The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Christie, Agatha [Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan (1890-1976) - 1962

256 pages. Small octavo (7 1/2" x 5 1/4") bound in publisher's original red cloth with black lettering to spine in original jacket.. First British edition.

There can be little doubt that Christie used the real-life tragedy of American actress Gene Tierney as the basis of her plot. Tierney described the event in her autobiography (Self-Portrait, New York: Wyden, 1979), but it had been well publicized for years previously. In June 1943, while pregnant with her first child, Tierney came down with German measles, contracted during her only appearance at the Hollywood Canteen. The baby, Daria, was born prematurely, weighing only 3 pounds, 2 ounces, and requiring a total blood transfusion. The infant was also deaf, partially blind with cataracts, and severely retarded and ultimately had to be institutionalized. Some time after, Tierney learned from a fan who approached her for an autograph at a garden party that the woman, who had been a member of the women's branch of the Marine Corps, had sneaked out of quarantine while sick with German measles to meet her at her only Hollywood Canteen appearance. This incident, as well as the circumstances under which the information was imparted to the actress, is repeated almost verbatim in the story.

Condition:

Spine ends lightly rubbed, light sunning to head edges, jacket corners chipped, spine head chipped, 1/4" chip from front head edge, spine lightly soiled, light edge wear else a very good copy in a good to very good jacket.