What do you think?
Rate this book
From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon
Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a unique literary character who has remained popular for over a century and is appreciated more than ever today. But what made this fictional character, dreamed up by a small-town English doctor in the 1880s, into such a lasting success, despite the author’s own attempt to escape his invention?
In From Holmes to Sherlock, Swedish author and Sherlock Holmes expert Mattias Boström recreates the full story behind the legend for the first time. From a young Arthur Conan Doyle sitting in a Scottish lecture hall taking notes on his medical professor’s powers of observation to the pair of modern-day fans who brainstormed the idea behind the TV sensation Sherlock, from the publishing world’s first literary agent to the Georgian princess who showed up at the Conan Doyle estate and altered a legacy, the narrative follows the men and women who have created and perpetuated the myth. It includes tales of unexpected fortune, accidental romance, and inheritances gone awry, and tells of the actors, writers, readers, and other players who have transformed Sherlock Holmes from the gentleman amateur of the Victorian era to the odd genius of today. Told in fast-paced, novelistic prose, From Holmes to Sherlock is a singular celebration of the most famous detective in the world—a must-read for newcomers and experts alike.
In From Holmes to Sherlock, Swedish author and Sherlock Holmes expert Mattias Boström recreates the full story behind the legend for the first time. From a young Arthur Conan Doyle sitting in a Scottish lecture hall taking notes on his medical professor’s powers of observation to the pair of modern-day fans who brainstormed the idea behind the TV sensation Sherlock, from the publishing world’s first literary agent to the Georgian princess who showed up at the Conan Doyle estate and altered a legacy, the narrative follows the men and women who have created and perpetuated the myth. It includes tales of unexpected fortune, accidental romance, and inheritances gone awry, and tells of the actors, writers, readers, and other players who have transformed Sherlock Holmes from the gentleman amateur of the Victorian era to the odd genius of today. Told in fast-paced, novelistic prose, From Holmes to Sherlock is a singular celebration of the most famous detective in the world—a must-read for newcomers and experts alike.
597 pages, Hardcover
First published August 21, 2013
131 people are currently reading
1031 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
May 28, 2020
From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon by Mattias Boström ( Michael Gallagher-translator)- is a 2017 Mysterious Press publication.
An extensive look at the many incarnations of Sherlock Holmes- from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s conception of the master detective- to his transformation into a major, enduring, and popular franchise!
This book is an almost encyclopedic exploration of the Sherlock Holmes enterprise. To be honest, it never really occurred to me to describe Sherlock Holmes as a ‘brand’, or franchise-but over a century after the public was first introduced to the observant detective, he has become a very profitable Icon.
In fact, Sherlock Holmes has been adapted more than any other fictional character. Ronald B. De Waal’s four-volume ‘Universal Sherlock Holmes, lists 25,000 Holmes related products and adaptations- however, the number is probably much higher than that.
This book takes readers on a fascinating journey, beginning with how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first got the idea for the great detective, to how Holmes & Watson not only survived, but flourished, for over a hundred years, to bring us the mega-popular modern movie and television adaptations we enjoy today.
While I think I probably knew more about Doyle than his famous detective, I have enjoyed the original Sherlock Holmes stories over the years, although I have not read them all. I’ve seen various film adaptations, new and old, as well a television series here and there. I have a beautiful volume of the complete stories of Sherlock Holmes I was gifted for Christmas one year, and it is prominently featured on my bookshelf.
But, that’s about as far as my devotion to Holmes and Watson goes. I’ve always been entertained by the series and find it enjoyable, and I certainly respect the massive influence this detective series has had on crime fiction overall.
However, I am simply not cut out to limit myself to the concentrated study of one character, or series. However, I am glad there are purists out there who have, and I’m happy that many others took the classic versions and embellished them to keep the great detective alive and relevant over the years.
The author did a great job with the organization of this book. The presentation is very impressive, especially when one considers the magnitude of information and material the author had to comb through and research.
In the same way the popularity of the franchise waxed and waned over the years, there are spots in this book that are not as exciting. It also felt overwhelming at times, and occasionally I was tempted to skip ahead to more interesting material.
Despite the occasional lull, this is an incredible look at how the Sherlock series has been marketed and monetized, and how the fascination with Sherlock Holmes grew from small private club enthusiasts, to such wide mainstream popularity, becoming a pop culture fixture.
As of today, there are comic strips, graphic novels, animated series, internet, computer and video games, magazines, children’s books, radio, television, and movie adaptations, as well as countless pastiches.
It’s really mind-boggling when you think about it. Even aficionados will find in this comprehensive history of Sherlock Holmes, an incredible, exhaustive amount of information, all in one place, which might be helpful for reference purposes.
Overall, I am far more impressed with the Sherlock Holmes legend now, and of course, this book has put me in the mood to read more Sherlock Holmes classic stories, and to explore some of the many pastiches out there.
Despite the intimidating heft of this book, it is one that all fans of Sherlock Holmes should at least browse through, whether you consider yourself a Sherlockian or more of a casual admirer.
Also, fans of history, pop-culture and crime fiction will find many interesting facts and trivia in this book. It is certainly an educational read, and for the most part was pretty entertaining as well. I had a lot of fun Googling names and information about the Baker Street irregulars and the biography written about Doyle by John Dickson Carr, as well as the legal battles for public domain status. I'm also very interested in the mashups, which sound like a lot of good campy fun!!
4 stars
An extensive look at the many incarnations of Sherlock Holmes- from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s conception of the master detective- to his transformation into a major, enduring, and popular franchise!
This book is an almost encyclopedic exploration of the Sherlock Holmes enterprise. To be honest, it never really occurred to me to describe Sherlock Holmes as a ‘brand’, or franchise-but over a century after the public was first introduced to the observant detective, he has become a very profitable Icon.
In fact, Sherlock Holmes has been adapted more than any other fictional character. Ronald B. De Waal’s four-volume ‘Universal Sherlock Holmes, lists 25,000 Holmes related products and adaptations- however, the number is probably much higher than that.
This book takes readers on a fascinating journey, beginning with how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first got the idea for the great detective, to how Holmes & Watson not only survived, but flourished, for over a hundred years, to bring us the mega-popular modern movie and television adaptations we enjoy today.
While I think I probably knew more about Doyle than his famous detective, I have enjoyed the original Sherlock Holmes stories over the years, although I have not read them all. I’ve seen various film adaptations, new and old, as well a television series here and there. I have a beautiful volume of the complete stories of Sherlock Holmes I was gifted for Christmas one year, and it is prominently featured on my bookshelf.
But, that’s about as far as my devotion to Holmes and Watson goes. I’ve always been entertained by the series and find it enjoyable, and I certainly respect the massive influence this detective series has had on crime fiction overall.
However, I am simply not cut out to limit myself to the concentrated study of one character, or series. However, I am glad there are purists out there who have, and I’m happy that many others took the classic versions and embellished them to keep the great detective alive and relevant over the years.
The author did a great job with the organization of this book. The presentation is very impressive, especially when one considers the magnitude of information and material the author had to comb through and research.
In the same way the popularity of the franchise waxed and waned over the years, there are spots in this book that are not as exciting. It also felt overwhelming at times, and occasionally I was tempted to skip ahead to more interesting material.
Despite the occasional lull, this is an incredible look at how the Sherlock series has been marketed and monetized, and how the fascination with Sherlock Holmes grew from small private club enthusiasts, to such wide mainstream popularity, becoming a pop culture fixture.
As of today, there are comic strips, graphic novels, animated series, internet, computer and video games, magazines, children’s books, radio, television, and movie adaptations, as well as countless pastiches.
It’s really mind-boggling when you think about it. Even aficionados will find in this comprehensive history of Sherlock Holmes, an incredible, exhaustive amount of information, all in one place, which might be helpful for reference purposes.
Overall, I am far more impressed with the Sherlock Holmes legend now, and of course, this book has put me in the mood to read more Sherlock Holmes classic stories, and to explore some of the many pastiches out there.
Despite the intimidating heft of this book, it is one that all fans of Sherlock Holmes should at least browse through, whether you consider yourself a Sherlockian or more of a casual admirer.
Also, fans of history, pop-culture and crime fiction will find many interesting facts and trivia in this book. It is certainly an educational read, and for the most part was pretty entertaining as well. I had a lot of fun Googling names and information about the Baker Street irregulars and the biography written about Doyle by John Dickson Carr, as well as the legal battles for public domain status. I'm also very interested in the mashups, which sound like a lot of good campy fun!!
4 stars
November 27, 2022
The most in depth non fiction book I've read about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle/Sherlock Holmes. Both about the author and his family, before and after his death but also about the character, Sherlock Holmes and his "life" after the authors death and the beginning of him being outside books and into media. I got ridiculously intrigued by the fact that Doyle was supposedly spiritual and that his wife was able to talk to him after his passing trough a media. I would really like to read/see non fiction book or documentary about this.
February 5, 2017
So you’ve read all the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. You’ve enjoyed the vintage art of Sidney Paget and Frederic Dorr Steele that helped shape the image of Sherlock Holmes. You’ve watched Basil Rathbone in 14 films and maybe heard some of the radio plays written and produced by Edith Meiser. You’ve watched all the television episodes featuring Ronald Howard, Douglas Wilmer, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch or Jonny Lee Miller. You were astounded when the long thought lost 1916 film ‘Sherlock Holmes’ with William Gillette was rediscovered and released to DVD a couple years ago. You may have read biographies of Arthur Conan Doyle, touching on his inspiration for Holmes via Joseph Bell, or his investigation of real life crimes, or guides to the actors who have played Holmes, or perhaps some of the beautifully illustrated surveys detailing art and artifacts associated with Sherlock Holmes. You may have heard about the Baker Street Irregulars and the role of Vincent Starrett, Christopher Morley and others in their establishment, read their publication The Baker Street Journal, the involvement of Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, or know something about the squabbles between Doyle’s heirs and the BSI, or that the BSI didn’t allow women members until 1991. You may be a member of a local Sherlock Holmes scion society or book club. You’ve probably read any number of published pastiches including Ellery Queen’s The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes or Nick Meyer’s game changing The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, Mitch Cullin’s A Slight Trick of the Mind, or more recent anthologies by Laurie King and Les Klinger, the last of which resulted in a huge public court case firmly putting the character (if not all the stories) of Sherlock Holmes in the public domain. You may have listened to podcasts by the Baker Street Babes celebrating the remarkable international success of the BBC’s Sherlock, or attended one of the conventions, all of which have contributed to a global popularity, shift and resurgence in one of the oldest fandoms ever encountered. Hell, you are probably even familiar with the ubiquitous tent joke. Or maybe you’ve not read or seen any of it and just have some vague curiosity about Sherlock Holmes? In any event, what you’re probably wondering is how can I see the ‘big picture’? How does it all fit together? How does a simple detective character, created in 1887, manage to stay in the public eye and be a pop culture sensation, taking the world by storm, some 130 years later?
Mattias Boström’s unique, incredibly ambitious and wide ranging volume ‘From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon’ aims to answer that question. This isn’t a straight-up history, nor is it a biography of any one individual, instead it is an examination of the entire Sherlock Holmes phenomenon; tracing the steps from inception in the mind of Arthur Conan Doyle right through to the people and events that shaped the latest film and television extravaganzas, all presented in a chronological narrative form. The book is exactly what it claims to be in the subtitle, it is literally ‘The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon.’ By utilizing the narrative story form, rather than a dry historical format, Boström makes the reader part of the events as they unfold and gives us a better sense of the key players as what they are, or were; real live human beings with all the foibles, quirks and flaws that implies. While it reads like a work of fiction, almost a literary mystery, it is a rich tapestry, filled with real-world heroes and villains, and Boström, using a wealth of facts as foundation (Boström and Matt Laffey have been exhaustively researching newspaper archives for mentions of Holmes and Conan Doyle for a series of books, currently up to three volumes, called ‘Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle in the Newspapers’, published by Wessex Press), extrapolates and provides us with scenes that make us privy to the thoughts and motivations behind their actions. The chatty, almost gossipy style, is engaging, almost deceptively masking the wealth of information the reader is being handed, but never loses the thread of the story at its heart. While you will meet an almost bewildering array of people and cover 130 years worth of events, vignettes, tales of greed and heartbreak, Boström puts it all together in a cohesive form that is never less than compelling and will have you turning pages at the pace of a Dan Brown thriller. Whether you’re familiar with the elements of the history of Sherlock Holmes in print and media, or a complete newcomer, I guarantee you’ll learn something new in this monumental work that explores the ‘big picture’ of the Sherlock Holmes phenomenon and how it came to be.
