Author Topic: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party All Month!  (Read 41307 times)

Becke Davis

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January 6, 2020 marks the 166th birthday of the brilliant Baker Street detective, Sherlock Holmes. Born in Portsmouth, England, the feats of the world-renowned detective continue to amaze readers to this day.

http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/bio/bio_one.htm

In addition to Holmes' exploits as detailed by Dr. Watson via Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, several modern day authors of expanded on the Holmes legacy:


https://bookriot.com/2017/03/27/i-spent-a-month-reading-sherlock-holmes-retellings/

https://www.tor.com/2011/12/28/the-great-pastiche-game-notable-non-doyle-holmes-books/

https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Christmas-Demon-Lovegrove/dp/1785658026/ref=sr_1_13?crid=3AX3NNDFMDYOA&keywords=sherlock+holmes+books&qid=1577771065&sprefix=sherlock+holmes%2Caps%2C574&sr=8-13

https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Peculiar-Protocols-Adapted-Journals/dp/1250228956/ref=sr_1_19?crid=3AX3NNDFMDYOA&keywords=sherlock+holmes+books&qid=1577771651&sprefix=sherlock+holmes%2Caps%2C574&sr=8-19

https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Due-Sherlock-Holmes-Adventure/dp/0008348103/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?crid=3AX3NNDFMDYOA&cv_ct_cx=sherlock+holmes+books&keywords=sherlock+holmes+books&pd_rd_i=0008348103&pd_rd_r=c39597fb-5ffc-4220-b2af-4159827280fc&pd_rd_w=bM9XN&pd_rd_wg=QuNuD&pf_rd_p=a6d018ad-f20b-46c9-8920-433972c7d9b7&pf_rd_r=2ZPK8FWPHHDZZ4BP8Z3S&qid=1577771651&sprefix=sherlock+holmes%2Caps%2C574

https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Shadwell-Shadows-Cthulhu-Casebooks/dp/1785652915/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?crid=3AX3NNDFMDYOA&cv_ct_cx=sherlock+holmes+books&keywords=sherlock+holmes+books&pd_rd_i=1785652915&pd_rd_r=c39597fb-5ffc-4220-b2af-4159827280fc&pd_rd_w=bM9XN&pd_rd_wg=QuNuD&pf_rd_p=a6d018ad-f20b-46c9-8920-433972c7d9b7&pf_rd_r=2ZPK8FWPHHDZZ4BP8Z3S&qid=1577771651&sprefix=sherlock+holmes%2Caps%2C574

https://www.amazon.com/Mycroft-Sherlock-Birdcage-Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar/dp/1785659308/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?crid=3AX3NNDFMDYOA&cv_ct_cx=sherlock+holmes+books&keywords=sherlock+holmes+books&pd_rd_i=1785659308&pd_rd_r=c39597fb-5ffc-4220-b2af-4159827280fc&pd_rd_w=bM9XN&pd_rd_wg=QuNuD&pf_rd_p=a6d018ad-f20b-46c9-8920-433972c7d9b7&pf_rd_r=2ZPK8FWPHHDZZ4BP8Z3S&qid=1577771651&sprefix=sherlock+holmes%2Caps%2C574

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Treason-Daughter-Sherlock-Mysteries/dp/1250215617/ref=sr_1_19?keywords=sherlock+holmes+books&qid=1577771826&s=books&sr=1-19

https://www.amazon.com/Mammoth-Book-Chronicles-Sherlock-Holmes/dp/1510709487/ref=sr_1_30?keywords=sherlock+holmes+books&qid=1577771826&s=books&sr=1-30

If I've missed any of your favorite Holmes retellings, share them with us in the comments. If any of the books/series in the links above are favorites of yours, please tell us which ones and why you like them.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2020, 02:53:09 pm by Becke Davis »

Becke Davis

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2020, 07:26:04 pm »
Tell us what you like about Holmes - the character, the books, the TV show, the movies.

What was your introduction to Sherlock Holmes?

Kate Stine, Editor

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2020, 10:26:30 am »
The first Sherlock Holmes mystery I ever read was "The Speckled Band." I was around 11 years old, I think, and the woman talking about the death of her sister made a big impression on me. (I have four younger sisters.)

AgathaC

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2020, 10:31:21 am »
"The Man With the Twisted Lip" blew my mind when I was a kid.


Becke Davis

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2020, 10:35:28 am »
"The Man With the Twisted Lip" blew my mind when I was a kid.

I had red hair when I was young, as did one brother and one sister, so it's not surprising the first Sherlock Holmes story that caught my attention was "The Redheaded League."  I later read that it was one of Conan Doyle's personal favorites.

Kate Stine, Editor

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2020, 10:39:30 am »
Speaking of sisters and Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Springer's terrific Enola Holmes YA novels are just a delight. She started the series in 2006 with THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS in which Sherlock Homes's much younger sister decides to run away from home (and the overbearing supervision of her two older brothers) and makes her way to London and adventure. I believe there are six books total in this series and they'd make a great gift for any young fan of Holmes. We interviewed Nancy Springer a few years ago in the magazine and she was quite interesting. SHe's written lots of fantasy and other YA books.

THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS and THE CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE both won Best Juvenile Mystery Edgar Awards. (She's also won two other Edgars for her work.)

