Why did Agatha Christie change her name?
Agatha Christie’s name is synonymous with mystery stories—you expect murders, detectives, and red herrings from her books. So when she wanted to write something different, she picked a new name: Mary Westmacott.
How many books did Agatha Christie write under her own name?
Agatha Christie bibliography. Although she wrote six romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, her reputation rests on the 66 detective novels and 14 short-story collections that she wrote under her own name, which have sold over two billion copies—an amount only surpassed by the Bible and the works of William Shakespeare.
What is Agatha Christie best known for?
Agatha Christie. Christie also wrote the world's longest-running play, a murder mystery, The Mousetrap, and, under the pen name Mary Westmacott, six romances. In 1971 she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her contribution to literature.
What did Agatha Christie say about writing?
Then when you've got all your materials together, as it were, all that remains is to try and find time to write the thing.” Agatha Christie was a mystery writer who was one of the world's top-selling authors with works like 'Murder on the Orient Express' and 'The Mystery of the Blue Train.'
See more
Under what name did Christie wrote six books of romance?
Mary Westmacott“As early as 1930, my mother wrote her first novel using the name Mary Westmacott. These novels, six in all, were a complete departure from the usual sphere of Agatha Christie Queen of Crime. The name Mary Westmacott was chosen after some thought.
What was the original title of Agatha Christie?
Introduction. That original title, as published in 1939, was “Ten Little Niggers.” This is well known in literary circles, and not news. I do believe the source material for Christie's most-lauded novel deserves a revisit, however, and I apologize in advance if this article serves as a trigger for some.
Which famous author wrote under the pen name of Mary Westmacott?
Dame Agatha Christie DBEAgatha ChristieDame Agatha Christie DBEPen nameMary WestmacottOccupationNovelist short story writer playwright poet memoiristGenreMurder mystery detective story crime fiction thrillerLiterary movementGolden Age of Detective Fiction12 more rows
What was Agatha Christies nickname?
Mary WestmacottAgatha Christie / Nickname1. Christie didn't just pen crime. She wrote six romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, which she kept hidden successfully for twenty years. The name was derived from her middle name and Westmacott from distant relatives.
Is And Then There Were None offensive?
Even in 1939, this title was considered too offensive for American publication. Christie's work is not known for its racial sensitivity, and by modern standards her oeuvre is rife with casual Orientalism.
Why is it called 10 Little Indians?
"Ten Little Indians" is an American children's counting out rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 12976. The term "Indians" in this sense refers to Indigenous North American peoples. In 1868, songwriter Septimus Winner adapted it as a song, then called "Ten Little Injuns", for a minstrel show.
What is the most famous pen name?
11 Things: Famous pen namesMark Twain (Samuel Clemens) ... Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) ... Dr. ... Sapphire (Ramona Lofton) ... Richard Bachman (Stephen King) ... O. ... George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) ... Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Did Agatha Christie lose her memory?
Agatha Christie never spoke about the missing eleven days of her life and over the years there has been much speculation about what really happened between 3 and 14 December 1926. Her husband said that she'd suffered a total memory loss as a result of the car crash.
What are fake author names?
What Is a Pseudonym? The definition of a pseudonym (or nom de plume in French) is a fake name used by a writer when writing and publishing their work in order to protect themselves or increase the chance of success.
How do you write a book in 3 days?
0:336:11How to Write Your Book in Just 3 Days - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis process is really really easy and that is your book needs to make one. Single simple promiseMoreThis process is really really easy and that is your book needs to make one. Single simple promise and mine is embedded in my subtitle. Let me tell you what it is it's how to turn your smartphone.
Who was the best Hercule Poirot?
David Suchet1. David Suchet. No other actor could have topped this list. David Suchet took on the role of Hercule Poirot for almost a quarter of a century on ITV's Agatha Christie's Poirot and had the opportunity to discover every single nook and cranny that man had to offer.
What did Agatha Christie daughter do?
