An Autobiography

“A joyful adventure. . . . She brings the sense of wonder . . . to her extraordinary career.”
—New York Times Book Review

Thirty-five years after her death, Agatha Christie remains the world’s bestselling popular author. While millions of fans across the globe got to know her beloved characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, few knew much about their creator, a woman who for many years kept her private life hidden from view. For decades, she dodged the press and gave no interviews, and for a brief time, famously disappeared. In April of 1950 she began writing her memoirs, a volume that would take her fifteen years to finish. By then, seventy-five years old, she explained, “it seems the right moment to stop.”

Originally published shortly after her death in 1976, An Autobiography comprises the reflections of a marvelous talent and an eccentric woman whose life encapsulated her times. In her own inimitable style, Christie sheds light on her past, including her childhood in Victorian England, her volunteer work during World War II, and her phenomenal career. Christie muses on the writing life, revealing her own working habits, and the inspiration for her most famous characters. Here, too, are the places and people that impacted her personally and professionally. As compulsive and enjoyable as her novels, An Autobiography brings into focus this beloved and enduring icon whose imagination continues to mesmerize and inspire readers everywhere.