This was surprisingly good! Not being a big non-fiction reader or having a particular interest in reading about archaeological digs, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book and only picked it up because it’s this month’s selection for the Read Christie 2025 challenge. However, I needn’t have worried – I found it a funny, light-hearted and vibrant account of Christie’s time in the Middle East, with no long, dry descriptions of digs, and just as enjoyable to read as some of her detective novels.
Come, Tell Me How You Live was first published in 1946 under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan (her married name). The title is a play on words as a ‘Tell’ is an archaeological term for an artificial mound created by debris from generations of human occupation – therefore indicating the site of an abandoned town or city. The book describes Christie’s experiences of visiting Syria, a country rich in ancient Tells, in the 1930s with her archaeologist husband, Max Mallowan.
From the opening pages, where Christie writes about the difficulties of acquiring suitable clothing for a trip to Syria during the British winter – and the indignities of being informed that she’s O.S. (outsized) – her sense of humour shines through and continues to do so for the rest of the book. She’s prepared to poke fun at herself and Max but also brings the other people in the book to life with witty observations and amusing little anecdotes. Michel, their driver, who is obsessed with being ‘economical’, allows their truck to run out of fuel in the desert because he was curious to see how far it would last without filling up and almost buys two hundred rotten oranges at a market just because he’s negotiated a good price for them. Then there’s Mac, the solemn, silent young architect who accompanies them on the trip, who never seems to show any emotion, no matter what the occasion. I also loved the Postmaster, who constantly tries to get the Mallowans to accept any letter addressed to a random European, and the ‘professional cat’ who comes to the rescue during their stay in Amuda in a house infested by rodents and insects.
There may be some passages and attitudes that aren’t entirely acceptable to a modern reader, but Christie was writing for a 1940s audience and I think she was generally respectful of the Syrian people and their culture. With this book, she provides a lot of insight into what it was like to be an Englishwoman so far from home, in a world so different from her own. What she doesn’t provide is any detailed information on archaeology or their finds. Her focus is always on everyday life and her general impressions of the landscape, the people she meets and their customs. Even her writing is barely mentioned, although we know that she was working on novels such as Murder on the Orient Express during her time in Syria.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am grateful to the Read Christie challenge for highlighting it this month. I’ll be taking part again in August with the Poirot mystery One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.
Book 10/20 for 20 Books of Summer 2025.
She Reads Novels 
Both my niece and my mom loved this one. It’s one I really want to read. Now if I can just figure out when… ;D
It’s a great book. I hope you can find time to read it soon!
I also very much liked her explanation of the stories she was hearing from the women in various villages–Jezebel was immoral not because of painting her face (a normal occupation there, if not to the Puritan forebears), but because she LOOKED OUT OF THE WINDOW–most immodest!
Yes, the Jezebel story stood out to me too. I also thought it was interesting to see how she describes the differences between Arab and Kurdish women.
Indeed!
I read this yonks ago (back in 2013 I think) and absolutely loved it. It’s a wonderful look at a different side of Christie!
I’m glad you loved this one as well. I thought Christie’s personality really shone through.
This sounds like fun. I might put it on my next Classics Club list.
It was much more entertaining than I thought it would be. I need to start planning another Classics Club list too. I only have two more books left from my current list.
I don’t usually plan them, but this time I’ve started making a list of possibles or just of authors. Congratulations on being so close to finishing yours! I have 10 left.
Definitely sounds like a FUN read. I’ll add it to ‘The List’. On my literary ‘travels’ I picked up a copy (typically unread at this point) of ‘The 8.55 to Baghdad’ by Andrew Eames which recreates Christie’s journey from London to Baghdad by train. It won an award in 2004 so I suspect that its worth a read!
I haven’t heard of that book, but it sounds fascinating!
I also don’t read many non-fiction books, but this one sounds lovely! Thanks for the review.
Yes, it’s great. I often find non-fiction dry, but this was very readable and entertaining.
I’ve just started this for the challenge and absolutely agree with you, it’s such a fun read, more a chat really isn’t it? I’m enjoying seeing her in a different way (with her shoe buying habit!), it gives another angle to reading the books.
Yes, it’s fun and I loved the way her personality comes through so strongly. I’m glad you’re enjoying it as well.
Hello Helen, I am glad you enjoyed this one, it sounds really good. Although I might be even more interested if she had thrown some archaeological stuff in; being a big Time Team fan 🤓
Blessings, Jessica 💌
It’s a great book if you want to know more about Agatha Christie as a person. I think a lot of people will probably be expecting more archaeological information, though!