Arthur Conan Doyle Books

Since the day an impoverished Southsea doctor named Arthur Conan Doyle first put pen to paper and created Sherlock Holmes, the congenial detective has become acclaimed as one of the legendary figures in world literature.

Read from one side of the world to the other for nearly one hundred years, Holmes has attracted more detailed study and inquiry than perhaps any other single character in fiction and has also raised a band of enthusiasts whose numbers now run into millions.

Over the past century, the "Great Detective," as he is popularly known, has been the subject of countless articles, newspaper reports, memoirs, letters to the press, and illustrations -- not to mention libraries of books. These reflect not only the man, his cases, and his faithful assistant Dr. Watson, but also the people to whom he is not just a fictious character -- but a criminal investigator to be analyzed, explained, and compared. A far-ranging collection of such diverse material has been brought together in a unique souvenir of the making of a legend. Herein the reader will find some of the best, the most illuminating and frequently most amusing items to appear about the famous detective partnership.

The contributors include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, his wife, Lady Conan Doyle, Dorothy L. Sayers, Frank Swinnerton, Edmund Pearson, Wyndham Lewis, Irving Wallace, Ronald Knox, and Christopher Morley.

The book will prove a delight to Sherlockian and general reader alike, mirroring as it does one of the most extraordinary literary phenomena of all time.

According to the actor Peter Cushing's introduction to this scrapbook on Sherlock Holmes, 'you cannot have too much of a good thing'. Even by the early 1970s, when this book was first produced (as a look back over the previous 50 years of coverage of Sherlock Holmes, since the publication of the last of the official stories), there were literally hundreds of books available, and editions, articles, films, plays, radio and television shows, and more too numerous to count.

Haining does not intend to be exhaustive by any means, but rather, by means of this scrapbook, to introduce fans of Holmes, newcomers and aficionados alike, to the wide range of possibilities within the Holmesian arena. That Peter Cushing penned the introduction is a good example -- Cushing portrayed Holmes in character, as well as being an expert in Holmesian lore himself.

Sherlock Holmes is one of the best known detectives in the world -- so famous in fact, that 221B Baker Street in London continues to get mail adddressed to this fictional character almost a century after he would have died had he been a real person. There are groups of people -- Sherlockians and Holmesians, the distinction between which is rather subtle -- who delight in retelling the tales. The official canon is 60 stories -- 56 short stories, and 4 novels, published at various times during Conan Doyle's life. However, Conan Doyle wrote far more than he ever published as part of the official canon, and some relates directly to Holmes; other pieces remain controversial with regard to their applicability.

Holmes has appeared virtually everywhere. Haining reprints copies of cigarette cards with Holmesian characters, playbills, advertisements, 'Strand' drawings, diagrams of rooms, routes, and maps. He includes photographs of significant figures, including major actors to play Holmes (Rathbone, Norwood, Gillette, etc.) and Watson (Bruce, etc.), as well as Conan Doyle himself. One of the recurring features in the book is a series of letters, some to editors in newspapers, some to Holmes himself - this includes a mock obituary that might have appeared in The Times of London, had Holmes been a 'real' person.

There are plaques in London, just as real historical figures have, commemorating not only the location of where 221B Baker Street was (or would have been), but also plaques erected commemorating Watson's first meeting with Holmes, and even Watson's meeting with Stamford, who introduced the pair to each other. There are cartoons, film stills, play photos, a recreation of Holmes' Baker Street flat, and more. The wide range of Holmesian lore beyond Conan Doyle far exceeded Conan Doyle's own output by millions, in currency and in printed pages.

This relatively brief collection is a great addition to any Sherlockian or Holmesian library.

