Episode 224: The Shaw 100

by Scott Monty September 15, 2021

“a ramble through the Ragged Shaw” [PRIO]

John Bennett Shaw addressing the Hudson Valley Sciontists' picnic, Poughkeepsie, New York, 18 September 1976 (courtesy of the Sherlock Holmes Collections)

As the curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries, Tim Johnson has seen just about everything. Almost as much as John Bennett Shaw saw.

When he was putting on his conferences and chatting with the various attendees, Shaw noticed something: there wasn't a definitive list of what every Sherlockian Library should have.

Based on his observations, wide network, and endless library, Shaw developed a list of some 100 books, periodicals, and other material with which every Sherlock Holmes enthusiast should be familiar. This became known as The Shaw 100. Over time, items were added and others deleted.

We talk with Tim about how the collection and the list came to be, what significant changes occurred, and what a Shaw 100 list of 2021 might look like. Can you guess what might be on it?

And of course, we have another Canonical Couplet to challenge your acuity. If you are chosen as a winner, you'll get The Sherlock Holmes Scrapbook by Peter Haining. Answers are due by September 29, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. EDT.

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BONUS CONTENT:

For our Patreon supporters, we have a wonderful talk by John Bennett Shaw from 1986, plus a pamphlet from his 1977 Workshop at the University of Notre Dame. Make sure you don't miss it - especially the joke about Isaac Asimov. This additional material is just for our supporters. Become one for as little as $1 a month on Patreon.