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Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters
 
 
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Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters (Hardcover)

~ Jon Lellenberg (Author), Daniel Stashower (Author), Charles Foley (Author) "Arthur Conan Doyle's literary turn of mind showed itself early..." (more)
Key Phrases: bad correspondent, Conan Doyle, Mary Doyle, Sherlock Holmes (more...)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
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  Hardcover, October 31, 2007 $2.74 $1.16 $0.04
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Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters + The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes: The Life and Times of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle + The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics Behind the Great Detective's Greatest Cases
Price For All Three: $29.86

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. This fascinating collection of previously unpublished letters from the creator of Sherlock Holmes offers a revealing glimpse of a Renaissance man fated to be overshadowed by his most famous character. Beginning with correspondence from Doyle as an eight-year-old in 1867, the editors offer a warts-and-all picture of his life until 1920, 10 years before his death, covering the author's frank accounts of life at a boarding school, his struggles as a young doctor and aspiring writer, and his political advocacy. Those seeking insights into the creation of Holmes may be disappointed; while Doyle's ambivalence toward Holmes is well known, this collection reveals the extent to which he viewed his character principally as a source of income rather than a lasting legacy. The editors—Doyle experts Lellenberg and Stashower, and Doyle's great-nephew Foley—have nicely balanced the content: the letters reveal Doyle's stiff upper lip when he lost a son during the Great War, and his sense of humor, as in a hilarious report to his mother on the birth of his daughter Mary. This will be essential reading for all fans of Conan Doyle and his sleuth. (Andrew Lycett's biography of Conan Doyle, The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes, is due from the Free Press this fall.) Illus. (Nov. 1)
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Review

“ A candid, personal portrait of [Arthur Conan Doyle] . . . The most comprehensive single volume out there.”
—Time --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 720 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The; annotated edition edition (November 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1594201358
  • ISBN-13: 978-1594201356
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #237,996 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Arthur Conan Doyle's literary turn of mind showed itself early. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
bad correspondent
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Conan Doyle, Mary Doyle, Sherlock Holmes, New York, South Africa, Greenhough Smith, Charles Doyle, Micah Clarke, The White Company, James Payn, Aunt Annette, The Strand, Charlotte Drummond, The Speckled Band, Jean Leckie, Temple Bar, Boer War, The Stark Munro Letters, Brigadier Gerard, Michael Conan, Sir Nigel, Edinburgh University, Ward Lock, Great Britain, Home Rule
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters
77% buy the item featured on this page:
Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters 5.0 out of 5 stars (6)
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The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes: The Life and Times of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 4.7 out of 5 stars (11)
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The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle: A Biography
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The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle: A Biography 4.5 out of 5 stars (4)
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The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for Conan Doyle fans, November 3, 2007
By Randall Stock (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is the first book of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's private letters, many of which have never been published. It provides an intimate and unvarnished view of the famous author that should appeal to both serious Sherlockians and casual readers interested in Conan Doyle.

These letters reveal details of everyday life not mentioned in biographies, and clarify events that many biographers tend to gloss over. We also learn some new things about the Sherlock Holmes stories, including the fact that two prominent Holmes fans encouraged Conan Doyle to continue writing them when he might have stopped.

As a Conan Doyle researcher, I've produced FAQs and web checklists of Conan Doyle manuscripts and archival materials. I'd expected this to be purely a reference book but I ended up reading it straight through. Conan Doyle's style is very readable, and the editors provide excerpts from his autobiography and other details for a smoothly-flowing narrative that's interesting and engaging.

Anyone doing research on Conan Doyle or Sherlock Holmes will want to consult this volume. Even if you've already read a biography about Conan Doyle, you should read this book of his uncensored letters. You're certain to learn something new and get a fresh perspective on the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Company, December 8, 2007
It took me about a week to read this volume, and it became a very comfortable companion. I felt the three editors, men with uniquely close relationships with the life of Arthur Conan Doyle, were intelligent commentators on the material that hovered outside the actual letters, and made good decisions on what the reader needs to understand the text. I have read several biographies over a lifetime of study of Dr. Doyle's most famous creation, but I never before felt a real sense of kinship with the author. All knowledge had been perceived through the filter of each biographer's particular prejudices, not to mention the inavailability of much family material including these letters. Reading this book, I felt the full strength of his personality and the familial forces that had shaped his principles and politics. What's more, his sometimes puckish, sometimes ponderous sense of humor was demonstrated clearly to me for the first time.

Everything about the book -- the photographs and drawings, the clear and handsome style of each page, the careful index -- gave further examples of the intelligent, thoughtful decisions by its editors and publishers. Let me recommend this book.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars According to Doyle, November 20, 2007
By Christian Schlect (Yakima, Washington/USA) - See all my reviews
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Three well informed editors have done outstanding work in presenting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's personal letters in a clean and understandable format.

While by its nature not a biography, this book certainly helps reveal the very robust, varied, and patriotic life led by the creator of Sherlock Holmes. It is also a touching study in letters of the lifelong love of a son for a devoted mother.

All Baker Street Irregulars, as well as students of English literature of the period, are encouraged to buy this book for their libraries.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A really good book
If you love Sherlock Holmes (I really do) you will love finding out about the creator behind the worlds greatest creation. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Nik

5.0 out of 5 stars Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's family letters are a revealing insight into the life of the creator of Sherlock Holmes
Mention the name of Sherlock Holmes and the name of his creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is instantly recalled. Read more
Published 21 months ago by C. M Mills

5.0 out of 5 stars Unpublished Letters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The presentation represents unique unpublished letters of
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The letters were written in the
1860s- some are dated others are not dated. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Joseph S. Maresca

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