Time flies

It's clear that I'm back at work. No time to write anything or continue to research for this project. I had planned to write to AC's grandson to ask if he had any objections to my plans. Also to write to a publisher or two. I've done neither, mainly out of fear. Fear of rejection. Yet I could do this journey without either. Would be nice if there was some sanction from someone though. Oh, and some money would be useful.

Found this website while looking for an image of the route of the Orient Express in 1934. At least it isn't porn, but goodness knows what it has to do with the Orient Express. It's interesting how every aspect of Mrs Mallowan's life is picked over.

Astrology and Mrs Mallowan!

Notebooks

A new biography on Agatha Christie has just been published. Melodramatically titled Duchess of Death, it has received a bad review in the Guardian (thank heavens). In searching for more information about the book, I've come across yet more information on the Guardian website, including a mini quiz about Agatha (I scored a disappointing 6/11 - more to study I think). I'm hoping to upload a podcast of an interview with John Curran, recorded in September 2009, about his book Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks. What an interesting interview. He was lucky enough to be given access to boxes of Agatha's notebooks and has found lots of new information, including an alternative ending to Death Comes As The End. I must get this book to see what is covered about the period 1934-1939 and what more detail can be gleaned about her times in Syria with Max.

Photo and podcast are from the Guardian newspaper website. John Curran being interviewed about his book on Agatha Christie's notebooks.

Penguin Publishing 75th anniversary

Just read in a copy of the Guardian newspaper that the classic Penguin books that we all know and feel nostalgia for is celebrating its 75th anniversary. What's the connection with Mrs Mallowan? According to the article, Allen Lane thought of the need for cheap, quality books after visiting with Agatha in Devon. So, it seems she inspired a revolution in publishing. He pushed forward his idea and Penguin Publishing was launched on 30 July 1935. Hmm, she would have been thinking about the first dig at Chagar Bazar which was due to start in the late autumn that year. Now that my eyes are alert for information about Agatha Christie, particularly in that period of time, it seems to come at me from all directions. Green was the colour code used for the covers of crime novels published by Penguin. Wonder if I can find one somewhere in a second hand bookshop.

Mrs Mallowan's music

The idea of Agatha Christie with an I-pod has started another trail in the attempt to understand her more. If the Queen can have an I-pod, I'm sure that Agatha would have had one for her long journeys to Syria and Iraq. I'm still reading 8.55 to Baghdad by Andrew Eames and have discovered a few more nuggets of information, including Agatha's special request for Elgar's Nimrod from the Enigma Variations to be played at her funeral in 1976. I've found a YouTube video with my favourite pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim.

Tell Brak

I'm still gathering evidence and pondering on the case. The idea of simply following the route to Chagar Bazar doesn't seem sufficient to me. What's my purpose in this project? My inspiration is Ms Christie's memoir about her travels and her life at Chagar Bazar and Tell Brak. Like Ms Christie, my main purpose is more anthropological than archeological, although I am interested in ancient times. Again, like her, I'm more intriqued by the ephemera of every day life, which provides more personal indications of the life of the people. Eye idols don't do much for me I'm afraid. Why 'eye' anyway? Again, like Ms Christie, when I hear archeologists confidently explaining about what a lump of clay would have been used for 4,000 years ago, I find myself wondering 'how do they know?'. I feel the same way about economics which relies on predicting behaviour of people, when one of the best qualities of people is that they behave unpredictably so often.

Back to the point of this posting. I want to retrace the travel section, if at all possible by the Orient Express although the cost seems prohibitive (perhaps another of my preparatory tasks must be to find a sugar daddy toute suite). However, I want to spend time at the two archeological sites to drink in every day life and live within the landscape that Ms Christie loved so much. I want to see if there have been changes and allow a 21st century audience to see beyond the 'axis of evil' and the general fear of Arabs that is prevalent in the West. Just two weeks ago, at a small village produce show, an elderly Norfolk man made a comment about a photo taken inside a mosque in Oman.

