Do you like Agatha Christie?

ficbot · 12-26-2009, 02:23 AM

I went through my reader today going through some of my free downloads and purging a little. I looked up a summary on Amazon, deleted at once if I felt like I would never read it, and for most of the others I was on the fence about, gave it a good ten pages or so.

And...I think I don't really like Agatha Christie. I have read extensively in the mystery genre, both classic and more contemporary stuff. I love Poe. I love Conan Doyle. I appreciate that Christie has an important place in things. But...I just wasn't feeling it. There were other things I'd rather read. Her sentences, especially in the Poirot stuff, felt long and clumsy. I just wasn't terribly interested in what was going on.

I feel a little bit guilty about this. I feel like, reader that I am, mystery fan that I am, I *should* like Christie more than I seemed to. Maybe I just wasn't reading the right ones, I know only the first three are legit freebies. So am I missing something? Should I start with other ones, maybe? Or, given the vast quantity of unread books in my to read pile, should I just put Christie aside, guilt-free, and move on with my reading life?

basschick · 12-26-2009, 04:22 AM

i think agatha christie is okay, but i prefer dorothy l sayers, robert b parker or even ngaio marsh, who is often compared to christie. i'd move on to something you enjoy. after all, isn't that why we read mysteries?

neilmarr · 12-26-2009, 05:06 AM

A pal of mine is President of the Agatha Christie Society in the UK and he keeps singing her praises and recommending books. Must admit, though, that I find her work contrived, twee and lacking in any literary value. Mind you, three generations of avid Christie readers can't all be wrong, so I excuse my lack of enthusiasm by reminding myself that appreciation of literature is entirely subjective and that if we all had similar tastes what's on offer would be tremendously restricted. Cheers. Neil

Sparrow · 12-26-2009, 05:40 AM

Sometimes I find I need a 'gateway' work to help me appreciate a writer.

It took me a long time to get into Agatha Christie - but when I read 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' it all clicked into place for me; and I've enjoyed most of the Christie's I've read since.

HarryT · 12-26-2009, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Sometimes I find I need a 'gateway' work to help me appreciate a writer.

It took me a long time to get into Agatha Christie - but when I read 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' it all clicked into place for me; and I've enjoyed most of the Christie's I've read since.

Yes, I agree with you. "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" is an excellent way into Christie, as is "And Then There Were None" (aka "Ten Little Niggers" or "Ten Little Indians", depending upon the political correctness of the time of publication). This latter book is, it's interesting to note, the best selling mystery book of all time.

lilac_jive · 12-26-2009, 08:45 AM

I do love her. I was listening to NPR the other day though and mystery author P.D. James was discussing Sayers and Christie. She prefered Sayers since she was more realistic, she mentioned that with Christie you had to suspend reality.

Bob T · 12-26-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Sometimes I find I need a 'gateway' work to help me appreciate a writer.

It took me a long time to get into Agatha Christie - but when I read 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' it all clicked into place for me; and I've enjoyed most of the Christie's I've read since.

Interesting...thanks!
I may have to give that one a go.

I tried a couple Christie books in my youth, didn't like them and never went back...

Bob T.

lilac_jive · 12-26-2009, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob T

Interesting...thanks!
I may have to give that one a go.

I tried a couple Christie books in my youth, didn't like them and never went back...

Bob T.

DON'T GOOGLE IT!!!!! Just buy it. Trust me on this one.

HarryT · 12-26-2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

DON'T GOOGLE IT!!!!! Just buy it. Trust me on this one.

Definitely. This is one book that you do not want to know anything about before reading. It was the book which (justifyably) made Christie's name as a crime writer.

Blue Tyson · 12-26-2009, 09:25 AM

I only liked Christie when I was a kid. But if you were to give another one a shot, Tne Little Niggers would be a good one to try I think. Certainly close to the best.

HarryT · 12-26-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

I only liked Christie when I was a kid. But if you were to give another one a shot, Tne Little Niggers would be a good one to try I think. Certainly close to the best.

Generally called "And Then There Were None" these days. All the usual bookstores sell it.

JSWolf · 12-26-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Generally called "And Then There Were None" these days. All the usual bookstores sell it.

Sold now at Fictionwise for $5.99 or $5.09 with a good micropay rebate and jk25 code gives yet another 25% off.