Conan Doyle is a genius. When he invented his famous detective Sherlock Holmes he found a gold mine for publication in the press in England from 1891 to 1927, and of course for book publication later on.
The second element we have to put forward is the strange taste the English public has had for a long time for detective stories. After Conan Doyle Agatha Christie will come and many others. The English are attracted by the delinquent side of social life, by these shady characters who are taking advantage of their neighbors to make an illegal and immoral living, though at times we may wonder if it is really immoral, if those who have all the riches they have, by birth most of the time, are not even more immoral than the crooks who are taking advantage of them. In a way these stories, and the English interest for these fringes of social life, show that a sort of bad conscience goes along with it and they want to explore it.
These stories show that criminals are not crazy people but are very rational people who use their brains to find some loopholes in the system that they can exploit to their own benefit. Most of these stories are depicting very clever criminals who really transform crime into some profitable industry. And they also know about modern technology and use the knowledge they can find in science to improve their productivity and their profit. In the stories we can see modern inventions coming into the picture little by little, such as the telegraph, telegrams and the telephone.
These stories also show that the detective who will be able to stop these criminals will have to use a very sophisticated way of thinking, trying to get the knowledge that criminals need to commit their crimes even before them. It also shows, from beginning to end, that the society Conan Doyle is speaking of is the society of the train in which other means of transportation are secondary, except horse-drawn carriages of any type within the narrow limits of London downtown area. Beyond, Sherlock Holmes uses the train, be it the Metropolitan train or railways going outside.
These stories eventually enable us to draw the main trait of Sherlock Holmes's personality and way of thinking : to use any kind of knowledge he may have accumulated in his mind, to feed his mind with new knowledge all the time, and to always look at a case from an intuitive point of view that tries to build up various alternative hypotheses among which he will eventually choose when time comes and new facts appear. This is an essential mental stand : never reduce yourself to one solution and never close your mind to alternative explanations, no matter how farfetched, provided they fit with the facts you know. Then you just have to look for the missing elements that can fill the holes in your various hypotheses.
The final element I would like to put forward is that Conan Doyle is definitely of his time : the characters represent the ideas of his time and there is practically no romanticism about these criminals. Some may even reflect very dark sides of the ideology of the period. One example : the heavy antisemitism of the « criminal » in the very last story, published in 1927, The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, shows how this man is warped by his financial interest, but also how the justice of the land will take a lenient attitude in front of his « crime » which is not killing anyone or stealing anything, but just cheating with circumstances to evade « the Jews » who are holding him in their hands because of his debts. Is this justice excusing the unpleasant things he does because by doing so he is able to evade, temporarily, these Jews ? One may think so.
Conan Doyle in other words is able to show the sad and sorry sides of his society, without ever leaning towards any ideology that may ask for this society to be changed : he even goes as far as condemning such attempts, or rather those who represent such attempts, like the Nihilists he deals with in one story at least (The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez).

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The first Sherlock Holmes book I ever read was given to me as a gift for my thirteenth birthday. It was a collection of the short stories, with a wonderful leather trim and gold leafing, and I thought it was fantastic. I read the first story, and was instantly hooked. Within a few days, I was disappointed with my wonderful new book because it was incomplete. I had devoured all of the selected stories, and was ready for more.

Shortly thereafter, I purchased what purported to be the 'only complete Sherlock Holmes available', compiled by Christopher Morley. This became my favourite book. However, I have continued to collect editions of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and this is one of those collections. It does contain all the short stories, together with the illustrations from the Strand Magazine, which perhaps had as much to do with the way we view Holmes and Watson as does the text of the stories itself. It does not have illustrations or other commentary, and the print (in a double-column format) is rather small, but it is nonetheless a useful text for those who don't want to have a heavier book in their hands.

The original stories, which appeared in The Strand magazine, were illustrated, by the great illustrator Sidney Paget.

From the beginning introduction of Holmes and Watson to Holmes' gentle retirement to beekeepping on the southern coast of England, this book contains all the essential stories (none of the apocryphal, anecdotal, or tribute-written pieces are contained here). Holmes was often thought to be a real person, and Sherlockians the world over still search for 'evidence' to prove that he was. During his 'lifetime', the post office for the Baker Street area regularly received mail addressed to Holmes or Watson at 221B Baker Street. While such an address does not (and did not during the late Victorian era) exist, there is a business on the site that would be 221B, and they have dedicated a desk to Holmes, and strive to answer mail received in the great detective's name.

Perhaps the two elements that made Holmes and Watson the world-renowned figures that they became are, first, the dominance of the British Empire globally at the time Conan Doyle was writing, which made English things sought-after, admired, and to be emulated, and secondly, the introduction of a method of detection hitherto unknown, both in the annals of detective stories (save perhaps in a proto-form in Poe and a few other obscure pieces of dubious literary merit) and in real life.

