I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

Sherlock Holmes Expert to Speak at CSI Exhibition

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"a Wagner night" [REDC]</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvd6BNu_tBp0jfUS2AF4CfsgYAsGo0TPyKOdsoOuvOOhCOAn5iVBmLTtPkPmVWThJZsqsfAoLiX5Vcnrmc0MJzjaA6YsrwO1OE4Cbco9t9sfuMmeEMJpqOlMZLKiDXTYKUFPf3RlmNKCIK/s1600/Crime+Scene+-+Frank+Mahon+(Flickr).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A CSI scene" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvd6BNu_tBp0jfUS2AF4CfsgYAsGo0TPyKOdsoOuvOOhCOAn5iVBmLTtPkPmVWThJZsqsfAoLiX5Vcnrmc0MJzjaA6YsrwO1OE4Cbco9t9sfuMmeEMJpqOlMZLKiDXTYKUFPf3RlmNKCIK/s640/Crime+Scene+-+Frank+Mahon+(Flickr).jpg" title="Crime scene" width="640" /></a></div>
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Crime historian and storyteller <a href="http://www.forensic.to/webhome/ejwagner/">E.J. Wagner</a> writes on the <a href="http://crimelabproject.blogspot.com/2007/07/csi-experience-at-boston-museum-of.html">CLP Forum</a> - that's the blog for the Crime Lab Project and forensic science - that she'll be speaking at the <a href="http://www.mos.org/">Museum of Science</a> in Boston.<br />
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From September 30, 2007 to January 1, 2008, the traveling exhibit <a href="http://mos.org/visitor_info/museum_news/press_releases&d=1896">CSI: The Experience</a> will be making its debut at the MOS. According to the press release:<br />
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Visitors are led by cast members who portray investigators on the television show, along with their real-life counterparts, through three separate crime scenes: a city alley, a suburban home, and a woodland. In each setting, visitors are challenged to identify and gather evidence, analyze materials with the help of the latest scientific and technological advances; formulate hypotheses about the crime; and confirm and communicate their findings.</blockquote>
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And E.J. Wagner - known to Sherlockians for her Edgar Award-winning book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471648795?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0471648795">The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics Behind the Great Detective's Greatest Cases</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0471648795" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> - will be speaking at the exhibit in the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Crimes, History and Mystery</span> lecture series on October 17. Her topic will be "Superstition, Science and Sherlock Holmes."<br />
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This sounds like a marvelous event - one I know that I plan to attend. With any luck, as the exhibit travels around the country, Ms. Wagner will be available to deliver similar talks.<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://flic.krp7ncizz/" target="_blank">Frank Mahon (Flickr)</a></i><br />
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Sherlock Holmes Expert to Speak at CSI Exhibition

"a Wagner night" [REDC] Crime historian and storyteller E.J. Wagner writes on the CLP Forum - that's the blog for the C...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 04: Sherlockian 101 (Part 1)

