Thread: Arthur Conan Doyle

I love Arthur Conan Doyle's work, it's so interesting. I'm mostly talking about Sherlock Holmes. It isn't the best writing with witty phrases and such (although by today's standards it is very good), but it has twist endings and interesting cases. It's a great compilation of work! What do you think about Doyle? No spoilers please, because I haven't read all the stories.

-George Moyle

I've only ever read Sherlock Holmes so I can't say really.
I've seen the TV versions of The Lost World
Apart from that didn't he write some non-fiction military books?

I was talking about the Sherlock Holmes stories. What do you think about them?

I used to love them but I have not read them in quite some time.

I feel that he bypasses telling the audience the evidence only to reveal it all at the end when he's solved the mystery.

I like the way he explains the evidence and cues though.

Yes, too often he doesn't reveal the evidence to the audience. That can be a pain.

I tried reading one once, hated it. TOOOOOOOOOOO arrogant for my tastes.

Ive just started reading hound of the baskervilles and i agree with the last post about holmes being way to arrogant but i'm enjoying the book.

Originally Posted by Vee

I feel that he bypasses telling the audience the evidence only to reveal it all at the end when he's solved the mystery.

It has to be like that. The stories are told by Watson who is nowhere near as observant as Holmes - it just wouldn't be right if he spotted all the clues and relayed them in his narrative.

I've read A Study In Scarlet recently and found it interesting enough to read the rest, although a 130 page novel(la) with the case all solved by page 60 was a bold structural move. It works, however. Just.

Originally Posted by Stewart

It has to be like that. The stories are told by Watson who is nowhere near as observant as Holmes - it just wouldn't be right if he spotted all the clues and relayed them in his narrative.

True, but sometimes he could get the clues through in a casual way. So Watson didn't know they were clues.

I think the Sherlock Holmes Stories should be required reading for high schoolers. It teaches them not only great literature, but impeccable logic as well.

Sir Conan Doyles best work however was The Lost World.

I have The Lost World on my bookshelf I still have to read it though.

I loved Sherlock Holmes, however I've only read Vol. 1. My mom was going to get me Vol. 2 for Christmas, but she ended up getting Vol. 1 again and had to take it back. So still waiting on that.

I'm currently reading The Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe, and he has three short stories much like the Sherlock Holmes stories, called The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget, and The Purloined Letter. The Sherlock Holmes character is Auguste C. Dupin, and he also has a sidekick who is also the narrator, but the guy remains nameless. I didn't like them as much as the Sherlock Holmes stories, however. Oh, Dupin also loves to smoke, just like Holmes.

It mentions in the introduction of my Vol. 1 copy that Doyle somewhat based Holmes on Dupin and another detective character named Lecoq, as well as a professor he once had and a few other people he knew. Both Dupin and Lecoq are mentioned in A Study in Scarlet as well, in a conversation between Watson and Holmes.

I haven't read The Lost World, but its on my list of books to one day buy and read.