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Christie Vintage Paperbacks

As something of a footnote to my work with Agatha Christie matters, it occured to me it might be worth giving some thought to the humble paperback editions. In recent years much attention has been given to the attractive original hardback designs, both British and American. However for many of us, it is the long history of the paperback editions that leave their mark. Practical and attractive, these introduced me to the world of Agatha Christie for the first time.

In the 1970s, the Tom Adams covers were the predominant feature of the Christie legacy. Although I grew up to work in the book/publishing/art world, we had a very small range of fiction books at home. My mother and grandmother were regular users of the library, I used to be most annoyed at this habit! Where were all these lovely books they might have bought? Well, the Agatha Christie paperbacks were the only modern fiction ready to hand.

Tom Adams was American born, but British-art educated, and lived in Cornwall. He had worked in films, as well shown in exhibitions and came to work on a number of publishing ventures. The Adams covers were quite the most sinister looking things around and they added to the thriller element of the Christie stories. They certainly did not subscribe to the ‘cosy crime’ lightweight label of today. There was nothing ‘cosy’ about this image. Lurid, realistic, murderous wounds, with a healthy dose of surrealist imagination. Rather exciting I thought, even if it was rather bloodthirsty! The Lord Edgware Dies cover comes to mind with the dagger stuck in the back of the neck! These were most definitely designed to instill fear and a seriousness of the murder in question.

Christie had always retained input on her cover designs, or tried to. But as the 1960s covers seem became increasingly minimal, it was the paperbacks that offered greater scope for variation. Of course the first appearance of the paperback edition was the famous Penguin green crime editions after the war. They retain much timeless charm about them, and evoke something of the classic Crime Club feel with the Penguin logo. I can also recall a few ‘White Circle’ editions which have now vanished, also green and cream. These were the first cheap editions reachable to all. The previous 7 shillings and 6d would have been a large chunk of the weekly salary for the average worker.

There is nothing more convenient and comforting that grabbing a paperback before rushing off out the door. So having a set of lightweight Christie’s around has become a habit. Naturally, there are of course, other authors to consider in paperback. But dipping into a paperback gives a lift to any delayed train journey, particularly these days, as handling paper is an organic experience. No metalic, hard, glass of modern technology however glamorous, with a limited battery life will absorb into the mind in the same way. Provided, of course, one doesn’t witness a murder en route! Every ten years or so a new set of designs usually appears. This year another shift in the Christie cover image has begun (©HarperCollins cover design left). This time sporting a black surround, with a smart inset deco style illustration. The Christie audience is continually evolving for the modern age.

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