The Quotable Sherlock Holmes (Paperback)

by John H. Watson (Author), John H. Watson III (Author), Gerard Van der Leun (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Penzler Pick, December 2000: His roommate and amanuensis, John H. Watson, once described Sherlock Holmes as "the best and wisest man whom I have ever known." With the possible exception of Marv Epstein and Stanley Ellin, two dear old friends now deceased, I have to go along with that assessment. I discovered Holmes when I was pretty young, and nothing was more influential in my choosing this life of crime. The 56 stories and four novels that comprise the true canon are filled with more wisdom and quotable lines than any other single book aside from the Bible and the works of William Shakespeare.

Gerard Van der Leun has extracted scores of wonderful lines from the text, and they are a joy to sample. On jealousy, for example, Holmes says, "They are as jealous as a pair of professional beauties." On lost love: "A man always finds it hard to realize that he may have finally lost a woman's love, no matter how badly he may have treated her." Watson was a ladies' man, but Holmes, though unfailingly polite and protective of women, had his moments of misogyny: "Women are never to be entirely trusted--not the best of them." And: "I assure you that the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money...."

As wonderful as this little volume is, it would be only fair to those who have gone before to note that there have been, over the years, many books devoted wholly or partially to Holmesian quotations, most notably Bruce R. Beamon's Sherlockian Quotations (1977); The Thoughts of Sherlock Holmes by S.H. Moss and R.L. Kuis (1976), My Life with Sherlock Holmes: Conversations in Baker Street by J.R. Hamilton (1944), and The Whole Art of Detection by Sherlock Holmes (compiled by John Bennett Shaw), 1968. Does the world need another compendium of Sherlockian quotations? Sure it does. How many editions of the Bible are there, and how many different versions of Shakespeare's plays? After all, Holmes is the best and the wisest man you will ever know. --Otto Penzler

Product Description
Penzler Pick, December 2000: His roommate and amanuensis, John H.Watson, once described Sherlock Holmes as "the best and wisest man whom I haveever known." With the possible exception of Marv Epstein and Stanley Ellin, twodear old friends now deceased, I have to go along with that assessment. Idiscovered Holmes when I was pretty young, and nothing was more influential inmy choosing this life of crime. The 56 stories and four novels that comprise thetrue canon are filled with more wisdom and quotable lines than any other singlebook aside from the Bible and the works of William Shakespeare.Gerard Van der Leun has extracted scores of wonderful lines from the text, andthey are a joy to sample. On jealousy, for example, Holmes says, "They are asjealous as a pair of professional beauties." On lost love: "A man always findsit hard to realize that he may have finally lost a woman's love, no matter howbadly he may have treated her." Watson was a ladies' man, but Holmes, thoughunfailingly polite and protective of women, had his moments of misogyny: "Womenare never to be entirely trusted--not the best of them." And: "I assure you thatthe most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three littlechildren for their insurance-money...."As wonderful as this little volume is, it would be only fair to those who havegone before to note that there have been, over the years, many books devotedwholly or partially to Holmesian quotations, most notably Bruce R. Beamon'sSherlockian Quotations (1977); The Thoughts of Sherlock Holmes byS.H. Moss and R.L. Kuis (1976), My Life with Sherlock Holmes: Conversationsin Baker Street by J.R. Hamilton (1944), and The Whole Art ofDetection by Sherlock Holmes (compiled by John Bennett Shaw), 1968. Does theworld need another compendium of Sherlockian quotations? Sure it does. How manyeditions of the Bible are there, and how many different versions ofShakespeare's plays? After all, Holmes is the best and the wisest man youwill ever know. --Otto Penzler

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Mysterious Press (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446677272
• ISBN-13: 978-0446677271
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,618,559 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun book of quotations about and by the Great Detective!, November 6, 2000

By	meiringen "meiringen" (the Midwest) - See all my reviews

A modern look at quotations from the Sherlockian Canon, done in an amusing and interesting way. Each group of quotes on a subject is then put under headings such as: "HIS CHOSEN AEROBIC ROUTINE," "JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS," and "PLEASE CONFUSE ME WITH THE FACTS."

The original Sidney Paget drawings are throughout the book, and the cover looks suitably Victorian/Edwardian. It's a small volume, but it contains, as the back page says: "THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HOLMES."

Keep it close by, as a reference tool, or just a book to thumb through. It's worth it!