Sherlock Holmes

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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes: The Movie

Holmes never said, “Elementary, my dear Watson”.

The name “Sherlock Holmes” has become one of the most recognizable names in all of history, ranking up there with “Shakespeare”, transcending the name of a single person to become an honored title, withstanding the test of time. There are myriad books, stories, and even movies that deal with the revered detective, so “reading Sherlock Holmes” turned out to be a difficult task. At last, I settled upon a book that presented 12 of Sir Doyle’s stories (the original Adventures):

1. A Scandal in Bohemia
2. The Red-Headed League
3. A Case of Identity
4. The Boscombe Valley Mystery
5. The Five Orange Pips
6. The Man with the Twisted Lip
7. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
8. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
9. The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
10. The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
11. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
12. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

Each of these stories is told by an aging Watson, looking back on his notes for each respective case and detailing how his partner managed to solve each and every case using little else but his lens and his brain. The art lies in the way that Doyle manages to challenge the reader – almost taunting us. He warns us to not speed read, or else Holmes will once again show us up. Whether it is something as seemingly trivial as a cane knocking against the pavement (Red-Headed League), or something as blatantly obvious as a hanging rope (Speckled Band), Doyle has the gift to present to the reader all of the details, yet still leave us in the dark.

Ultimately, what Doyle accomplishes is revolutionary – teaching incompetent detectives and people a thing or two about crime and even life itself. Don’t rush through just for the sake of getting through, lest you be bested by others more careful and introspective. This is definitely recommended for anyone who likes to live life in the fast lane as a guide to slowing down and still living an exciting life and is a necessity for those aspiring to be crime detectives.

Also, a note on Holmes' character: it seems that society has been all too kind to Sherlock Holmes. He was truly a jerk and a druggie, albeit an intelligent one. Whether he be "alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition", or his speaking in condescending manners to Watson.