Sherlock: The facts & fiction behind the world's most famous detective

by Martin Fido

Sherlock has become global phenomenon with huge, international popularity. It all began in the nineteenth century with Arthur Conan Doyle's adventures of the great detective which gave rise to one of the most popular genres in fiction: the detective novel. So great is the fame of Sherlock that 221B Baker Street, the fictional residence of Sherlock Holmes, has become a shrine for devoted fans and an essential part of the London tourist map. Sherlock explores the fictional life of the detective and the real life of his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle trained in medicine, fought in the Boer War and had a deep interest in spiritualism. But his real fame came from his writing, particularly the Sherlock Holmes adventures. So popular was his creation that Doyle was forced to revive him after killing him off in 1893. Sherlock Holmes remains familiar to us all from the countless cinema, television and stage adaptations of the stories. In Sherlock, Martin Fido brings to life this enigmatic figure, the man who invented him and the astonishing era from which he came.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm no Sherlockian, but I do have my small collection of Annotated Sherlock (both) and some coffee table books and other tributes. This book just left me a little cold. While it certainly covers a lot of ground - almost every aspect of Conan Doyle and Holmes is covered, hence the three stars - it is more editorial than historical. It's more about the author's opinions (pretty negative on about half the stories). Also, he seems to get certain facts wrong, perhaps because of the breadth of his coverage, which makes me wonder which other facts are wrong that I don't have opportunity to check. His descriptions of Father Brown and Lord Peter make me think that he doesn't enjoy crime fiction quite enough to be a happy guide through it.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very in-depth book, that not only covers a lot of ground in the Sherlock Holmes world, but also goes deep into all subjects. A must read for Sherlock fans!

[J.J. Lair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a few things about life in Doyle’s era of England. The officers in the Army and life. There is a fair amount of time given to Doyle’s other work and family. There is a countdown of Holmes facts through the stories. Why did Holmes persist to be famous when some of it is very dated? I live near Connecticut so the William Gillette stories interested me. Then we get the better actors and movies.
I think the author is fascinated by the character but not the stories. He has opinions on them, not all flattering. He rushed through that part of the book.

[Claire Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has a wide breadth of information and good pictures, but I found typos in my copy and I felt like there were a few mistakes. A good introduction for someone new to Sherlock Holmes. Got it as a Barnes and Noble bargain book and found it to be a good deal for the price.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not agree with all the authors analysis of the stories and novels. Some were purely ridiculous, but full of interesting trivia and information. Great fun to flip through

[Michael Eklund · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting subject, excellently illustrated, boringly written.

[Bikerider99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done source of background information.

[Hiu Ying]

2。

[Lawon Clayton · Rating 2 out of 5]

It didn't go in the direction I thought it would

[Jon Allanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid, if pedestrian, read. Nothing earthshattering, but a fine overview of the author, his creation, and the place the books and the character have found in the world. If you are a Sherlock fan at all, there are certainly worse things you could read.

[David Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A description of some of Conan Doyle's work, how it was received at the time it was written and why, as well as information about Conan Doyle himself and the ways his characters have been used and enjoyed to this day.

[Rachel Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the amateur Sherlockian like me, this was a dense and detailed read but quite interesting.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable collection of facts about all things Sherlock Holmes.