tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post2172789919912758812..comments2024-02-10T19:58:20.327+00:00Comments on Stuck in a Book: Folio & AgathaStuckInABookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-10223544740380839582013-06-15T15:28:16.570+01:002013-06-15T15:28:16.570+01:00Christie never wrote a romantic novel in her life!...Christie never wrote a romantic novel in her life! The Westmacotts are attempts at straight or 'psychological' novels (investing that word with her... unique... idea of its meaning). They are of interest only to those of us with a biographical/cultish interest in Christie, I guess, not to those who care for her plotting or storytelling. Thompson's biography is interesting but extremely sentimental. I hated it when it first came out, and now I find it fun to read from time to time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-2863362554792322482013-06-14T21:02:48.911+01:002013-06-14T21:02:48.911+01:00As a huge Agatha fan, I read your review with much...As a huge Agatha fan, I read your review with much interest and enjoyment. Like others have commented, I, too, started reading her as a child (eleven). I have read and re-read most of her mysteries several times as an adult, and somehow, unlike other crime novels, they still retain my full interest. Even though I know the outcome, its the setting of the scenes, the gathering of the threads, the psychological nuances that beckon me. I find that elusive clue that eluded me earlier and that thrills me. Nana Johttp://booksbeautybeing.blogspot.ca/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-49291601229083455942013-06-14T14:31:34.346+01:002013-06-14T14:31:34.346+01:00I've read most of Christie's books, except...I've read most of Christie's books, except the Tommy & Tuppence books which I didn't enjoy, though it's been so long I've forgotten most of them. I do remember my favorites being The Pale Horse and Murder on the Orient Express. My mother took me to see the 1974 film version when I was just a young child!! I'm surprised it didn't scar me for life, but I still love it (as do my own children). <br /><br />I think Christie really set the standard for mystery fiction. Even today, a lot of modern mystery writers just don't measure up. I've never tried Sayers but I'm not much of a mystery reader these days. Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-62351439934944252142013-06-14T10:14:08.785+01:002013-06-14T10:14:08.785+01:00I've read Laura Thompson's biography of Na...I've read Laura Thompson's biography of Nancy Mitford but didn't realise she'd written one of Agatha Christie. I love Christie, so I'll look out for this.Joannehttp://www.seagreenreader.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-21682606934342818212013-06-14T10:06:22.979+01:002013-06-14T10:06:22.979+01:00Haven't read a Christie for years but since th...Haven't read a Christie for years but since the library have a whole shelf in a lovely reprint which look like they would have when they first came out (or maybe being North Yorkshire they ARE originals - will have to look closer) I am tempted to revisit some of them!<br />I have yet to read a Sayers so I can't comment but I know just what you mean about those Folio editions!<br />I really crave the Fairy books and some of the childrens' classics but I very much doubt that I will ever be able to justify paying the sort of prices they charge!LizFnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-35344998750242126402013-06-13T13:02:00.412+01:002013-06-13T13:02:00.412+01:00You might also like The Grand Tour, which I just r...You might also like The Grand Tour, which I just recommended on another blog site. It's a collection of Agatha Christie's letters home and photos from an official 1922 trip she and her first husband took to parts of the British Empire. I'll never forget the photos of a young Agatha and her husband surfboarding! They loved surfing! I've read her autobiography, but this is a less filtered sort of autobiography in that it's letters written at the time.joan.kylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17015342608992682333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-29550113111418857392013-06-12T22:31:01.925+01:002013-06-12T22:31:01.925+01:00It looks like we Sayers fans are somewhat shocked ...It looks like we Sayers fans are somewhat shocked at Simon's views on her books! Lorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11834243825586087161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-14186270822041068272013-06-12T19:30:17.342+01:002013-06-12T19:30:17.342+01:00Not only her mysteries are great, but I am reading...Not only her mysteries are great, but I am reading 'Come tell me how you live' and in this book she tells about her second husband and how she goes with him to the Middle East on archeological digs etc. It is very entertaining, she is very funny and has an eye for the absurd. <br /><br />Kind regards, Bettina Grissenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08024188013121464014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-83002221139295206032013-06-12T17:13:34.116+01:002013-06-12T17:13:34.116+01:00I absolutely adore the Folio books, but have yet t...I absolutely adore the Folio books, but have yet to own one. However, ever since I visited their website, adverts for their books appear on almost every webpage I visit. And I still can't helping clicking on the adverts and staring at their books ever time!Ellie Scorahhttp://inksplotted.blogspot.