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Treasury of World Masterpieces, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Celebrated Cases of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes -Need I say more!
In the Introduction, which gives a short biography of Doyle, we find such interesting titbits such as "J. Edgar Hoover remarked that his investigative methods had been substantially incorporated into the FBI network" and that "his stories had been translated into Arabic and were being issued to the local police (in Egypt) as an instruction manual." Winston Churchill was one of his greatest admirers.
Contents include:-
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1891-2);
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1892-3);
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (~1903);
A Study in Scarlet (1887) The First Holmes story;
The Sign of Four (1890) and
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1901-2).
Illustrated by Ian Beck.
ISBN 0706415663 -taken by "The Celebrated Cases of Sherlock Holmes"
In the Introduction, which gives a short biography of Doyle, we find such interesting titbits such as "J. Edgar Hoover remarked that his investigative methods had been substantially incorporated into the FBI network" and that "his stories had been translated into Arabic and were being issued to the local police (in Egypt) as an instruction manual." Winston Churchill was one of his greatest admirers.
Contents include:-
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1891-2);
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1892-3);
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (~1903);
A Study in Scarlet (1887) The First Holmes story;
The Sign of Four (1890) and
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1901-2).
Illustrated by Ian Beck.
ISBN 0706415663 -taken by "The Celebrated Cases of Sherlock Holmes"
799 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
30 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
15.8k books24.3k followersSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 17, 2015
OK........
Dark green textured leather. Beautifully gold embossed. Sniff, sniff!
Marbelled end papers. Rich cream vellum paper gold blocked on edges.
flippin' luvly!
We all know the stories. A book to treasure.
'Nuff said.
Dark green textured leather. Beautifully gold embossed. Sniff, sniff!
Marbelled end papers. Rich cream vellum paper gold blocked on edges.
flippin' luvly!
We all know the stories. A book to treasure.
'Nuff said.
January 26, 2011
The layout of the collection is a little out of order. We're first introduced to the short stories, with the novels being at the end. Which means, after reading through 70% of the book, I finally get to A Study in Scarlet—where Holmes first meets Watson. It felt like one giant flashback by the time I got there. Which means my review will be out of order as well.
A Study in Scarlet
While being the first of the Holmes adventures, it wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed the mystery-solving first half—a murder in a deserted building, a woman's wedding ring found at the scene (side note: The BBC series Sherlock does a wonderful modern-day play on it: A Study in Pink. It's on Netflix.). But the back story/explanation of the murder's motivation is so long. We're abruptly transported to America, to a band of Mormon polygamists, where everyone related to the murder came from. There were so many unnecessary details surrounding the back story that I nearly forgot the details of the crime when we returned to it. Luckily, Doyle's style seemed to have improved in later works...
The Sign of Four
...such as this one.
Holmes's drug addiction is blatantly revealed in the opening scenes of the book, where a disgruntled Watson asks, "Which is it today? Morphine or cocaine?" The two had just met in Study of Scarlet, but already here in the second novel we see that they have grown close as friends and flatmates. Watson's worries over his friend's drug use is brushed aside by Holmes, who claims to simply use it for recreational purposes between cases. Which is odd, but then again, so is Holmes.
As for their newest case, Miss Morstan has received mysterious pearls in the mail, which is later found to be part of her missing father's treasure. Needless to say, Watson becomes rather smitten with Miss Morstan—a fact that pains him, if she is to inherit a considerable treasure. Along the way, we learn what the treasure is, where her father has gone, and all sorts of wonderful details related to the case. Again, we divulge into an extensive backstory related to the mystery, but it's actually interesting and seemingly relevant.
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Definitely the best of the bunch. Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead near his estate, supposedly by the hand of a long-standing family curse. His heir, Sir Henry, has moved into the estate, but not without the aid of Dr. Watson, who sticks around the home to investigate the oddities (and the neighbors).
There's hardly a dull moment in this one. Holmes is continually knocked off his track by someone who (he believes) to be as cunning as he is. The conclusion is crazy and fantastic, with Holmes and Watson compiling their collective data to solve the mystery. What I really enjoyed is Watson being elevated to more than the silent sidekick, with him staying at the Baskerville estate without Holmes at his side. As it ends up (much to my delight), he discovers things that his friend had not known otherwise.
