Friday Mieography

Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born in Devon, UK, daughter of a rich american stockbroker, and his British wife. She had 2 siblings, Monty and Madge. Her father died when she was eleven years old. She never claimed her U.S. citizenship through him.
Her mother educated her at home, encouraging her to write at a young age. When she was sixteen, she was sent to finishing school in Paris, to study singing, and the piano.
She was married, unhappily, in 1914 to Colonel Archibald Christie, and aviator in the Royal Flying Corps. They had one daughter. Agatha discovered her flyboy husband was having an affair, and they divorced. Her first book was published during her marriage.
During WW I she worked in a hospital, and in a pharmacy, both jobs influencing her writing. She often carried out her book murders with poison.
In 1926, Agatha dissapeared for eleven days, causing great alarm, especially as her car was found in a chalk pit. She was later found in a hotel, under the name of "Teresa Neele". She had a 'natural propensity' for depression, exacerbated, they report, by her mother's death and her husbands infidelity. (She had just learned of his affair. His mistress' last name? Neele). There is speculation about this 'breakdown'. Some to this day think it was merely a publicity stunt. Others speculate she was trying to make people believe her husband killed her, to get him back for his infidelity.
In 1930, she married an archaeologist by the name of Sir Max Mallowan. He was 14 years younger than her, and a Roman Catholic. (She was Anglican). They had a happy marriage, early on, and later, she tolerated his many affairs. He married one of his mistresses the year after she died.
The couple traveled extensively, giving her fodder for several novels, especially her Middle Eastern themed ones.
In 1971, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She died of natural causes in 1976, at the age of 85. She wrote 67 full books, and published 160 short stories in her career. She also wrote numerous plays, and radio plays. And many, many many of her books have been made to movies....