Bottom line: I cannot recommend this highly enough, as ‘From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon’ is likely the most important work connected to Sherlock Holmes to be published in 2017 and a must-read for anyone with an interest in the character, the history or the fandom surrounding him.
Note: Review based on an uncorrected proof provided on January 7, 2017. As such no remarks regarding typos (there aren't many) or irregularities in style (this work has been translated from Swedish) have been noted in this review as they may be corrected before publication.
Mattias Boström’s unique, incredibly ambitious and wide ranging volume ‘From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon’ aims to answer that question. This isn’t a straight-up history, nor is it a biography of any one individual, instead it is an examination of the entire Sherlock Holmes phenomenon; tracing the steps from inception in the mind of Arthur Conan Doyle right through to the people and events that shaped the latest film and television extravaganzas, all presented in a chronological narrative form. The book is exactly what it claims to be in the subtitle, it is literally ‘The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon.’ By utilizing the narrative story form, rather than a dry historical format, Boström makes the reader part of the events as they unfold and gives us a better sense of the key players as what they are, or were; real live human beings with all the foibles, quirks and flaws that implies. While it reads like a work of fiction, almost a literary mystery, it is a rich tapestry, filled with real-world heroes and villains, and Boström, using a wealth of facts as foundation (Boström and Matt Laffey have been exhaustively researching newspaper archives for mentions of Holmes and Conan Doyle for a series of books, currently up to three volumes, called ‘Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle in the Newspapers’, published by Wessex Press), extrapolates and provides us with scenes that make us privy to the thoughts and motivations behind their actions. The chatty, almost gossipy style, is engaging, almost deceptively masking the wealth of information the reader is being handed, but never loses the thread of the story at its heart. While you will meet an almost bewildering array of people and cover 130 years worth of events, vignettes, tales of greed and heartbreak, Boström puts it all together in a cohesive form that is never less than compelling and will have you turning pages at the pace of a Dan Brown thriller. Whether you’re familiar with the elements of the history of Sherlock Holmes in print and media, or a complete newcomer, I guarantee you’ll learn something new in this monumental work that explores the ‘big picture’ of the Sherlock Holmes phenomenon and how it came to be.
Bottom line: I cannot recommend this highly enough, as ‘From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon’ is likely the most important work connected to Sherlock Holmes to be published in 2017 and a must-read for anyone with an interest in the character, the history or the fandom surrounding him.
Note: Review based on an uncorrected proof provided on January 7, 2017. As such no remarks regarding typos (there aren't many) or irregularities in style (this work has been translated from Swedish) have been noted in this review as they may be corrected before publication.
June 19, 2018
Sometimes I will be reading reviews and see a 1 or 2-star rating on a book that has won an award and I'll wonder how the reviewer could possibly give a low rating to an award winning book. How could he swim against the tide that way? A team of judges had decided that the book was in some way superior to other books of its type so how could this reviewer have formed any other opinion? Now I know.
The first thing I noticed was that this book is lacking a table of contents. Whose idea was it to design a non-fiction book without a table of contents?
I found it annoying that so many chapters started as if that chapter were the beginning of an entirely different book, leaving the reader to flounder around over and over again getting oriented to the start of a new story. And each incident was presented like a story -- as if the author had been a fly on the wall across time and space. Not that the author skimped on his research, there were copious end notes, but when a character had a specific thought or private conversation, I could't help thinking that much of it had been fabricated for the sake of the story.
A goodly chunk of the book is taken up by a rose-colored biography of Arthur Conan Doyle. This chunk is either too long or too short. While Conan Doyle was the creator of the great detective and the man who started it all, considering that the book is attempting to cover the entire Sherlock Holmes phenomenon, there are an awful lot of pages covering just the first era. On the other hand, that section was too short to offer a true full-length biography like The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle: A Biography or Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle.
page 125 "One summer day in 1903, an Englishman named Robert King arrived in the little village of Deerfield, Massachusetts." Mr. King was a model for book illustrations. But why was he in Deerfield? On the next page, it says that the artist lived in New Jersey and Deerfield is not mentioned again. Where was the editor? I'm afraid that the book is full of fact plops and I will be asking that question a lot. [I just got to the "Author's Thanks" at the end of the book and realize now that I should have known who had edited the book. Sorry, it doesn't change my opinion about the editing.]
There are 8 glossy pages of small photographs in the middle of the book. I would have settled for just nice non-glossy pages if there had been a few more of them, maybe a little bigger, and they had been distributed thru the book with the relevant text pages.
page 472 "When accessibility to computers and the Internet rose in the late 1990s and early 2000s, most of these fan activities ended up online." When I started posting fan web pages in 1997 it was already starting to feel old hat and I remember a lot of fan fiction online much earlier than that.
Conan Doyle takes up a disproportionately large section of the index. Of course, when making an index, choices must be made but, while many terms and geographical locations in the book were not indexed, every nuance of Conan Doyle's life and activities was covered. I generally use the "Look inside" feature on Amazon to make up for a poor index but, in this case, Amazon let me down too because there appears to be no search box available for this book.
The first thing I noticed was that this book is lacking a table of contents. Whose idea was it to design a non-fiction book without a table of contents?
I found it annoying that so many chapters started as if that chapter were the beginning of an entirely different book, leaving the reader to flounder around over and over again getting oriented to the start of a new story. And each incident was presented like a story -- as if the author had been a fly on the wall across time and space. Not that the author skimped on his research, there were copious end notes, but when a character had a specific thought or private conversation, I could't help thinking that much of it had been fabricated for the sake of the story.
A goodly chunk of the book is taken up by a rose-colored biography of Arthur Conan Doyle. This chunk is either too long or too short. While Conan Doyle was the creator of the great detective and the man who started it all, considering that the book is attempting to cover the entire Sherlock Holmes phenomenon, there are an awful lot of pages covering just the first era. On the other hand, that section was too short to offer a true full-length biography like The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle: A Biography or Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle.
page 125 "One summer day in 1903, an Englishman named Robert King arrived in the little village of Deerfield, Massachusetts." Mr. King was a model for book illustrations. But why was he in Deerfield? On the next page, it says that the artist lived in New Jersey and Deerfield is not mentioned again. Where was the editor? I'm afraid that the book is full of fact plops and I will be asking that question a lot. [I just got to the "Author's Thanks" at the end of the book and realize now that I should have known who had edited the book. Sorry, it doesn't change my opinion about the editing.]
There are 8 glossy pages of small photographs in the middle of the book. I would have settled for just nice non-glossy pages if there had been a few more of them, maybe a little bigger, and they had been distributed thru the book with the relevant text pages.
page 472 "When accessibility to computers and the Internet rose in the late 1990s and early 2000s, most of these fan activities ended up online." When I started posting fan web pages in 1997 it was already starting to feel old hat and I remember a lot of fan fiction online much earlier than that.
Conan Doyle takes up a disproportionately large section of the index. Of course, when making an index, choices must be made but, while many terms and geographical locations in the book were not indexed, every nuance of Conan Doyle's life and activities was covered. I generally use the "Look inside" feature on Amazon to make up for a poor index but, in this case, Amazon let me down too because there appears to be no search box available for this book.
June 2, 2017
2016 Book Awards
(more information about these awards on my blog)
The perfect book for any person interested in Sherlock Holmes and/or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
I first got into Sherlock Holmes through fanfiction. Not written fanfiction about Sherlock Holmes; I was researching fanfiction for a small uni paper and Sherlock Holmes came up. When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle decided to *spoilers* kill his detective, the public went crazy and came up with all sorts of theories and ideas as to how he could have survived the Reichenbach Fall (sound familiar?).
Then I started watching some of the movies and the Moffat&Gatiss tv-show (which is brilliant beyond imagining) and read some of the short stories. And that's the road I'm continuing on with this one!
Now this book is written in an incredibly interesting and captivating way. It's not like with most thick biography-like books where you feel like you can sort of skip a few lines and still get the picture - I actually tried to do that with this book on several instances and found that it was impossible. The text just draws you in and keeps you there - and you learn a heck of a lot about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, his family and the phenomenon that they created.
However there are a lot of years to keep track of and as it is so full of details it can be a bit boring from time to time when the story moves to a part of the writer's life or his family's life that isn't all that relevant - at least not if you're not reading this for research. If you do then this is perfect!
(more information about these awards on my blog)
The perfect book for any person interested in Sherlock Holmes and/or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
I first got into Sherlock Holmes through fanfiction. Not written fanfiction about Sherlock Holmes; I was researching fanfiction for a small uni paper and Sherlock Holmes came up. When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle decided to *spoilers* kill his detective, the public went crazy and came up with all sorts of theories and ideas as to how he could have survived the Reichenbach Fall (sound familiar?).
Then I started watching some of the movies and the Moffat&Gatiss tv-show (which is brilliant beyond imagining) and read some of the short stories. And that's the road I'm continuing on with this one!
Now this book is written in an incredibly interesting and captivating way. It's not like with most thick biography-like books where you feel like you can sort of skip a few lines and still get the picture - I actually tried to do that with this book on several instances and found that it was impossible. The text just draws you in and keeps you there - and you learn a heck of a lot about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, his family and the phenomenon that they created.
However there are a lot of years to keep track of and as it is so full of details it can be a bit boring from time to time when the story moves to a part of the writer's life or his family's life that isn't all that relevant - at least not if you're not reading this for research. If you do then this is perfect!
July 4, 2017
Firstly this book is really good. The author has done a splendid job on it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It starts with a trainride. The book starts with telling the story about how 2 men( Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss) came up with the idea about how to bring Sherlock into modern times. Ok so this book is a biography about both Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. It takes us from Sherlocks beginnings and towards the awesome tvseries Sherlock. It is a really interesting read if you're a Sherlock Holmes fan like me, or if you just want to know more about one of literatures greatest characters.
I received a ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
I received a ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
May 10, 2018
The game is afoot and we are taken into the lives of Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes in this chock full of information guide to their lives (Sherlock Holmes was real, wasn't he?). And what a joy it is.
The author has done some fine research on the beginnings of the Homes saga through the latest iteration of the character through television. The beginning of the book covers the life of Conan Doyle and how he decided to give up his medical practice and become an author. Little did he know that he was developing an iconic character who would continue to hold the attention of world readers through the present day. Since this is really not a biography of Conan Doyle, the book moves quickly to the life of the books/short stories/plays/radio programs/ film and how the stories were developed, marketed, and eventually disliked by their author. As readers of Holmes books know, Conan Doyle tried to kill off Holmes which caused such public outrage that the character had to be brought back to life in a rather unconvincing way (IMHO).
After the death of Conan Doyle, the problems began as his heirs did not seem capable of protecting the copyrights and other legal matters concerning the use of the name Sherlock Holmes or the pastiches/parodies written about him. The latter half of the book goes into minute detail about the legal wrangling that took years to solve and this caused it to lose a rating star from me. It was confusing and terribly dry and slowed the book down to a crawl. But the first 3/4 of the book were enough to put it on the top of any Sherlockian (or Holmesian, if you prefer) list of must reads.
The author has done some fine research on the beginnings of the Homes saga through the latest iteration of the character through television. The beginning of the book covers the life of Conan Doyle and how he decided to give up his medical practice and become an author. Little did he know that he was developing an iconic character who would continue to hold the attention of world readers through the present day. Since this is really not a biography of Conan Doyle, the book moves quickly to the life of the books/short stories/plays/radio programs/ film and how the stories were developed, marketed, and eventually disliked by their author. As readers of Holmes books know, Conan Doyle tried to kill off Holmes which caused such public outrage that the character had to be brought back to life in a rather unconvincing way (IMHO).
