tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post6017972378573889199..comments2024-03-28T10:31:55.774-07:00Comments on The Passing Tramp: The Christie Celebration Continues: The World's Ten Favorite Agatha Christie Novels and My Ten Favorite Agatha Christie Novels (Okay, Let's Make It Twelve):The Passing Tramphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-51534241043870363812015-09-20T19:37:47.905-07:002015-09-20T19:37:47.905-07:00Certainly a fine Christie. At this point I'd ...Certainly a fine Christie. At this point I'd rather reread it than Murder on the Orient Express or The ABC Murders.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-24296865594777945832015-09-20T15:52:12.692-07:002015-09-20T15:52:12.692-07:00My list would have to include PERIL AT END HOUSE!My list would have to include PERIL AT END HOUSE!Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01713995208529232368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-77315747309572923102015-09-20T02:28:00.235-07:002015-09-20T02:28:00.235-07:00I do like the Labours of Hercules, if I were inclu...I do like the Labours of Hercules, if I were including short story collections. A delightful conceit on Christie's part. <br /><br />You are the only other person so far to name One, Two, Buckle My Shoe. Glad I'm not all alone on that limb!<br /><br />Interesting so many people are liking Towards Zero. I do agree.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-21494453438669144612015-09-19T18:23:45.121-07:002015-09-19T18:23:45.121-07:00My twelve (in no particular order):
Death on the N...My twelve (in no particular order):<br />Death on the Nile<br />Murder on the Orient Express<br />And Then There Were None<br />The Murder of Roger Ackroyd<br />Evil Under the Sun<br />Five Little Pigs<br />Towards Zero<br />A Murder is Announced<br />One, Two, Buckle My Shoe<br />Hercule Poirot's Christmas<br />The Labours of Hercules<br />Murder in Mesopotamia<br /><br />My younger self would have added The Big Four (exciting, with lots of murders!).Nick Fullerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05668031989499870182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-19341426086919719662015-09-19T14:06:27.391-07:002015-09-19T14:06:27.391-07:00I used to be a great fan of the Marples, back when...I used to be a great fan of the Marples, back when I was a young 'un. I haven't read them for years. I suppose it's about time I revisited them.dfordoomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306293859869179118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-23235379830983302472015-09-19T14:01:43.369-07:002015-09-19T14:01:43.369-07:00Oh! You and S. S, Van Dine! ;)
I know. We're ...<em>Oh! You and S. S, Van Dine! ;)</em><br /><br />I know. We're incorrigible! ;-)dfordoomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306293859869179118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-491567470300632222015-09-19T03:15:42.042-07:002015-09-19T03:15:42.042-07:00Oh! You and S. S, Van Dine! ;)Oh! You and S. S, Van Dine! ;)The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-32241797902728168362015-09-19T03:14:21.246-07:002015-09-19T03:14:21.246-07:00Moira, it's hard to be consistent in this resp...Moira, it's hard to be consistent in this respect. Towards Zero was very close! Sparkling Cyanide I suppose I've always been a bit biased against, since it originated as a great short story (novelette?), Yellow Iris. As I recollect she changed the ID of the murderer in the novel!<br /><br />Christie had a clutch of very strong novel in the 1940s. Taken at the Flood is another one with a lot of strong elements, though the ending is a bit of a cop-our for me. And Crooked House is another great favorite with a lot of people, including Christie herself.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-57119297912397228312015-09-19T03:10:44.996-07:002015-09-19T03:10:44.996-07:00I very glad you enjoyed, Art, thanks so much.I very glad you enjoyed, Art, thanks so much.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-88304630152680751742015-09-19T03:10:28.636-07:002015-09-19T03:10:28.636-07:00Nice list. I would propose Towards Zero and Sparkl...Nice list. I would propose Towards Zero and Sparkling Cyanide too. I keep changing my own list of her best ones, so consistency is not my watchword!Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-56741172512172234382015-09-17T15:09:20.448-07:002015-09-17T15:09:20.448-07:00I have a soft spot for APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH. I t...I have a soft spot for APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH. I think it's a very underrated novel and it's a fine example of Poirot's use of his understanding of human nature.<br /><br />On the other hand I hated THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD. It's just a total cheat. Technique for the sake of technique.dfordoomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306293859869179118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-22517094206099436912015-09-17T15:04:15.681-07:002015-09-17T15:04:15.681-07:00CARDS ON THE TABLE would have been one of my picks...CARDS ON THE TABLE would have been one of my picks as well.dfordoomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306293859869179118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-86448544772503988202015-09-17T08:18:39.529-07:002015-09-17T08:18:39.529-07:00Thanks so much for sharing! This is a terrific lis...Thanks so much for sharing! This is a terrific list. Much appreciate both the choices and the perspective.<br />ArtArt Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02409008167752619352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-69417491725504350762015-09-17T04:19:58.997-07:002015-09-17T04:19:58.997-07:00Both fine Poirots indeed. I especially like the s...Both fine Poirots indeed. I especially like the symmetry of Cards. <br /><br />I edited the post to add a link to a review I posted here a few years ago of Christie's Absent in the Spring, an impressive "Mary Westmacott" mainstream novel that was published in between Five Little Pigs and The Hollow, in 1944. It's superbly suspenseful, entirely as a character study.<br /><br />I do think it's clear that for a time in the 1940s Christie was really stretching herself, writing books with more psychological force, thought she has been insufficiently credited for this. I think The Hollow is a fine book and was translated well onto film in the Suchet series, where its darker tone (yet still with flashes of humor) splendidly suited the direction in which the series was being taken.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-47150123401337722552015-09-17T03:59:51.651-07:002015-09-17T03:59:51.651-07:00Very interesting post, can't argue too much wi...Very interesting post, can't argue too much with most of your personal list. I'm especially glad to see you champion the brooding and psychologically fascinating THE HOLLOW, which I find superb. My own list would likely include a few less-heralded Poirots: the criminally overlooked (and extremely clever) CARDS ON THE TABLE and the slightly implausible but also very clever DEATH IN THE CLOUDS. <br /><br />(Oh, and sorry for the double-posted reply!)Jeff Flugelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06127134815672151999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-37400183095231593632015-09-17T01:21:33.213-07:002015-09-17T01:21:33.213-07:00Another later one I have always rather enjoyed is ...Another later one I have always rather enjoyed is The Clocks, even though it has so little of Poirot and the clocks business is a bit of a fizzle, as has been pointed out. But it's a livelier one and catches the times better pretty nicely. Also Poirot's ruminations on detective fiction are great fun.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-58949385443174497642015-09-17T01:03:01.996-07:002015-09-17T01:03:01.996-07:00Gosh, wasn't expecting such agreement! I actu...Gosh, wasn't expecting such agreement! I actually should have mentioned Thumbs, I agree that has strong points, even if it gets a bit muddled. <br /><br />One thing that I just noticed: I have six Poirots on the list, but only one of them with poor Hastings! Curtain.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-12484681117566901822015-09-17T00:37:56.663-07:002015-09-17T00:37:56.663-07:00Fascinating list Curtis and I agree with it almost...Fascinating list Curtis and I agree with it almost 100% (yes, there is a but coming ...) CURTAIN is certainly incredibly memorable at its close though I find I remember little else, but so glad that ENDLESS NIGHT is on your list because I think it stands up very well - I wouldn;t change muck pon your list (if it were mine, which it s not ...), though I would find a place for BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMBS, which i feel the need to cheerlead for - to me it is a truly fascinating book, quiyte haunting in its fairy tale atmospehere. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com