I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

Baker Street Elementary — The Con-fidence Game

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"the free, less conventional attitude" [ABBE] </h4>
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Sherlockians descended on Atlanta this weekend to celebrate <a href="http://221bcon.com/" target="_blank">221B Con</a>. Well, that is they descended as much as their delayed and befuddled airlines would allow them to do so.<br />
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Hundreds of Sherlock Holmes fans of all types, ages, and predilections gathered to celebrate everything that they love about Sherlock Holmes. From panel discussions to performances, there was a bit of everything, so that from the newest convert to the most curmudgeonly dyed-in-the-wool aficionado could find something to occupy themselves.<br />
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Even the <i>Baker Street Journal </i>— that "one fixed point in a changing age" — got into the act, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=%23221BCon%20from%3ABakerStJournal&src=typd" target="_blank">tweeting quotes of relevance</a> with the #221bcon hashtag throughout the weekend. Did it help drive interest in subscriptions? <a href="https://twitter.com/IHearofSherlock/status/850820395485810689" target="_blank">The jury is out</a>, but we hope some of the newer attendees took notice.<br />
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Even our friends at Baker Street Elementary got into the act — in terms of producing a relevant comic strip and by being on the ground at the event. Without further ado...<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Baker Street Elementary</i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in Victorian London. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at </span><a href="http://www.bakerstreetelementary.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #006f85; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">www.bakerstreetelementary.org</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.</span></div>
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Baker Street Elementary — The Con-fidence Game

"the free, less conventional attitude" [ABBE] Sherlockians descended on Atlanta this weekend to celebrate 221B Con . Well,...

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by Scott Monty

The Adventure of the Incognita Countess — A Review

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“the vampire was not necessarily a dead man” [SUSS]</h4>
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On the periphery of Sherlockiana, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3T8DWB" target="_blank">The Adventure of the Incognita Countess</a></i> by Cynthia Ward comes from the world of literary mash-up. If you are not the sort of person who enjoys hypothetical scenarios like “what if Mina Harker’s daughter met Tarzan, and Carmilla of vampiric fame, on the RMS <i>Titanic</i>,” then this delightful short novel will not be your cup of tea. If such a scenario, peppered with figures historical as well as literary, piques your interest, then you won't be disappointed. <br /><br />The Sherlockian connection is slight, but important. The main character is Lucy Harker, daughter of Mina and the product of Dracula’s attentions before he was staked. Mina and Jonathan Harker are now divorced. Mycroft Holmes, of all people, becomes Lucy’s stepfather. Ms. Ward briefly acknowledges the apparent absurdity of this with a recalled comment by Lucy’s unnamed but instantly recognizable step uncle. He disparages Mycroft's falling in love, to a divorced victim of a vampire no less, but later appears to harbor some affection of his own for his new niece. The Holmes men are, after all, still human. And, if you are the less than charitable type, you can always assume Mycroft married Mina Harker just to mold her half-vampire daughter into an ideal secret agent.<br /><br />The story starts in London, 1912. The events described in H.G. Wells’s <i>War of the Worlds</i> are historical fact, and Britain has benefitted greatly from its appropriation of Martian technology. An officer carrying plans for the fabled <i>Nautilus</i> is on his way back to America aboard the new steamer <i>Titanic</i>, and the British government wants to make sure the plans arrive safely. Lucy Harker is chosen for the job, as she is a capable spy and her half-vampiric heritage gives her advantages over mere mortals. Naturally, things go somewhat awry.<div>
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<br /><br />Also on board are a thinly veiled version of Lord Greystoke, a.k.a Tarzan, who is more than happy to voice his opinions on the hypocrisies of “civilized” society, and the Countess Karnstein, who is clearly based on Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s vampire, Carmilla. There are also a pair of German soldiers, whose conversations foreshadow the ‘pure race’ sentiments of the future Nazi party. The mystery itself is basic, and the conclusion dramatic. Much of the story centers around Lucy’s inner reflections on herself, her country and society, to a point where the mission is almost just background scenery. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's different from what I expected. When the climax of the case happened, it was almost a surprise reminder that there was a mission involved in the first place. Predictably, history runs its course. As <i>War of the Worlds</i> taught us, Earth doesn’t like aliens. They aren’t a match for our microbes, and their technology won’t stop an iceberg. <br /><br />Ultimately, this is a love story between a female secret agent and a suicidal vampire, and a character study in feminism and being a woman in a patriarchal society. Though she constantly chafes under the condescension she must endure from men she could literally tear apart, Lucy is so convinced of the men who control her life being right that she never questions the evidence before her eyes until an ‘unrefined’ woman (none other than the unsinkable Molly Brown) who isn’t afraid of bucking societal conventions and speaking her mind tells her what’s what. There's a wonderful moment where Lucy remembers her step uncle’s lesson never to theorize before the facts, which ultimately leads to the realization that most of her life has been based on non-factual theories that women are the weaker sex, and that vampires are by necessity evil.<br /><br /><div>
The book’s ending is wide open for a sequel, with plenty of potential for more figures of legend to meet. Ms. Ward has done a wonderful job setting up her world, and the future challenges her characters will have to face. Of course, if a concerned step uncle were to make more of an appearance, that'd be excellent, but just knowing he's there along with the whole literary universe in the background is good fun too.<br /><br /><i>The Adventure of the Incognita Countess</i> is available<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3T8DWB" target="_blank"> on Kindle and in print</a>.</div>
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The Adventure of the Incognita Countess — A Review

“the vampire was not necessarily a dead man” [SUSS] On the periphery of Sherlockiana, The Adventure of the Incognita Countess by Cynt...