After the death of Conan Doyle, the problems began as his heirs did not seem capable of protecting the copyrights and other legal matters concerning the use of the name Sherlock Holmes or the pastiches/parodies written about him. The latter half of the book goes into minute detail about the legal wrangling that took years to solve and this caused it to lose a rating star from me. It was confusing and terribly dry and slowed the book down to a crawl. But the first 3/4 of the book were enough to put it on the top of any Sherlockian (or Holmesian, if you prefer) list of must reads.
July 8, 2023
A wonderful study across the life of Sherlock Holmes in popular culture from his start in the Strand Magazine to the present day.
Must read for any would be Sherlockian.
Must read for any would be Sherlockian.
April 4, 2017
In diesem Buch wird die komplette Geschichte Sherlock Holmes reflektiert. Es fängt an mit der Schaffung des Detektivs durch Conan Doyle bis hin zur aktuellen Serie Sherlock von der BBC.
Es wird also das komplette Spektrum von Sherlock beleuchtet und es geht also nicht nur um den Kanon sowie die 4 Romane.
Das Buch hat mir sehr gut gefallen, da ich wirklich viel erfahren habe, was ich noch nicht über Sherlock Holmes wusste. Selbst die Informationen über die Conan Doyle Nachfahren und wie sie versucht haben den literarischen Nachlass weiter zu verwalten waren kein bischen langatmig.
Also für Liebhaber des wohl besten Detektivs kann man das Buch getrost empfehlen, hier kann man bestimmt noch einige neue Aspekte dazu lernen.
Es wird also das komplette Spektrum von Sherlock beleuchtet und es geht also nicht nur um den Kanon sowie die 4 Romane.
Das Buch hat mir sehr gut gefallen, da ich wirklich viel erfahren habe, was ich noch nicht über Sherlock Holmes wusste. Selbst die Informationen über die Conan Doyle Nachfahren und wie sie versucht haben den literarischen Nachlass weiter zu verwalten waren kein bischen langatmig.
Also für Liebhaber des wohl besten Detektivs kann man das Buch getrost empfehlen, hier kann man bestimmt noch einige neue Aspekte dazu lernen.
March 4, 2024
Nu är jag fullmatad med fakta, och en hel del lustig dito. Allt som har att göra med fenomenet Sherlock Holms, alltifrån skaparen Arthur Conan Doyles livsväg, via arvingarna, fram till dagens moderniserade TV-serier. Boken går kronologiskt från 1878, när Conan Doyle studerar medicin och fascineras av föreläsaren Joseph Bells enastående slutledningsförmåga utifrån minsta detalj, via novellerna han börjar skriva för att överleva på den svåra yrkesmarknaden för unga läkare, till första Sherlock Holmes romanen 1887. Och sedan hela karriären fram till hans död 1930.
Det är en spännande kronologisk snitslad bana att följa, inklusive utvikningar till andra länders (inklusive Norden) försök att slå mynt av detektiven som genast blev ett begrepp med eget liv, som rörde sig över världen utan Conan Doyles kontroll. Mattias Boström skriver pseudofiktivt, vilket i början gör faktainmatningen lustfylld, nästan som romanläsning, men ibland också blir lite onödigt mystifierande - att inte ge alla fakta rakt av, utan skriva om väder och vind kring de personer som strax skall träda in på scenen.
Men det är främst efter 1930, med arvingarnas svårigheter att hålla jämna steg med Sherlock Holmes öden, som boken kan kännas lite väl mystifierande, till exempel att personer introduceras ibland utan namn, och vi inte vet varför förrän ibland flera kapitel senare. Då känns det mer som gåtor än som fakta. Kronologin är inte heller lika strikt. Boken blir då emellanåt långrandig, mindre gripbar.
Mot slutet tar den sig åter, från 1987, när Boströms kan utgå ur sig själv och sitt eget nyvaknade intresse för Sherlock Holmes, hur han blev 'nörd'. 1987 var hundraårs-jubileet av debuten 'A Study in Scarlet', och allt vad det förde med sig av jippon världen runt, och ett samlande på allt som har med fenomenet att göra. Ända fram till 2000-talets moderniseringar, en ung Sherlock i modern omgivning, som skapat så många mer fans, och breddat läsarskarorna. Ända fram till 2013, när denna bok utgavs.
Jo, det här är både intressant, läsvärt och ögonöppnande på flera sätt.
Det är en spännande kronologisk snitslad bana att följa, inklusive utvikningar till andra länders (inklusive Norden) försök att slå mynt av detektiven som genast blev ett begrepp med eget liv, som rörde sig över världen utan Conan Doyles kontroll. Mattias Boström skriver pseudofiktivt, vilket i början gör faktainmatningen lustfylld, nästan som romanläsning, men ibland också blir lite onödigt mystifierande - att inte ge alla fakta rakt av, utan skriva om väder och vind kring de personer som strax skall träda in på scenen.
Men det är främst efter 1930, med arvingarnas svårigheter att hålla jämna steg med Sherlock Holmes öden, som boken kan kännas lite väl mystifierande, till exempel att personer introduceras ibland utan namn, och vi inte vet varför förrän ibland flera kapitel senare. Då känns det mer som gåtor än som fakta. Kronologin är inte heller lika strikt. Boken blir då emellanåt långrandig, mindre gripbar.
Mot slutet tar den sig åter, från 1987, när Boströms kan utgå ur sig själv och sitt eget nyvaknade intresse för Sherlock Holmes, hur han blev 'nörd'. 1987 var hundraårs-jubileet av debuten 'A Study in Scarlet', och allt vad det förde med sig av jippon världen runt, och ett samlande på allt som har med fenomenet att göra. Ända fram till 2000-talets moderniseringar, en ung Sherlock i modern omgivning, som skapat så många mer fans, och breddat läsarskarorna. Ända fram till 2013, när denna bok utgavs.
Jo, det här är både intressant, läsvärt och ögonöppnande på flera sätt.
May 6, 2021
A truly fascinating book that explores how Sherlock Holmes came to be and how the character has changed over time. I loved reading about all the post-Conan Doyle influences, but I did feel that in places the book got a little bogged down by details. I enjoyed reading about how Conan Doyle’s heirs impacted the trajectory of his most famous character, but I could have maybe used just a touch less detail about some of the mistakes the Conan Doyle sons made, for example. Suffice it to say, they made a lot! But overall I loved learning about how the different artists, authors, actors, and so on impacted the world’s most famous detective and shaped him into the (many) characters we know and love today. My guess is that anyone with even a passing interest in Sherlock Holmes would enjoy reading this book to see how he really came to be.
May 22, 2017
Read the full review at my blog https://wp.me/p89tYT-9L
Sherlock Holmes is the most popular fictional character of all time.
What is the book about?
“From Holmes to Sherlock” is written by Mattias Bostrom, a Holmesian (or a Sherlockian) and is translated by Michael Gallagher.
“From Holmes to Sherlock” is a book that reveals the story behind the character ‘Sherlock Holmes’ – the inspiration, the creation and the evolution over the last 130 years or so. We get to hear the stories of the people involved, their lives and death, motivations, feuds and collaboration.
Read the full review at my blog https://wp.me/p89tYT-9L
Sherlock Holmes is the most popular fictional character of all time.
What is the book about?
“From Holmes to Sherlock” is written by Mattias Bostrom, a Holmesian (or a Sherlockian) and is translated by Michael Gallagher.
“From Holmes to Sherlock” is a book that reveals the story behind the character ‘Sherlock Holmes’ – the inspiration, the creation and the evolution over the last 130 years or so. We get to hear the stories of the people involved, their lives and death, motivations, feuds and collaboration.
Read the full review at my blog https://wp.me/p89tYT-9L
August 8, 2017
GNab I received a free electronic copy of this work from Netgalley, Mattias Bostrom, and Grove Atlantic - Mysterious Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
This history of the evolution of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson from conception in the late nineteenth century through the films and television serials of the twenty-first is extraordinary. At times it seemed extremely long, but I can't imagine anything that could be cut without harming the whole. And it is whole. All of the parties tasked with continuing the stories of Holmes and Watson, with interpreting the original stories into new mediums, with holding the essence of Doyle's vision, have worked these many decades to maintain the course true. Holmes and Watson were the first fictional characters to outpace their author in name recognition and general acceptance. They are still recognized around the world and continue to be mistaken for persons living and breathing. Fans young and old still find their stories in whatever medium available to be challenging and deeply interesting.
pub date Aug 8, 2017
Grove Atlantic, Mysterious Press
This history of the evolution of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson from conception in the late nineteenth century through the films and television serials of the twenty-first is extraordinary. At times it seemed extremely long, but I can't imagine anything that could be cut without harming the whole. And it is whole. All of the parties tasked with continuing the stories of Holmes and Watson, with interpreting the original stories into new mediums, with holding the essence of Doyle's vision, have worked these many decades to maintain the course true. Holmes and Watson were the first fictional characters to outpace their author in name recognition and general acceptance. They are still recognized around the world and continue to be mistaken for persons living and breathing. Fans young and old still find their stories in whatever medium available to be challenging and deeply interesting.
pub date Aug 8, 2017
Grove Atlantic, Mysterious Press
Read
August 27, 2017Tried my damnedest, but gave up around the half-way mark. The subject matter is very interesting to me, but I can't stand this kind of non-fiction writing that presents long-ago events the writer was not privy to as if it were a novel. I don't like that kind of thing at its best, but when it's written as it is here, where these passages are rarely anything more significant than someone arriving at a dinner party or looking at a landscape, it is nothing more than a distraction from the actual content: it drives me right out of the book rather than drawing me in (though the latter is what I assume it's intended to do). Especially galling to devote so much space to that nonsense when it won't even provide some basic details, such as the name of the tantrum-prone director of the first Rathbone/Bruce film or that film's romantic leads who got top billing over Holmes & Watson (Sidney Lanfield, Richard Greene, Wendy Barrie - I shouldn't have to pull up IMDb to do the author's work for him, especially in a 500 page tome that's already overlong). I'm not interested enough in Robert Downey Jr or Benedict Cumberbatch to subject myself to another 250-odd pages.
September 25, 2017
I confess I'm not a great fan of Sherlock Holmes. I do appreciate Conan Doyle's stories and novels, but the movie versions and re-imaginings leave me pretty cold. Thus, I particularly enjoyed the first third which charts Doyle's career with Holmes--including his fruitless attempt to kill him off. It made me appreciate the man and his character far more than I had. The middle 1/2 I could have done without. All the movie versions, the various pastiches, etc. etc. etc. As I said, not a fan of the movie versions, not a fan of the many, many books that provide Holmes with new cases or continue his life into old age. The last 1/6 recounts the more recent versions and the copyright battles. It's a comprehensive look at the Holmes canon, and anyone interested in the character in all his manifestations will find this a perfectly delightful read or listen. It's filled with fascinating facts/trivia, it documents a wide range of print and media versions (including the politics of what gets made and published), it lays out Conan Doyle's life--his family, influences, career. Nicely done.
May 10, 2020
Hochgradig ambitioniertes Werk, dass es sich zum Ziel gesetzt hat, die atemberaubend ausufernde Wirkungsgeschichte der literarischen Figur Sherlock Holmes von ihren Anfängen bis heute nachzuerzählen. An dieser Ambition kann man nur scheitern und dass der Schwede Mattias Boström nur in so geringem Maße gescheitert ist, wird dieses Buch vermutlich als Standard-Werk für viele, viele Jahre etablieren.