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-40979089887049021382013-06-12T15:30:00.815+01:002013-06-12T15:30:00.815+01:00Agatha Christie is the one who started my love aff...Agatha Christie is the one who started my love affair with crime novels. I've read all of them and I think I owned about half. But I do love Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey books too.<br /><br />Looks like you had a wonderful time. I haven't read any biographies although I've watched a number of programmes about Christie's life.sakurahttp://www.chasingbawa.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-48219346285493131892013-06-12T14:49:24.308+01:002013-06-12T14:49:24.308+01:00I believe Agatha Christie wrote only 5 straight no...I believe Agatha Christie wrote only 5 straight novels, under the name Mary Westmacott. For me, the most compelling is Unfinished Portrait, which draws heavily from her own life. Some of the scenes are identical to those in An Autobiography.<br /><br />I have reread Gaudy Night a number of times too. I feel like I'm peeking into life in a womens' college in Oxford in the 1930s. All those characters!<br />Susan Dhttp://www.destevenson.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-51600888827151239162013-06-12T11:09:59.531+01:002013-06-12T11:09:59.531+01:00Sounds like a good night Simon, but what a sweepin...Sounds like a good night Simon, but what a sweeping statement about Sayers! I love her novels, particularly the later ones - "Gaudy Night" I could pick up and read again and again at any point in my life! Have you actually tried any of her books, and which ones???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-23996034462535040342013-06-12T09:17:38.775+01:002013-06-12T09:17:38.775+01:00Wow, fighting words re Sayers! Wow, fighting words re Sayers! skiourophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200877834536477400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-43962841399325417672013-06-12T07:28:15.788+01:002013-06-12T07:28:15.788+01:00I have read every single Christie going and can te...I have read every single Christie going and can tell you the identity of the murderer in each one, but I wont! I have also read the Thompson biography and it is excellent. The Westmacott books are worth getting hold of, one of them I cannot remember which, is almost straight autobiography of AC's childhood.<br /><br />And I agree Five Little Pigs is my favourite tooElainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739410242766153431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-8574059956961778472013-06-12T06:30:59.766+01:002013-06-12T06:30:59.766+01:00I love Agatha Christie's books and am slowly r...I love Agatha Christie's books and am slowly reading through her work. And just last week I borrowed Laura Thompson's biography of Agatha and have really only just started reading it, after dipping into it in various places. It looks comprehensive, although I've read a few reviews that are rather critical of the book. I'll have to see what I think.<br /><br />It's interesting to see that some of Christie's romantic novels are 'very good'. I haven't read any - did she mention which are the 'very good' ones? <br /><br />One of my favourite Agatha books is her Autobiography - as well as a record of her life it's full of her thoughts on life and writing. Margaret @ BooksPleasehttp://www.booksplease.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-32342408765975990512013-06-12T00:31:42.481+01:002013-06-12T00:31:42.481+01:00Hello Simon, I enjoyed this one, as I have been a...Hello Simon, I enjoyed this one, as I have been an avid Agatha Christie fan since the age of eleven. I agree that she is a perfect novelist, but can't agree on Dorothy L.Sayers, as I love her books.<br />You are so fortunate to get to see all those lovely Folio Society books; I've been lusting after some of those, wondering if I should indulge myself.<br />p.s. Good that you managed to restrain yourself from carrying some away!Lorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11834243825586087161noreply@blogger.com