Come, Tell Me How You Live - The Agatha Christie Mystery Collection

My husband is an archeologist, so I was able to sympathize with Agatha Christies observations. This is a delightful book, an excellent read for both the amateur and professional. I must say that Christie is a good sport and put up with the very primitive conditions on a Dig. Ruth Aizuss Migdal

Agatha Christie wrote this delightful book of her travels with her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan in 1946. It was an entertaining and humorous back then, it still is. I picked this book up while browsing at a Salvation Army store, where I go often, as I like getting books and things for not much money. I leafed through the book, read the introduction by David Pryce-Jones and was immediately taken with Max. Then I continued on, reading the first fifty pages in that back of that Salvation Army store, among the books. Of course I bought it, you should too, because this is a book that will drag lots of chuckles out of you, will teach you a bit about how an archaeoligist worked six decades ago and to a certain extant probably still works today. Plus, above all, this is an excellent book.

Agatha Christie was a prolific writer who churned out one or more books each year for decades. She was invariably on the Best Seller lists in several countries at any given moment, usually had at least one or more plays running in London and saw several films made from her novels. One would imagine her life as divided between writing her novels in some comfortable English country house or attending various events publicizing her latest work or supporting some worthy cause. Instead of this life in the public spotlight for many years she spent every winter 'season' accompanying her husband, Max Mallowan, on archaeological digs in the Middle East, usually living in primative conditions and assisting him with his work. This book is her description of that part of her life, where she was not Agatha Christie, the world famous writer but Mrs Mallowan, the boss's wife. This chronicle, written and published against her agent's and publisher's advice was written shortly before WWII broke out and describes life on archaelogical digs in the Middle East. Christie gives us descriptions of areas that figure prominently in today's news, Beruit, Basura, Afghanistan. Events that shape present day headlines are recent events at this time, the Armenian massacres for example. While Christie mentions these larger events her focus is on the day to day lives of those around her, the interactions of Europeans, Arabs, Kurds and others. She describes a time when a twenty five mile trip into the nearest town could take two or more days, and where communication was almost nonexistent. In this exotic location she relates homey little tales of village life such as Miss Marple would know (though without the murders). As another reviewer has already mentioned these memoirs are reminiscent of Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody novels both in setting and wry tone. For fans of Christie it is a treat to get a glimpse into this very private woman's private life. From time to time a situation or person that has appeared in her stories can be seen here 'in real life'.

When reality surpasses fiction: Every near-eastern archaeologist will love to read over and over again this wonderful book. Almost every situation is still true today.Yallah Shebab!

It's great to know that this book is available again to delight new readers with Agatha's travel diary. Married to an archeologist, who worked mainly at that part of the world once known as Mesopotamia, Agatha has participated in many expeditions with her husband and team. Her book is about her day life at the camp, trying to manage the servants, struggling to develop photos of the objects in a suffocating studio, fighting her own shyness when it comes to talk to the expedition's architect. Piece by piece, she take us back to this almost mysterious past with her talent and good sense of humor. Mine is an old edition, but when I feel a little depressed or sad, I always go back to its pages. It heals my soul. Every time.