Tatsächlich gelingt es dem Autor auf dafür knappen 500 Seiten (plus gut 200 Seiten Appart) die Geschichte von Sherlock Holmes von ihren Anfängen im Strand Magazine bis zu heutigen Computerspielen und Podcasts übersichtlich nachzuerzählen. Dabei streift er tatsächlich praktisch alle Bereiche des vor allem literarischen und filmischen Wirkens der Figur über 120 Jahre hinweg. Gleichzeitig ist das Werk aber trotz der vielen Seiten so knapp, dass manchmal ohne Vorwissen die Einordnung verschiedener Ereignisse manchen Lesern nicht ganz leicht fallen wird. Grandios die Schreibtechnik mit der veränderten Brennweite: Teilweise wird eine längerfristige Begebenheit abgehandelt, dann geht der Autor auch mal ganz nah an seine Figuren heran und schaut ihnen direkt über die Schulter in persönlichen Erzählungen.
An der Unwucht des Materials muss man allerdings auch zwangsläufig scheitern, diese Band hätte spielend gerne drei bis fünf Mal so lang oder länger werden können, wäre dann aber wohl redundant geworden und als Regalmeter in Universitäten gelandet, statt die intendierte Breitenwirkung zu erzählen. Denn so ist das Buch auch gut für Neueinsteiger geeignet. Einige Bögen, die der Band schlägt, sind sogar hervorragend bis brillant (wie die Mitch Cullin-Episode), Schwächen manifestieren sich manchmal im notgedrungenen Abhaken bestimmter Ereignisse. So hätte mal dringend ein Lektor über die Stelle drüber sehen müssen, als Adrian Doyle (Sohn von Arthur Conan) stirbt – das geschieht so abrupt, dass einem fast das Buch aus der Hand fällt und man laut „Wait, what??“ schreit.
Gelesen wurde die bereits erweiterte Englische Ausgabe 2.0 des Buches (die deutsche Übersetzung basiert noch auf der schwedischen 1.0 Original-Ausgabe) und hoffentlich legt der Autor in den nächsten Jahren mal erweiterte Ausgaben vor. Dieser Band hier beginnt mit der Genese der Figur in den 1880ern durch Arthur Conan Doyle und endet mit der sensationellen Wiederentdeckung der Verfilmung des Gillette-Theaterstücks aus dem Jahr 1916 im Jahr 2016. Durch den Redaktionsschluss nicht mehr enthalten in diesem Band sind an wichtigen Ereignissen u.a. die neue russische TV-Serie „Sherlock Kholmes“ (Vermengung von Pastiches und Kanon-Geschichten), die neue japanische TV-Serie namens „Miss Sherlock“ mit einem (toll gespielten) weiblichen Holmes in Tokyo und/oder den ersten neuen Holmes-Roman von Nicholas Meyer im Jahr 2019, in welchem Holmes gegen Propaganda-Material wie „Die Protokolle der Weisen von Zion“ vorgeht.
Liest man den Band, spürt man ständig das ansteckende Begeisterungspotential, ständig möchte man innehalten und sich auf die erwähnten Filme, Romane und Sachbücher (wieder) stürzen. Deshalb konnte ich es auch trotz der kleinen Schwächen nicht verantworten, etwas anderes als die Höchstwertung zu vergeben: Ich habe lange nicht ein Buch mit solch glühenden Ohren gelesen.
Tatsächlich gelingt es dem Autor auf dafür knappen 500 Seiten (plus gut 200 Seiten Appart) die Geschichte von Sherlock Holmes von ihren Anfängen im Strand Magazine bis zu heutigen Computerspielen und Podcasts übersichtlich nachzuerzählen. Dabei streift er tatsächlich praktisch alle Bereiche des vor allem literarischen und filmischen Wirkens der Figur über 120 Jahre hinweg. Gleichzeitig ist das Werk aber trotz der vielen Seiten so knapp, dass manchmal ohne Vorwissen die Einordnung verschiedener Ereignisse manchen Lesern nicht ganz leicht fallen wird. Grandios die Schreibtechnik mit der veränderten Brennweite: Teilweise wird eine längerfristige Begebenheit abgehandelt, dann geht der Autor auch mal ganz nah an seine Figuren heran und schaut ihnen direkt über die Schulter in persönlichen Erzählungen.
An der Unwucht des Materials muss man allerdings auch zwangsläufig scheitern, diese Band hätte spielend gerne drei bis fünf Mal so lang oder länger werden können, wäre dann aber wohl redundant geworden und als Regalmeter in Universitäten gelandet, statt die intendierte Breitenwirkung zu erzählen. Denn so ist das Buch auch gut für Neueinsteiger geeignet. Einige Bögen, die der Band schlägt, sind sogar hervorragend bis brillant (wie die Mitch Cullin-Episode), Schwächen manifestieren sich manchmal im notgedrungenen Abhaken bestimmter Ereignisse. So hätte mal dringend ein Lektor über die Stelle drüber sehen müssen, als Adrian Doyle (Sohn von Arthur Conan) stirbt – das geschieht so abrupt, dass einem fast das Buch aus der Hand fällt und man laut „Wait, what??“ schreit.
Gelesen wurde die bereits erweiterte Englische Ausgabe 2.0 des Buches (die deutsche Übersetzung basiert noch auf der schwedischen 1.0 Original-Ausgabe) und hoffentlich legt der Autor in den nächsten Jahren mal erweiterte Ausgaben vor. Dieser Band hier beginnt mit der Genese der Figur in den 1880ern durch Arthur Conan Doyle und endet mit der sensationellen Wiederentdeckung der Verfilmung des Gillette-Theaterstücks aus dem Jahr 1916 im Jahr 2016. Durch den Redaktionsschluss nicht mehr enthalten in diesem Band sind an wichtigen Ereignissen u.a. die neue russische TV-Serie „Sherlock Kholmes“ (Vermengung von Pastiches und Kanon-Geschichten), die neue japanische TV-Serie namens „Miss Sherlock“ mit einem (toll gespielten) weiblichen Holmes in Tokyo und/oder den ersten neuen Holmes-Roman von Nicholas Meyer im Jahr 2019, in welchem Holmes gegen Propaganda-Material wie „Die Protokolle der Weisen von Zion“ vorgeht.
Liest man den Band, spürt man ständig das ansteckende Begeisterungspotential, ständig möchte man innehalten und sich auf die erwähnten Filme, Romane und Sachbücher (wieder) stürzen. Deshalb konnte ich es auch trotz der kleinen Schwächen nicht verantworten, etwas anderes als die Höchstwertung zu vergeben: Ich habe lange nicht ein Buch mit solch glühenden Ohren gelesen.
August 10, 2017
Bostrom and Gallagher's From Holmes to Sherlock (Mysterious Press 2017) is a thorough and detailed account of the life and adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes. In fact, at 608 pages, it is one of the longest biographies not about scientists or historic figures I've ever read. Besides being a fascinating account of Doyle's creation of the character many swore was alive, it is also a fascinating exploration of publishing and a writers life in the late 1800s-early 1900s.
A few interesting details that caught my attention:
"Most of Conan Doyle’s stories followed a defined template. Usually they began with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson each sitting in an easy chair in the flat at 221b Baker Street. A client would arrive and be received by the landlady, Mrs. Hudson. Sherlock Holmes would make quick deductions after observing small details about the person in question—something about his or her clothes, hands, or posture. Watson and the client would be astounded by his perceptive capacity, but only until he explained to them just how simple it had been to arrive at that conclusion. The client would then present his or her case, which was often a sequence of events so odd, or else seemingly insignificant, that the police would simply have laughed at it."
Doyle invented Sherlock Holmes through short stories.
Doyle wrote at a blistering place. He could write one story in just a few weeks.
Doyle was a successful ophthalmologist before and during his writing career.
As the Holmes franchise (not really a word they used back then, but it applies) grew, Doyle planned to kill off the consulting detective so he could concentrate on both his doctor career and on other characters. He didn't though because his mother prevailed upon him to keep Holmes alive. He did eventually do away with him several times in the fictional character's long and storied career:
"Almost ten years had passed since Conan Doyle had killed off Holmes. He was of the opinion that had he not done so, Holmes would have killed him off instead."
Doyle asked for exorbitant fees from his publisher when agreeing to continue writing the stories because he wanted to be turned down so he would have a good reason to quit the series. They just kept paying him whatever he asked.
That's just a bit. You'll have to read the book to find out the rest!
A few interesting details that caught my attention:
"Most of Conan Doyle’s stories followed a defined template. Usually they began with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson each sitting in an easy chair in the flat at 221b Baker Street. A client would arrive and be received by the landlady, Mrs. Hudson. Sherlock Holmes would make quick deductions after observing small details about the person in question—something about his or her clothes, hands, or posture. Watson and the client would be astounded by his perceptive capacity, but only until he explained to them just how simple it had been to arrive at that conclusion. The client would then present his or her case, which was often a sequence of events so odd, or else seemingly insignificant, that the police would simply have laughed at it."
Doyle invented Sherlock Holmes through short stories.
Doyle wrote at a blistering place. He could write one story in just a few weeks.
Doyle was a successful ophthalmologist before and during his writing career.
As the Holmes franchise (not really a word they used back then, but it applies) grew, Doyle planned to kill off the consulting detective so he could concentrate on both his doctor career and on other characters. He didn't though because his mother prevailed upon him to keep Holmes alive. He did eventually do away with him several times in the fictional character's long and storied career:
"Almost ten years had passed since Conan Doyle had killed off Holmes. He was of the opinion that had he not done so, Holmes would have killed him off instead."
Doyle asked for exorbitant fees from his publisher when agreeing to continue writing the stories because he wanted to be turned down so he would have a good reason to quit the series. They just kept paying him whatever he asked.
That's just a bit. You'll have to read the book to find out the rest!
August 9, 2018
Even though Sherlock Holmes was a fictional character, he has taken on a life of his own that has only become larger since his creation by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In this meticulously researched book, the reader becomes acquainted with Doyle, his genius and his foibles. The author explains how Doyle felt about Holmes, why he killed him off and why he resurrected him. We learn about Doyle’s family and his descendants. Also discussed are the many pastiches and other works about Holmes along with the problems concerning the copyright laws in various countries. Included, too, are the actors in films and movies who gave life to Holmes. Though nonfiction, the prose in the book flows like a novel, and is quite interesting whether you consider yourself a fan of Sherlock Holmes or not.
January 7, 2016
Manchmal bedarf es der Neuinterpretation eines Klassikers durch ein Filmprojekt, um eine literarische Figur neu zu beleben und wieder in unseren Fokus zu rücken. So geschehen im Fall „Sherlock Holmes“, der durch die Drehbuchautoren der neuen BBC-Serie Steven Moffat und Mark Gatiss entstaubt und in einen modernen Kontext gebracht wurde. Nicht zu vergessen den Hauptdarsteller Benedict Cumberbatch, der maßgeblich Anteil an dem Erfolg hatte. Dadurch wurde auch das Interesse der Leserschaft an der traditionellen Figur und ihrem Schöpfer neu entfacht, sodass im Nachgang zahlreiche Publikationen sowohl im Belletristik- als auch im Sachbuchbereich auf den Markt kamen, die den englischen Meisterdetektiv zum Thema haben.
Der Schwede Mattias Boström ist ein ausgewiesener Holmes-Experte und hat als Mitglied der „Baker Street Irregulars“ bereits zahlreiche Aufsätze zum Thema veröffentlicht. Für sein populär-wissenschaftliches Buch „Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock“ (in der deutschen Übersetzung von Susanne Dahmann und Hanna Granz, erschienen bei btb) wurde er mit dem Schwedischen Krimipreis Sachbuch ausgezeichnet.
Boström nähert sich dem Thema von der historischen Seite, wobei er anfangs sein Hauptaugenmerk auf Arthur Conan Doyle, Kleinstadt-Arzt und Schöpfer des berühmten Detektivs, richtet. Unterteilt in sechs zeitlich gegliederte Kapitel, beginnend 1878 und 2015 endend, zeigt er nachfolgend aber auch die Einflüsse von Illustratoren, Redakteuren und Schauspielern auf. Jeder von ihnen hat durch seine individuelle Interpretation Sherlock Holmes im Laufe der Zeit Stück um Stück verändert, sodass diese literarische Figur allmählich eine Eigendynamik entwickelt hat, die es für so manchen Leser schwierig macht, zwischen Dichtung und Wahrheit zu unterscheiden. Wie sonst ließe sich das ungebrochene Interesse an Holmes erklären, das alljährlich Tausende von Besuchern in London auf seinen Spuren wandeln lässt?