Rosalind HicksAgatha Christie / DaughterRosalind Margaret Clarissa Hicks was the only child of author Agatha Christie. Wikipedia
What does Agatha mean?
gooda female given name: from a Greek word meaning “good.”
Who was the best Hercule Poirot?
David Suchet1. David Suchet. No other actor could have topped this list. David Suchet took on the role of Hercule Poirot for almost a quarter of a century on ITV's Agatha Christie's Poirot and had the opportunity to discover every single nook and cranny that man had to offer.
Did Agatha Christie lose her memory?
Agatha Christie never spoke about the missing eleven days of her life and over the years there has been much speculation about what really happened between 3 and 14 December 1926. Her husband said that she'd suffered a total memory loss as a result of the car crash.
What did Agatha Christie daughter do?
Rosalind HicksAgatha Christie / DaughterRosalind Margaret Clarissa Hicks was the only child of author Agatha Christie. Wikipedia
What is Agatha Christie known for?
Agatha Christie was an English detective novelist and playwright. She wrote some 75 novels, including 66 detective novels and 14 short story collec...
How did Agatha Christie begin writing detective fiction?
Agatha Christie began writing detective fiction while working as a nurse during World War I (1914–18). She began her debut novel, The Mysterious Af...
What are Agatha Christie’s most famous works?
Agatha Christie’s most famous novels include And Then There Were None (1939), Murder on the Orient Express (1933), and The ABC Murders (1936). Her...
Did Agatha Christie disappear?
After her husband, Col. Archibald Christie, asked for a divorce, Agatha Christie mysteriously disappeared for nearly two weeks. On December 4, 1926...
Why was Mary Westmacott named Mary?
The name Mary Westmacott was chosen after some thought. Mary was Agatha’s second name and Westmacott the name of some distant relatives. She succeeded in keeping her identity as Mary Westmacott unknown for nearly twenty years and the books, much to her pleasure, were modestly successful.
Who wrote the book "My grandmother"?
Written under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, these novels gave my grandmother the chance to better explore the human psychology she was so intrigued by, freed from the expectations of her mystery fans. My mother, Rosalind, called them “bitter-sweet stories about love” and this piece was written by her for the Centenary celebrations in 1990. Matthew Prichard
When did Miss Marple publish her first Poirot book?
They needn’t have worried. In 1930 she also published The Mysterious Mr Quin and, Murder at the Vicarage – Miss Marple’s first book. During the next ten years there followed no less than sixteen full length Poirot stories including such titles as Murder on the Orient Express, The ABC Murders, Death on the Nile, and Appointment with Death .
When was Mary Westmacott's second book published?
Her second Mary Westmacott book Unfinished Portrait was published in 1934. It also relied a lot on her own experiences and early life. In 1944 she published Absent in the Spring. She wrote in her autobiography:
Is Mary Westmacott a romantic novel?
The Mary Westmacott books have been described as romantic novels but I don’t think that is really a fair assessment. They are not ‘love stories’ in the general sense of the term, and they certainly have no happy endings. They are, I believe, about love in some of its most powerful and destructive forms.
Who was Mary Westmacott?
These novels, six in all, were a complete departure from the usual sphere of Agatha Christie Queen of Crime. The name Mary Westmacott was chosen after some thought. Mary was Agatha’s second name and Westmacott the name of some distant relatives.
Did Mary Westmacott write like Agatha Christie?
Mary Westmacott never enjoyed the same critical acclaim as Agatha Christie, but the books achieved some recognition in a minor way and she was pleased when people enjoyed them – she was able to fulfil her wish to write something different.”
What is Agatha Christie known for?
Agatha Christie was an English detective novelist and playwright. She wrote some 75 novels, including 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. Christie is perhaps the world’s most famous mystery writer and is one of the best-selling novelists of all time. Her works are reportedly outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible.
When did Agatha Christie become famous?