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by Katie Magnusson

Celebrate World Rat Day with Sherlock Holmes

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"the world is not yet prepared" [SUSS] </h4>
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As you probably know, April 4 is <a href="http://www.worldratday.com/" target="_blank">World Rat Day</a>.<br />
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Oh, you weren't aware? Well, we can't fault you. You're probably still hung over from celebrating <a href="https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/ferret-day/" target="_blank">Ferret Day</a> on April 2. Now, please put <a href="https://youtu.be/lxKYxHkMPqE?t=19m4s" target="_blank">Teddy</a> down and give us your full attention.<br />
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The most famous of rodents from the Sherlock Holmes story never actually appeared as an adventure. As one of the most mysterious and tantalizing of the untold tales, the mere mention of the giant rat of Sumatra leaves readers on the edge of their seats, wondering exactly what the case might have concerned.<br />
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You'll recall from "<a href="http://ignisart.com/camdenhouse/canon/suss.htm" target="_blank">The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire</a>":<br />
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“Matilda Briggs was not the name of a young woman, Watson,” said Holmes in a reminiscent voice. “It was a ship which is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared. </blockquote>
As such, it has become one of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Rat_of_Sumatra#In_Sherlockiana" target="_blank">the most popular topics of pastiche and parody</a>.<br />
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And while the very topic might seem to be a flight of fancy — a literary device or invention out of thin air — giant rats actually do exist.<br />
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Dr. Karl Shuker informs us that giant rats are a <a href="http://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-giant-rat-of-sumatra-zoological.html" target="_blank">zoological fact, not fiction</a>. They were first identified in the 1880s by a mammalogist at London's Natural History Museum. But it wasn't until 1983 that researchers determined that the species actually belongs to the genus <i>Sundamys</i>, not the previously assumed <i>Rattus </i>genus.<br />
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And in these remote areas of Indonesia (which isn't all that distant from Sumatra), there are still giant rats roaming today. We even <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/12/giant-rat-of-sumatra-suss_17.html#.WOOtCPkrLb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reported on one found in the "lost world"</a> of these islands.<br />
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Perhaps one way to celebrate World Rat Day is by listening to The Firesign Theatre's album <a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IXHcSBhfkx8" target="_blank">The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra</a>. If you're a fan of puns, this is a treasure trove. If you're not, the first five minutes should suffice.<br />
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However you celebrate, try to stay away from eating too much cheese.<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-giant-rat-of-sumatra-zoological.html">Karl Shuker</a></i><br />
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Celebrate World Rat Day with Sherlock Holmes

"the world is not yet prepared" [SUSS] As you probably know, April 4 is World Rat Day . Oh, you weren't aware? Well, w...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 117: Arthur and Sherlock

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"It is the only personal introduction"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;"> </span> [SUSS] </h4>
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"Just what the world needs," you tell yourself. "Another biography of Arthur Conan Doyle." Full disclosure: we thought the same thing.</div>
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Until we read <i>Arthur and Sherlock</i> by Michael Sims. </div>
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And then our attitudes changed. And then even more so after having a conversation with the author. Fortunately, we recorded that conversation and we're sharing it with you here.</div>
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Michael shared with us the impact of books on his young mind, his journey to writing, and how his earlier works on E.B. White and Henry David Thoreau inspired his style for this book. From Baring-Gould to Joseph Bell, we touch on many familiar names and go deep into this exploration of the elements that inspired Conan Doyle to create his master detective.</div>
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And, if you listen carefully, you'll discover how a certain intestinal discomfort prevented Doyle from killing himself.</div>
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Information on sponsors, links, timing notes and transcript available below.</div>
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And please consider joining our <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Patreon community</a>. Your support helps us to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs, production, and this year, transcription services.</div>
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Sponsors</h3>
This episode includes our two longtime sponsors. Please support our sponsors by visiting their sites:<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">Wessex Press</a>, where you can find <i><a href="http://wessexpress.com/html/speckledband.html">The Illustrated Speckled Band: The Original 1910 Stage Production in Script and Photographs</a></i>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Baker Street Journal</a>, which includes the written transcripts of the annual Baker Street Irregulars Distinguished Lecture series. </li>
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Would you care to become a sponsor? You can find <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/p/contact.html#.Vc1Qx7JViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more information here</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock117.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size 35.1 MB, 1:17:27</h4>
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<b>Notes</b></h3>
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2:21 Welcome<br />
5:53 Sponsor: Wessex Press<br />
7:37 Welcome Michael Sims<br />
11:47 Michael's uncanny ability to time the market<br />
17:00 Michael's first meeting with Sherlock Holmes<br />
22:31 Beginning a writing career<br />
28:39 Bringing Joseph Bell to life<br />
38:07 Sponsor: Baker Street Journal<br />
39:42 Bell's own mentor<br />
47:40 Doyle and Teddy Roosevelt<br />
51:25 The origin of "Sherringford Hope"<br />
55:09 Why stop now?<br />
57:15 Conan Doyle's fan mail<br />
1:05:47 Interview conclusion<br />
1:12:26 Sherlock Holmes Brand ad<br />
1:13:19 Closing remarks</div>
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Links</h3>
<ul>
<li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3MlxCWi">Arthur and Sherlock</a></i> (Amazon)</li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arthur-and-sherlock-michael-sims/1124177794?ean=9781632860392">Arthur and Sherlock</a></i> (Barnes and Noble)</li>
<li>Laurie R. King and Leslie Klinger on IHOSE - <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose105">Episode 105: Echoes of Sherlock Holmes</a>.</li>
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<b>Transcript</b></h3>
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