Akribisch genaue Literaturverweise , allgemeine Quellenangaben, eine Auflistung der Werke Conan Doyles und ein ausführliches alphabethisches Register runden dieses Sachbuch ab und zeigen auf, dass sich der Autor über Jahre hin sehr intensiv mit diesem Thema beschäftigt haben muss. Aber auch der interessierte Laie findet hier genügend Anstöße für eine weiterführende Lektüre. Und so ist „Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock“ eine wahre Fundgrube für all diejenigen, die sich der Faszination dieses literarischen Phänomens nicht entziehen können.
Der Schwede Mattias Boström ist ein ausgewiesener Holmes-Experte und hat als Mitglied der „Baker Street Irregulars“ bereits zahlreiche Aufsätze zum Thema veröffentlicht. Für sein populär-wissenschaftliches Buch „Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock“ (in der deutschen Übersetzung von Susanne Dahmann und Hanna Granz, erschienen bei btb) wurde er mit dem Schwedischen Krimipreis Sachbuch ausgezeichnet.
Boström nähert sich dem Thema von der historischen Seite, wobei er anfangs sein Hauptaugenmerk auf Arthur Conan Doyle, Kleinstadt-Arzt und Schöpfer des berühmten Detektivs, richtet. Unterteilt in sechs zeitlich gegliederte Kapitel, beginnend 1878 und 2015 endend, zeigt er nachfolgend aber auch die Einflüsse von Illustratoren, Redakteuren und Schauspielern auf. Jeder von ihnen hat durch seine individuelle Interpretation Sherlock Holmes im Laufe der Zeit Stück um Stück verändert, sodass diese literarische Figur allmählich eine Eigendynamik entwickelt hat, die es für so manchen Leser schwierig macht, zwischen Dichtung und Wahrheit zu unterscheiden. Wie sonst ließe sich das ungebrochene Interesse an Holmes erklären, das alljährlich Tausende von Besuchern in London auf seinen Spuren wandeln lässt?
Akribisch genaue Literaturverweise , allgemeine Quellenangaben, eine Auflistung der Werke Conan Doyles und ein ausführliches alphabethisches Register runden dieses Sachbuch ab und zeigen auf, dass sich der Autor über Jahre hin sehr intensiv mit diesem Thema beschäftigt haben muss. Aber auch der interessierte Laie findet hier genügend Anstöße für eine weiterführende Lektüre. Und so ist „Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock“ eine wahre Fundgrube für all diejenigen, die sich der Faszination dieses literarischen Phänomens nicht entziehen können.
February 26, 2017
Das Lesen dieses Buchs hat mir wirklich viel Freude bereitet. Nachdem ich meine Oberstufenschüler zu Sherlockianern bekehren konnte, war es wunderbar noch mehr über den genialen Detektiv zu erfahren.
Das Buch hat ein paar Längen, sodass ich eine Weile gebraucht habe es zu lesen. Aber ich habe noch einige Anregungen gefunden mich weiter mit Sherlock zu beschäftigen, was ich absolut tun werde :)
Das Buch hat ein paar Längen, sodass ich eine Weile gebraucht habe es zu lesen. Aber ich habe noch einige Anregungen gefunden mich weiter mit Sherlock zu beschäftigen, was ich absolut tun werde :)
January 15, 2018
A fascinating history
I am a fan of Holmes and a student of history so this book, a gift from my wife, was perfect. Bostrom does a marvelous job tracing Arthur Conan Doyle's life and Holmes career then taking us on a roller coaster ride as Holmes' popularity rose and fell across the years. That his children thoroughly mismanaged the estate and squandered hundreds of thousands of dollars has as much to do with thr times than basic incompetence. Aftrr all, Holmes was one of the first international figures to be exploited across media and long after the creator perished. There were no templates to follow and they did their best, or so they thought.
I learned quite a bit from this work and am inspired to track down various interpretations mentioned here. As with other books of this sort, the contemporary chapters feel short and incomplete, but that is a minor quibble in an otherwise marvelous work.
I am a fan of Holmes and a student of history so this book, a gift from my wife, was perfect. Bostrom does a marvelous job tracing Arthur Conan Doyle's life and Holmes career then taking us on a roller coaster ride as Holmes' popularity rose and fell across the years. That his children thoroughly mismanaged the estate and squandered hundreds of thousands of dollars has as much to do with thr times than basic incompetence. Aftrr all, Holmes was one of the first international figures to be exploited across media and long after the creator perished. There were no templates to follow and they did their best, or so they thought.
I learned quite a bit from this work and am inspired to track down various interpretations mentioned here. As with other books of this sort, the contemporary chapters feel short and incomplete, but that is a minor quibble in an otherwise marvelous work.
January 28, 2017
Komplette Rezension: http://isabellsbooks.blogspot.de/
Was kann man sich hinter dem Titel vorstellen?
Es handelt sich bei "Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock" um einen spannend erzählten Roman über die Entstehung von Sherlock Holmes und seinen Weg zu dem Medienstar der er heute ist. Dies beginnt 1878 mit Arthur Conan Doyles Inspiration für die Figur des Sherlock Holmes und führt bis ins Jahr 2015, in dem der Roman endet. Auf den 550 Seiten über diese 137 Jahre taucht man als Leser tief in das Phänomen "Sherlock Holmes" ein und schlägt am Ende das Buch mit wahnsinnig mehr Wissen dazu zu.
MEINE MEINUNG
Buchgestaltung
Zuerst einmal möchte ich das Cover und die Coverinnenseiten des Buches hervorheben. Mir gefällt das Cover unglaublich gut mit den beiden Shilouetten des klassischen Sherlock Holmes Bildes und der Sherlock Interpretation von Benedict Cumberbatch.
Doch vorallem habe ich während des Lesens immer wieder zu den beiden Buchdeckelinnenseiten geblättert, da sich auf diesen wahnsinnig viele Bilder der im Buch erwähnten, wichtigen Personen befinden, und ich so immer ein klares Bild vor Augen hatte. Da während des gesamten Romanes unglaublich viele Figuren vorkommen, hat es mir immer sehr geholfen, durch die Bilder einen gewissen Überblick zu behalten.
Romangestaltung
Das Buch ist tatsächlich wie ein Roman aufgebaut, obwohl es sich ja eigentlich um eine Biographie über Sir Arthur Conan Doyle und über die weitere Entwicklung der Figur Sherlock Holmes nach Conan Doyles Tod handelt. Man liest also spannende Geschichten, die alle wirklich so passiert sind und lernt auch noch einiges als Sherlockianer dazu, was eine wirklich unterhaltsame und informative Mischung ergibt.
Es hat mich wirklich fasziniert, dass der Autor es geschafft hat, einen so guten Roman zu schreiben, in dem er quasi über andere sehr gute Romane schreibt.
Schreibstil und Recherchearbeit des Autors
Es handelt sich bei diesem Buch wahrlich nicht um einen gewöhnlichen Schreibstil.
Ich kann mich nicht erinnern, jemals einen solch frustrierend-faszinierenden Schreibstil gelesen zu haben. Der Autor beginnt dabei sehr viele Kapitel mit einer erstmal komplett zufälligen und auf den ersten Blick uninteressanten Figur, bei der ich mich oft gefragt habe: "Was soll/bringt die denn jetzt?" Doch dann liest man weiter, und die Figur bekommt ihre Geschichte und im Endeffekt eine Verbindung zu Sherlock Holmes, und einen wichtigen weiteren Einfluss für das Phänomen Sherlock Holmes. Das hat der Autor so oft gemacht, und jedesmal war ich zuerst frustriert, weil ich dachte, dass ich gerade etwas unwichtiges lese, und am Ende fasziniert darüber, wie clever der Autor die Verbindung zu Sherlock Holmes eingesponnen hat. Dass das ja auch alles reale Personen und Geschichten waren, hat mich immer wieder sehr verblüfft.
So oft konnte mich dieser Schreibstil unglaublich fesseln, da das ganze so spannend geschrieben ist.
Ich konnte die intensive Leidenschaft des Autors für Sherlock Holmes buchstäblich durch jede Seite lesen und war eigentlich die ganzen 550 Seiten hindurch immer wieder erstaunt wie unglaublich viel Recherchearbeit in dieses Buch geflossen sein muss. Sehr oft fragte ich mich auch bei Sachen die die Figuren machten, wie der Autor das bitte wissen könnte. Doch wenn man sich die endlos langen Quellenangaben am Ende des Buches ansieht, dann wird einem die extreme Recherchearbeit nochmals bestätigt und vor Augen geführt.
Ich empfinde dafür wirklich große Hochachtung für den Autor und den Aufwand, der spürbar mit sehr viel Liebe, in dieses Werk gesteckt wurde.
Inhaltliches und die Lust auf Sherlock Holmes
Ich habe definitv extrem viel neues Wissen über das Sherlock Holmes Universum durch das Buch erlangt, und vorallem wurde auch meine Lust, mehr über die Ursprünge von Sherlock Holmes herauszufinden, sehr gestärkt. Generell hatte ich während des Lesens sehr Lust, sofort die ganzen originalen Sherlock Holmes Geschichten zu lesen, und wiederzulesen und zu analysieren, etc.
Auch fande ich es interessant zu lesen, welche anderen berühmten Schriftsteller zur gleichen Zeit wie Conan Doyle gelebt hatten, und welche er sogar gekannt und gemocht hatte.
Durch den fesselnden Schreibstil entstaubt der Autor die Vergangenheit extrem, und schafft Zugang zu auf den ersten Blick Uninteressanten, da er die kleinen, interessanten Details hervorhebt.
Wie viel zur BBC Sherlock Serie kommt im Buch vor?
Das erste Kapitel, was sich sogleich mit Mark Gatiss und Steven Moffat (den Erschaffern der BBC Sherlock Serie) beschäftigt, konnte mich natürlich sofort packen und ich war sehr erstaunt, wie unglaublich nahe das Buch an der Serie dran ist, da ich erst dachte, dass Benedict Cumberbatchs Shilouette auf dem Cover eher gut für die Promotion des Buches war, und mehr nicht.
Jedoch beginnt der Roman nach diesem kurzen, BBC Sherlock-Fans-lockenden Anfang, erstmal in 1878 und mit dem jungen Arthur Conan Doyle und damit, wie er die Inspiration für die Figur des Sherlock Holmes gefunden hat. Es dauert jedoch tatsächlich über 500 Seiten bis sich das Buch dann wieder mit der BBC Sherlock Serie beschäftigt. Daher beschränken sich die Seiten, in denen es um die beliebte Serie geht wohl insgesamt nichtmal auf 50 Seiten, was ich schade fande.
Wenn ihr also zu dem Buch greift, solltet ihr eure Erwartungen was das Erwähnen der BBC Sherlock Serie betrifft doch ziemlich senken. Im Endeffekt beschäftigt sich das Buch doch zu 90% mit "Mr. Holmes" und sehr gering mit "Sherlock".
Das stellte für mich doch einen Sternenabzug dar, da ich schon finde, dass man als BBC Sherlock Fan von dem Buch geteasert wird und dann nicht genug dafür bekommt.
Länge des Buches und Unwichtiges
Auch wenn mir wirklich nie während des Lesens langweilig geworden ist, hatte das Buch doch einige Längen, die ich gerne etwas kompakter gehabt hätte.