Cor, you wouldn't catch me taking a photo in a mosque. Probably get blown up!

If I am to spend time at Chagar Bazar, or nearby, I will need to do something, preferably a paid job. Well, I can type, write and take photographs. I can cook plain food, clean and do laundry (although I expect local people can do the same and need the job more than I do). So, my current quest is to investigate how I can find a job in Syria. Seems a daunting prospect, but with determination . . .

Futility, folly and foolishness

The depths of doubt are deep and gloomy and that is where I am residing after spending 4 weeks carrying out perfunctory research for the Project. I am going to come clean as no-one is reading this but me. I am a long-term writer-in-waiting. One of the many people out there who knows that they can write a good sentence every now and then and hopes that one day they might get at least an article published. The Project was going to be my Book. It might even be serialised on TV, although I'm neither attractive enough or sufficiently famous to be the presenter thankfully. Now I feel very foolish, because the Project, the Big Idea, the Book has already been done! Andrew Eames followed Agatha Christie's initial journey to Baghdad in 'The 8.55 to Baghdad', published in 2004. I have two weeks almost to myself as I house-sit for a friend in deepest Norfolk. My friend's partner has lent me Andrew Eames' book which I will read with gritted teeth. Not only has he written something that may make my Project redundant, but he was a well-known journalist at the time and has won a travel writing award for his endeavours. How can I compete? Should I compete? Is this all folly and foolishness? Does any of this really matter?

There is a glimmer of hope down here in the depths. His book does not cover the journey that I planned, which is from London to Chagar Bazar using the Orient Express to Istanbul, travel to Aleppo (still have to figure out how she did that) on to Beirut where I would need to find a driver to take me to Chagar Bazar. I've read somewhere that there may be another dig taking place there now. Could I get a job with them? I need some method of raising the money to do this journey and it looks extremely unlikely that any publishing or production company would be in the slightest bit interested. I still feel committed to this project. I'm very nervous about contacting her family and other people who have already written and published about Ms Christie. I would love to do the journey, but am I brave enough? It's encouraging that Mr Eames first thought of his retracing journey in the autumn of 1999, but didn't actually start until about 2002. These things take time.

Joanna Lumley's Nile

I'm overdue other blogs after an interesting, although disheartening week after more research and help from a friend. I'm just watching an ITV programme featuring Joanna Lumley travelling the Nile and have noticed the number of times that she has mentioned Agatha Christie. It seems that a Briton cannot think of Cairo, or the Nile or pyraminds without a connection with Ms Christie. I'm sure she would love it.

It's not the only time that Ms Christie has been mentioned in connection with something not altogether expected. I'm currently reading a Paul Theroux book (details later) in which he is retracing a rail journey from London to India and he has mentioned Agathat Christie in connection with the Orient Express. She is all pervading in such interesting ways.

Agatha Christie

Back at the Norfolk and Norwich Millenium Library to write this after a satisfactory shopping trip. Searching the Oxfam second-hand bookshop, I found Janet Morgan's biography Agatha Christie: A Biography (it does what it says on the cover)written in 1984. There were also several copies of Ms Christie's novels, including one of Death in the Clouds, but I decided to restrict my purchases bearing in mind that I'm transporting a week's worth of clothing and shopping on my bike tomorrow. What a find! I celebrated by buying a lemonade and bun in the cafe of one of the few family-owned department stores left in Britain.

I started to read the biography and was pleased to see that Janet Morgan was the 'official' biographer and had access to all of Ms Christie's personal papers and to friends and family. I hadn't realised how much she protected her personal life from outsiders, although I should have guessed. I wonder if she would have resented this personal quest of mine, but I hope not. I'm also feeling extremely out of my depth, as Ms Morgan has a very good pedigree for writing biographies while I have nothing at all, except writing blogs and sharing a fascination with the Arab world. This whole thing seems beyond my means and ability at the moment.