Becke Davis

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2020, 11:21:20 am »
Speaking of sisters and Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Springer's terrific Enola Holmes YA novels are just a delight. She started the series in 2006 with THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS in which Sherlock Homes's much younger sister decides to run away from home (and the overbearing supervision of her two older brothers) and makes her way to London and adventure. I believe there are six books total in this series and they'd make a great gift for any young fan of Holmes. We interviewed Nancy Springer a few years ago in the magazine and she was quite interesting. SHe's written lots of fantasy and other YA books.

THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS and THE CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE both won Best Juvenile Mystery Edgar Awards. (She's also won two other Edgars for her work.)

I'll put this author on my "watch list." (That's like a wish list with an asterisk - I'll look for her books in new and used bookstores.) My daughter and I both read and sort-of unofficially collect YA books.

JRob

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2020, 11:38:17 am »
The first time I discovered Sherlock Holmes was when my parents gave me an illustrated digest sized edition of "The Hound of the Baskervilles". The rest is history.

My friend throws a Halloween/Christmas party mashup the first or 2nd weekend of December each year. There's a theme for the party and costumes. It was Alice in Wonderland this past year and I didn't dress up. But the theme for this year is British Invasion so you can go as any famous Brit. My current plan is to go as Sherlock Holmes.

Becke Davis

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2020, 12:10:29 pm »
The first time I discovered Sherlock Holmes was when my parents gave me an illustrated digest sized edition of "The Hound of the Baskervilles". The rest is history.

My friend throws a Halloween/Christmas party mashup the first or 2nd weekend of December each year. There's a theme for the party and costumes. It was Alice in Wonderland this past year and I didn't dress up. But the theme for this year is British Invasion so you can go as any famous Brit. My current plan is to go as Sherlock Holmes.

That is a great story. I remember seeing a vintage movie version of it that just about scared me to death! I was pretty young, and it was a good introduction to the Holmes' Black and white films. I still enjoy those.

Kate Stine, Editor

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2020, 02:05:23 pm »
I just realized that the interview Mystery Scene did with Nancy Springer, author of the Enola Holmes books, is online. Check out Cheryl Solimini's terrific profile of the author at
https://www.mysteryscenemag.com/component/content/article/20-articles/articles/3035-sherlocks-smarter-sister?highlight=WyJzaGVybG9jayIsInNoZXJsb2NrJ3MiLCJob2xtZXMiLCJob2xtZXMnIiwiaG9sbWVzJ3MiLCJzaGVybG9jayBob2xtZXMiXQ==&Itemid=113

Becke Davis

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2020, 02:37:03 pm »
I just realized that the interview Mystery Scene did with Nancy Springer, author of the Enola Holmes books, is online. Check out Cheryl Solimini's terrific profile of the author at
https://www.mysteryscenemag.com/component/content/article/20-articles/articles/3035-sherlocks-smarter-sister?highlight=WyJzaGVybG9jayIsInNoZXJsb2NrJ3MiLCJob2xtZXMiLCJob2xtZXMnIiwiaG9sbWVzJ3MiLCJzaGVybG9jayBob2xtZXMiXQ==&Itemid=113

Great review! It makes me want to go out and get all six books in the series. I especially like this line: "Is it any wonder then that she gave her only daughter a name that, backward, spells alone?" I've always had a thing about names, and I love it when authors select names partly because of their meaning.

Of the not-quite-Holmes stories, I'm only really familiar with Laurie R. King's Mary Russell books. I'm always nervous to read books "based on" originals. It took me quite awhile to read the Sophie Hannah Poirot books, and was surprised how much I liked them. But the Mary Russell books made me like Sherlock Holmes more - as a person, I'd always found him conceited and annoying. I read the Holmes stories again after reading King's first two or three books and I appreciated them more.

Becke Davis

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2020, 06:46:56 pm »
Just for a moment, let's talk about TV and movies, since there are several versions of Sherlock Holmes stories. Do you prefer the old black and white movies (and if so, which actor does your favorite Holmes portrayal?) or do you like the more modern ones starring Robert Downey, Jr.?

I like the Cumberbatch/Holmes TV episodes, although I though some of them were hard to follow or had loopholes.

Is there an actor you wish had played Holmes?

JRob

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2020, 03:51:52 am »
I've only seen the first Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock movie. It was fine but it felt more like the actor PLAYING a caricature of Holmes than actually playing Holmes.

Nothing beats Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes.

I've seen some of the black and white movies with Basil Rathbone, but it was so long ago that I really don't remember them all that well.

Becke Davis

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2020, 04:55:58 pm »
I've only seen the first Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock movie. It was fine but it felt more like the actor PLAYING a caricature of Holmes than actually playing Holmes.

Nothing beats Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes.

I've seen some of the black and white movies with Basil Rathbone, but it was so long ago that I really don't remember them all that well.

I agree with you. I saw the Downey/Holmes movie and while I didn't dislike it, I had a hard time accepting Downey as Holmes. I like Brett, Rathbone, and Cumberbatch, and I like Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes in the TV show ELEMENTARY.

JRob

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Re: Sherlock Holmes' 166th Birthday - January 6, 2020 - It's a Party!
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2020, 03:54:56 am »


I agree with you. I saw the Downey/Holmes movie and while I didn't dislike it, I had a hard time accepting Downey as Holmes. I like Brett, Rathbone, and Cumberbatch, and I like Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes in the TV show ELEMENTARY.

I would say that Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes in the ELEMENTARY series would be my 2nd favorite portrayal because I loved that show. I watched every episode and I'm planning on buying the series DVD set as soon as I can.