Vorallem der lange Teil nach dem Tod von Arthur Conan Doyle, der sich mit dem weiteren Umgang des Erbes und der weiteren Sherlock Holmes Verbreitung durch Conan Doyles Söhne beschäftigt, war teilweise eher anstrengend zu lesen. Ich hatte oft das Gefühl, dass die Handlung während dieser Zeit, welche ungefähr in der Mitte des Buches erzählt wird, nicht wirklich vorankommt. Dadurch stockte auch mein Lesefluss etwas, und ich hing ziemlich lange an dem Buch. (insgesamt ein Monat)
Man hätte hierbei vieles weglassen können, was am Ende ohnehin zu nichts geführt hatte. Ebenso nahm der Autor in dem Teil meiner Meinung nach auch einfach zu viele eigentlich unwichtige Figuren und Details mit rein. Hätte er diese weggelassen, wäre das Buch in dem Teil nicht so abgesackt und er hätte vielleicht mehr Seiten auf die 2000/2010er Jahre verwenden können.
Auch hierbei wendete der Autor wieder sehr oft die oben erwähnte Schreibtechnik an, welche jedoch in dem Teil bei mir immer öfters zur Frustration als zur Faszinierung führte. Ich hoffte, dass die Handlung endlich voranschreiten würde und näher in die nahe Vergangenheit käme. Jedoch griff der Autor stattdessen sehr oft nochmal weiter zurück in die Vorvergangenheit der gerade beschriebenen, statt mal zügiger voranzukommen.
Es wurde, wie gesagt, nie langweilig, aber doch stellenweise zu lang und ausführlich.
Die letzten 50 Seiten: Zu Lebzeiten des Autors
Die letzten 50 Seiten befinden sich in der Lebzeit des Autors, weshalb der Schreibstil des Buches plötzlich umspringt, und einen Ich Erzähler freigibt. Ebenso ändert sich die Wortwahl, die sehr viel subjektiver und leicht umgangssprachlich ist. Ich war mir erst nicht sicher, was ich davon halten sollte, da ich es weder als besonders toll noch als unbedingt schlecht empfand.
Im Rückblick finde ich es dennoch passend, dass der Autor, auch seine eigene Sherlock Holmes Geschichte beleuchtet hat.
Leider wurde in den letzten 50 Seiten nochmal sehr viel für mich Unwichtiges erwähnt, während über die Guy Ritchie Filme mit Robert Downey Jr. und Jude Law meiner Meinung nach viel mehr hätte geschrieben werden können. Ebenso über die BBC Serie Sherlock, wie oben erwähnt.
Dafür hat es mir jedoch sehr gut gefallen, dass die amerikanische Sherlock Holmes Serie "Elementary", mit Jonny Lee Miller als Sherlock Holmes, eine Erwähnung gefunden hat, da diese sonst sehr oft im Sherlock Holmes Universum ignoriert wird.
MEIN FAZIT
Ich kann dieses Buch allen Sherlock Holmes Fans wirklich nur brühend heiß ans Herz legen, da ich unglaublich viel Spaß mit dem Buch hatte und sehr viel dazu gelernt habe.
Es ist sowohl extrem informativ als auch sehr unterhaltsam, was vorallem dem spannenden und fesselnden Schreibstil zu verdanken ist. Die Schreibtechnik des Autors ist mit nichts zu vergleichen, was ich bisher gelesen habe, und allein deswegen sollte man das Buch schon lesen.
Man bekommt als Sherlock Fan wunderbar viel Wissen mitgeliefert und der Roman macht wahnsinnige Lust darauf, sich noch intensiver mit allem was Sherlock Holmes betrifft auseinanderzusetzen. Ich war bereits nach den ersten Seiten begeistert und durch die gesamten 550 Seiten hindurch nie gelangweilt.
Dadurch dass es durchwegs so gut geschrieben ist, las ich immer mehrere Kapitel am Stück und hatte sehr oft das klassische "Just one more chapter.." Problem.
Ich empfinde große Hochachtung dem Autor gegenüber, für die immense Recherchearbeit die in das Entstehen dieses Buches geflossen ist.
MEINE BEWERTUNG
Tatsächlich war ich mir bereits nach einigen Seiten und auch während der kompletten ersten Hälfte des Buches sicher, dass ich diesem Buch 5 von 5 Sternen geben würde, da ich einfach so wahnsinnig begeistert davon war.
Da ich aber doch enttäuscht darüber war, dass die neuesten Ereignisse zu Sherlock Holmes nur sehr oberflächlich angeschnitten wurden, und vorallem nicht mehr zur BBC Serie Sherlock kam, musste ich wieder einen Stern abziehen. Bekräftigt wurde das auch dadurch, dass ich extrem lange an dem Buch gelesen habe, nämlich einen ganzen Monat. Dies lag vorallem auch an der etwas langatmigen zweiten Hälfte des Buches, in welcher sich der Autor zu sehr im Unwesentlichen verlor, weshalb sich das ganze doch etwas zog.
Dennoch kann ich das Buch wirklich extrem empfehlen, wenn man sich für Sherlock Holmes und dessen Entstehung, Verbreitung und Geschichte interessiert.
BEWERTUNG IN STERNEN
Ich verleihe diesem Buch 4 von 5 Sternen.
Was kann man sich hinter dem Titel vorstellen?
Es handelt sich bei "Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock" um einen spannend erzählten Roman über die Entstehung von Sherlock Holmes und seinen Weg zu dem Medienstar der er heute ist. Dies beginnt 1878 mit Arthur Conan Doyles Inspiration für die Figur des Sherlock Holmes und führt bis ins Jahr 2015, in dem der Roman endet. Auf den 550 Seiten über diese 137 Jahre taucht man als Leser tief in das Phänomen "Sherlock Holmes" ein und schlägt am Ende das Buch mit wahnsinnig mehr Wissen dazu zu.
MEINE MEINUNG
Buchgestaltung
Zuerst einmal möchte ich das Cover und die Coverinnenseiten des Buches hervorheben. Mir gefällt das Cover unglaublich gut mit den beiden Shilouetten des klassischen Sherlock Holmes Bildes und der Sherlock Interpretation von Benedict Cumberbatch.
Doch vorallem habe ich während des Lesens immer wieder zu den beiden Buchdeckelinnenseiten geblättert, da sich auf diesen wahnsinnig viele Bilder der im Buch erwähnten, wichtigen Personen befinden, und ich so immer ein klares Bild vor Augen hatte. Da während des gesamten Romanes unglaublich viele Figuren vorkommen, hat es mir immer sehr geholfen, durch die Bilder einen gewissen Überblick zu behalten.
Romangestaltung
Das Buch ist tatsächlich wie ein Roman aufgebaut, obwohl es sich ja eigentlich um eine Biographie über Sir Arthur Conan Doyle und über die weitere Entwicklung der Figur Sherlock Holmes nach Conan Doyles Tod handelt. Man liest also spannende Geschichten, die alle wirklich so passiert sind und lernt auch noch einiges als Sherlockianer dazu, was eine wirklich unterhaltsame und informative Mischung ergibt.
Es hat mich wirklich fasziniert, dass der Autor es geschafft hat, einen so guten Roman zu schreiben, in dem er quasi über andere sehr gute Romane schreibt.
Schreibstil und Recherchearbeit des Autors
Es handelt sich bei diesem Buch wahrlich nicht um einen gewöhnlichen Schreibstil.
Ich kann mich nicht erinnern, jemals einen solch frustrierend-faszinierenden Schreibstil gelesen zu haben. Der Autor beginnt dabei sehr viele Kapitel mit einer erstmal komplett zufälligen und auf den ersten Blick uninteressanten Figur, bei der ich mich oft gefragt habe: "Was soll/bringt die denn jetzt?" Doch dann liest man weiter, und die Figur bekommt ihre Geschichte und im Endeffekt eine Verbindung zu Sherlock Holmes, und einen wichtigen weiteren Einfluss für das Phänomen Sherlock Holmes. Das hat der Autor so oft gemacht, und jedesmal war ich zuerst frustriert, weil ich dachte, dass ich gerade etwas unwichtiges lese, und am Ende fasziniert darüber, wie clever der Autor die Verbindung zu Sherlock Holmes eingesponnen hat. Dass das ja auch alles reale Personen und Geschichten waren, hat mich immer wieder sehr verblüfft.
So oft konnte mich dieser Schreibstil unglaublich fesseln, da das ganze so spannend geschrieben ist.
Ich konnte die intensive Leidenschaft des Autors für Sherlock Holmes buchstäblich durch jede Seite lesen und war eigentlich die ganzen 550 Seiten hindurch immer wieder erstaunt wie unglaublich viel Recherchearbeit in dieses Buch geflossen sein muss. Sehr oft fragte ich mich auch bei Sachen die die Figuren machten, wie der Autor das bitte wissen könnte. Doch wenn man sich die endlos langen Quellenangaben am Ende des Buches ansieht, dann wird einem die extreme Recherchearbeit nochmals bestätigt und vor Augen geführt.
Ich empfinde dafür wirklich große Hochachtung für den Autor und den Aufwand, der spürbar mit sehr viel Liebe, in dieses Werk gesteckt wurde.
Inhaltliches und die Lust auf Sherlock Holmes
Ich habe definitv extrem viel neues Wissen über das Sherlock Holmes Universum durch das Buch erlangt, und vorallem wurde auch meine Lust, mehr über die Ursprünge von Sherlock Holmes herauszufinden, sehr gestärkt. Generell hatte ich während des Lesens sehr Lust, sofort die ganzen originalen Sherlock Holmes Geschichten zu lesen, und wiederzulesen und zu analysieren, etc.
Auch fande ich es interessant zu lesen, welche anderen berühmten Schriftsteller zur gleichen Zeit wie Conan Doyle gelebt hatten, und welche er sogar gekannt und gemocht hatte.
Durch den fesselnden Schreibstil entstaubt der Autor die Vergangenheit extrem, und schafft Zugang zu auf den ersten Blick Uninteressanten, da er die kleinen, interessanten Details hervorhebt.
Wie viel zur BBC Sherlock Serie kommt im Buch vor?
Das erste Kapitel, was sich sogleich mit Mark Gatiss und Steven Moffat (den Erschaffern der BBC Sherlock Serie) beschäftigt, konnte mich natürlich sofort packen und ich war sehr erstaunt, wie unglaublich nahe das Buch an der Serie dran ist, da ich erst dachte, dass Benedict Cumberbatchs Shilouette auf dem Cover eher gut für die Promotion des Buches war, und mehr nicht.
Jedoch beginnt der Roman nach diesem kurzen, BBC Sherlock-Fans-lockenden Anfang, erstmal in 1878 und mit dem jungen Arthur Conan Doyle und damit, wie er die Inspiration für die Figur des Sherlock Holmes gefunden hat. Es dauert jedoch tatsächlich über 500 Seiten bis sich das Buch dann wieder mit der BBC Sherlock Serie beschäftigt. Daher beschränken sich die Seiten, in denen es um die beliebte Serie geht wohl insgesamt nichtmal auf 50 Seiten, was ich schade fande.
Wenn ihr also zu dem Buch greift, solltet ihr eure Erwartungen was das Erwähnen der BBC Sherlock Serie betrifft doch ziemlich senken. Im Endeffekt beschäftigt sich das Buch doch zu 90% mit "Mr. Holmes" und sehr gering mit "Sherlock".
Das stellte für mich doch einen Sternenabzug dar, da ich schon finde, dass man als BBC Sherlock Fan von dem Buch geteasert wird und dann nicht genug dafür bekommt.
Länge des Buches und Unwichtiges
Auch wenn mir wirklich nie während des Lesens langweilig geworden ist, hatte das Buch doch einige Längen, die ich gerne etwas kompakter gehabt hätte.
Vorallem der lange Teil nach dem Tod von Arthur Conan Doyle, der sich mit dem weiteren Umgang des Erbes und der weiteren Sherlock Holmes Verbreitung durch Conan Doyles Söhne beschäftigt, war teilweise eher anstrengend zu lesen. Ich hatte oft das Gefühl, dass die Handlung während dieser Zeit, welche ungefähr in der Mitte des Buches erzählt wird, nicht wirklich vorankommt. Dadurch stockte auch mein Lesefluss etwas, und ich hing ziemlich lange an dem Buch. (insgesamt ein Monat)
Man hätte hierbei vieles weglassen können, was am Ende ohnehin zu nichts geführt hatte. Ebenso nahm der Autor in dem Teil meiner Meinung nach auch einfach zu viele eigentlich unwichtige Figuren und Details mit rein. Hätte er diese weggelassen, wäre das Buch in dem Teil nicht so abgesackt und er hätte vielleicht mehr Seiten auf die 2000/2010er Jahre verwenden können.
