Thursday, December 1, 2011

AGATHA CHRISTIE - Famous Bipolar Writer

Agatha Christie was a British novelist and playwrite. She has over 80 detective novels to her credit. She became one of the best crime writers of all time and earned her the title Queen of Crime. She rubs shoulders with bestselling authors of all time like William Shakespeare. According to UNESCO, Agatha Christy is the most translated writer of all time, her books being translated into over 103 different languages. Agatha was born on 15th September 1890 in Torquay, Devon, England. Christie also has a collection of romantic stories under the name Mary Westmacott. One of her plays, The Mousetrap is known to be the longest running play in the world and has run more than 23,000 performances at 2010.


Agatha Christie and her works received many awards. She was awarded the Grand Master Award, the highest honor of the Mystery Writers of America and one of her books, Witness for the Prosecution was awarded an Edgar Award for Best Play in the same year. Many of her books have been translated into films and many more have been adapted for radio, television, comics and also video games.
Almost all of Christie's novels focus on the upper and middle classes of society. The slow pace of the novels appeal gives them the strong psychological suspense and the tense atmosphere. Usually, the detective in the story comes across the murder by himself, but is occasionally called by an old friend to help solve the crime.
Christie was believed to have suffered bipolar disorder, which eventually led to her disappearance. Two doctors diagnosed her with amnesia, which is a psychological ailment. Another school of thought thinks that, she might have suffered a nervous breakdown brought about by severe depression. Her depression was believed to have been caused by the death of her mother that year and also the unfaithfulness of her husband. Christie was found eleven days later as a guest in a hotel, under a different name.

Christie married twice; first to Archibald Christie and had a daughter by him. However, Archibald's extra marital affairs led to the breakdown of the marriage. Agatha later married Max Mallowan. Their marriage remained a happy one until the death of Christie.
Many of Christie's unpublished works were published even after her death. In 2004, The Incedent of the Dog's Ball, a 5,000 word short story was found in the attic of her daughter and was later published in 2009 in Britain. Agatha's stories are still on the top of reading lists. They have continued to receive reviews by critics and allies alike.
BornAgatha Mary Clarissa Miller
15 September 1890
Torquay, Devon, England
Died12 January 1976 (aged 85)
Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England
Pen nameMary Westmacott
OccupationNovelist/Short story writer/Playwright/Poet
NationalityBritish
GenresMurder mysteryThrillerCrime fictionDetectiveRomances
Literary movementGolden Age of Detective Fiction
Spouse(s)Archibald Christie (1914–1928)
Max Mallowan (1930–1976; her death)
ChildrenRosalind Hicks (1919–2004) Father: Archibald Christie


Agatha Christie's gravestone in Cholsey.


Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple

Agatha Christie's first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in 1920 and introduced the long-running character detective Hercule Poirot, who appeared in 33 of Christie's novels and 54 short stories.
Her other well known character, Miss Marple, was introduced in The Tuesday Night Club in 1927 (short story) and was based on women like Christie's grandmother and her "cronies"
Agatha Christie's room at the Pera Palace Hotel, where she wrote Murder on the Orient Express.

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