Product Description

Over a century since his first appearance in print, Sherlock Holmes remains an iconic figure today. This unique companion is a collector's dream, allowing fans to delve into the criminal environment of foggy, gas-lit Victorian London--the world of the all-time greatest detective. The book brings to life the elements of Holmes's success, the crime scene of his day, his history in film and television, and the present-day Holmes legacy. Featured throughout are famous figures such as Holmes's faithful sidekick, Dr. Watson; his nemesis, Professor Moriarity; and Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Filled with more than 150 images--many of the works by the great original illustrators of Conan Doyle's stories--this volume presents an excellent mix of information to satisfy legions of Holmes collectors, mystery fans, and historians fascinated by a bygone era.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43544 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780762432523
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Bruce Wexler is also the author of The Wild, Wild West of Louis L'Amour and The Authentic South of Gone with Wind. Through meticulous study, he has gained an intimate cultural knowledge of the Victorian crime scene and early forensic and logical methods of detection. Applying this information to his great interest in the Sherlock Holmes stories, Wexler offers new insight into the life and times of the definitive detective. He lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Not Comprehensive, But Enlightening & Interesting
Though Wexler's very visual book does not explain every detail from Holmes' cases, it definitely makes a good companion to them. Upon ordering the book I assumed the pictures would be small and/or sparse throughout. I was very mistaken, as the book is littered with large, full color pictures and illustrations. Some of Paget's illustrations from the original mysteries are included in very striking full color, as well as actual photographs and pictures from Holme's time. Additionally, I was impressed by a section devoted to Holmes' personal items such as his deerstalker hat, pipe, and magnifying glass. The book would be excellent for a Holmes devotee or a beginning reader of the stories.

Diverting, but the many, many, many typos and errors erode its credibility
While the book is enjoyable in a light sort of way, the constant parade of typos, factual errors, sweeping generalizations, and clumsily written sentences offer a cringe on virtually every page. Example: writer Georges Simenon is referred to several times as "Simeon." Another example: Doyle's daughter Mary is referred to in one sentence by her correct name, but later in the paragraph as "May." And it is entirely untrue that Doyle's historical fiction has "substantially withered away from disregard" (p.7).

That having been said, the illustrations are lavish and entertaining, and if you have the fortitude and charity to overlook the atrocious writing and editing, you can find a diverting few hours here.

The Mysterious World of Sherlock Holmes
Lavishly illustrated, The Mysterious World of Sherlock Holmes is a companion guide to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Great Detective.

The book includes a biography of Conan Doyle, a history of Sherlock Holmes in print as well as on stage and screen, and an examination of the Holmes phenomenon today. Wexler also briefly touches on Sherlock Holmes' role in the evolution of crime fiction, the class structure of Victorian society, Victorian medicine and Holmes' use of forensic investigative techniques.

Over 150 illustrations are beautifully presented throughout the book. Many of Sidney Padget's iconic images are reproduced as full or half-page illustrations. There are many photographs of Victorian London and weapons that were common to the era. The section picturing some of Holmes' key possessions (such as his deerstalker hat, magnifying glass, pipe, Persian slipper, and violin) was especially interesting to me. When I first read through the Sherlock Holmes stories as a teenager, I had no idea what a Persian slipper looked like. I would have had no such trouble envisioning Holmes' quirky method of tobacco storage if this book had been available then.

While the illustrations shine, the text -- unfortunately -- does not. While I am by no means a Sherlock Holmes scholar, I picked up on several factual and typographical errors throughout the book. Mary Morstan, a prominent character in The Sign of Four, is referred to as "Mary Morstam", several quotations from Doyle's work are incorrect, and more than once, the word "to" is used where "too" is actually the correct form. Better editing would have served this volume well. Wexler also asserts that Doyle's non-Holmes works have "withered away from disregard." While it is certainly true that the Sherlock Holmes stories are Doyle's most popular work and will likely remain so, I would not be so hasty to dismiss the rest of his body of work.

Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend this book based on the quality and variety of the illustrations alone. If you can look past the rather unfortunate errors, there is a lot to enjoy here.