Birthday – September 15, 1890
Who is Agatha Christie?
Agatha Christie, better known as Dame Agatha Christie, was an English writer who is known for her mystery novels and short stories. She’s also the one who wrote the script for “The Mousetrap” as well as creating Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, two of the most-loved fictional detectives.
During the early seventies, she was given the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her literary works. She eventually became known as the best-selling fiction author of all time.
Five Facts about Agatha Christie
- Agatha Christie was born in Torquay, Devon, England
- She went by the pseudonym Mary Westmacott in which she was able to publish six novels
- She is recorded in the Guinness World Records as the best-selling fiction author in the world
- The Mousetrap, which she wrote, is known as the longest running play which has been running from 1952 up until today
- One of her most favorite hobbies is gardening in which she has won many awards for horticulture
Inspirational Quotes from Agatha Christie
“The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances.”
“The best time to plan a book is while you're doing the dishes.”
“I have enjoyed greatly the second blooming... suddenly you find - at the age of 50, say - that a whole new life has opened before you.”
“There's too much tendency to attribute to God the evils that man does of his own free will.”
“Crime is terribly revealing. Try and vary your methods as you will, your tastes, your habits, your attitude of mind, and your soul is revealed by your actions.”
Agatha Christie Biography
Early Life
Agatha Christie was born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller. She was the youngest of three children of Frederick Miller and Clara Miller nee Boehmer. Coming from an upper middle-class family, Christie had the privilege of traveling to various countries and areas like her family. However, she grew up mostly alone because her siblings were much older than her and there were only a few children in her area.
She spent most of her time with her pets and had some imaginary friends. Unlike her eldest sister, she received home schooling under the supervision of her parents and second sister.
At the age of four, she had already taken an interest in reading and had already started reading children’s books such as Edith Nesbit and Mrs Molesworth. Eventually, she grew out of those books and started reading material from Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear.
She then moved on to more advanced books from authors like Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas, and Anthony Hope. When her father died in 1901, her family’s wealth took a hit, and Christie eventually lived alone with her mother when her two sisters moved out of the home. In 1905, she was sent to Paris to study music but eventually did not last because of the lack of talent in that field.
Turning Point
Although she gave up her dream as a concert pianist, she did finish her formal education and returned to England. There, she continued performing in small plays and helped with playwriting. It was only when she was 18 wherein she wrote her first short story entitled “The House of Beauty”. It was a story that reflected her longing interest in the paranormal. She then continued to write more similar works like “The Call of Wings” and “The Little Lonely God”.
Her initial submissions were rejected but were eventually accepted after some revisions. Several works were later submitted to publishers but a number were rejected. It was only during 1916 that she wrote her famous mystery novel “The Mysterious Affairs At Styles”.
This was the novel starring Hercule Poirot. While it was initially rejected by Hodder & Stoughton, it was eventually accepted by The Bodley Head. That was the start of her writing career.
Mission and Work
Agatha Christie was known for her direct-to-the point writing style and her fascination with the supernatural and spiritual style. She took children’s stories and turned them into somewhat grown up fairy tales. Her works have gained her a lot of fans making her the “Queen of Crime” due to her suspenseful style. Up until today, her works are being sold and her play “The Mousetrap” is still running.
Legacy
The legacy she left in the genre of crime and mystery is a huge one. Any fan of this genre will have heard about Agatha Christie. In fact, she has been awarded the title of “Best Writer of the Century” with her Hercule Poirot series named as the “Best Series of the Century”
She is a big inspiration to a lot of novel writers in the field. She is a classic example of a writer that showed perseverance in her craft and succeeded no matter what the struggles.