The plot thickens

This project seems to be progressing at a snail's pace, but that can't be helped. I'm now in Norwich, England, for 6 weeks during the academic summer vacation. I've just spent a wonderful few hours in the Norfolk and Norwich Millenium Library (also known as The Forum) reading a fascinating biography of Agatha Christie, rich with the information that I need to prepare the background. The biography is by Laura Thompson entitled Agatha Christie: An English Mystery, published in 2007. Foolishly, I'm sure, I was excited by the fact that Ms Thompson is from Newmarket, just down the road from Norwich and I've taken it as a Good Sign. If possible, I need to acquire my own copy of her book which answers so many of the questions about Ms Christie's personal circumstances before, during and after the period she writes about in Come Tell Me How You Live.

As I surmised, her trips to Iraq with Max Mallowan were very special times, although it wasn't because of the archeology. I hadn't realised how bruised she had been by the infidelity of her first husband and the subsequent divorce. According to Ms Thompson, Agatha and Max were not in love, but enjoyed a beneficial relationship which met their individual needs well. I hadn't realised that she was 14 years older than Max and feel great admiration for her. I hope that something similar could happen to me, but then I'm neither famous nor rich. No-one is reading this blog for example, so this all bodes poorly for a final outcome for this project. But faint heart winneth nothing (or something like that).

Reading Ms Christie's circumstances during this period was fascinating and I am convinced that I am meant to follow through with this, somehow. Two main obstacles at the moment - finance and the fact that Iraq is still so unsafe.

One more thing - I was quite right about Murder in Mesopotamia. It transpires that the first victim was based on Katherine Woolley, wife of Leonard Woolley who was running the dig at Ur where Agatha met Max in 1930. Ms Thompson thinks that some of Max's characteristics were given to the character David Emmott in the book. Now I also realise that the strange protagonist, Nurse Amy, who's narrative voice is so different to Ms Christie's other well-spoken characters, is actually a facet of Ms Christie herself. I believe it's a kind of foil to the beautiful and manipulative Louise/Katherine.

Much more to come. I need to read The Hollow and Death in the Clouds next. The Hollow is considered to be one of her best books and Death in the Clouds was written in Beirut en route to Damascus, so may provide another reflection of her mind at that time.

Bismillahi ar rahman ar rahim

I've finished reading Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)and have to say I found it really rather good (to use the vernacular). My goodness, the writing takes me back in time. The vocabulary is, naturally, 1930s middle class English. The use of the words 'queer' and 'rather' is liberal. "Do you know how queer she's been?" Strange to read the word 'queer' used so normally, when now it has connotations and it's not regarded as polite to use it. I suppose that's what happens with the English language; there is a constant evolution which is why it has become the international language.

By the way, the title of this blog is the Arabic phrase used at the beginning of a journey. Translated, it is "In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate". It was used by M. Poirot at the beginning of his customary denouement at the end of the book.

The story is set at Tell Yarimjah in Iraq and is narrated by a nurse brought in to steady the nerves of the first victim. I'd like to find out why Ms Christie chose to speak through the nurse and write in such a conversational way. The book does not give much insight into Iraq and it's people, who are nothing more than occasional extras in the form of boys who guard the compound, diggers etc. The richest description given to them is as follows:

"It was the workmen that made me laugh.You never saw such a lot of scarecrows - all in long petticoats and rags, and their heads tied up as though they had toothache."

I wonder why she didn't include characters from the Arab people that she loved. In the last chapter (L'envoi) she writes:

"I've never been out East again. It's funny - sometimes I wish I could. I think of the noise the water-wheel made and the women washing, and that queer haughty look that camels give you - and I get quite a homesick feeling. After all, perhaps dirt isn't really so unhealthy as one is brought up to believe!"

Was she writing from the heart at that point? And it's true. It can be difficult to adjust to living in the Middle East when one is British. The norms of everyday life are different. The priorities of the people are very different. Yet, Arabness gets under the skin and eventually an affection for another way of thinking and living develops. It's still frustrating and sometimes bloody annoying.