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes/Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes/Return of Sherlock Holmes
There are far too many stories in these three collections for me to extensively discuss anything. A few of my favorites included A Scandal in Bohemia (where we are introduced to the lovely Irene Alder); The Adventure of the Speckled Band (But what is the speckled band? Read it to find out!); The Final Problem (Greetings, Professor Moriarty!); The Greek Interpretor (Where we meet Sherlock's brother, Mycroft, who I love); The Adventure of the Six Napoleons (someone is running around smashing busts of Napoleon? But why? [I admit, I had an inkling]; and I can't possibly think of any more. I honestly think I had too much fun reading these stories.
A word on characterization: A lot of people dislike Holmes because he's cocky and arrogant. And he is, but that's why he's amazing. He loves leaving everyone in suspense until the last possible moment, when he's finally figured out everything on his own (often leaving poor Watson and Inspector Lestrade puzzled until the very end). But without his oddities, these stories wouldn't have nearly the same charm as they do. He gets angry at Watson for his lack of investigation skills, despite the years of working alongside him. He looks down upon everyone at Scotland Yard, because they're not as brilliant as he is. He even invents a title for himself, the only consulting detective in existence.
So yeah, he has a superiority complex. And I'd probably hate his smug attitude if he were a real person. But this is why he's so admirable.
And for the record, he never once used the phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson."
A Study in Scarlet
While being the first of the Holmes adventures, it wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed the mystery-solving first half—a murder in a deserted building, a woman's wedding ring found at the scene (side note: The BBC series Sherlock does a wonderful modern-day play on it: A Study in Pink. It's on Netflix.). But the back story/explanation of the murder's motivation is so long. We're abruptly transported to America, to a band of Mormon polygamists, where everyone related to the murder came from. There were so many unnecessary details surrounding the back story that I nearly forgot the details of the crime when we returned to it. Luckily, Doyle's style seemed to have improved in later works...
The Sign of Four
...such as this one.
Holmes's drug addiction is blatantly revealed in the opening scenes of the book, where a disgruntled Watson asks, "Which is it today? Morphine or cocaine?" The two had just met in Study of Scarlet, but already here in the second novel we see that they have grown close as friends and flatmates. Watson's worries over his friend's drug use is brushed aside by Holmes, who claims to simply use it for recreational purposes between cases. Which is odd, but then again, so is Holmes.
As for their newest case, Miss Morstan has received mysterious pearls in the mail, which is later found to be part of her missing father's treasure. Needless to say, Watson becomes rather smitten with Miss Morstan—a fact that pains him, if she is to inherit a considerable treasure. Along the way, we learn what the treasure is, where her father has gone, and all sorts of wonderful details related to the case. Again, we divulge into an extensive backstory related to the mystery, but it's actually interesting and seemingly relevant.
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Definitely the best of the bunch. Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead near his estate, supposedly by the hand of a long-standing family curse. His heir, Sir Henry, has moved into the estate, but not without the aid of Dr. Watson, who sticks around the home to investigate the oddities (and the neighbors).
There's hardly a dull moment in this one. Holmes is continually knocked off his track by someone who (he believes) to be as cunning as he is. The conclusion is crazy and fantastic, with Holmes and Watson compiling their collective data to solve the mystery. What I really enjoyed is Watson being elevated to more than the silent sidekick, with him staying at the Baskerville estate without Holmes at his side. As it ends up (much to my delight), he discovers things that his friend had not known otherwise.
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes/Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes/Return of Sherlock Holmes
There are far too many stories in these three collections for me to extensively discuss anything. A few of my favorites included A Scandal in Bohemia (where we are introduced to the lovely Irene Alder); The Adventure of the Speckled Band (But what is the speckled band? Read it to find out!); The Final Problem (Greetings, Professor Moriarty!); The Greek Interpretor (Where we meet Sherlock's brother, Mycroft, who I love); The Adventure of the Six Napoleons (someone is running around smashing busts of Napoleon? But why? [I admit, I had an inkling]; and I can't possibly think of any more. I honestly think I had too much fun reading these stories.