Holmesian tales became required reading in the training of police and detectives in many parts of the world. It is still recommended even when it is not required.

Holmes permeates other literature and venues as well. When Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation looks for images of Holmes, he is being guided by the descriptions in the stories as well as by the illustrations in The Strand. When the BBC produced Jeremy Brett's rendering of Holmes, the same holds true. When Basil Rathbone's films were cast, these illustrations and stories were uppermost in the directors' minds.

So, pull some tobacco from your persian slipper, stoke your pipe, scratch out a tune on your violin, and re-enter the gas-lit world of the foggy London, where danger is afoot and one detective can always save the day.

I very much enjoyed this, and, I have many Sherlock Holmes CDs--all good, but this is very very good.

Timson is an able interpreter of these beloved tales. Each character has individuality and the overall tone is faithful to Conan Doyle. The musical interludes are used sparingly and effectivley lending a heightened sense of atmosphere. Naxos is to be commended for putting the entire Holmes canon before an admiring public in these fine new editions.

This is a very faithful rendering of this story! Right up on par with the movie starring Jeremy Brett.

Clive Merrison, as usual, gives us a lively interpretation of Holmes, and yet he captures some of his darker passions, too, running more of the spectrum of Holmes' emotional life than many of the actors who have portrayed him onscreen.

Williams gives us a warm Watson - the Everyman we can relate to - and shows us how he was frequently the calm eye in the center of the Holmes hurricane.

The story maturely explores Holmes' drug addiction, his misogyny, and something of his neurotic nature as revealed in the excruciating amount of importance he placed on solving his "little puzzles."

One unexpected gem was Brian Blessed's performance as Jonathan Small. His engaging read added much life to what can be a somewhat tedious part of the story: Jonathan Small's narrative of the history of the crimes being investigated and his revelation of who The Four are.

But best of all, this production gives us access to scenes of the budding romance between Watson and Mary Morstan which in the novel take place "off stage." These scenes are rather touching, actually, and add just the right flavor to counter-balance what is really a horrible little story of greed, murder, and the ease with which humans can be corrupted.

A fabulous treasure dogged by murder. A trans-racial oath of loyalty. A greedy major, a cannibal pigmy, and a peg-legged convict. Mix in a pig-headed police investigator and a brilliant-but-flawed amateur detective, and you have the makings of a first-class mystery.

Miss Mary Morstan, the recipient of yearly gifts of pearls from an anonymous benefactor, receives a summons declaring her a wronged woman and promising riches if she replies. She enlists the aid of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, and finds herself in the middle of a locked-room murder mystery. If the mystery can only be solved, she will become the richest woman in England.

Holmes, in a virtuoso performance, solves the murder, finds the missing treasure, brings the killer to justice, and learns the strange tale of "The Four." Did I mention that Dr. Watson winds up married to Miss Morstan?

The format of this sequel to "A Study in Scarlet" follows basically the same pattern as the original Sherlock Holmes story. Holmes visits the scene of a baffling murder, draws amazing conclusions from his inspection of the scene, and relentlessly tracks down the villian, who then tells his story and turns out to be not such a bad guy after all.

I first read "Scarlet" and "Sign" as a pre-teenager, and they made an indelible impression on me. In my job I frequently visit murder scenes, and I believe that these two books are what have influenced me to perform inspections outside the crimescene tape.

Merrison once again gives an admirable rendition of Holmes, and Michael Williams turns in a creditable Watson. Brian Blessed is a treat as Jonathan Small. The radio play is enhanced by the fact that it gives greater attention to the Morstan-Watson romance than Conan Doyle did in the book. The BBC productions of the Holmes stories always seem to pay more attention to Watson's romances, and it works quite well to make the stories more enjoyable.