Agatha Christie, c. 1925 .
What are Agatha Christie’s most famous works?
Agatha Christie’s most famous novels include And Then There Were None (1939), Murder on the Orient Express (1933), and The ABC Murders (1936). Her novels have sold more than 100 million copies and have been translated into some 100 languages. Many of Christie’s works have been adapted for television and film.
What was Christie's first novel?
Educated at home by her mother, Christie began writing detective fiction while working as a nurse during World War I. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920), introduced Hercule Poirot, her eccentric and egotistic Belgian detective; Poirot reappeared in about 25 novels and many short stories before returning to Styles, where, ...
What inspired Agatha Christie's death on the Nile?
Overview of the SS Sudan, which inspired Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile (1937) and was featured in the film adaptation (1978). Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz See all videos for this article. Educated at home by her mother, Christie began writing detective fiction while working as a nurse during World War I.
Where was Christie found?
It was reported that she committed suicide. Detectives turned to her manuscripts for clues. Eventually, Christie was found alive at a spa in Yorkshire, England. Experience a trip on the Nile in the SS.
When did Christie's mother die?
In 1926 Christie’s mother died, and her husband, Colonel Archibald Christie, requested a divorce. In a move she never fully explained, Christie disappeared and, after several highly publicized days, was discovered registered in a hotel under the name of the woman her husband wished to marry.
Who is Agatha Christie?
Agatha Christie. Agatha Christie was a mystery writer who was one of the world's top-selling authors with works like 'Murder on the Orient Express' and 'The Mystery of the Blue Train.'.
When did Agatha Christie write her first book?
Best-selling author Agatha Christie published her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920 , and went on to become one of the most famous writers in history, with mysteries like Murder at the Vicarage, Partners in Crime and Sad Cypress.
What books did Christie write?
Though she also wrote romance novels like Unfinished Portrait (1934) and A Daughter's a Daughter (1952) under the name Mary Westmacott, Christie's success as an author of sleuth stories has earned her titles like the "Queen of Crime" and the "Queen of Mystery.".
When did Agatha Christie publish The Murder of Roger Ackroyd?
Books and Disappearance. In 1926 , Christie released The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, a hit which was later marked as a genre classic and one of the author's all-time favorites. She dealt with tumult that same year, however, as her mother died and her husband revealed that he was in a relationship with another woman.
When did Christie die?
In 1974, she made her last public appearance for the opening night of the play version of Murder on the Orient Express. Christie died on January 12, 1976.
Where did Christie disappear?
Traumatized by the revelation, Christie disappeared only to be discovered by authorities several days later at a Harrogate hotel, registered under the name of her husband's mistress. Christie would recover, with her and Archibald divorcing in 1928.
When was Christie's first book published?
She published her first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920; the story focused on the murder of a rich heiress and introduced readers to one of Christie's most famous characters—Belgian detective Hercule Poirot.
How many books did Agatha Christie write?
Agatha Christie (1890–1976) was an English crime novelist, short-story writer and playwright. Her reputation rests on 66 detective novels and 14 short-story collections that have sold over two billion copies, an amount surpassed only by the Bible and the works of William Shakespeare. Her works contain several regular characters with whom ...
What is the name of the movie that Agatha Christie is in?
Agatha (1979 film) Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures (2004 docudrama) The Unicorn and the Wasp (2008 TV episode) Agatha and the Truth of Murder (2018 film) Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar (2019 film) Agatha and the Midnight Murders (2020 film) Related.
How many short stories have been published?
List of short stories. A total of 165 stories have been written and published in 15 collections in the US and the UK. 164 stories were published in the UK with the omission of "Three Blind Mice".
How many books did Mary Westmacott write?
She went on to write over a hundred works, including further novels, short stories, plays, poetry, and two autobiographies. She also wrote six romantic novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott.
When did Archibald Christie divorce?