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We've received a lot of correspondence from listeners asking us about some of the basics of the Sherlockian world – thank you for taking the time to contact us and let us know what's on your mind. In order to ensure that we're all working from the same level of knowledge, we'll cover some of the fundamentals of "the Game." Since this is such a broad topic, this will be a two-part show – you can find <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose05" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">part 2 here on Episode 5</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Show topics:</span><br />
<ul>
<li>Listener mail - how do I get into a Sherlockian society?</li>
<li>What do we mean by Canonical?</li>
<li>Which are the best Sherlock Holmes stories to read? Where should I begin?</li>
<li>Holmes and Watson as real people - the beginnings of Sherlockian scholarship</li>
<li>Some details about Baker Street - particularly 221B</li>
<li>How we use short-hand to refer to the stories</li>
<li>Close connection with and nostalgia for the Victorian/Ewardian era when the Baker Street Irregulars was founded in 1934</li>
<li>You say Sherlockian / I say Holmesian</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Links for this episode:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006BR56K?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0006BR56K" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>The Annotated Sherlock Holmes</i></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0006BR56K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (William S. Baring-Gould)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.sherlockian.net/world/chronology.html" target="_blank">The leading problems of chronology</a></li>
<li><a href="http://webpages.charter.net/lklinger/Chrotabl.htm">A table of major events in the stories</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SIKOAU/103-9734229-0952650?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000SIKOAU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>The Date Being -- ?</i></a> (Andrew Jay Peck)</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Morley" target="_blank">Christopher Morley</a></li>
<li>Ronald A. Knox's <a href="http://www.diogenes-club.com/studies.htm" target="_blank">Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140070354/103-9734229-0952650?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0140070354" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Letters to Sherlock Holmes</i></a></li>
<li>Jay Finley Christ's <a href="http://ihose.co/ABREV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">list of four-letter abbreviations of the 60 stories</a></li>
<li>Writings about the writings - <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/05/the-lord-harry-illu_14.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes phenomena</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sherlockholmes.stanford.edu/">Discovering Sherlock Holmes</a> (Stanford University)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393059162/103-9734229-0952650?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0393059162" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes</i></a> (Leslie S. Klinger)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bestofsherlock.com/story/storyhm.htm" target="_blank">The best Sherlock Holmes stories</a>, from Randall Stock and originally in the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" target="_blank"><i>Baker Street Journal</i></a></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Image credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30713600@N00/3057997037">Martin Abegglen (Flickr)</a></span><br />
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Episode 04: Sherlockian 101 (Part 1)

We've received a lot of correspondence from listeners asking us about some of the basics of the Sherlockian world – thank you for tak...

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by Scott Monty

Gillette to Brett II Is Coming

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"I never can resist a touch of the dramatic" [NAVA]</h4>
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Oh, those guys over at Wessex Press! Not satisfied with producing one YouTube video, they made a sequel. Well, it only stands to reason, as <a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/html/g2b.html">From Gillette to Brett II</a> is a sequel of sorts.<br />
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This time, they've upped the high drama and created a trailer reminiscent of the old Rathbone-Bruce trailers. See for yourself:<br />
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If you're having trouble seeing the video, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn03_oHXASI">click here</a> to go directly to YouTube.<br />
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--

Gillette to Brett II Is Coming

"I never can resist a touch of the dramatic" [NAVA] Oh, those guys over at Wessex Press! Not satisfied with producing one You...

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by Scott Monty

Foreign Editions of the Sherlock Holmes Stories

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"an appointment with the Foreign Agent" [BRUC]</h4>
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One of the passions of a few select Sherlockians is collecting foreign editions of the stories. In fact, there's one Sherlockian out there - Don Hobbs by name - who refers to himself as "The Maniac Collector." You can actually read Don's weekly column, <a href="http://sherlockpeoria.net/ManiacCollector/Maniac2007/ManiacColl071507.html">The Maniac Collector's Inbox</a> on Brad Keefauver's <a href="http://sherlockpeoria.net/">SherlockPeoria</a> site.<br />
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[Note: you can listen to Don's interview with us on <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose64" target="_blank">Episode 64</a>]<br />
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Before we were a global economy, some of the grand Sherlockians took great pride in their foreign editions. The late <a href="http://www.nashvillescholars.net/interviews/shawSantaFe.htm">John Bennett Shaw, BSI</a> was one of them. It was he who spurred the interest in foreign editions by Dorothy (wife of <a href="http://www.ash-nyc.com/TLStix.htm">Tom</a>, the fourth head of the BSI (from 1987-1997)) Stix. FYI, it was Tom who first extended an invitation to the BSI dinner to us.<br />
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So, as an enthusiastic (albeit slightly nervous) 25 year-old arrived in New York for his first BSI dinner, we was immediately put at ease by Dorothy. While Tom could be an imposing figure for the uninitiated, Dorothy was the Welcome Wagon, the fairy godmother and the diplomat of the pair. We're happy to say that from her retirement home in Florida, Dorothy is occasionally in touch with us via email and is a regular reader of this site. So when she wrote and informed us that she's selling off her collection of foreign editions, we immediately offered to help.<br />
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By clicking on the icon at the right you can download a copy of Dorothy's master list of the<a href="http://h1.ripway.com/wsmonty/BakerStreetBlog/ForeignEditionsSherlockHolmes-Original.3.pdf" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/images/doc_pdf.gif" style="float: right; height: 54px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 54px;" /></a> foreign editions up for sale. Warning: it's a 37-page file (233 KB) with nearly <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">500</span> titles. From Arabic to Ukranian, there's a little something for everyone. "Black Peter" in Pig Latin? Eckchay! John Bennett Shaw's 1956 edition of <span style="font-style: italic;">Petite Histoire Du Roman Policier</span>? Oui. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</span>  in Hebrew? It's there, thank G-d.<br />
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Take a browse through this remarkable catalog and see just how globally relevant Sherlock Holmes is. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised.<br />
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Foreign Editions of the Sherlock Holmes Stories

