Source: Publisher
Description: Over the course of her long, prolific career, Agatha Christie gave the world a wealth of ingenious whodunits and page-turning locked-room mysteries featuring Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, and a host of other unforgettable characters. She also gave us Come, Tell Me How You Live, a charming, fascinating, and wonderfully witty nonfiction account of her days on an archaeological dig in Syria with her husband, renowned archeologist Max Mallowan. Something completely different from arguably the best-selling author of all time, Come, Tell Me How You Live is an evocative journey to the fascinating Middle East of the 1930s that is sure to delight Dame Agatha’s millions of fans, as well as aficionados of Elizabeth Peters’s Amelia Peabody mysteries and eager armchair travelers everywhere.
Genre: Nonfiction
Why I Picked This Book: This was the July pick for the Read Agatha Christie Challenge and is one I read years ago and have been meaning to reread.
My Impression: I love that in this book she add the Mallowan last name to her signature as the book focuses on her life with Max. Christie had long been interested in archeology and set a number of books on dig sites (and one even in ancient Egypt). She met her second husband on a dig site and digs became part of her regular life. This is a short memoir of her experience in Syria in the 1940s. She doesn't really touch on the history of the region but is more focused on what it's like to live in a country and culture so different from the one that you are used to.
Why I Picked This Book: This was the July pick for the Read Agatha Christie Challenge and is one I read years ago and have been meaning to reread.
My Impression: I love that in this book she add the Mallowan last name to her signature as the book focuses on her life with Max. Christie had long been interested in archeology and set a number of books on dig sites (and one even in ancient Egypt). She met her second husband on a dig site and digs became part of her regular life. This is a short memoir of her experience in Syria in the 1940s. She doesn't really touch on the history of the region but is more focused on what it's like to live in a country and culture so different from the one that you are used to.
Agatha is a well-to do English woman born at the end of the Victorian period and while she is very progressive for the time that is still who she is. There are some biases and stereotypes from her perspective but even more from the locals around her. She takes neither the suffering of the locals nor her own particularly seriously and there is a note of wry humor woven throughout the story. She also definitely doesn't glamorize life on a dig site!
This is a bit of a slower pace and made for a good slow read. I really enjoyed experienced a dig site in 1940s Syria (though am very glad I'm not physically experiencing it - the scene with the mice haunts me a little!).
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely! I'm looking forward to reading the August Read Christie pick.
Would I Recommend this Book? I would - especially if you're interested in archaeology or Agatha Christie's life.
Would I Recommend this Book? I would - especially if you're interested in archaeology or Agatha Christie's life.
Okay, now this I have to read. Heading to Libby now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a lovely review, Katherine. And I've read most of Agatha Christie's output - indeed, I used to read them to the children at bedtime at about the time they were trying to tell me they were too old to be read to. And I'm also interested in History so I absolutely want to get hold of this one!
ReplyDeleteAnnddd - I've bought the audiobook:)).
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this would be enjoyable for me. I like historical fiction that is non-fiction.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart
Both my mom and my niece really loved this book. I think it's one I would really like, too.
ReplyDeleteShe was great to go on the dig, I couldn't imagine anything worse and sounds like there were some tough experiences. (mice!)
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI have not read this, but it sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I didn't know she wrote any nonfiction. What an excellent review and I will add this to my nonfictijn wish list.
ReplyDelete