An Autobiography - by Agatha Christie (Paperback)

About the Book

"First published in Great Britain in 1977 by Collins and in hardcover in 2011 by HarperCollins Publishers, New York"--Title page verso.

Book Synopsis

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."

From the Back Cover

Millions of fans the world over got to know her beloved characters, Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, and the rest, yet for decades little was known about their creator. Dame Agatha Christie was a woman who scrupulously kept her private life hidden from view, dodging the press, granting no interviews, and even, for a brief time, famously disappearing. But shortly after the great lady's death, the silence was broken when An Autobiography was finally published.

The witty, insightful, and immensely entertaining reflections of a marvelous talent, An Autobiography is as compulsively readable as Christie's novels. In her own inimitable style, a brilliant eccentric whose life encapsulated her times sheds light on her past, including her childhood in Victorian England, her volunteer work during World War II, and, of course, her phenomenal career. Agatha Christie's An Autobiography brings into sharp focus a beloved and enduring literary icon whose imagination continues to mesmerize readers to this very day.

Review Quotes

"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)
"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
"Especially welcome." - Publishers Weekly
"Charming and informative...an important primary source." - Mystery Scene
"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
"Contains some wonderful treats....Christie writes with such wit and insight that all 542 pages fly." - Cleveland Plain Dealer
"This book proves as inspiring as it is charming and absorbing." - Boston Globe
"Christie writes with a wonderful dry wit. It is fascinating to see how people she met became characters in her novels." - Daily American
"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
"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