My Favourite Books

Number 7 - The Complete Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle I suppose that anything up to 90% of men above the age of about 40 would choose some form of Sherlock Holmes as one of their top 50 books. This is one of those passions which grips you when you first encounter it at about the age of 10, and which never lets go, ebbing and flowing in intensity through the rest of your life. I had read every single one of the stories before I was 12, and I re-read them sporadically over the years - as I got a bit older I probably read less and less Holmes, until Jeremy Brett re-infused the great detective with televisual vigour and sent me back to the source. What can you say? - the first detective? - no - Sergeant Cuff in 'The Moonstone', Inspector Bucket in 'Bleak House', Javert in 'Les Miserables' and Auguste Dupin in 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' are just some of the fictional sleuths who preceded Holmes. Poe's Dupin, in particular, seems to have been a major influence on Conan Doyle. The Rue Morgue murders require to be solved by the kind of rigorous (and sometimes lateral) thinking which Holmes specialised in (indeed, in the very first ever Holmes story (A Study in Scarlet) the debt to Poe and Dupin is expressly acknowledged when Watson says to Holmes, "You remind me of Edgar Allan Poe's Dupin".) I'm quoting from memory here because I can't lay my hands on the precise passage, but on one occasion Holmes defines part of the science of deduction, saying, "You must first rule out the impossible. Having done that, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true". That is precisely how Dupin solved the Rue Morgue case. Sherlock Holmes was not the first - he may not even have been the greatest - but his longevity is due to the fact that his character is so well-defined by Doyle/Watson, and then subsequently by Hollywood, that we see him clearly as we read. Jeremy Brett largely (though not entirely) eschewed the deerstalker, preferring the sort of headgear pictured, but the acquiline nose, the cold, curt manner, the capacity for intense concentration, the morose moods - all are there all the time. In 'A Study in Scarlet' Watson sketched out Holmes' character - Holmes' knowledge of Literature, Philosophy and Astronomy was nil and that of Politics was feeble. So far as Botany was concerned he knew nothng of practical gardening but was 'well up' on belladonna, opium and poisons generally. He had a profound knowledge of Chemistry and an immense knowledge of sensational literature, being familiar with the detail of every horror perpetrated in the 19th century. He could play the violin well etc etc etc. Thus, we 'know' Sherlock - we understand and admire him. No criminal can escape his clutches. The police are hapless bunglers, mere clueless amateurs (very likely that was entirely true at the end of the 19th century. I make no comment as to how much things have (or have not) changed). Holmes solves the crimes and graciously allows Inspector Lestrade to take the credit. All of this is just escapist perfection for a juvenile - mainly juvenile boys I think. I don't want to fall into any sexist trap here - but I don't think logical deduction is a big thing for the female of the species. This is just a terrific collection of stories - of course it includes 'Silver Blaze' wherein this truly wonderful piece of dialogue occurs, Lestrade (bungling policeman) - "Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?" Holmes - "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time". Lestrade - "The dog did nothing in the night-time". Holmes - "That was the curious incident". You would go a long way to beat that - recommended unreservedly.