Now, it's Fidos. Knocking off time at the Dig.

They Came to Baghdad

Finished the second book on the list earlier this week. They Came to Baghdad (1951) is not a classic. It reminds me of an Enid Blyton book written for 'young gels'. It's difficult to relate to the protagonist, Victoria Jones, or Viccy as she is referred to by her pash, Edward. She's young, naughty, a bad shorthand-typist (I can relate to that), in 1930s terms, plucky and irreverent. But still of good stock since she's accepted wherever she goes in Iraq, including the British Consulate in Basrah. It's not a great read, but it is interesting from the perspective of my project. Ms Christie loved the Middle East and archeology and she must have relished writing the descriptions of Victoria's walking tour of Baghdad. It's one of the best parts of the book. After a strange kidnapping segment, our Viccy is rescued by an unlikely hero called Richard Baker. He's an archeologist and takes her to a Dig called Tell Aswad. I'm not sure if this is a real place, so will have to look it up on a map at some point. A small town called Mandali is nearby, if it isn't fiction.

Victoria finds the Dig to be a sanctuary from the undercover adventures she'd become involved with after making her way to Baghdad from London by devious means. Again, this description rings true and must reflect Ms Christie's own experiences while working with her husband, Max Mallowan. Written after WW2 and more than 10 years since she had spent those happy months in Syria and Iraq, I imagine that she would have been filled with nostalgia as she wrote those pages. Like Ms Christie, Victoria makes herself useful by developing photographs. I wonder who the book was written for, as she refers to Nazu pottery and the 'antika room'; terms which I don't know and would not expect the majority of readers to know either. Still, good fiction should educate too.

It's interesting to read the descriptions of Baghdad and Bashrah - places that were so different to the UK culture, but yet had their charms as described by Ms Christie. Now all we think about is war and violence. I would love to visit the places she refers to in the novel, but I would expect it is too dangerous just now.

Meanwhile, I've started Murder in Mesopotamia. This looks like a rich fund for my project as the story is set in an archeological dig. Hmmm.

One book down

How I wish I was a woman of independent means. Unfortunately, I'm a wage slave and work became more intense in the last few weeks, so my project took a back seat. Finally, we've reached the end of proper teaching. Next week is exam week and then piles of marking. In my case, marking e-portfolios which will be something new, but the novelty will be short-lived. At least I have more energy to make progress with the project.

I do still read, although barely three pages in bed before my eyelids bang shut. I've finished Death Comes As The End. I'm still puzzling about the 'as' when I would expect the word to be 'at'. Some point of grammar that is well beyond my memory I suspect. I can see why I've never heard of the book before. It's not riveting. A moody protagonist who is not well drawn. I think it would make a good spoof movie. It's a shame that Ms Christie was not able to illustrate her love for Egypt and archeology more successfully. So, as far as research for the project, this book can be binned. Thankfully.

Mystery solved

It wasn't much of a mystery in the end. Just sloppiness. I found the two books at home, in a carrier bag that I had taken from work to use for rubbish. I hadn't checked whether anything was in the bag and had hung it in the rubbish room. Fortunately, a housekeeper who lives nearby and whom I employ to feed my cats when I'm away had asked to buy the small wardrobe which was in the same room. She told me that she needed the wardrobe because "my saris are under the bed". Last weekend she wanted to take the wardrobe before her saris were ruined by the huge amounts of dust that accumulate in every house as we live in the desert, so I had to take everything out and do some sorting. There were the books. Storm in a teacup.

Currently reading 'Death Comes As The End' which I am not enjoying. A strange combination of Egyptian names from 4,000 years ago, with limited descriptions and dialogue from 1930s England. It doesn't work. It's not surprising that this book is not well-known. I'm about a quarter of the way through so maybe my views will change.

