What's your favorite Agatha Christie? - Page 5

Sparrow · 08-22-2009, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I totally missed that pun... until you posted this. Karma to the Sparrow punster!

- PilotBob.

ahi · 08-22-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i read it in french and it was a very old pocket edition called "dix petits nègres". it's been republished as "and then there were none" now. whatever the title, i'll never read it again, as i said, that's the only christie book which ever scared the pants off me, and once was already almost too much for my nerves.

(i know, i know, i'm such a baby...)

It scared me too.

In English it was originally titled something that (I think) even the French title does not adequately capture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_Then_There_Were_None

- Ahi

zelda_pinwheel · 08-22-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

It scared me too.

i'm glad to know i'm not the only one.

i was feeling a bit embarassed.

Quote:

In English it was originally titled something that (I think) even the French title does not adequately capture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_Then_There_Were_None

- Ahi

yes, i see what you mean.

Ea · 08-22-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

...

That said, if you like Agathat Christie there was a Dr. Who episode with "her" in it. It was pretty interesting... it attempted to explain why she disappeared for a short time and turned up at an institution.

...

Ever seen the film Agatha, starring Vanessa Redgrave as Agatha Christie, about the time she disappereared and a compeltely fictional take on what could have happened? It even includes a little Christie style "murder" mystery (and Dustin Hoffman in another of the main roles).

pilotbob · 08-22-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Ever seen the film Agatha, starring Vanessa Redgrave as Agatha Christie, about the time she disappereared and a compeltely fictional take on what could have happened? It even includes a little Christie style "murder" mystery (and Dustin Hoffman in another of the main roles).

Nope... another one I should add to my blockbuster dvd queue.

BOb

Sonist · 08-22-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Was it already called "Ten Little Indians" when you were a kid?

- Ahi

Heh, I read it in translation, and it was titled "Ten Little Negroes." At the time (and now), there was no more negative connotation, than if the title had been "Ten Little Tyroleans."

But, the title "Ten Little Indians" appears to have been used as long ago as the first staging in the US, in 1944.

"And Then There Were None" was used as the title of the first movie adaptation, in 1945.

ahi · 08-22-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

Heh, I read it in translation, and it was titled "Ten Little Negroes." At the time (and now), there was no more negative connotation, than if the title had been "Ten Little Tyroleans."

But, the title "Ten Little Indians" appears to have been used as long ago as the first staging in the US, in 1944.

"And Then There Were None" was used as the title of the first movie adaptation, in 1945.

The original title did not use "Negroes", but rather another N-word.

But I understand what you mean. The translation I read was titled the same way.

- Ahi

jgray · 08-22-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Ever seen the film Agatha, starring Vanessa Redgrave as Agatha Christie, about the time she disappereared and a compeltely fictional take on what could have happened? It even includes a little Christie style "murder" mystery (and Dustin Hoffman in another of the main roles).

I saw it years ago. What little I remember about it was good, although strange in a way. I wouldn't mind seeing it again.

HarryT · 08-23-2009, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

The original title did not use "Negroes", but rather another N-word.

But I understand what you mean. The translation I read was titled the same way.

- Ahi

The book has gone through a number of revisions over the years. Even though the original US title was "And Then There Were None", the island in the book was still called "Nigger Island" (and the rhyme in the book, correspondingly). Both the island and the rhyme then changed to "Indian", and finally to "Soldier".

I have both a printed UK edition from the 1980s, which has "Indian", and the current eBook edition which has "Soldier".

WT Sharpe · 08-25-2009, 11:35 PM

What's my favorite Agatha Christie?

I like pretty much any story that features Jane Marple. Remember how A.G. had two novels that she stipulated would not be released until after her death? One was Curtain featuring Hercule Poirot, and the other was Sleeping Murder featured Miss Marple. The Poirot novel was released first. I'm not going to spoil the ending for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but it did frighten me into thinking that she had a similar fate planned for Jane. I was relieved after reading it that she chose a different path for Miss Marple.

In addition to Marple and Poirot, some of her Harley Quin short stories had their moments as well.

She was my mother's favorite author.

HarryT · 08-26-2009, 03:04 AM

I think there are very few bad Agatha Christies. I have her "complete works" as paperbacks (except the romances she wrote as "Mary Westmacott") and they are wonderful "comfort reading". I wish they were all available as eBooks - about 55 of her 80 or so books are available as eBooks, but there are some good ones which unfortunately aren't.

linou · 08-26-2009, 07:42 AM

Agatha Christie was a really efficient writer.

But to have a favorite, it's tough!

I loved and then there were none, but my favorite would be five little pigs or sparkling cyanide. Tough choice!

Ea · 08-26-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think there are very few bad Agatha Christies. I have her "complete works" as paperbacks (except the romances she wrote as "Mary Westmacott") and they are wonderful "comfort reading". I wish they were all available as eBooks - about 55 of her 80 or so books are available as eBooks, but there are some good ones which unfortunately aren't.

Harry, do you remember if she wrote short story about a doll that is somehow "alive"? I keep thinking it's one of Christie's. Towards the end of the story, the doll is in a dressmakers office, and the office manager can't remember how it there, but the doll scares her. At the end, it's dropped on the street and picked up by a young girl. It's a ghost story, not a mystery and features none of the usual Christie detectives.

Sparrow · 08-26-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Harry, do you remember if she wrote short story about a doll that is somehow "alive"? I keep thinking it's one of Christie's. Towards the end of the story, the doll is in a dressmakers office, and the office manager can't remember how it there, but the doll scares her. At the end, it's dropped on the street and picked up by a young girl. It's a ghost story, not a mystery and features none of the usual Christie detectives.

Sounds like "The Dressmaker's Doll".

Ea · 08-26-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Sounds like "The Dressmaker's Doll".

It's exactly that story!

It's funny that it is the "non-Poirot" and "non-Marple" stories that I remember best.

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08-25-2009, 11:35 PM	#70
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	What's my favorite Agatha Christie? I like pretty much any story that features Jane Marple. Remember how A.G. had two novels that she stipulated would not be released until after her death? One was Curtain featuring Hercule Poirot, and the other was Sleeping Murder featured Miss Marple. The Poirot novel was released first. I'm not going to spoil the ending for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but it did frighten me into thinking that she had a similar fate planned for Jane. I was relieved after reading it that she chose a different path for Miss Marple. In addition to Marple and Poirot, some of her Harley Quin short stories had their moments as well. She was my mother's favorite author.

08-26-2009, 03:04 AM	#71
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I think there are very few bad Agatha Christies. I have her "complete works" as paperbacks (except the romances she wrote as "Mary Westmacott") and they are wonderful "comfort reading". I wish they were all available as eBooks - about 55 of her 80 or so books are available as eBooks, but there are some good ones which unfortunately aren't.

08-26-2009, 07:42 AM	#72
linou Member Posts: 21 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: psr 505	Agatha Christie was a really efficient writer. But to have a favorite, it's tough! I loved and then there were none, but my favorite would be five little pigs or sparkling cyanide. Tough choice!