"an appointment with the Foreign Agent" [BRUC] One of the passions of a few select Sherlockians is collecting foreign editions ...

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by Scott Monty

Minneapolis, Mackler and Meiser

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"my collection of Ms is a fine one" [EMPT]</h4>
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As you may know, the Norwegian Explorers hosted a wonderful event two weekends ago in Minneapolis, called <span style="font-style: italic;">Victorian Secrets and Edwardian Enigmas</span>. The buzz from the event is still palpable and many Sherlockians attended from around the globe.<br />
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The event was hosted at the Elmer L. Andersen Library at the University of Minnesota, which is noted for its remarkable <a href="http://special.lib.umn.edu/rare/holmes.phtml">Sherlock Holmes Collections</a>, one that is unrivaled anywhere else in the world. The Collections were established in the 1970s with the purchase of James Iraldi's remarkable collection of first editions, then solidified with the bequest of the collection of <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/tradition-heritage/cortisone-discovery.html">Dr. Phillip Hench</a>, who owned <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">four copies</span> of the <a href="http://members.aol.com/shbest/ref/beetons-christmas-annual.htm">Beeton's Christmas Annual</a>, which contained the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes. It was solidified with the addition of the Frederic Dorr Steele collection of artwork, the Edith Meiser collection of original radio scripts, and John Bennett Shaw's comprehensive collection of - well, everything.<br />
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Victorian Secrets and Edwardian Enigmas: the Riddles of the Rooms of 221B Baker Street was more than a conference, though. It is also a major exhibit at the Andersen that is on display until August 20, 2007, and features miniature and life-sized recreations of 221B Baker Street. You can <a href="http://special.lib.umn.edu/rare/holmes/victorianguidefinalcompressed.pdf">download a full exhibit catalog in PDF form</a>, containing a warm tribute to the late S. Allen Mackler, BSI.</div>
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We had known Allen for many years by his frequenting the BSI table in the Vendors' Room during the BSI Weekend. Diminutive and unassuming, he was friendly and humble and would always purchase whatever <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale.html">books the BSI had to offer</a>. So imagine my surprise when I read in the catalog that Allen's estate is the largest bequest ever received by the Collections: some five to six thousand volumes of books, as well as numerous videos & DVDs, and original art. One of the prizes is this original drawing of Sherlock Holmes by Sidney Paget, created for "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League."<br />
<blockquote>
"All the afternoon he sat in     the stalls...enwrapped in the music at St.     James’s Hall..." [REDH]</blockquote>
This was entirely appropriate, as Allen's investiture was "Sarasate" and he was first a record librarian for WETA of National Public Radio, later becoming an on-air host for several classical music programs.<br />
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While I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting the Sherlock Holmes Collections, I have been lucky enough to meet Tim Johnson, the curator. Tim is erudite and extremely knowledgeable, and the collection is in excellent hands with Tim at the helm. If you'd like to get to know Tim and the collection, I a unique opportunity for you.<br />
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WCCO in Minneapolis did both a television and a radio interview with Tim, which also featured Chris Kehoe, who portrays Holmes in the play <a href="http://www.showboat.umn.edu/sherlock.html">Sherlock's Last Case</a> from June 15 - August 25, 2007. On WCC0 830 AM, <a href="http://www.830wcco.com/pages/3452.php?">Don Shelby</a> - a radio host and TV anchor who really knows his Sherlock Holmes - interviewed Chris and Tim for <a href="http://www.830wcco.com/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=848525">his show on June 29</a>. You'll hear him dig deep for the interview and acknowledge that he's been involved in this scene for some time. In fact, he was instrumental in convincing Edith Meiser to send her papers to the Collections.<br />
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And if you'd like to see the exhibit for yourself, hurry out to Minneapolis before it concludes on August 20th. I'm sure Tim Johnson would love to hear from you - make sure you stop by their <a href="http://special.lib.umn.edu/rare/holmes.phtml">web site</a> and see everything they have to offer.<br />
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--<br />
<br />

