It is not a secret that Agatha Christie is one of my favorite novelists. While I have been fascinated by her detective stories for years, I was even more spellbound when I started reading about her personal life. To my surprise, her own life was full of remarkable events and intriguing facts. Here are some shocking and fun facts about Agatha Christie that I am sure you too would find interesting:
1.Birth– Agatha Christie’s full name was Lady Mallowan Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie.She was born in England on 15th September 1890 to an Irish Mother and a wealthy American Businessman Frederick Miller,
2. A Mysterious Disappearance – In 1926, Agatha Christie at the age of 35 years , vanished for 11 days. Her car was found abandoned, and she eventually surfaced at a hotel but under a different name. This event remains a mystery, with various theories about why she disappeared.Agatha Christie herself never gave her version of those events but it is assumed that she probably suffered a concussion while driving and lost her memory.It was also a period of loss and turmoil for her having lost her mother and going through a divorce with her first husband Archibald Christie.
3. Guinness World Records – Agatha Christie is listed in the Guinness World Records as the best-selling fiction author of all time, having sold more than 2 billion copies of her books.She still reigns as the most sold author till date.
4. Second Most Translated Author– Christie’s works have been translated into at least 103 languages, making her the second most-translated author in the world after William Shakespeare.
5. World Record for Plays – Her play “The Mousetrap” holds the world record for the longest continuous run of any play in history. It opened in London’s West End in 1952 and has been running ever since.The lights were dimmed at the West End Theatre the day Agatha Christie breathed her last, to honour her contribution.
6. First Novel on a Dare – Christie wrote her first novel, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles,” as a result of a dare from her sister, who challenged her to write a detective story.
7. Experience as a Pharmacist – During World War I, Christie worked as a pharmacy assistant, where she gained knowledge about poisons. This expertise is evident in many of her mystery novels where poison is often the method of murder.
8. Archaeological Adventures – Christie was later married to archaeologist Sir Max Mallowan, and she often accompanied him on the expeditions in the Middle East. Her experiences and observations during these trips inspired settings and plots for some of her novels.
9. Agatha Alias Mary – Though Agatha Christie is primarily known for her famous works of mystery and intrigue , she also wrote a few romantic novels.In addition to her famous detective novels, Christie wrote six romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. These books explore themes of love and human relationships in contrast to the themes of murder and intrigue in her other novels.
10. Childhood Dyslexia – Agatha Christie struggled with dyslexia as a child. Despite this, she became one of the most prolific and successful writers in history.It could have been the reason that she was one of the first few authors to embrace the dictaphone for her writing work.
11. Surfing Pioneer – Christie did not limit the spirit of adventure to the pages of her novels.While living in Hawaii in the early 1920s, Christie took up the sport of surfing, making her one of the first British women to master the sport.
I am sure many of you might have been unaware of these surprising but true facts from the life of the famous Dame Agatha Christie.These facts highlight the fascinating and multi-faceted life of Agatha Christie, beyond her well-known identity as a master of detective fiction.It is one of the reasons my respect for her deepened.Agatha Christie was not just a celebrated writer , she was a force to reckon with , a woman of many talents and a beacon for many.
Here are some of her books that I have reviewed:
1.A Clever Canine and a Case of Foul Play:Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie | Book Review
2.One of Agatha Christie’s Most Underrated Books: A Review of Five Little Pigs
3.The Mirror Cracked from Side to Side | Agatha Christie | Book Review
4.The Mysterious affair at Styles | Agatha Christie | Book Review
5. Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie
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