I need to get a copy of Agatha Christie's autobiography. Fairly essential reading for this project.

The case of the mysterious disappearance

It's as funny (in the wry sense rather than the uproarious) as it's irritating that I've lost those two books. On the same day that I blogged that I'd picked them up from the library, they disappeared. I have no idea where. I thought I'd slipped them into a carrier bag of free gifts from the Abu Dhabi police (as you do), but when I got home they weren't there. Now, if someone had stolen them, why wouldn't they have stolen the nifty electronic calendar device, or the lap writing bag (very useful for possible note-taking on trains if I ever make this journey to Syria). No, they didn't, so surely thieves must be ruled out (although there have been a number of thefts in the college in recent weeks - someone's exercise shorts went missing, for heaven's sake).

Perhaps I left them beside the computer that I used to write last week's blog. If I did, they're not there now. Perhaps someone took them by mistake. Maybe they fell out of the bag and slipped to the floor of my car. Well, I've searched and they're not there. I have no idea. It means that I'm already behind with my reading and I'll have to pay for replacements, yet still not have the books for myself. Where's Monsieur Poirot when you need him?

They Came to Baghdad

Well, this project isn't off to a very good start. I've had a visitor over from England and that's consumed my spare time, plus work has become particularly busy. All of this means that I haven't had much time to ponder and begin the process of planning the future research and ultimate expedition. I'm at the stage where my first wave of excitement has died down and the whole thing seems to be preposterous and, worse, probably already been done by someone with better writing skills.

In the meantime, I have borrowed two of Mrs Mallowan's novels which are connected with her love of the Middle East and archeology. 'They Came to Baghdad' was published in 1951 and 'Murder in Mesopotamia', which was published in 1936. Looking at those dates, there's some significance as the latter was published before her ventures to Syria and Chagar Bazar, while the former was published over a decade later. I haven't heard of either of these novels and shall read them from a different perspective, not just whodunnit. It's a start.

Agatha Christie & Archeology

I'm really excited about this project. It ticks several boxes for me, so I hope that I can make something happen. It might take a few years to actually make the journey, because I'll need time to raise enough money to pay for the trip, plus be without work for a few months and yet still pay the bills at home. At least while I'm working in the Emirates I can save money.

I'm going to enjoy the research part of this. Someone told me that my penchant for finding out about things is because I like puzzles. It seems fitting to start this venture as an investigator, given that Mrs Mallowan is famous for her detective stories.

As I'm desk bound for now, I'm going to use the internet for the initial investigations. It's a wonderful tool and I wonder how on earth I managed without it in the past. This morning I've discovered that there is a whole department in the British Museum named 'Agatha Christie and Archeology'. Henrietta McCall is special curator for the department, and a member of the department of the Ancient Near East. She is the author of The Life of Max Mallowan (2001), and Mesopotamian Myths (1990). So, now to track down her books.

Come tell me how you live

I'm re-reading Come Tell Me How You Live written by Agatha Christie. It's an account of her travels to Syria in the 1930s with her husband, archeologist Max Mallowan. As I read her recollections of her life in the desert it occurred to me that what she had written was an early form of blogging. Her descriptions of the Arab men and women with whom she has daily contact particularly resonates for me, as I am a British expatriate working in Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. Her love for her husband, history and the simple life of the desert exudes from every page. It's interesting to note her affectionate observations written during a period when servants and British superiority were not challenged and the phrase'politically correct' had not entered the British psyche.

During Eid Al Adha last November I took a tour of Jordan and Syria. I missed Palmyra because we didn't have time. I had already decided that I would like to go back to Syria and take a trip, solo but with a guide, from Damascus to Palmyra. Now I'm thinking bigger. I would like to retrace the journey described in Christie's book. Along the way, I could blog my own experiences and explore the changes that have occurred in the last 60-70 years. My first step is to research her life at that time and investigate the world background that will have influenced her writing. This blog entry is my first step.