I found this interesting article on a blog written by an American literary agent.
Myths vs facts of publishing by Rachelle Gardner.
It has some very interesting things to say about agents, and about getting an agent to represent you, and about getting published.
The many reader comments are worth reading too.The agent writing this blog is a [...]

From early on in my life I wanted to be a writer. I’m not sure where that desire came from seeing many of my family members were - and still are - farmers. Somehow I took a wrong turn and ended up in a classroom for 35 years. That was only ever my second choice [...]