Auch hierbei wendete der Autor wieder sehr oft die oben erwähnte Schreibtechnik an, welche jedoch in dem Teil bei mir immer öfters zur Frustration als zur Faszinierung führte. Ich hoffte, dass die Handlung endlich voranschreiten würde und näher in die nahe Vergangenheit käme. Jedoch griff der Autor stattdessen sehr oft nochmal weiter zurück in die Vorvergangenheit der gerade beschriebenen, statt mal zügiger voranzukommen.
Es wurde, wie gesagt, nie langweilig, aber doch stellenweise zu lang und ausführlich.
Die letzten 50 Seiten: Zu Lebzeiten des Autors
Die letzten 50 Seiten befinden sich in der Lebzeit des Autors, weshalb der Schreibstil des Buches plötzlich umspringt, und einen Ich Erzähler freigibt. Ebenso ändert sich die Wortwahl, die sehr viel subjektiver und leicht umgangssprachlich ist. Ich war mir erst nicht sicher, was ich davon halten sollte, da ich es weder als besonders toll noch als unbedingt schlecht empfand.
Im Rückblick finde ich es dennoch passend, dass der Autor, auch seine eigene Sherlock Holmes Geschichte beleuchtet hat.
Leider wurde in den letzten 50 Seiten nochmal sehr viel für mich Unwichtiges erwähnt, während über die Guy Ritchie Filme mit Robert Downey Jr. und Jude Law meiner Meinung nach viel mehr hätte geschrieben werden können. Ebenso über die BBC Serie Sherlock, wie oben erwähnt.
Dafür hat es mir jedoch sehr gut gefallen, dass die amerikanische Sherlock Holmes Serie "Elementary", mit Jonny Lee Miller als Sherlock Holmes, eine Erwähnung gefunden hat, da diese sonst sehr oft im Sherlock Holmes Universum ignoriert wird.
MEIN FAZIT
Ich kann dieses Buch allen Sherlock Holmes Fans wirklich nur brühend heiß ans Herz legen, da ich unglaublich viel Spaß mit dem Buch hatte und sehr viel dazu gelernt habe.
Es ist sowohl extrem informativ als auch sehr unterhaltsam, was vorallem dem spannenden und fesselnden Schreibstil zu verdanken ist. Die Schreibtechnik des Autors ist mit nichts zu vergleichen, was ich bisher gelesen habe, und allein deswegen sollte man das Buch schon lesen.
Man bekommt als Sherlock Fan wunderbar viel Wissen mitgeliefert und der Roman macht wahnsinnige Lust darauf, sich noch intensiver mit allem was Sherlock Holmes betrifft auseinanderzusetzen. Ich war bereits nach den ersten Seiten begeistert und durch die gesamten 550 Seiten hindurch nie gelangweilt.
Dadurch dass es durchwegs so gut geschrieben ist, las ich immer mehrere Kapitel am Stück und hatte sehr oft das klassische "Just one more chapter.." Problem.
Ich empfinde große Hochachtung dem Autor gegenüber, für die immense Recherchearbeit die in das Entstehen dieses Buches geflossen ist.
MEINE BEWERTUNG
Tatsächlich war ich mir bereits nach einigen Seiten und auch während der kompletten ersten Hälfte des Buches sicher, dass ich diesem Buch 5 von 5 Sternen geben würde, da ich einfach so wahnsinnig begeistert davon war.
Da ich aber doch enttäuscht darüber war, dass die neuesten Ereignisse zu Sherlock Holmes nur sehr oberflächlich angeschnitten wurden, und vorallem nicht mehr zur BBC Serie Sherlock kam, musste ich wieder einen Stern abziehen. Bekräftigt wurde das auch dadurch, dass ich extrem lange an dem Buch gelesen habe, nämlich einen ganzen Monat. Dies lag vorallem auch an der etwas langatmigen zweiten Hälfte des Buches, in welcher sich der Autor zu sehr im Unwesentlichen verlor, weshalb sich das ganze doch etwas zog.
Dennoch kann ich das Buch wirklich extrem empfehlen, wenn man sich für Sherlock Holmes und dessen Entstehung, Verbreitung und Geschichte interessiert.
BEWERTUNG IN STERNEN
Ich verleihe diesem Buch 4 von 5 Sternen.
November 11, 2024
4 stars for thoroughness. Not 5, because, while thorough, the chapters seemed random with paragraphs unorganized. At times, really hard to follow, even when I listened to the ending while reading along. The organization of chapters/sections by decade was helpful. I was definitely more interested at the beginning of the book and then the end with the explanation of the making of the latest Sherlock show. I might watch Elementary after reading this book.
Definitely a LONG book. I loved seeing the pictures in the middle of the book.
I find the information fascinating. Arthur Conan Doyle's story is so interesting, how he create Sherlock, how he wanted to be finished with him, and all the people who made his success possible. His research for the settings, his adventures to other places, his participation in the war, long hikes to get a feel for what he was going to write about: I just don't know if I could do it to write a book (although I'd love to).
The writing of the book was a little "jumpy." While the chapters were in sections by time periods/decades, some paragraphs in the chapters felt all over the place, like numerous people had done research and then just stuck their information into a paper. I had to really focus to keep up with certain influential characters or events.
I loved reading about other authors Doyle interacted with, like Bram Stoker, Mark Twain, and Bret Harte. And he was compared to Poe when he first started? WOW! Seeing how these authors inspired each other or promoted others' works is fun.
I have taught classes about research and copyright laws, but I hadn't thought much recently about how it impacted authors and artists like Doyle and his illustrators. For the US to not have the same laws as Europe in Doyle's day meant people could change certain parts of a story, and that the illustrators weren't the same, so the readers in the US saw different portrayals of Holmes than those in Europe. Fun to think about.
It was interesting how involved in politics Doyle was. He really wanted to fight for his country during the war, and when he couldn't, he wrote about it. Sometimes I forget that fiction can be great propaganda.
I knew from the Sherlock show that Sherlock may have been into drugs (cocaine) but didn't know if Doyle had been too. I found his later life and his venture into spiritualism fascinating. It must have been so sad to lose his brother, mother, and son and not feel like he had someone to confide in or process things. He was giving so much to the world with his books. So it was interesting to see him finding spiritual mentors, even if they were dead people/spirits from centuries before. As the book went on though, things got weird with the spiritualism and seances. I am not sure what to believe.
It is so fascinating how the stories came to be on the radio. I almost wish I lived in the 30s to hear these tales over the radio, finding home after the Crash.
This book could have been 2 books instead of 1. I think it could have ended with part 3 at the death of Doyle. Then another book could be done about the impact his death and works had on society. Just such a long book with a lot of random facts.
OH MY WORD. The 1980s part of this book were so fascinating. The influences on the Sherlock books/movies was so fun, but the influence that the Sherlock Holmes stories had on things like Disney movies, the mouse, Basil, the Rescuers, music...
I had no idea how important copyright and fair use was until this book. I mean, I knew because I teach research, but this book shows the importance of laws.
My word. This author did his research. Looking at the bibliography, sources, and index.... I have to give him major credit.
Definitely a LONG book. I loved seeing the pictures in the middle of the book.
I find the information fascinating. Arthur Conan Doyle's story is so interesting, how he create Sherlock, how he wanted to be finished with him, and all the people who made his success possible. His research for the settings, his adventures to other places, his participation in the war, long hikes to get a feel for what he was going to write about: I just don't know if I could do it to write a book (although I'd love to).
The writing of the book was a little "jumpy." While the chapters were in sections by time periods/decades, some paragraphs in the chapters felt all over the place, like numerous people had done research and then just stuck their information into a paper. I had to really focus to keep up with certain influential characters or events.
I loved reading about other authors Doyle interacted with, like Bram Stoker, Mark Twain, and Bret Harte. And he was compared to Poe when he first started? WOW! Seeing how these authors inspired each other or promoted others' works is fun.
I have taught classes about research and copyright laws, but I hadn't thought much recently about how it impacted authors and artists like Doyle and his illustrators. For the US to not have the same laws as Europe in Doyle's day meant people could change certain parts of a story, and that the illustrators weren't the same, so the readers in the US saw different portrayals of Holmes than those in Europe. Fun to think about.
It was interesting how involved in politics Doyle was. He really wanted to fight for his country during the war, and when he couldn't, he wrote about it. Sometimes I forget that fiction can be great propaganda.
I knew from the Sherlock show that Sherlock may have been into drugs (cocaine) but didn't know if Doyle had been too. I found his later life and his venture into spiritualism fascinating. It must have been so sad to lose his brother, mother, and son and not feel like he had someone to confide in or process things. He was giving so much to the world with his books. So it was interesting to see him finding spiritual mentors, even if they were dead people/spirits from centuries before. As the book went on though, things got weird with the spiritualism and seances. I am not sure what to believe.
It is so fascinating how the stories came to be on the radio. I almost wish I lived in the 30s to hear these tales over the radio, finding home after the Crash.
This book could have been 2 books instead of 1. I think it could have ended with part 3 at the death of Doyle. Then another book could be done about the impact his death and works had on society. Just such a long book with a lot of random facts.
OH MY WORD. The 1980s part of this book were so fascinating. The influences on the Sherlock books/movies was so fun, but the influence that the Sherlock Holmes stories had on things like Disney movies, the mouse, Basil, the Rescuers, music...
I had no idea how important copyright and fair use was until this book. I mean, I knew because I teach research, but this book shows the importance of laws.
My word. This author did his research. Looking at the bibliography, sources, and index.... I have to give him major credit.
Read
February 27, 2023I started this a few years ago, but finally listened to the whole book in audiobook format, and I think it was even more entertaining that way, though there are parts I will probably go back and reread in text form. As the subtitle suggests, it tells the story of Sherlock Holmes and his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Then, after the last of the stories and the death Conan Doyle, his heirs struggle to maximize monetary gain and stay true to Sir Arthur's wishes for the characters, while navigating the ever-slippery ground of British and American copyright law. Along the way, we learn how Holmes is recreated and rediscovered by each new generation -- in parody, radio, silent films, stage plays, movies, television, and pastiches -- and the world-wide Sherlockian societies that continue to read and write commentaries on the stories, and the copyright fights along the way.
This was a fairly long book, and yet I felt it ended too soon, with the rediscovery in 2014 of a nearly 100-year-old silent film version of "Sherlock Holmes" starring famed Holmes thespian and American actor William Gillette. I feel the author should be publishing an annual update to this thorough and comprehensive history of Sherlock Holmes. As of January 1, 2023, all of the original Holmes stories are public domain, so fans may continue to expect and hope for more new adventures of Holmes and Watson. In the words of American Sherlockian Vincent Starrett:
Here dwell together still two men of note
Who never lived and so can never die:
How very near they seem, yet how remote
That age before the world went all awry.
But still the game's afoot for those with ears
Attuned to catch the distant view-halloo:
England is England yet, for all our fears—
Only those things the heart believes are true.
A yellow fog swirls past the window-pane
As night descends upon this fabled street:
A lonely hansom splashes through the rain,
The ghostly gas lamps fail at twenty feet.
Here, though the world explode, these two survive,
And it is always eighteen ninety-five.
This was a fairly long book, and yet I felt it ended too soon, with the rediscovery in 2014 of a nearly 100-year-old silent film version of "Sherlock Holmes" starring famed Holmes thespian and American actor William Gillette. I feel the author should be publishing an annual update to this thorough and comprehensive history of Sherlock Holmes. As of January 1, 2023, all of the original Holmes stories are public domain, so fans may continue to expect and hope for more new adventures of Holmes and Watson. In the words of American Sherlockian Vincent Starrett:
Here dwell together still two men of note
Who never lived and so can never die:
How very near they seem, yet how remote
That age before the world went all awry.