She married Archibald Christie in December 1914 but the couple were divorced in 1928. After he was sent to the Western Front in the First World War, she worked with the Voluntary Aid Detachment and in the chemist dispensary, giving her a working background knowledge of medicines and poisons.
Who are the characters in Christie's Poirot?
Her works contain several regular characters with whom the public became familiar, including Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, Parker Pyne and Harley Quin. Christie wrote more Poirot stories than any of the others, even though she thought the character to be "rather insufferable".
When was Christie's mystery affair at Styles published?
Christie's writing career began during the war after she was challenged by her sister to write a detective story; she produced The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which was turned down by two publishers before it was published in 1920 .
What was Agatha Christie's first novel?
According to her website, "Agatha Christie's first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was the result of a dare from her sister Madge who challenged her to write a story." Agatha's sister didn't think she was capable of writing a detective novel. Agatha was in her early 20s when she wrote the book, in which Hercule Poirot makes his first appearance. Agatha would later recall that the inspiration for the famous Belgian detective came from seeing war refugees in her town during WWI, Agatha Christie reports.
How many books did Agatha Christie write?
Over the course of her literary career, she published 66 crime novels and numerous plays and short stories, which have been translated in over 100 languages.
What was Agatha Miller's education like?
Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Miller was raised in a middle-class family. Her father was an American stockbroker, her mother the daughter of a British Army officer. As a young girl at the time, she was not entitled to receive an education. Clara, Agatha's mother, didn't want to send her daughter to school, so Agatha, with the help of her governess, taught herself to read and write by the age of 5. According to her biography on her website, she spent her time reading in her family's country house, where she was mostly alone. She was fond of children's stories, but she also liked to read poetry and American thrillers. "Spending most of her time with imaginary friends, Agatha Clarissa Miller's unconventional childhood fostered an extraordinary imagination," per Agatha Christie.
Why did Agatha Christie travel to the Middle East?
In 1928, Agatha Christie and her husband Archibald Christie divorced, and Agatha decided to travel to the Middle East to heal her broken soul. According to National Geographic, while in Baghdad, she fell in love with archeologist Max Mallowan, who became her second husband.
What happened to Agatha Christie?
In 1926, Agatha Christie was going through a rough time. Her mother, whom she was very close to, died. Around the same time, her husband fell in love with another woman and asked for a divorce. According to The New York Times, on Dec. 4, 1926, Christie kissed her daughter goodnight and vanished, carrying nothing but a suitcase with her. Christie was 36 years old and already a successful writer. Her car was found abandoned at the edge of a pit, near a lake called Silent Pool. For nine days nobody knew where she was.
Why did the British secret intelligence investigate Agatha Christie?
During WWII the British secret intelligence investigated the famous crime writer because they were afraid she had a spy in the government. According to The Guardian, Agatha Christie had named one of the characters in her 1941 detective novel, N or M, "Major Bletchley.".
How did Agatha Christie's father die?
In 1901, when Agatha was 11 years old, her father died of a heart attack. It was a painful loss for Agatha and her mother, already burdened by financial difficulties. But Agatha managed to continue pursuing her education. She took singing and piano lessons, and at the age of 16, she was sent to a boarding school in Paris to finish her studies. Although Agatha claimed she had no intention of becoming a writer (originally she wanted to be a pianist but was too shy, according to her official biography on her website ), by this time she already had several poems published and was already writing short stories.
What is Agatha Christie's new name?
So when she wanted to write something different, she picked a new name: Mary Westmacott. According to Christie, it was less to do with targeting a different demographic and more about letting herself play with a new genre. Writing mysteries was her day job; writing romances was fun. Christie wrote six novels as Westmacott and kept her cover a secret for nearly two decades.
Who was the first author to use the name Michael Crichton?
Odds On, his first published novel, was attributed to John Lange ; after several more books written as Lange, he published A Case Of Need under the name 'Jeffery Hudson'. The first time he actually used the name Michael Crichton was in 1969, for The Andromeda Strain.
