Written by Dr. John Smith
Mary Clarissa Miller, better known as Agatha Christie, was born on September 15, 1890 and died January 12, 1976. Agatha Christie was an English writer of crime and mystery novels. She is best remembered for her detective stories including the two diverse characters of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Her works have been translated into more languages than any other individual writer. She is the best-selling novelist of all time, best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play — “The Mousetrap.”
During the First World War, with her husband away in France, she trained and worked as a nurse helping to treat wounded soldiers. She also became educated in the field of pharmacy. She recalled her time as a nurse with great fondness, saying it was one of the more rewarding times of her life. That also explained how so many of her murder victim died from poison … Ms. Christie knew a lot about poisons!
Agatha Christie’s first book was” The Mysterious Affair at Styles” published in 1920, the debut novel of Hercule Poirot. Poirot was portrayed as a Belgian refugee from the Great War. Poirot is one of the most recognized fictional characters in English with his mixture of personal pride, broken English and immaculate appearance and moustache. In 1926, Christie made her big breakthrough with the publication of “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.” It became a best-seller and made Christie famous as a writer.
The same year as her major breakthrough, Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days. It became national headline news as the whole country became absorbed in the mystery of where she had disappeared. After much-publicized efforts, she was discovered in a Harrogate hotel living under a false name.
Christie had no great love for one of her own major creations, Hercule Poirot, who seemed to be admired by the public more than the writer herself. Agatha Christie preferred her other great detective – the quiet but effective old lady – Miss Marple, who used to solve crimes through her intricate knowledge of how people in English villages behave. The character of Miss Marple was based on the traditional English country lady and her own relatives.
Although her literary career was not without reward ad merit, her critics have observed that Agatha Christie preferred to lead a quiet life. She expressed a dislike of alcohol, smoking and the gramophone. She preferred to avoid the limelight and rarely gave public interviews.
The Oswego Players are presenting her play “A Murder is Announced” on Fridays, July 8th and 15th; Saturdays, July 9th and 16th and Sunday Matinees, July 10th and 17th. For tickets call: 315-343-5138 or make your reservations online at www.oswegoplayes.org. Please consider joining our cast as they try to unravel all the twists and turns presented in this production. Think you know who done it!?