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.