convicted of her murder. But Poirot had someone else in mind. Foiling kidnappers ... THE KIDNAPPED PRIME MINISTER The Prime Minister goes missing in France during the First World War and Poirot has twenty-four hours to find him. Catching Thieves... THE ADVENTURE OF `THE WESTERN STAR' Two priceless diamonds are stolen: the owners were warned in advance and sought Poirot's help. Can he have failed?
Cover photograph : David Suchet stars as Inspector Hercule Poirot in LWT's AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROTSix from Poirot Investigates (but neither of the faux supernatural stories) plus The Cornish Mystery plus one apiece from The Underdog and Other Stories (1951), and The Double Sin and Other Stories (1961) suggests the editor was not overtaxed in compiling this one. Agatha Christie - The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd (Fontana, Nov. 1974: originally 1927) Tom Adams Blurb: Mrs. Ferrars poisoned her husband . . . But no one suspected her except her blackmailer . . . until she committed suicide, leaving a letter to the man she loved. Roger Ackroyd never finished reading it . . . For the blackmailer had turned to a new crime, murder. And no one suspected him either. . . no one but Hercule Poirot.Agatha Christie - Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (Pan 1969: originally Collins, 1934) Blurb: 'All sorts of things happen at the Grange . . . Queer things. People come there to get better — and they don't get better — they get worse.‘ When Bobby Jones (not the American-born master of the game) found a dying men in the dunes of e Welsh golf course, he stood in the shadow of his own death. But Bobby was lucky — lucky to escape being poisoned, and lucky to have the quick-witted Frankie, otherwise Lady Frances Derwent, to help find the would-be murderer. Their only clues — a photograph and the dead man's last words: WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS?Sport is murder - again.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Sept 7, 2023 14:56:05 GMT
'fraid i gave into temptation and watched the Poirot adaptation of Halloween Party last night, and, if it is faithful to the novel, seems things are shortly to take a turn for the very weird indeed! i really liked that, between them, Mark Gatiss and director Charles Palmer brought the latent Gothic horror aspects to the forefront. Out from the novel go Superintendent Spence and his sister Elspeth, in comes Mrs. Goodbody, a cackling trad witch who is given the best of their dialogue, but i didn't spot any other major deviations from the original. And what a lovely church! reminded me of St. Mary's, Harrow-on-the-Hill, but is probably some place else! It seems Kenneth Branagh has seen fit to adapt HALLOWE'EN PARTY. As a period piece. Set in Venice. A HAUNTING IN VENICE will be upon us soon. I just watched his DEATH ON THE NILE, which is pretty awful.
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Post by andydecker on Sept 7, 2023 16:07:03 GMT
It seems Kenneth Branagh has seen fit to adapt HALLOWE'EN PARTY. As a period piece. Set in Venice. A HAUNTING IN VENICE will be upon us soon. I just watched his DEATH ON THE NILE, which is pretty awful. The Horror ... You are braver than I. After Branagh's cringeworthy Murder on the Orient Express with his Action!Poirot I avoided Nile like Covid. Hallowe'en Party. In Venice. I predict at least one gondola chase and two over bridges.
Incidentally I watched Dead Man's Folly with Suchet on TV last night for the umpteenth time. It still is fun to watch and one of the better adaptions he did.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Sept 7, 2023 18:08:03 GMT
It seems Kenneth Branagh has seen fit to adapt HALLOWE'EN PARTY. As a period piece. Set in Venice. A HAUNTING IN VENICE will be upon us soon. I just watched his DEATH ON THE NILE, which is pretty awful. The Horror ... You are braver than I. After Branagh's cringeworthy Murder on the Orient Express with his Action!Poirot I avoided Nile like Covid. Hallowe'en Party. In Venice. I predict at least one gondola chase and two over bridges. Incidentally I watched Dead Man's Folly with Suchet on TV last night for the umpteenth time. It still is fun to watch and one of the better adaptions he did.
Clearly, Christie made a mistake not having HALLOWE'EN PARTY take place in Venice, its most obvious setting. Branagh has now corrected the mistake.
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Post by helrunar on Sept 7, 2023 18:40:56 GMT
Lol. I watched the trailer for the latest Branagh mutilation of Christie. His moustache as Poirot looks like something out of a Victorian vaudeville melodrama. The trailer, at least, does exhibit good spooky art direction, but I don't think I'll be watching.
Hel.
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