Mathew's Blog

My grandmother, of course, had no experience of blogs, but I think she might well have approved of them because they provide a great opportunity for listening. She was herself, without exception, the best listener I have ever known – one of the reasons maybe why she was able to write so many excellent books. For myself, I shall try to learn from her example and listen very carefully as the blog develops, and occasionally contribute myself.

In the meantime, happy blogging!

Travel and Archaeology

26 Nov 08 5:08PM

Recently, I have reread two short pieces I wrote about Agatha Christie and Travel, and Agatha Christie and Archaeology. When I had finished, I made two mental notes - first to reread Death Comes As The End, and second to travel more myself....

If you would like to read the articles, please click on the links above!

8 comments

Comment on this story

8 comments

Reverse order

oodelally3 17 Feb 11 at 7:44p.m.

I was in India filming during the autumn of 2009, and picked up a lot of Christie novels in a local shopping centre. Death Comes as the End was one of them. I picked it up about that time, but have since put it down, and have read more of her other period pieces. It was hard to get into. I'll get around to it again one of these days!

chris_14 26 Jun 10 at 1:11a.m.

Dear Matthew,

I'm an avid fan of your grandma since the age of 11, when I read one of her books at the very first time (After the Funeral). And I wanted to be an archaeologist since the age of 9. I realised it just much later that Agatha's husband was a famous archaeologist and Agatha followed him many times to the expeditions. It gave me more inspirations to be an archaeologist. So, that means I have a degree in archaeology and I'm still an Agatha Christie fan - of course! (It wasn't her fault that I chose archaeology, after all! :-D). Although, my area is quite different from Sir Max's, I'm doing an MSc in Palaeoanthropology right now, and I'm always attracted to bones. Maybe one day I'm going to be a forensic and I can combine two of my true passions: crime + archaeology. Altough, those stuff are two new to me. :-D

I'm not sure if you answer comments like this one, but I also have a weird question (ages ago I already posed this question on this forum, still on the old forum). Was Agatha interested in the case of Jack the Ripper? If so, did she have theories about the identity of the Ripper? (On the old forum someone suggested 'the butler did it!' :-D)

Thank you and best wishes,

Chris x

agentfoxyfox 17 Nov 09 at 11:03a.m.

Dear Matthew,

I hope this question is not too late, as I see the post was from last year.

I am a research assistant for an author who is writing a travel log about the Nile River. My first assignment, as obscure as it may seem, is to find out what Ms. Christie packed on her first excursion to the Nile.

I hoped you might be best fit to answer that question, or at least point me in the right direction.

Thank you!!!

istara 29 Jan 09 at 8:58a.m.

I loved Death Comes As The End but found the ending unsatisfactory. It was only years later when I read some biographies of your grandmother as well as her autobiography that I realised she had a different ending in mind (a different murderer, I assume) and changed it.

Do you know what her originally planned ending was? I understand you may not want to write spoilers here, but if there is anywhere you could point me I would be very grateful.

RebeccaM 18 Jan 09 at 3:42p.m.

Back to the travel topic
One of your grandmother's books has a special place in my favourite books pile: 'Come, tell me how you live'.
For the benefit of anyone who doesn't know it (long out of print I think but I found a 2nd-hand copy), it's not a novel at all but an account of several seasons spent on archaeological digs in Syria/Iraq in the 1930s. It's full of zest and humour and self-deprecation. If she'd never written a crime novel at all she'd have found a place as a travel writer with her wonderful ability to evoke a time and place - and tell rattling good yarns.

ChristieFreaklol 06 Jan 09 at 5:23p.m.

I also enjoy these two pieces exceptionally well. The have a very deep meaning in regards to her spiritual and mental state. The impact they had on me were monumental in size and stature. They have created a fortress of knowldge in my mind and I will use it to ward off enemies or oppressors of Mrs. Christie (Agatha).

lol

Tommy_A_Jones 27 Dec 08 at 2:00p.m.

Hello Matthew, I also would like to know if the changes made in the series are made with your blessing, particularly the inclusion of Miss Marple in Stories she should not be in. Although I am one of the people who have not always liked the series and the changes, and at times have only watched them out of a sense of loyalty to your Grandmother as her books have given me Hours of pleasure for over 20 years, I think that if Miss Marple has to appear in stories she shouldn't appear in she should perhaps appear in Poirots that David Suchet has already done as I think she could quite easily be slotted in, I would like to know your opinion on this and whether you think there is a chance that other books featuring other Detectives are likely to be made although if 'Marple' is going to continue and the books I mean are going to be done with Miss Marple I am afraid this looks increasingly unlikely.

detectivepauljohn 29 Nov 08 at 8:40a.m.

Death On the Nile is my favorite and the setting is in Nile, Egypt, was that in Cairo? Anyway I really love this book.