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exurbanis's review against another edition
4.0
A nonfictional account of Christie's travels accompanying her second husband Max Mallowan on his archaeological digs in the middle east.
I found it to be a fascinating look at this part of the world before "development" and before Europeans had dug up every last inch of ancient cities. BUT I did find it became a little repetitive about two-thirds of the way through.
I found it to be a fascinating look at this part of the world before "development" and before Europeans had dug up every last inch of ancient cities. BUT I did find it became a little repetitive about two-thirds of the way through.
adrija1409's review against another edition
3.0
A lesser-known, lesser-read journalistic form of Travelogue by Christie.
Flanked by a short and mostly introductory prologue, this is 200 pages in length and spans over 12 chapters.
Christie recounts her archaeological expedition across Syria, along with her husband Max Mallowan, who was an acclaimed archaeologist.
Flanked by a short and mostly introductory prologue, this is 200 pages in length and spans over 12 chapters.
Christie recounts her archaeological expedition across Syria, along with her husband Max Mallowan, who was an acclaimed archaeologist.
praptip20's review against another edition
5.0
As an archaeology student, this is just delightful! Christie is an amazing narrator, and exceptionally funny - definitely a book I'm going to come back to again and again. There's mystic romanticism and poetic justice done to the Near East in these pages that I haven't seen paralleled elsewhere...
michelleful's review against another edition
5.0
Snippets from life on a dig in Syria during the golden age of archaeology, told succinctly and wittily by Agatha Christie herself, wife of the archaeologist in charge of the expedition. Several parts made me ache for that sort of life, and others made me laugh out loud. A bit saccharine, but that's just what I was in the mood for.
emmasbookishcorner's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
amphipodgirl's review against another edition
3.0
This is a pleasant little read -- an account of day-to-day life during three years of archaeological digs in the years immediately before World War II. It's probably of most interest to lovers of Christie's mysteries. The account of shopping for the expeditionary life is in a voice very familiar to those who love the little asides in the Miss Marple novels. and there's a conversation with a Kurdish woman which is clearly the source of the conversation Mrs. Upjohn is having on the bus in Anatolia when she is fetched home in Cat Among the Pigeons. It's full of humor. The generalizations about the Arab and Kurdish workers feel very stereotyped, and I would be interested to know how much truth they bear and how those cultural divides looked from the other side.
csolomon1983's review against another edition
3.0
Very non-PC but very hilarious. Hearing a "proper" 1920s Englishwoman's reactions to her erudite archeologist husband, his sometimes strange assistants, and the people and customs of the Middle East is highly entertaining.