Chris Morley is largely forgotten now, so it might be difficult for modern readers to believe that he was once one of the best known men of letters in America. From the late 1920s to the 1940s, his columns, essays, novels and poems were widely read, and his appearances on radio were enthusiastically welcomed. Morley's most popular novel, Kitty Foyle, even made it to Hollywood. But if Morley had written nothing else than his tributes to Sherlock Holmes, it would have been enough. Indeed, it is not going to far to say that Morley is the man who single-handedly created a cult of Holmes worship (by founding the Baker Street Irregulars) which is alive and well today. While some of his Holmes work is easy to find (see his introduction to The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Doubleday), Morley's more obscure thoughts were scattered among obscure bibliographic relics. Steven Rothman has combed his considerable collection of Morley's writings and brought everything he ever wrote about Holmes into one place. This book is an excellent opportunity for anyone who knows a little about Sherlock Holmes to learn a lot about both Holmes and one of his most devout disciples. Rothman has also done an excellent job of drawing a biographical background for the reader. Morley might be forgotten, but his work about Sherlock HolmesÑÑlike the great detective himselfÑ-lives on.

How splendid to find this volume back in print! I have treasured it ever since it was first published several decades ago. Anyone who admires graceful, witty writing should revel in its pages even if not a Baker Street Irregular (BSIr) or at least a lover of Doyle's Holmes stories. The two annotated editions of the stories are certainly valuable and nice to have, but in Morley you will find more enthusiasm and fun than both of them together. And if you are a booklover in general you should seek out two slim books of delight by Morley - "Parnassus on Wheels" and "The Haunted Bookshop" (both out of print except for an execrable edition combining both in one badly produced volume full of typos and other errors).

I've had this old book since it first came out in '83. It's now old and falling apart and I was hoping to find a reprint...

This murder dossier brings a Sherlock Holmes mystery to life. It contains physical evidence for you to handle, which is the coolest part about it. Presented in the form of a case file, it contains letters, maps, newspaper clippings, photographs, calling cards, and other evidence like a ring interspersed with journal entries. They don't make books like this anymore. It's really fun reading.

I've had this old book since it first came out in '83. It's now old and falling apart and I was hoping to find a reprint...

This murder dossier brings a Sherlock Holmes mystery to life. It contains physical evidence for you to handle, which is the coolest part about it. Presented in the form of a case file, it contains letters, maps, newspaper clippings, photographs, calling cards, and other evidence like a ring interspersed with journal entries. They don't make books like this anymore. It's really fun reading.

I love anything by Doyle. This book is no different.You have
7 great tales here; my favorites being , "The Sealed Room"
and "The Man With The Watches". The very best mysteries were
written in the mid to late 1800's and early 1900's. They
were literally the most superlative mysteries of all time.
I just wish Doyle had lives long enough to write many more
mysteries.

Although best known as the author of the "Sherlock Holmes" canon, Sir Arthur's best work can be found in his brilliant short stories. The tales in this book represent some his very best writing and feature taught, gripping stories of the mysterious, the bizarre, and the profound. Despite the fact that even the most recent of these stories is nearly 70 years old, they are so cleverly plotted and paced that they retain their ability to thrill even today. Readers who worry that the language will be too old fashioned or will require slow and careful reading should not worry: these tales are easily read, but not so easily forgotten. Try, for example, "Lot 212." This is a story about a mysterious young college student, his ancient mummy, and a series of strange crimes and attacks. Our hero confronts the villian in one of the most gripping confrontations you'll ever read in short fiction. Read these tales late at night, aloud if possible, to a willing second. You won't be disappointed!

Baring-Gould has taken it upon himself to explain what the childhood of Sherlock Holmes was like, as well as what really happened during the Great Hiatus, Holmes vs. the Ripper, and even Dr. Watson's first wife. (ACD wrote but never published a play in which Watson traveled to San Francisco and met Constance Adams in 1884.) A nice touch is the timeline at the end of the book, starting from the meeting of Holmes' parents, and an index of books and magazines from 1920-1960. Basically, a necessity for true Sherlockians.

I bought this book (paperback)in Seattle, WA a few years at a half price book store. I LOVED IT and after reading all the stories, I sold it back to the book store!!! B-U-T I didn't realize just how unique it was and have been trying to locate a copy of it ever since!! All the stories are classics and ironically, the publisher compiled them such that all are written in first person, which normally I would avoid. HOWEVER, THIS ANTHOLOGY OF STORIES TRANSPORTS YOU IMMEDIATELY INTO THE AUTHORS' WORLD OF ADVENTURE AND YOU NEVER WANT TO LEAVE!! EXCELLENT READING FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

Mycroft actually motile on submarine mission.


5 out of 5