How many books did Lauren Kelly write under the pseudonym?
She soon broke her promise, publishing a total of eight books under the Rosamond Smith moniker as well as another three novels as Lauren Kelly.
How old was Lewis when he wrote Spirits in Bondage?
The first collection, Spirits In Bondage , written by a 20-year-old Lewis who had just returned from military service, went largely ignored. His second volume of poetry, Dymer, had a similar fate, and that failure put Lewis off writing much more poetry.
What does it mean when you see an author's name on a book cover?
When you see a familiar author’s name on a book cover, you probably feel confident that you know what you’re getting. Most writers have a specific style and a genre that they return to over and over again. But what if a well-known author wants to write something completely different without alerting their fans? That's where pseudonyms come in. Here are 10 authors who also wrote under other names:
When did Lewis use a pseudonym?
Later, in 1961, Lewis used another pseudonym when he wrote A Grief Observed about the death of his wife. 'N. W. Clerk' wasn’t revealed to be Lewis until after his death in 1963.
Who is Robert Galbraith?
Instead, she picked a different moniker: Robert Galbraith, a combination of Robert F. Kennedy and Ella Galbraith, a name that Rowling admits she was fascinated with as a child. She fooled some. The Cuckoo’s Calling was rejected by a few publishers, but, like King's, Rowling's identity was quickly leaked. "Being Robert Galbraith was all about the work, which is my favourite part of being a writer," Rowling writes on her site. "Now, my cover has been blown, I plan to continue to write as Robert to keep the distinction from other writing and because I rather enjoy having another persona."
Who is Agatha Christie's daughter?
English crime writer Agatha Christie and her daughter, Rosalind, (right), are featured in a newspaper article reporting the mysterious disappearance of the novelist.
What are the derogatory references in Christie's books?
Christie’s works are filled with derogatory references toward Black, Asian, Italian, Native American and Arab peoples. Jewish people don’t fare well either; Christie generally depicts them as hook-nosed and money-grubbing. At one point, the Anti-Defamation League penned a letter objecting to her apparent anti-Semitism. Though the letter was reportedly never shown to her, it prompted her agent to give permission to her U.S. publishers to delete any distasteful passages about Jews and Catholics. Christie’s defenders dispute the racism charge, claiming that although some of her characters use racial epithets, these characters tend to be portrayed negatively overall.
How many Christie novels are there in the book "The Dandyish Poirot"?
The dandyish Poirot, who appears in 33 Christie novels and over 50 short stories, remains the only fictional character ever to receive an obituary in the New York Times, whereas the unassuming Marple, who appears in 12 Christie novels and 20 short stories, serves as the archetype for small-town, little-old-lady snoops.
What was Christie's first novel?
At age 11, Christie published her first piece, a poem about electric trams that appeared in an English newspaper. As a teenager, she then had several additional poems printed in The Poetry Review, while also working on short stories that at the time failed to attract publishers’ interest. Detective novels did not appear on her radar until World War I, after her sister bet that she couldn’t write a good one. Her initial attempt, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles,” in which retired Belgian policeman Hercule Poirot solves the murder of a wealthy widow, was eventually picked up by a publisher on the condition that she alter the ending. From that point forward, detective novels would dominate her career.
Why did Christie start writing mysteries?
4. Christie started writing mysteries in response to a challenge from her sister.
What did the Anti-Defamation League protest about Christie?
8. The Anti-Defamation League protested her portrayal of Jews. Christie’s works are filled with derogatory references toward Black, Asian, Italian, Native American and Arab peoples. Jewish people don’t fare well either; Christie generally depicts them as hook-nosed and money-grubbing.
How many copies of Christie's books have been sold?
She is the best-selling novelist in history. Popular worldwide, Christie’s books have been translated into dozens of languages and have sold an estimated 2 billion copies (and counting). This puts her third on the all-time bestseller list behind only William Shakespeare and the Bible.