Minneapolis, Mackler and Meiser

"my collection of Ms is a fine one" [EMPT] As you may know, the Norwegian Explorers hosted a wonderful event two weekends ago...

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by Scott Monty

Sherlockians at MAD Magazine

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"from amid the mad elements" [FIVE]</h4>
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While we may hear of Sherlock everywhere, it's equally as encouraging to hear of Sherlockians everywhere. Ever since the first time we attended a Sherlockian event (a Men on the Tor dinner in October, 1985 at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette_Castle_State_Park" target="_blank">Gillette Castle</a>, if you must know), we've been astounded at the variety of individuals we've met who share this hobby.<br />
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The cast of characters is as robust and diverse as those we find in the Canon itself: doctors, lawyers, engineers, tradesmen, housewives, politicians, businesspeople, performers - the list goes on and on. Just last Thursday, I had occasion to be New York City for business and I had an impromptu dinner with some of my favorite fellow Sherlockians. The list included a copywriter, a toxicologist, a lawyer and an accountant.<br />
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So imagine our elation (note we didn't say "surprise") when we came across a blog written by <a href="http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog" target="_blank">Tom Richmond</a>, an artist for MAD, Magazine. Tom is a self-professed "humorous illustrator" and he follows in the footsteps, figuratively and stylistically, of some great MAD artists.<br />
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[Side note: Tom later joined us on <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose65" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 65</a>]<br />
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In addition to his artistic abilities, Tom has a turn for Sherlock Holmes. He had written previously about <a href="http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog/?p=850" target="_blank">listening to some audio recordings</a> by David Ian Davies while he worked in the studio. Evidently, Tom was a bit frustrated that, because of the way Davies' various recordings were published, there wasn't a comprehensive, organized Canon even though Davies recorded every story.<br />
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So like any dedicated and enterprising Sherlockian, he took up his pen and wrote to the narrator himself, registering his concern. He requested a collection that would take the listener from start to finish, encompassing all 56 short stories and four novels. Davies responded in kind and as a result, Tom was commissioned to do the cover art for the collection. Talk about an homage!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.audible.com/" target="_blank">Audible.com</a> now features this set under the title <em><strong>One Voice Chronological: The Consummate Holmes Collections</strong></em>. While I haven't listened to any of Davies' work, it is well-known and well-regarded in Sherlockian circles. <a href="http://www.onevoicerecordings.com/" target="_blank">David's site</a> contains high praise from the likes of Charles Prepolec of <a href="http://www.bakerstreetdozen.com/didaudio.html" target="_blank">bakerstreetdozen.com</a> and Roger Johnson of the <a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/district.php" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes Society of London</a>.<br />
<br />
[David later joined us for <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose40" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 40</a>]<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134349673&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
One final note: it's nice to see that Tom is keeping up with the MAD tradition of honoring Holmes. Don Martin, "MAD's Maddest Artist," produced this memorable piece:<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2630/4181734615_c2eb2f7ddb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2630/4181734615_c2eb2f7ddb.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
<br />
--<br />
<br />

Sherlockians at MAD Magazine

"from amid the mad elements" [FIVE] While we may hear of Sherlock everywhere, it's equally as encouraging to hear of Sher...

