For a short while in college I contemplated majoring in anthropology, because the idea of traveling around the world, studing people and their cultures completely fascinated me.  While I didn’t pursue anthropology as a major, I did find a way to sastify that curiosity.  By reading books of other people who’ve had these adventures.  One such book I’ve come across recently is “The Grand Tour, Around the World with The Queen of Mystery” by Agatha Christie.

Christie, aka The Queen of Mystery, reins as the most widely published author of all times in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. In this book introduced by her grandson, Mathew Prichard, we get a glimpse of Christie in a period where she was just starting to write her mystery novels.

In 1922 Christie’s husband. Archibald, was invited to join a trade mission to promote the British Empire Exhibition and Mrs. Christie was determined to join him.  So when she was 32, Christie set sail on a ten-month voyage around the world.  During her journey through South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Canada, Christie kept up correspondence with her mother describing the extraordinary places and the unique people she encountered.  Those letters have been gathered for your enjoyment in “The Grand Tour”, including pictures taken by Christie, postcards, newspaper cuttings and memorablilia, along with tales of seasickness, sunburn, surfboarding, glamor and misery.

What an incredible and life changing adventure for Christie.  One that helped inspire her for many stories to come.  You can check this book out at the library, along with many other travel books in our Travel Neighborhood.  Or you can lose yourself in one of the many Agatha Christies mysteries.  All of these and more are available here!

Photo credits: The Grand Tour, edited by Mathew Prichard

Michelle Morris

I am in the Public Services department, which means you can catch me at the Red Carpet desk, the Topeka Room, or any of the Reference desks. I graduated with my bachelors in Sociology, which makes the library the perfect place for my love of people watching. I am a believer in public libraries and love that I get to share my passion for reading with people daily.