The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (The World's Classics) [Paperback]

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Christopher Roden (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 1995 | Series: The World's Classics

Containing a fascinating variety of stories, from narratives by Holmes himself to a meeting with his brilliant brother and the climactic and seemingly fatal meeting between Holmes and the criminal mastermind Moriarity, this volume sealed Holmes' immortality as a literary figure.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Penzler Pick, February 2000: What is there about the greatest series of short stories in the history of the world that hasn't already been said? This is the second (of five) story collections by Doyle about the greatest detective in literature--and a splendid volume it is, containing such superb puzzles as "The Greek Interpreter," in which readers are introduced to Mycroft Holmes; "The Musgrave Ritual"; "Silver Blaze"; and the earth-shattering "The Final Adventure," recounting the struggle between Holmes and the evil Professor Moriarty in which the two titans were apparently killed as they went over the edge of the Reichenbach Falls.

But every mystery reader already knows this. I'm pointing out this marvelous book because it has been extensively annotated by a fine Sherlockian scholar, Les Klinger, who has brought to all serious students of the Holmesian canon a level of erudition seldom encountered. In addition to the expected illustrations from The Strand magazine and meticulous scrutiny of chronological evidence of various events, there are references to primary sources and a staggering helping of information from the thousands of works about Sherlock Holmes by others.

More than 30 years ago, another great Sherlockian scholar, William S. Baring-Gould, produced a ground-breaking volume that enjoyed more than 35 printings in its original two-volume format and probably sold just as many copies in a slightly less elaborate one-volume size. The Annotated Sherlock Holmes became the single most essential volume in the library of any true Sherlockian, of which the world has far more than you think.

Les Klinger has acknowledged Baring-Gould in every way imaginable, and it was an act of extraordinary courage to attempt to supercede that monumental work. But that is exactly what he appears to be doing. The first volume, his annotated edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, was introduced by the same publisher last year. There are seven yet to come.

If you want to master just about everything there is to know about The Great Detective and The Good Doctor, to understand what Holmes meant when he referred to "a comet vintage" of wine, and to know what discrepancies there are between the English and American editions of the works, plus a thousand other things relating to Holmes, Watson, and the England of the Victorian era, you must have this volume, as well as all the others in the series as they become available over the next few years. --Otto Penzler --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From Library Journal

This BBC radio production presents all 12 short stories in Conan Doyle's 1893 Memoirs collection, which includes such gold as "Silver Blaze," "The Musgrave Ritual," and "The Final Problem." This is radio drama in the grand tradition, and the programs feature fine acting, moody sound effects, and original violin music. The stories are generally convincing, with Clive Merrison and Michael Williams taking on the roles of the consulting detective and his doctor friend Boswell. Williams is quite fine as the dutiful and often perplexed Watson, but Merrison's Holmes at times comes across as confused and even pompous. Generally, however, he does the role justice. Pop in a tape, close your eyes, and be transported back to Victorian London. The lights on Baker Street are always on. Recommended.?Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 2, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192823752
• ISBN-13: 978-0192823755
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,693,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eleven exciting Holmes stories, March 18, 2010

By 

Louie Louie (Saipan) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (Twelve-Point Series) (Kindle Edition)

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a number of books, but to me, nothing really worked like his Sherlock Holmes mysteries. The characters are believable, and one begins to think that one almost knows them. The characters in Doyle's other books just don't have the same character.

I've read all these stories before, but I had forgotten how they all turn out at the end. They are perfect for reading just before sleeping; you can finish one story easily each night before your eyes close and drift off to sleep.

I love the way Holmes sees even the smallest details and is able to deduce truths from them. Of course these are classics that people will enjoy for centuries.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!!, May 21, 2010

By 

Renee Marksman "Renee" (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (Twelve-Point Series) (Kindle Edition)

I love reading Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and now I have them on my ipod! The stories has a couple of typos, but nothing that ruins the story. The complete stories are all there, with no missing parts. The pages are easy to read, flip, and use. I really enjoy using Kindle to read my stories, it's easy to use, and has all the features that I want like view lock, and automatic page saving. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves reading Holmes!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book!, February 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (The Sherlock Holmes Reference Library) (Paperback)

This is the perfect follow up to Klinger's annotated "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." It is exhaustively researched, beautifully printed, and tastefully illustrated. The scope of the annotations are awesome, and truly enhance the appreciation of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Both die-hard fans and casual readers will absolutely love this book!