But still the game's afoot for those with ears
Attuned to catch the distant view-halloo:
England is England yet, for all our fears—
Only those things the heart believes are true.
A yellow fog swirls past the window-pane
As night descends upon this fabled street:
A lonely hansom splashes through the rain,
The ghostly gas lamps fail at twenty feet.
Here, though the world explode, these two survive,
And it is always eighteen ninety-five.
Read
January 18, 2019Interesting historical account of how the Sherlock Holmes series has fascinated the world since its inception. I enjoy reading the backstory of major literary works and ideas. This book is so thorough yet stays engaging enough to keep the reader's attention. This is the type of stuff that people wouldn't know because it isn't common knowledge. For instance, I wasn't aware that Conan Doyle created the character of Sherlock Holmes based on a teacher he had while in medical school. He would listen to this doctor use deductive reasoning to diagnose patients in the late 1800's and found it a quirky trait to give the detective in the stories he wrote. Holmes wasn't received well at first, but Bostrom provides the whole story, from birth to present day. The uniqueness of this book is in the way he chose to focus on the cultural aspect of Sherlock Holmes. As a big fan of current Sherlock Holmes television shows and movies, I was drawn to this book just out of curiosity. I never did much research on this topic, and I feel this was a great way for someone like me to learn why Holmes is so timeless. Bostrom's writing style is a little sensationalized but I think it fits the subject matter; Arthur Conan Doyle liked to be a little over the top and that's why a lot of people love Holmes and Watson. Overall, I really liked this book. I feel it gives fans an accurate account of how Holmes became a cultural icon around the world.
June 17, 2017
Sherlock Holmes is one of the most well-known literary figures of modern literature. He is one of those characters that needs no explanation, and whose shadow and legacy goes before him instead of behind.
I am a big fan of the BBC Sherlock series, as well as the original books themselves, so I was excited to read this exploration of Holmes, Conan Doyle and Sherlockmania in general. The book starts with a biography of Conan Doyle himself, then moves into an account of the continuing publication and movie/TV history of Sherlock and Watson. The research that must have gone into this book is absolutely phenomenal, and the tone is very atmospheric. Bostrom does a great job of handling this book as nonfiction, but still places segments of fictional narrative for ambience.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and it was an informative read! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.
I am a big fan of the BBC Sherlock series, as well as the original books themselves, so I was excited to read this exploration of Holmes, Conan Doyle and Sherlockmania in general. The book starts with a biography of Conan Doyle himself, then moves into an account of the continuing publication and movie/TV history of Sherlock and Watson. The research that must have gone into this book is absolutely phenomenal, and the tone is very atmospheric. Bostrom does a great job of handling this book as nonfiction, but still places segments of fictional narrative for ambience.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and it was an informative read! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.
August 7, 2017
Whack-A-Mole, Swedish Style
A long time ago, when I tried to learn a little bit about Swedish culture and history—including the language—a Swedish word, lagom, popped into view. It is a complex word with a rich history that might be used to portray the essence of Swedish society. Lagom is a leveling term, weighted with senses of sufficiency, appropriateness, or “just enough.” In other words, lagom comes into play if society views you as better than the rest, an expert, or highly accomplished. No one is allowed to stick their head very far above the plane of Swedish society. Lagom won’t permit it. It is a kind of whack-a-mole cultural mentality.
I’ll be the first to admit that the entire concept of lagom may be stereotypical or clichéd. My current sense of Swedishness comes from viewing episodes of Wallander on television or wondering about a girl with a dragon tattoo. But if lagom still operates in Swedish society, especially within its literary neighborhoods, then Mr. Mattias Boström better put on some padding and watch his head. He might get walloped in a big way because he’s written a book about Sherlock Holmes that is head and shoulders above anything we’ve seen lately.
He may have already taken a few hits from literary compatriots and neighboring critics. From Holmes to Sherlock, the 2017 title under review here, is an English translation (and expansion, by a considerable number of pages) of the 2013 Swedish original, Från Holmes till Sherlock (Stockholm: Piratförlaget). Swedish reviewers were impressed, even as they fingered their mole mallets. Danish reviewers had their chance to whack Mr. Boström back into place—I don’t view lagom as a practice exclusively in the Swedish domain—when the Danish translation, Fra Holmes til Sherlock, appeared in 2014 (Modtryk, translated by Connie Møller Christensen). Germans got their chance to take a swing when Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock – Meisterdetektiv, Mythos, Medienstar appeared in 2015. This btb/Random House edition, translated by Susanne Dahmann and Hanna Granz, demonstrated another reason readers and reviewers might want to pummel Mr. Boström: he keeps revising the text. Given all the tinkering he’s done since—he continued the practice with the 2016 Norwegian edition (Quintano, translated by Ragnhild Aasland Sekne and Anlaug Lia) and now the expanded English edition, smartly translated by Michael Gallagher—Boström presents himself as both a prominent and moving target (in a good way).
Tinkering aside—and we’re glad he continued to fiddle with the text—Boström accomplishes a remarkable feat in 597 pages with a style and grace that leaves one nearly speechless. In the course of 111 episodic chapters spread over eight chronological sections, he elegantly compresses 140 years of Doylean and Holmesian adventure into a transcendent tale tracing the evolution of the world’s most famous consulting detective from his first appearance on the pages of the Beeton’s Christmas Annual (1887) to his twenty-first century digital reincarnation on fanfiction platforms and in the restoration of a supposedly lost silent film.
One gets a sense of the magnitude of Boström’s accomplishment by considering the following slices of the Sherlockian universe: Ronald De Waal’s magisterial four volume bibliography, The Universal Sherlock Holmes, covers the years 1887 to 1994 and lists 24,703 items. Archive of Our Own (AO3) list 105,694 creative works on Sherlock Holmes and related fandoms; all of these pieces were produced in the last decade! Together they account for over 130,000 creations inspired by the adventures of Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson.
It is as if Boström took all these works—texts, commentaries, illustrations, animations, movies, podcasts, the lot—and energetically, yet gracefully compressed them into an evolutionary narrative that allows us to comprehend the true genius of Sir Arthur’s Victorian creation—and all who have followed in his wake. Boström’s magnum opus, for that is what it is, delivers on the promise of his subtitle: a compelling story of the men and women who created an icon. Doyle’s first Sherlockian scratch on foolscap is the Big Bang of the Sherlockian universe. What Boström allows us to witness, and appreciate, is the ever expanding creative, poignant, and diverse nature of this captivating cosmos.
Swedes proverbially say “Lagom är bäst,” the right amount is the best, or as it is sometimes translated “Enough is as good as a feast.” In From Holmes to Sherlock Mattias Boström stands this adage on its head. He gives us a perfect feast—far better than any moderating cultural norm. Standing high above the Sherlockian plane, Mr. Boström need not worry of being whacked back into a mole hole of critical or literary conformity. His tale is too majestic. Besides, Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson would never allow such a thing to happen.
Timothy J. Johnson
Curator of Special Collections and Rare Books
E. W. McDiarmid Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections
Cheryll L. Fong
Assistant Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections
University of Minnesota Libraries
A long time ago, when I tried to learn a little bit about Swedish culture and history—including the language—a Swedish word, lagom, popped into view. It is a complex word with a rich history that might be used to portray the essence of Swedish society. Lagom is a leveling term, weighted with senses of sufficiency, appropriateness, or “just enough.” In other words, lagom comes into play if society views you as better than the rest, an expert, or highly accomplished. No one is allowed to stick their head very far above the plane of Swedish society. Lagom won’t permit it. It is a kind of whack-a-mole cultural mentality.
I’ll be the first to admit that the entire concept of lagom may be stereotypical or clichéd. My current sense of Swedishness comes from viewing episodes of Wallander on television or wondering about a girl with a dragon tattoo. But if lagom still operates in Swedish society, especially within its literary neighborhoods, then Mr. Mattias Boström better put on some padding and watch his head. He might get walloped in a big way because he’s written a book about Sherlock Holmes that is head and shoulders above anything we’ve seen lately.
He may have already taken a few hits from literary compatriots and neighboring critics. From Holmes to Sherlock, the 2017 title under review here, is an English translation (and expansion, by a considerable number of pages) of the 2013 Swedish original, Från Holmes till Sherlock (Stockholm: Piratförlaget). Swedish reviewers were impressed, even as they fingered their mole mallets. Danish reviewers had their chance to whack Mr. Boström back into place—I don’t view lagom as a practice exclusively in the Swedish domain—when the Danish translation, Fra Holmes til Sherlock, appeared in 2014 (Modtryk, translated by Connie Møller Christensen). Germans got their chance to take a swing when Von Mr. Holmes zu Sherlock – Meisterdetektiv, Mythos, Medienstar appeared in 2015. This btb/Random House edition, translated by Susanne Dahmann and Hanna Granz, demonstrated another reason readers and reviewers might want to pummel Mr. Boström: he keeps revising the text. Given all the tinkering he’s done since—he continued the practice with the 2016 Norwegian edition (Quintano, translated by Ragnhild Aasland Sekne and Anlaug Lia) and now the expanded English edition, smartly translated by Michael Gallagher—Boström presents himself as both a prominent and moving target (in a good way).
Tinkering aside—and we’re glad he continued to fiddle with the text—Boström accomplishes a remarkable feat in 597 pages with a style and grace that leaves one nearly speechless. In the course of 111 episodic chapters spread over eight chronological sections, he elegantly compresses 140 years of Doylean and Holmesian adventure into a transcendent tale tracing the evolution of the world’s most famous consulting detective from his first appearance on the pages of the Beeton’s Christmas Annual (1887) to his twenty-first century digital reincarnation on fanfiction platforms and in the restoration of a supposedly lost silent film.
One gets a sense of the magnitude of Boström’s accomplishment by considering the following slices of the Sherlockian universe: Ronald De Waal’s magisterial four volume bibliography, The Universal Sherlock Holmes, covers the years 1887 to 1994 and lists 24,703 items. Archive of Our Own (AO3) list 105,694 creative works on Sherlock Holmes and related fandoms; all of these pieces were produced in the last decade! Together they account for over 130,000 creations inspired by the adventures of Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson.
It is as if Boström took all these works—texts, commentaries, illustrations, animations, movies, podcasts, the lot—and energetically, yet gracefully compressed them into an evolutionary narrative that allows us to comprehend the true genius of Sir Arthur’s Victorian creation—and all who have followed in his wake. Boström’s magnum opus, for that is what it is, delivers on the promise of his subtitle: a compelling story of the men and women who created an icon. Doyle’s first Sherlockian scratch on foolscap is the Big Bang of the Sherlockian universe. What Boström allows us to witness, and appreciate, is the ever expanding creative, poignant, and diverse nature of this captivating cosmos.
Swedes proverbially say “Lagom är bäst,” the right amount is the best, or as it is sometimes translated “Enough is as good as a feast.” In From Holmes to Sherlock Mattias Boström stands this adage on its head. He gives us a perfect feast—far better than any moderating cultural norm. Standing high above the Sherlockian plane, Mr. Boström need not worry of being whacked back into a mole hole of critical or literary conformity. His tale is too majestic. Besides, Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson would never allow such a thing to happen.
Timothy J. Johnson
Curator of Special Collections and Rare Books
E. W. McDiarmid Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections
Cheryll L. Fong
Assistant Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections
University of Minnesota Libraries
September 18, 2017
Dense, imaginative, meticulously researched, with 40-plus pages of Sources and a bibliography nearly as long. Occasionally meandering but never dull; an excellent read for anyone intrigued by the persistence of Sherlock Holmes.
March 8, 2021
Great read for Sherlock Holmes' fans. Insight into the background of Sherlock Holmes and how the stories were published and made available to the world and the internal rivalries which almost scuttled many ways of publishing the books and stories.
May 4, 2021
חובה למעריצי הולמס.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews