Hercule Poirot. Miss Jane Marple. Mr. Parker Pyne. Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time, with over a hundred million copies of her books sold. There were almost 90 Agatha Christie titles, six romances as Mary Westmacott, five books, including her autobiography, as Agatha Christie Mallowan, and 19 stage plays. The Bible has been translated into more languages than any other book, Christie is second, beating out Shakespeare. Among her plays is "The Mousetrap" which opened in London's West End in 1952, when it moved to another theatre in 1973 it had set the record for the longest running play in a single house: 8,862 performances over 21 years. It's still running at St Martin's Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London. Not bad for a "slow" and often inarticulate child. She was painfully shy. When she was writing she was lost to the world, forgetting to do her errands, not hearing direct questions, sending mail to wrong addresses, even forgetting her name when she tried to sign a check at the stre. I've had all those problems without, alas, the brilliant fiction to show for it.
A former poet ended his career as a tax collector in Spain, the Howe brothers chased Washington out of New York City, Central America shrugged off Spain but accepted imperial Mexican rule, a railroad passenger agent found a way to make some money off some aging equipment, and an infamous bombing took four lives in a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama. In Japan, and in our quotes section, it is a day to honor our elders. How old is "old?" Mrs Van Horn says, "It's fifteen years older than I am."
Six months ago today, the first issue of Twisted History was mailed to 1,527 subscribers, today's issue goes to 5,905. Eighteen years ago today, the first issue of USA Today was displayed in thousands of shiny new blue and white vending machines across the US. I'd better not sneer too much, you're reading about "McPaper" in "History McNuggets." I just hope it doesn't take Twisted History 11 years to turn a profit, although I'd certainly be happy with their 2.2 million daily copies sold!
1597 - Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, a tax collector in the province of Grenada, is imprisoned in the Carcel Real, the royal prison in Seville, Spain. Apparently a subordinate had deposited funds with an untrustworthy banker. While in prison he starts plotting, but probably not actually writing, "El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de La Mancha."
1776 - British forces under General William Howe crossed the East River into New York City in boats provided by, and under artillery cover from, the Royal Navy under Admiral Richard Howe, the general's brother. General Washington and his Continentals skedaddled to Harlem Heights. All but 500 of the 22,000 residents abandoned the city.
1821 - With Spanish influence failing due to wars in Europe, a council of Guatemalan leaders adopted the Plan of Iguala which created an independent country ruled by Mexico's Emperor Iturbide. What is now Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua dissolved into the current nations in July 1823.
1896 - Two freshly painted 40-year-old locomotives crashed head on in front of 40,000 paying spectators near Waco, Texas. William Crush, passenger agent for the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad - The Katy - staged the event and charged $2 to see it, with a special charter fare of $3.50 roundtrip from Houston. The crowds ignored the sheriff's deputies and were within ten yards of the crash, two died and dozens were injured. Scott Joplin was in the crowd and later wrote "The Great Crush Collision."
1963 - Fifteen sticks of dynamite exploded in the basement of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church at Birmingham, Alabama, killing four girls and injuring 20 others. J. Edgar Hoover stopped prosecution in 1965, Robert Edward "Dynamite Bob" Chambliss was convicted of his part in the bombing in 1977, another bomber admitted his part on his death bed in 1988, the last two suspects surrendered in May 2000.
1982 - Quickly ridiculed as "McPaper" or "News McNuggets," the colorful, satellite-transmitted USA Today went on sale.
Keiro no Hi - Respect-for-the-Aged Day, Japan - First celebrated in 1951 as Toshiyori no Hi, Old People's Day, it was officially designated a holiday in 1966 and acquired its current name. The holiday is too recent to have a great deal of traditional observances attached to it, but with the longest life expectancy in the world (76.36 male, 82.84 female) it probably will soon. In 1996 Japan had 7,373 centenarians and the number is growing about a thousand every year.
1890
- Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller Christie Mallowan, English writer
- Born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller at Ashfield, the family home at Torguay,
Devon. Father expatriate American, she was youngest of three. Educated
at home, she was thought to be "slow" and wasn't taught to read until
age eight. Finishing school in Paris developed talent at singing and piano,
extreme shyness blocked that career. Met Archibald Christie, an army officer,
in 1913, married Christmas Eve 1914. She returned home during war and
volunteered as nurse and pharmacist's assistant, becoming fascinated and
familiar with poisons. They had one daughter in 1919, after the war Christie
went into business in London and Agatha and Rosalind stayed in Devon.
Submitted first Hercule Poirot novel 1920, conclusion in courtroom was
so full of error that she was required to rewrite - she consulted with
technical experts for ater books. In 1926 gained public attention with
"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd," her mother died, her marriage was coming
apart, and she had a nervous breakdown that found her claiming amnesia
in a spa resort after a ten-day disappearance, the divorce was in April
1928. Took the Orient Express to Turkey in 1930 where she met and married
Max Mallowan, an archeologist working at Ur in Turkey, during the '30s
they lived both in England and various Middle East archeological sites,
during the war Max was intelligence officer in north Africa, Agatha went
back into pharmacy. In 1952 Christie's play "The Mousetrap" opened in
London, and is still playing - long since the world's longest-running
play. She was created Commander of the British Empire in 1956, Max followed
in 1960 for his archeological work, he was knighted in 1968 and she was
made Dame of the British Empire in 1971. Her health deteriorated after
a leg injury in 1971, her last public appearance was the opening of "Murder
on the Orient Express" in 1974, se died at home at Wallingford, Berkshire
on 12 January 1976.
There's worse ways to get old than rummaging around in your memories.
- Jon Hassler
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop
playing.
- George Bernard Shaw
Every time I think that I'm getting old, and going to the grave, something
else happens.
- Lillian Carter
By the time you're eighty years old you've learned everything. You only
have to remember it.
- George Burns
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Copyright 2000 G. Armour Van Horn, all rights reserved. This document may be distributed freely. Please forward the complete message including this copyright notice.