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by Scott Monty

We Could Use Your Help

In the comments section of <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/07/episode-03-mike-berdan.html">Episode 03</a>, a listener made a suggestion that we cover some basics of the Sherlockian world - what is a scion? What goes on at Sherlockian society events? How do I join one?<br /><br />These are excellent questions, and as Burt and I have been playing the Game for many years, I think we forgot about what it's like to be new at this sort of thing. So, as our commitment to you, our listeners, we'll be putting together a show based on the fundamentals of the Sherlockian world.<br /><br />We've all been there at one point or another: learning about a new subject, trying to understand what the experts are talking about, trying to fit in while feeling terribly left out. We don't wnat this sort of thing to happen to you. So, Burt and I will pull from our own experiences to come up with a laundry list of questions to answer. But in order to make this work, we need your help.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What You Can Do</span><br />What are some things you'd like us to talk about with regard to the Sherlockian world? Are there terms that we've used that you're not sure about? Are there activities, publications or people that you'd like to hear about? What sorts of resources do you need?<br /><br />Please drop us a line, leave a comment below or call us at (774) 221-READ to give us an idea of some of the basics that you'd like to learn about. There are no dumb questions. To quote any number of teachers, "The only dumb question is the one not asked." We're here as a resource for you, so ask away!

We Could Use Your Help

In the comments section of Episode 03 , a listener made a suggestion that we cover some basics of the Sherlockian world - what is a scion? W...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 03 - Mike Berdan

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<br />
In this episode, we sit down for a chat with Mike Berdan, BSI to discuss his article "The Adventure of the Dead Detective" in the Spring 2007 Baker Street Journal. Mike tells us about:<br />
<ul>
<li>How he came to be interested in Holmes</li>
<li>His origins with Sherlock Holmes societies</li>
<li>Some of his previous 12 published articles in the Journal</li>
<li>The life of a freelance writer</li>
<li>His inspiration behind the current article</li>
<li>Response to Mike's thesis in his article</li>
<li>Advice for aspiring Sherlockian scholars looking to be published</li>
<li>A surprising revelation</li>
</ul>
It's worth noting that this episode was actually our first recording session; the audio, while not ideal, is leveled better than the previous interview. We hope that you'll be able to listen to it without any difficulty.<br />
<br />
<b>Listen now</b>:<br />
<center>
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<br />
<b>Links from this episode</b>:<br />
Following is a list of some Sherlockian journals that consider contributions for publication:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a>, the premier publication of Sherlockian scholarship<a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/"><br /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ash-nyc.com/muse.htm">The Serpentine Muse</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/journal.php">The Sherlock Holmes Society Journal</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ash-tree.bc.ca/BMT%20CH.htm">Canadian Holmes</a> (from the Bootmakers of Toronto)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.sshf.com/">QuinCahier</a> (from the Societe Sherlock Holmes de France)</li>
<li><a href="http://www1.parkcity.ne.jp/hirayama/">The Shoso-In Bulletin</a> (Japan)</li>
</ul>
Mike's article from the BSJ:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/currentvolumevol57/deaddetectiveno1.html">The Adventure of the Dead Detective</a></li>
</ul>
<a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock03.mp3" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TL5jgdrUh_nM_zlDgxql-jKOFGUVFqhoV6A2JtYklXOu4qmVDyRVbwGV6XrwXZgnG9awSwJ7td-txL1_4KGrpSf4igJLILOim4yJmX5pGTPIdMhCBYLyImSI5gs1MOMUZPAlpAgvtPdb/s1600/podcastIcon.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 20px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 44px;" /></a>Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 22.9 MB, 24:58)<br />
<br />
From now until July 15, the nomination process is open at <a href="http://podcastawards.com/index.php?option=nominate">PodcastAwards.com</a>.<br />
Please consider <a href="http://podcastawards.com/index.php?option=nominate">nominating us</a> for an award in the Cultural / Arts category. We appreciate your support.<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />

Episode 03 - Mike Berdan

In this episode, we sit down for a chat with Mike Berdan, BSI to discuss his article "The Adventure of the Dead Detective" in t...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

"I Have Not Lived Wholly in Vain" [FINA]

With a statement like that it's clear that someone had a fairly high opinion of himself!  Well, to be fair, Sherlock Holmes once said:<br /><blockquote>"I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate one's self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one’s own powers." - The Greek Interpreter<br /></blockquote><br />Today's <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Sherlock Holmes Music Video</span> addresses his sometimes larger-than-life ego.<br /><br /><center><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s7dnlPWCJKI"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s7dnlPWCJKI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object></center><br /><br />If you're using a feed reader, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7dnlPWCJKI">click here</a> for the video.

"I Have Not Lived Wholly in Vain" [FINA]

With a statement like that it's clear that someone had a fairly high opinion of himself! Well, to be fair, Sherlock Holmes once said: ...

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by Scott Monty

Sherlock Holmes and the Public Share this Belief

<h4 style="text-align: center;">
"he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory" [STUD]</h4>
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<br />
Watson himself tells us about his surprise and amazement when testing the knowledge and limits of Sherlock Holmes in A Study in Scarlet:<br />
<blockquote>
His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.<br />
<br />
“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget     it.”</blockquote>
<br />
We're not so sure we would be as surprised today, as we seem to be moving farther away from Classical education and focusing more on seemingly less important topics. But one might also assume that the earth revolving around the sun is a fundamental fact that everyone would seem to be aware of.<br />
<br />
Which is why our forehead is nicely imprinted with palm marks after I reading that <a href="http://www.eightballmagazine.com/diatribes/volume02/034/708.htm">1 in 5 Americans believe Sun revolves around the Earth</a>. Either their brain-attics have been cleared of any unnecessary information or they haven't yet found the doorway to it, thanks to role models like Paris Hilton.<br />
<br />
Sadly, the 20% are nothing like Sherlock Holmes.<br />
<br />
--

Sherlock Holmes and the Public Share this Belief

"he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory" [STUD] Watson himself tells us about his surprise and amazement when testing the k...

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by Scott Monty

"Date, July 7. Hum!" [SIGN]

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<br />
It's now the close of the day - the first chance I've had to sit down and type out a post in quite a few days. I thought it was important that I get one in before the day ran out, as it's an auspicious occasion. Today is <a href="http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/070626_lucky_seven.html">Triple Seven day</a> - 07/07/07. Some may take that as a sign of luck, others may take it as an ominous portent. But Sherlockians take it for something entirely different.<br />
<br />
For you see, it was on July 7, 1930 that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died. Which means that today is exactly <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">77 years</span> since his death.<br />
<br />
Think that's creepy? When you consider that Doyle was an ardent spiritualist and attracted to the occult, it's not unlikely that he believed in superstitions related to numbers. We know he touched on the occult/superstitious/other-worldly in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hound-Baskervilles-Signet-Classics/dp/0451528018/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/103-9734229-0952650?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183861177&sr=8-4">The Hound of the Baskervilles</a>, "<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/devi.htm">The Devil's Foot</a>" and "<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/suss.htm">The Sussex Vampire</a>," in which Sherlock Holmes stated, respectively:<br />
<br />
"I have hitherto confined my investigations to this     world."<br />
"I fear that if the matter is     beyond humanity it is certainly beyond me."<br />
"The world is big enough for us. No     ghosts need apply."<br />
<br />
While Holmes himself was grounded in that which could be explained scientifically, it is well-known that Doyle himself fervently believed in contact with those from beyond the grave. Could it be that he'll somehow make himself known to us? Would that we were so lucky!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, please pause a moment to consider his epitaph on his gravestone at Mindstead Lyndhurst Hants:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
STEEL TRUE<br />
BLADE STRAIGHT<br />
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE<br />
KNIGHT<br />
PATRIOT, PHYSICIAN & MAN OF LETTERS<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
We have much to thank him for today and always.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>