So go for it.

https://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b...Christie/?si=0

desertgrandma · 12-26-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

And...I think I don't really like Agatha Christie. I have read extensively in the mystery genre, both classic and more contemporary stuff. I love Poe. I love Conan Doyle. I appreciate that Christie has an important place in things. But...I just wasn't feeling it. There were other things I'd rather read. Her sentences, especially in the Poirot stuff, felt long and clumsy. I just wasn't terribly interested in what was going on.

I feel a little bit guilty about this. I feel like, reader that I am, mystery fan that I am, I *should* like Christie more than I seemed to.

Silly goose. Reading is a highly personal experience.

It doesn't matter if you like her or not. You tried her..........now enjoy the author you do like reading.

Not caring for a specific author's work in no way reflects on your judgment.

phenomshel · 12-28-2009, 01:01 AM

This is probably an unusual take - my mom loved Agatha Christie, we had all her books around the house when I was growing up. I tried all the different ones, but found I didn't like Hercule Poirot; Miss Marple was "ok", but Tommy and Tuppence caught my imagination. So I read most of those (years ago, really should go back and do them again...), and didn't bother with the rest.

jhoff80 · 12-28-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

This is probably an unusual take - my mom loved Agatha Christie, we had all her books around the house when I was growing up. I tried all the different ones, but found I didn't like Hercule Poirot; Miss Marple was "ok", but Tommy and Tuppence caught my imagination. So I read most of those (years ago, really should go back and do them again...), and didn't bother with the rest.

I actually was similar, but different when I was younger. I hated Miss Marple, never read the Tommy and Tuppence stuff, and loved Hercule Poirot stuff.

12-26-2009, 02:23 AM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Do you like Agatha Christie? I went through my reader today going through some of my free downloads and purging a little. I looked up a summary on Amazon, deleted at once if I felt like I would never read it, and for most of the others I was on the fence about, gave it a good ten pages or so. And...I think I don't really like Agatha Christie. I have read extensively in the mystery genre, both classic and more contemporary stuff. I love Poe. I love Conan Doyle. I appreciate that Christie has an important place in things. But...I just wasn't feeling it. There were other things I'd rather read. Her sentences, especially in the Poirot stuff, felt long and clumsy. I just wasn't terribly interested in what was going on. I feel a little bit guilty about this. I feel like, reader that I am, mystery fan that I am, I should like Christie more than I seemed to. Maybe I just wasn't reading the right ones, I know only the first three are legit freebies. So am I missing something? Should I start with other ones, maybe? Or, given the vast quantity of unread books in my to read pile, should I just put Christie aside, guilt-free, and move on with my reading life?

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12-26-2009, 04:22 AM	#2
basschick Wizard Posts: 1,096 Karma: 4695691 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	i think agatha christie is okay, but i prefer dorothy l sayers, robert b parker or even ngaio marsh, who is often compared to christie. i'd move on to something you enjoy. after all, isn't that why we read mysteries?

12-26-2009, 05:06 AM	#3
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	A pal of mine is President of the Agatha Christie Society in the UK and he keeps singing her praises and recommending books. Must admit, though, that I find her work contrived, twee and lacking in any literary value. Mind you, three generations of avid Christie readers can't all be wrong, so I excuse my lack of enthusiasm by reminding myself that appreciation of literature is entirely subjective and that if we all had similar tastes what's on offer would be tremendously restricted. Cheers. Neil

12-26-2009, 05:40 AM	#4
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Sometimes I find I need a 'gateway' work to help me appreciate a writer. It took me a long time to get into Agatha Christie - but when I read 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' it all clicked into place for me; and I've enjoyed most of the Christie's I've read since.

12-26-2009, 08:45 AM	#6
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	I do love her. I was listening to NPR the other day though and mystery author P.D. James was discussing Sayers and Christie. She prefered Sayers since she was more realistic, she mentioned that with Christie you had to suspend reality.

12-26-2009, 09:25 AM	#10
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	I only liked Christie when I was a kid. But if you were to give another one a shot, Tne Little Niggers would be a good one to try I think. Certainly close to the best.

12-28-2009, 01:01 AM	#14
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	This is probably an unusual take - my mom loved Agatha Christie, we had all her books around the house when I was growing up. I tried all the different ones, but found I didn't like Hercule Poirot; Miss Marple was "ok", but Tommy and Tuppence caught my imagination. So I read most of those (years ago, really should go back and do them again...), and didn't bother with the rest.

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