{also known as The Patriotic Murders and An Overdose of Death}
Good morning, dear Agatha. I finished this one a few days ago, but it's been such a busy week I haven't been able to get this post written. As it is, I am headed to Cali in a few hours - not fully packed yet and much to do, so this might be a little on the brief side.
Can I just say how much I love the cover art on this one? I will have to come back and add a picture. And a detective story centered around a DENTIST? Who does that? But some very valid points are made - you are completely off your guard in the dentist's chair! And it humanizes Poirot nicely to know that even he is not a fan of dentists:
There are certain humiliating moments in the lives of the greatest of men. It has been said that no man is a hero to his valet. To that may be added that few men are heroes to themselves at the moment of visiting their dentist.
Me, too, Hercule. Me, too.
Perhaps my favorite quote, though, is of Inspector Japp to Hercule Poirot:
"You're talking like a thriller by a lady novelist!"
I *love* that about you, Agatha - that you poke little bits of fun at yourself and your craft.
I hate it, but I have to run. Always a pleasure!
b.
Sunday, July 22
Wednesday, July 11
35. The Regatta Mystery (1939)
I goofed again. I read Sad Cypress before The Regatta Mystery. Back on track now, I think.
"What are the years from 20 to 40? Fettered and bound by personal and emotional relationships. That's bound to be. That's living. But later there's a new stage. You can think, observe life, discover something about other people and the truth about yourself. Life becomes real - significant. You see it as a whole. Not just one scene - the scene you, as an actor, are playing. No man or woman is actually himself (or herself) till after 45. That's when individuality has a chance." - Parker Pyne ("Problem at Pollensa Bay")
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories, dear Agatha. Sometimes the short story works are not my favorite, nor is Parker Pyne a favorite of your characters, but I did still enjoy this book as a whole. My favorite was probably "The Mystery of the Bagdad Chest," followed closely by "In a Glass Darkly." No wait - maybe "Problem at Sea." Or "The Dream"! They were all that good!
So yesterday I found myself downtown with an hour long wait and I forgot my book. I downloaded it onto my phone and read one of the stories electronically. The e-book was kind of cool because at the beginning of the stories, it had a brief note on when and where the stories were published. With "In a Glass Darkly," it included this super cool nugget:
"... its very first public airing was on 6 April 1934 when Agatha Christie read the story on BBC Radio's National Programme. No recording of this 15-minute performance is known to exist."
THAT would be something to hear!
Love,
Beth
"What are the years from 20 to 40? Fettered and bound by personal and emotional relationships. That's bound to be. That's living. But later there's a new stage. You can think, observe life, discover something about other people and the truth about yourself. Life becomes real - significant. You see it as a whole. Not just one scene - the scene you, as an actor, are playing. No man or woman is actually himself (or herself) till after 45. That's when individuality has a chance." - Parker Pyne ("Problem at Pollensa Bay")
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories, dear Agatha. Sometimes the short story works are not my favorite, nor is Parker Pyne a favorite of your characters, but I did still enjoy this book as a whole. My favorite was probably "The Mystery of the Bagdad Chest," followed closely by "In a Glass Darkly." No wait - maybe "Problem at Sea." Or "The Dream"! They were all that good!
So yesterday I found myself downtown with an hour long wait and I forgot my book. I downloaded it onto my phone and read one of the stories electronically. The e-book was kind of cool because at the beginning of the stories, it had a brief note on when and where the stories were published. With "In a Glass Darkly," it included this super cool nugget:
"... its very first public airing was on 6 April 1934 when Agatha Christie read the story on BBC Radio's National Programme. No recording of this 15-minute performance is known to exist."
THAT would be something to hear!
Love,
Beth
Friday, July 6
36. Sad Cypress (1940)
How do I love thee, Dear Agatha? Let me count the ways...
I mean, really... there must be a thousand reasons why I love to read your "detective fiction." (One is that you often refer to your characters reading too much of it. It always makes me chuckle.)
This book was a quick read that took me awhile. I have been away from Christies for some time, trying to finish the wonderful but oh-so-verbose The Lord of the Rings. I'm headed out of town in a couple of weeks. I might take a book with me but was leading toward reading some of the stuff on my Kindle instead - traveling lighter, I guess. We shall see. But back to Sad Cypress.
Five stars, Dame Agatha! because you snuck up on me and surprised me yet again.
I loved the connection to roses and The War of... I loved the mentions of current movies at the time. I loved the tension between love and happiness and how both might not be found in the same person. (And I'm glad, for I didn't necessarily love the character that Elinor loved.) I loved this slightly different format - Poirot didn't gather all the involved into a study to explain how it all worked out. He was present and brilliant and saved the day, *and* he answered questions in the final chapter, but it was still different from before.
Loved every page, dear Agatha. Thanks again.
Beth
I mean, really... there must be a thousand reasons why I love to read your "detective fiction." (One is that you often refer to your characters reading too much of it. It always makes me chuckle.)
This book was a quick read that took me awhile. I have been away from Christies for some time, trying to finish the wonderful but oh-so-verbose The Lord of the Rings. I'm headed out of town in a couple of weeks. I might take a book with me but was leading toward reading some of the stuff on my Kindle instead - traveling lighter, I guess. We shall see. But back to Sad Cypress.
Five stars, Dame Agatha! because you snuck up on me and surprised me yet again.
I loved the connection to roses and The War of... I loved the mentions of current movies at the time. I loved the tension between love and happiness and how both might not be found in the same person. (And I'm glad, for I didn't necessarily love the character that Elinor loved.) I loved this slightly different format - Poirot didn't gather all the involved into a study to explain how it all worked out. He was present and brilliant and saved the day, *and* he answered questions in the final chapter, but it was still different from before.
Loved every page, dear Agatha. Thanks again.
Beth
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