A word on characterization: A lot of people dislike Holmes because he's cocky and arrogant. And he is, but that's why he's amazing. He loves leaving everyone in suspense until the last possible moment, when he's finally figured out everything on his own (often leaving poor Watson and Inspector Lestrade puzzled until the very end). But without his oddities, these stories wouldn't have nearly the same charm as they do. He gets angry at Watson for his lack of investigation skills, despite the years of working alongside him. He looks down upon everyone at Scotland Yard, because they're not as brilliant as he is. He even invents a title for himself, the only consulting detective in existence.
So yeah, he has a superiority complex. And I'd probably hate his smug attitude if he were a real person. But this is why he's so admirable.
And for the record, he never once used the phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson."
November 22, 2015
I've been a fan of Sherlock since childhood and was delighted and excited to add this to my library even though I'd read most of them before. The second time I read it in chronological order, for while the stories stand alone, details such as whether Watson is single or married, or where Watson mentions an earlier case are less distracting. The genius of Holmes is astounding while his flaws add balance and humanity. The excitement flows through to the reader when Holmes says "the game is afoot" and builds the anticipation. Then there is that sense of satisfaction, that "Aha!" moment at the end when Holmes explains the solutions. Though many mystery novels use this plot device, no one does it like Doyle.
February 23, 2013
Have never read a Sherlock Holmes before - although a big fan of the BBC series staring Cumberbatch (who isnt). I managed to plough through them all over the course of a year.
May 7, 2019
Although this doesn't contain the whole collection, I think my favourite had to be The Hound of The Baskervilles because of the story being unique and having supernatural elements in it. The rest of the novels were okay but they didn't blow me away like I was expecting them to. I rate this down because of the short stories. Some of them were a drag to read and others were just meh. Out of the short stories, I think I only like two or three of them. I wish Sherlock's World had been expanded upon more but unfortunately we don't get that.
July 22, 2021
Entertaining enough. It's difficult to write a review for literature that has been beloved by society for generations at this point. Some of the short stories were quite engaging while others felt like a chore to get through. I feel as though I've thoroughly enjoyed other fictional mystery stories better than most of what I found in these pages. But I'm not a writer, so I can't imagine even being able to write anything like this myself. The book however is gorgeous with a green leather cover and golden-edged pages; it really added a certain je ne sais quoi to the experience.
Read
April 30, 2022The green 1981 Octopus Books edition is really not at all a bad edition to get
i must have been in grade 9 or 10 when i saw it and the timeframe seems about right
i thought i bought it circa 1979-1982 as the first big edition i saw, other than the occasional used beat up 'illustrated editions' much like the HG Wells reprints
November 9, 2020
I have never read any Sherlock Holmes before so what a wonderful treat! And I'm glad I saw the review about the order of the books in this collection. I read them in publication order and as they sometimes reference back to older stories it was a good way to do it.
November 20, 2010
great fun! it's so nice to finally read the original tales :D
one thing though, my feminist senses are tingling. there's a lot of...anti-woman/patriarchal/misogynistic ho-hum-duming about 'woman's intuition' and stupid proverbs about woman's ignorance, coupled with exclamations about an intelligent woman or two that a character once had the pleasure of meeting...but apart from that, which I can quite easily ignore( should I be admitting this) I am thoroughly enjoying this!
one thing though, my feminist senses are tingling. there's a lot of...anti-woman/patriarchal/misogynistic ho-hum-duming about 'woman's intuition' and stupid proverbs about woman's ignorance, coupled with exclamations about an intelligent woman or two that a character once had the pleasure of meeting...but apart from that, which I can quite easily ignore( should I be admitting this) I am thoroughly enjoying this!
August 27, 2008
There are a lot of stories in here, so I'm making my way through it over time. They are all very good and stimulate your mind. They are classic, easy to read, and I would recommend them to anyone at all.
December 28, 2008
I'm not really a fan of Sherlock Holmes. Some good stuff here, but it's not particularly my cup of tea.
January 23, 2009
Great Book! Many hours of pleasure...
October 13, 2012
A Scandal in Bohemia 10/11/12 - 10/13/12
June 25, 2013
I never knew Sherlock was such a huge drug fiend.
May 4, 2015
Excepting much of part two of a Study in Scarlet (too long away from Sherlock & Watson) I loved it
July 11, 2015
Did my Senior year research paper on Sherlock Holmes, due to receiving this book as a gift.
Want to read
December 6, 2016added
11/24/2008
11/24/2008
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2019
Read | May 2018
3 stars
3 stars
February 26, 2013
Fun read.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews