I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

Queen Elizabeth II Surpasses Queen Victoria As Longest Serving British Monarch

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"a certain gracious lady" [BRUC]</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSJ8jZmTpSwkcnv1gTvXunm_Nho271LhMhi3UTUJxo_UUt-9AaJRwXioWpMjos9xqT0DfAhdMKtacrjwpnAg_A5AgRinrTwsWCwau6bWfwYio5cDyl-27e1gk8ti9zOprGYhSMLz8Cbo1/s1600/QEII+Jubilee+Portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Diamond Jubilee Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 2013" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSJ8jZmTpSwkcnv1gTvXunm_Nho271LhMhi3UTUJxo_UUt-9AaJRwXioWpMjos9xqT0DfAhdMKtacrjwpnAg_A5AgRinrTwsWCwau6bWfwYio5cDyl-27e1gk8ti9zOprGYhSMLz8Cbo1/s1600/QEII+Jubilee+Portrait.jpg" title="Diamond Jubilee Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth" width="640" /></a></div>
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Today, 9 September 2015, marks a very significant day for <i>Her Majesty</i> Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.<br />
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For today is the day that she has surpassed her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria, as the longest-reigning British monarch.<br />
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While Queen Victoria was not mentioned by name in any of the Sherlock Holmes tales, she was certainly referred to in "The Bruce Partington Plans," during which Holmes expressed his regret that "that all the Queen's horses and all the Queen's men cannot avail in this matter." Later in the tale, Watson recounted:<br />
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I learned incidentally that my friend spent a day at Windsor, whence he returned with a remarkably fine emerald tie-pin. When I asked him if he had bought it, he answered that it was a present from a certain gracious lady in whose interests he had once been fortunate enough to carry out a small commission. He said no more; but I fancy that I could guess at that lady's august name, and I have little doubt that the emerald pin will for ever recall to my friend's memory the adventure of the Bruce-Partington plans.</blockquote>
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Elizabeth was born 21 April 1926 to Prince Albert, Duke of York (later George VI) and Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth and after his death, Elizabeth the Queen Mother). Even as a child, she was remarkable; Winston Churchill <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II#Early_life" target="_blank">described her</a> at the age of two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."<br />
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"Lilibet," as she was known to her family, was initially not expected to ascend the throne. While she was third in line to the throne, her uncle the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) was young and was expected to have children. It was only after his abdication and her father's investiture that Elizabeth became heir apparent.<br />
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When her father died on 6 February 1952, she became Elizabeth II at the age of 25. She celebrated her 89th birthday earlier this year and has now earned her rightful place in the record books as the longest serving British monarch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84iiKRcImiq4Bpji3b5wstpcqsVK7Zvp9gm7ncy2gFPiO23vJFB8XykMV00vEDMKBIsqVtvc5_q45k9osUeqT_9vpAWOVHw3-Moydcqa1wE15nAUmLvx-c9e4bofq3jt93sXStGYPIT4A/s1600/A+Portrait+of+Her+Majesty+Queen+Elizabeth+II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Australian-born artist Ralph Heimans painted this Diamond Jubilee portrait of Elizabeth the Second" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84iiKRcImiq4Bpji3b5wstpcqsVK7Zvp9gm7ncy2gFPiO23vJFB8XykMV00vEDMKBIsqVtvc5_q45k9osUeqT_9vpAWOVHw3-Moydcqa1wE15nAUmLvx-c9e4bofq3jt93sXStGYPIT4A/s1600/A+Portrait+of+Her+Majesty+Queen+Elizabeth+II.jpg" title="Diamond Jubilee portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Australian artist Ralph Heimans." width="640" /></a><br />
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God save the Queen.<br />
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Long may she reign!<br />
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Queen Elizabeth II Surpasses Queen Victoria As Longest Serving British Monarch

"a certain gracious lady" [BRUC] Today, 9 September 2015, marks a very significant day for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the S...

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by Scott Monty

Qualify for the Quiz on our Next Episode

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"I had a note from my brother this morning" [STOC] </h4>
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Thank you for your continued interest in "Mental Exaltation," the quiz segment of the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere internet radio show. You can listen to <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose80" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 80</a>, in which our guest Zach Dundas played on behalf of a contestant (annotated below at 1:20:00).<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">If you've listened to NPR shows like </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/" style="color: #006f85; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/" style="color: #006f85; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Weekend Edition Sunday</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, you'll know that there are opportunities for listeners to participate in quizzes. In the former, a guest typically plays on behalf of a listener; on the latter, the listener plays live on the air.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">As </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> (the podcast) has a connection with NPR - we've been called "a cross between NPR's </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Car Talk</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Fresh Air</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">" - we thought it would be entirely appropriate to model our own quiz program after the two above.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Here's how "</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Mental Exaltation</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">" works:</span></div>
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<li>Each month, we'll post a qualifying question to determine a listener who'll play / be played for on the program. Winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries.</li>
<li>If you'd like to enter, you must <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub&publisher=445106&sitescope=45933" style="color: #006f85; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">subscribe to I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere by email</a>.</li>
<li>We'll either have a guest play on your behalf or we'll patch you into the show to have you play over the phone or Skype.</li>
<li>If your player or you succeeds in passing the test, you'll win a random item from our I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Grab-Bag of Goodies (that's the IHOSE GBG).</li>
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<span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Episode 81 of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere will feature author, celebrity and former NBA star Kareem Abdul Jabbar, who has written <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="1783291532" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="cd2980ee10ef76e1a4780d5f01a7e206" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Mycroft Holmes" href="http://amzn.to/1KYSxtN" id="amznPsBmLink_3350407" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mycroft Holmes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_3350407" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=socialmediama-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=cd2980ee10ef76e1a4780d5f01a7e206&_cb=1441721306537" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></i>. Our quiz and the qualifying question are directly related to the book, so stay tuned!</span></span><br />
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<b>Qualify now</b></h3>
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Qualify for the Quiz on our Next Episode

"I had a note from my brother this morning" [STOC] Thank you for your continued interest in "Mental Exaltation,...

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by Scott Monty

Remembering Ray Jessel, of Baker Street Fame

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"one ray of sunlight" [ILLU]</h4>
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We recently discovered that Broadway and Hollywood composer, writer and performer <a href="http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/ray-jessel-dead-love-boat-writer-1201544128/">Ray Jessel passed away on July 17</a> at the age of 85. His connection to the world of Sherlock Holmes was through the 1965 Broadway musical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_Street_(musical)">Baker Street</a>.<br />
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Born in Cardiff, Wales in 1929, Raymond Jessel earned a degree in music from the University of Wales and then emigrated to Canada, where he went to work as an orchestrator and composer for CBC Radio. He wrote a theatrical satire Spring Thaw with Marian Grudeff, which led to a collaboration on Baker Street and the score for a revival of <i>Hellzapoppin</i>.<br />
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Jessel then moved to Hollywood where he began writing for variety shows such as <i>The Dean Martin Show</i>, <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i> and <i>The Smothers Brothers Show</i>. He wrote 34 episodes of <i>The Love Boat</i> — including the two-hour special "The Musical" — and was the story editor for 60 episodes between 1977 and 1980. Jessel also wrote nine episodes of <i>The Head of the Class</i>.<br />
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According to <a href="http://www.rnh.com/bio/169/Jessel-Raymond">Rodgers & Hammerstein</a>:<br />
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Ray Jessel returned to Broadway in 1979, being chosen by Richard Rodgers to write additional lyrics for I Remember Mama. He wrote the lyrics to four songs in the show including "A Little Bit More" — the last song Richard Rodgers was to write for the musical stage.</blockquote>
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But Jessel's surprise talent was actually in performing, which he took up at the age of 72. It was in this capacity that he paid a surprise visit to the Baker Street Irregulars in 2010. He dropped into the BSI cocktail reception and played <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL888E2C347114B076">a handful of songs</a> to the crowd's delight, including the hysterical "Short Term Memory Loss Blues," "Shirley Levine" and one number from <i>Baker Street</i>, "Finding Words for Spring."<br />
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Jessel had also popped into the BSI dinner the evening before, where he talked for a bit about his experience writing <i>Baker Street</i> and regaled us with additional songs from the musical. If you tune in to <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose81" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 81</a> of our podcast, you'll be able to hear some of that as well. And if you'd like another view of <i>Baker Street </i>from a cast member, we spoke with actor Fritz Weaver on <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose26" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 26</a>.<div><br /><iframe title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1115060/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" height="192" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" style="border: none;" data-dashlane-rid="90c3e4cbae4d284d" data-form-type="other" data-dashlane-frameid="3707"></iframe></div><div><br />
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Ray Jessel was an American treasure (ironic, as he was Welsh and Canadian, we know). His ear for music and his sense of humor endeared this funny little man to all who knew him. We count ourselves fortunate for having had the pleasure of seeing him perform live and for being the beneficiary of his excellent work on <i>Baker Street</i>.<br />
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Of course, most of America came to know another side of Jessel rather late via his surprise hit "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtVqD-ac5eQ&ab_channel=WolfSmack" target="_blank">What She's Got</a>," featured on America's Got Talent in 2014. Hide the children.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mtVqD-ac5eQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
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Remembering Ray Jessel, of Baker Street Fame

"one ray of sunlight" [ILLU] We recently discovered that Broadway and Hollywood composer, writer and performer Ray Jessel pas...

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by Scott Monty

The Professor, the Detective and Genderswap

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"the whole sex at his mercy" [ILLU]</h4>
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The original Sherlock Holmes stories have been noted as examples of unbridled masculine friendship, in that one of the appeals of the series is the close friendship depicted between two men. Of course, one question that has come up again and again is, was it just a friendship? Was Holmes truly not interested in the fairer sex? Was Watson the lady's man Doyle described? As the years have gone by, these questions have been explored in many texts, some depicting Holmes as a homosexual, some having both Holmes and Watson in  a loving relationship, others have both men taking lovers, some even have Holmes getting married. <br />
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As <a href="https://www.plymouth.edu/department/english/faculty/profile/ann-mcclellan/" target="_blank">Dr. Ann McClellan</a> has shown in her essay <a href="http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/553/454" target="_blank">Redefining genderswap fan fiction, a <i>Sherlock </i> case study</a>, regardless of the characters' sexual preferences, the characters do take on the roles of both genders on occasion, particularly in the series <i>Sherlock</i> and the new fanfiction which has arisen about the series. We had the opportunity to interview Dr. McClellan in the town of Plymouth, New Hampshire where she is the English Department Chair of Plymouth State University.<br />
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<b>I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere: What is genderswap and how does it relate to Sherlock Holmes, particularly the series <i>Sherlock</i>?</b></h4>
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<b>Ann McClellan:</b> Genderswap is actually quite a complicated term. In fandom, it means stories in which the main characters (or subsidiary characters) change gender from male to female, or female to male. At minimum, one character changes gender, but there are some stories where the authors swap all of the characters’ genders. The term itself is problematic for anyone who studies gender theory, however, because what most of these stories are actually describing is ‘sexswap’—i.e., a character who changes biological sex. But for some reason (perhaps because of the more frequently understood definition of sex as sexual intercourse), most stories do not use this term.<br />
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Sexswap or genderswap often goes beyond biological sex changes as well. Many writers play around with stereotypical gendered behaviors (masculine and feminine) and their association with a particular sex. For instance, you could have a biologically sexed female character, like a female Sherlock, who is identified by her logic and reasoning, lack of emotion, and interest in science—all of which, culturally, have been associated with masculinity and masculine behavior. Or, you could have a male John Watson who is nurturing, a homemaker, etc., which some could argue is exhibiting traditionally feminine characteristics. As you can see, it all gets pretty thorny very quickly!<br />
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When it comes to <i>Sherlock</i> fan fiction, genderswap is a relatively minor subgenre within the thousands of fics published on the web; however, I believe many fans are drawn to it because (a) Sherlock Holmes is such a famous, iconic male heroic character, and (b) he seems to embody many of the most traditional cis masculine behaviors and characteristics (emphasis on logic, rejects emotion, interested in science and the law, lacks close emotional relationships [other than Watson], exists somewhat outside the bounds of law and society, etc.). Many of the blogs and fans I researched thought there wasn’t a female equivalent of that in Western literature or media, and they didn’t want an approximate of Sherlock Holmes: they wanted a female Sherlock Holmes.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: In your article, you explain how both Holmes and Watson in <i>Sherlock</i> both "embody stereotypical masculine and feminine gender behaviors simultaneously within male sexed bodies." Can you give specific examples when this occurs? Also, is this unique to the series or do you feel this also occurs in the original canon?</b></h4>
<b>AM:</b> There are a few specific behaviors and scenes that come to mind. In regards to Watson, I always think about that opening scene in "The Blind Banker," when John is off at the grocery buying food—we are led to assume—for the household, while Sherlock is at home fighting the baddy. When John comes back and complains that Sherlock hasn’t moved all day, he notices their kitchen table has a new scratch in it and he tssks at Sherlock for not taking care of their things. That, to me, stood out as two stereotypically, related feminine behaviors: doing the shopping and minding the furniture. This gets picked up over and over in the fanfiction with John making tea all of the time, doing the washing up, buying groceries, etc. while Sherlock is responsible for bringing excitement in their lives. At the same time, of course, John is shown to be a highly effective bodyguard and a violent man—typically masculine traits.<br />
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Sherlock isn’t immune to feminization, either. He is clearly clothes obsessed and is often fussing with his hair, ruffling his fingers through his curls and looking at himself in the mirror—which, some would argue, is a stereotypically feminine obsession with his appearance. We can also comment on his sulks on the couch, like in the beginning of “The Great Game” episode, and his snark, both of which could be described as feminine.<br />
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Is this unique to Sherlock? I would say no. Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes was delightfully snarky and peevish; Brett was a masterful television actor and used very slight facial expressions and gestures to indicate huge ranges of thought and feeling, which were delightful. One could also argue that Robert Stephens’ Holmes in T<i>he Private Life of Sherlock Holmes</i> was similarly feminized, but that seems a bit trickier since so much of the premise of that film is about whether or not Holmes is gay.<br />
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Of course, in the original canon, Watson gets on Holmes's case for his health and for his cleanliness, which are, as I said, stereotypical feminine traits.  Doyle breaks so many rules in his writing.  There are no backgrounds to his characters which makes it easy to start questioning the characters' relationships and their behaviors.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: You mention the fact that Sherlock has been criticized for its lack of female characters and perceived misogyny, yet the series has a large female fanbase.  What do you see as the appeal to the female fans, beyond Benedict Cumberbatch?</b></h4>
<b>AM:</b> That is a great question. I think there are several things about the show that appeal to a female fan base. First, it’s not a simple mystery or detective show that focuses solely on the crime solving elements; rather, it seems more invested in character development and the relationships between characters, no matter how subtly drawn. Second, it’s a highly stylized show with brilliant cinematography, lighting, and innovative camera developments that engage the senses and makes for a visually, as well as intellectually, stimulating show. I know, personally, I was immediately intrigued with how the show was shot as well as how it was written. And lastly, I think it’s very clever. As Moffat and Gatiss themselves often say in interviews, they don’t write down to their audience. The dialogue, action, and scenes are very fast-paced and technologically driven; it’s challenging to follow Sherlock’s deductions. He doesn’t slow down for the audience so you have to work hard to keep up. I think all of those elements combine to make a smart show that smart people like, especially women.<br />
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I guess I would add one more caveat: a lot of women love the relationship between Sherlock and John and really enjoy the sexual tension between the two actors. There have been a lot of arguments online about whether the show is ‘queer baiting’ the audience—that is, leading the audience into thinking that Sherlock and John have erotic or romantic feelings for one another when they have no intention of going in this direction. Moffat, Gatiss, and the entire cast have gone back and forth on Sherlock’s sexuality, whether the two characters are attracted to one another, both denying and admitting as much in different interviews. What we can’t deny is that they talk about Sherlock and John’s feelings for one another and raise questions about what kind of feelings these are in virtually every episode. Virtually every other character on the show thinks or has hinted that the two have romantic feelings for one another. I think this intrigue is something that drives a lot of female fans, too.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: Towards the conclusion of your essay, you mention that while gender identity is fluid in <i>Sherlock</i>, you only found one example of fan fiction which actually shows Sherlock Holmes physically changing his body and becoming a woman.  Why do you think this fan fiction genre is rare?  Do you think this subgenre will increase over time?</b></h4>
<b>AM:</b> To clarify, I was talking about a transgendered Sherlock—that is, one who has taken cultural and possibly medical steps to change her sexual and gender identity from female to male. My article was published over a year ago, so there may well be more transgender Sherlocks now in fanfiction, but at the time of my research I had found only one. I expect, with the recent media coverage of transgender issues in the U.S. media that there are probably more transgender fics published now than there was a year or so ago. I can’t answer for any of the authors who choose to write fanfic as to why they write a specific kind, or why they might write a Fem!Sherlock but not a transgender Sherlock.<br />
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I can speculate that, at the time, probably fewer fanfic authors were very knowledgeable about transgender people, politics, etc. so they might not be as comfortable writing a fic about this particular kind of identity. On the one hand, I could argue that <b><i>not</i></b> making Sherlock transgender but just Fem!Sherlock raises a lot more questions about the relationships between sex and gender than somehow re-aligning Sherlock’s biology with her gendered behaviors. If Fem!Sherlock identifies as male and exhibits masculine characteristics (i.e., acts like Cumberbatch’s Sherlock on the show) and then changes her sex to male, doesn’t this seem to reinforce those behaviors as masculine and therefore ‘appropriate’ to a male body?<br />
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Many of the Fem!Sherlock fics I read expressed a lot of anxiety and even disgust about the female body; many of the characters didn’t want to be seen as female because it somehow made them less in the other characters’ eyes. By taking that female Sherlock and turning her back into a man, one could argue, one is re-affirming stereotypical gender roles that men are logical, scientific, and reasonable—that these traits don’t fit a female body. Now, I’m not saying this is true for transgender people at all. I think sex and gender are much more complicated than simply assigning certain behaviors to specific body parts. This is why I’m so fascinated with genderswap fanfiction—because it challenges what we culturally assume about gender and sexual identity.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: On a slightly different note, you recently gave a talk about the popularity of Sherlock Holmes at a local library.  What are some of the reasons as to why Holmes is the world's most popular fictional character?</b></h4>
<b>AM:</b> Yes, I give talks throughout the state through a wonderful organization called the NH Humanities Council on the popularity of Sherlock Holmes. I think Sherlock’s longevity and popularity come from a range of specific characteristics: the cultural milieu in which he was created (the prestige of the British empire in late 19th century England, the 1884 Education Act providing federally funded education to all children between the ages of 5-11—just a few years before Doyle started publishing the Holmes stories, the rise of affordable magazine publishing which made disposable magazine publishing in reach for many working and middle class homes, Doyle’s invention of the series genre); the public’s engagement with Holmes throughout the past century (we look at the public reaction to his reported death in “The Final Problem” and the faux obituaries that rose up and compare it to the “I Believe in Sherlock Holmes” global phenomenon in 2012) and how they immediately treated him like a real historic figure.<br />
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We then talk about how Holmes is grounded in a real physical place (221B Baker Street) which gives a verisimilitude to the fictional world not found with any other literary character in history. I also then talk about a concept introduced by scholar Matt Hills, detachability. Hills argues that cult films have scenes, phrases, and feelings that can be lifted out and used in everyday life and experiences. So much of what the public knows about Holmes—his deerstalker hat, his meerschaum pipe, his inverness cloak, the catchphrase “Elementary, my dear Watson”—of course, do not come from any of the original 60 stories. Rather, they have been picked up through different media over the past century and attached to Holmes’ identity. The Sherlock Holmes we all know worldwide today is, in fact, not the creation of Arthur Conan Doyle but rather a modern media invention. Sherlock Holmes has been detached from his fictional Victorian world and has become a part of modern media history and culture, so that we can’t even trace back the origins of his identity. It’s fascinating.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: The question we ask all Sherlockians.  If you were stranded on a desert island with just one Sherlock Holmes story, which would it be and why?</b></h4>
<b>AM:</b> Ugh, that is such a hard question. For length, I would pick <i>The Sign of Four</i> because it has so many wonderful Sherlockian elements—drug use, murdering pygmies, Indian history. However, it’s not perfect; Doyle gets caught up in figuring out how to get Jonathan Small’s story out and the second half is full of way too much exposition. If I had to pick a short one it would be “The Man with the Twisted Lip.” It has so many of my favorite elements: domestic battles between Holmes and Watson, Holmes in disguise, the underbelly of London’s opium drug dens contrasted with the idyllic (and frightening to Holmes) countryside, mistaken identity, and some fantastically interesting assumptions about class, identity, work, the East. It’s really wonderfully rich.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: What are your upcoming projects?</b></h4>
<b>AM:</b> I’m completing a book on world building in Sherlock fan fiction which analyses how fans (re)write, expand, and challenge the fictional world of the BBC’s <i>Sherlock</i>. Primarily focusing on fan fiction, the book looks at how fans explore facets of setting, character, genre, and the boundaries between fictional and real worlds.<br />
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<b>Ann McClellan</b> is Professor of Twentieth Century British Literature and English Department Chair at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire, USA. She is the author of <a href="http://amzn.to/1KRNhrZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>How British Women Writers Transformed the Campus Novel</i> </a>(2012) as well as numerous national and international articles on nineteenth and twentieth century British women's literature, Sherlock Holmes, and fan fiction. She is currently working on a monograph on world building in <i>Sherlock</i>.<br />
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The Professor, the Detective and Genderswap

"the whole sex at his mercy" [ILLU] The original Sherlock Holmes stories have been noted as examples of unbridled mascul...

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by Belanger Books

Conan Doyle Estate Reaches Settlement with Miramax Over 'Mr. Holmes'

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"I grudge them their blood money" [LAST]</h4>
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<br /><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2015/05/conan-doyle-estate-sues-mr-holmes.html#.Vep6FvZViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2015/05/conan-doyle-estate-sues-mr-holmes.html#.Vep6FvZViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Earlier this year, </a>we reported on the lawsuit that the Conan Doyle Estate, Ltd. filed against Miramax, Roadside Attractions and Bill Condon in conjunction with the release of the film <i>Mr. Holmes</i> starring Ian McKellen.<br />
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Now, the Estate Limited <a href="http://variety.com/2015/biz/news/mr-holmes-lawsuit-settlement-arthur-conan-doyle-1201585667/" target="_blank">is claiming victory in its latest effort</a>. An agreement was in place in principle prior to the release of the film, and the parties are in the process of finalizing it. Benjamin Allison, attorney for the Estate, said earlier this week, "The estate is very pleased." Miramax had no comment on the ongoing litigation. According to press reports, the defendants had not filed a response to the lawsuit.<br />
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This is precisely how most nuisance lawsuits are handled by large entities. Big company lawyers are more expensive than a settlement would be. In our view, this is exactly what the CDEL hoped for, and <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2014/08/7th-circuit-orders-conan-doyle-estate.html#.VeqC9PZViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the 7th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals noted last year</a> noted in its landmark decision against the Estate last year:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Doyle estate’s business strategy is plain: charge a modest license fee for which there is no legal basis, in the hope that the "rational" writer or publisher asked for the fee will pay it rather than incur a greater cost, in legal expenses, in challenging the legality of the demand. The strategy had worked with Random House; Pegasus was ready to knuckle under; only Klinger (so far as we know) resisted. In effect he was a private attorney general, combating a disreputable business practice—<u><b>a form of extortion</b></u>—and he is seeking by the present motion not to obtain a reward but merely to avoid a loss.</blockquote>
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The court even made a helpful recommendation:</div>
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It’s time the estate, in its own self-interest, changed its business model.</blockquote>
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However, with a Hollywood movie in its sights and precious little time left on its remaining 10 copyrighted stories, the Limited entity insists on panning for as much gold as it can.<br /><br />
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Meanwhile the case of <a href="https://burtwolder.wordpress.com/2015/07/27/a-strange-case/" target="_blank">Conan Doyle suing his own estate</a> from beyond the grave continues...<br />
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Conan Doyle Estate Reaches Settlement with Miramax Over 'Mr. Holmes'

"I grudge them their blood money" [LAST] Earlier this year, we reported on the lawsuit that the Conan Doyle Estate, Ltd. fil...

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by Scott Monty

Review: Barry Baskerville Traps a Thief

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<span style="line-height: 1.38;">"The youth pondered for a moment." [SIGN]</span></h4>
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“Barry got dressed for school quickly and opened the bedroom door. He admired the large sign attached to the door. The sign, in very large letters, read Office of Barry Baskerville - Boy Detective.”</blockquote>
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<i><a href="http://amzn.to/1NSSHVh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barry Baskerville Traps a Thief</a></i> is the third book in the Barry Baskerville children’s series by Richard Kellogg and illustrated by Gary Kato. Barry idolizes Sherlock Holmes, and in a town called Watsonville, who can blame him? He is precocious, to an almost annoying degree as he delights in showing off his talents for verbal trickery and logic puzzles to his friends John, Mary and Irene. Once he gets a crime to solve, however, the aspiring detective gets a chance to shine. Someone has been stealing all the wooden items in Watsonville, and the police are stumped. With a little help from local policeman Officer Lestrade, Barry’s on the case. <br />
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Our primary criticism of this book is that the mystery doesn’t start until two-thirds of the way through. It would have been nice to see a little more of the boy detective detecting, but at least Barry’s enthusiastic, and cute Sherlockian references abound. The brightly illustrated series could be a neat introduction for young kids to logical problem solving, as well as Sherlock Holmes. <br />
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The series, which also includes <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1EG6g7H" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barry Baskerville Solves a Case</a></i> and <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1Fo9W90" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barry Baskerville Returns</a></i>, is aimed at children ages 7 to 10, and is available on <a href="http://amzn.to/1NSSHVh">Amazon.</a><br />
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Review: Barry Baskerville Traps a Thief

"The youth pondered for a moment." [SIGN] “Barry got dressed for school quickly and opened the bedroom door. He admired...

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by Katie Magnusson

Remembering Austin McLean, BSI

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"a library where Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some laborious researches" [3STU]</h4>
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Austin McLean, BSI ("The London Library) died on January 16, 2015.  Thus passed one of the most important guardians of the Sherlock Holmes legend whose merits, like those of the Great Detective himself, should be publicly recognized. <br />
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Born in 1930, Austin served in the United States Marine Corps and later held positions in a variety of libraries, culminating as Curator of the Special Collections and Rare Books section of the University of Minnesota Libraries for nearly three decades in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.<br />
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Together with E.W. McDiarmid, BSI ("The Bruce-Partington Plans") and many others associated with the libraries, he was instrumental in establishing Minnesota as a world class center for the study of Sherlock Holmes.<br />
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This began with the purchase of the small but select James C. Iraldi collection in 1974 but really gained momentum in 1978 through the donation of the Mary Kahler and Philip Hench collection of Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle materials, including manuscript pages from <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>, unique William Gillette memorabilia, and original artwork by Frederic Dorr Steele.  Under Austin’s watch there were many other significant acquisitions, including a Frederic Dorr Steele archive donated by his children; the Edith Meiser collection of radio scripts and recordings along with related material; a large portion of the Vincent Starrett papers; the Howard Haycraft archive; and of course the enormous John Bennett Shaw Sherlock Holmes collection.  <br />
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During his tenure  Austin supervised numerous  exhibits and conferences to help publicized these holdings:  details of many of them can be found on the <a href="https://www.lib.umn.edu/scrbm/holmes" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes portion of the Special Collections and Rare Books web site</a>.   These undertakings often resulted in attractive publications, a selection of which are available as PDFs on the web site.  All this first created and then sustained the critical mass necessary to attract still more important materials and additional support for the collections. <br />
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"sparking plug" [LAST]</h3>
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Austin preferred to keep himself in the background during much of this but it is fair to say that<br />
most of what happened to make Minnesota such an important Sherlock Holmes center would have been impossible without his drive and devotion. Virtually every Holmes-related project undertook by the Libraries benefited from his involvement.  All this happened while he oversaw the acquisition and development of many other important collections in different areas, again insuring the University of Minnesota would be an essential stopping ground for many scholarly endeavors.  This fine work is now ably carried on by Tim Johnson and many other talented library employees and local enthusiasts.  <br />
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Austin was invested in the Baker Street Irregulars in 1990 as "The London Library," a suitable acknowledgement of his many contribution towards keeping the memory green, even if most still were not aware of their number and importance.  Again like Holmes, Austin would no doubt proclaim, "I do not think I am in need of booming."</div>
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But even Sherlock Holmes was wrong on occasion.<br />
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<b>Editor's note:</b> <i>Special thanks to Andrew Malec, BSI ("The Strange Old Book Collector") for writing this up, and to Cheryll Fong and Tim Johnson from the Special Collections and Rare Books section of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Tim was our guest on <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose67" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IHOSE Episode 67</a>.</i></div>
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Remembering Austin McLean, BSI

"a library where Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some laborious researches" [3STU] Austin McLean, BSI ("The London Library...

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by Francine Kitts

Conan Doyle Sues Own Estate from Beyond the Grave

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"opening a grave without the consent of the next-of-kin" [HOUN]</h4>
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, has sued the Conan Doyle Estate, according to a lawsuit filed late yesterday in Tweenhauken, Pennsylvania.<br />
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Karl Planchette, owner of Planchette's Paranormal Parlor, says a Ouija board manufactured in 1890 had been vibrating mysteriously.<br />
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"I usually have the TV on, and this one board often hops around a little during the news. Last week there was a report about <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Mr%20Holmes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">some movie</a>, and it started to bounce around like crazy.  So I wrote down the letters and I was real surprised when I read it back and saw it was a lawsuit.  So I took it over to the courthouse," said Planchette.<br />
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According to Planchette, the complaint points to "statements harming the reputation of Arthur Conan Doyle as an individual deceased person and subjecting the character of Sherlock Holmes to groundless criticism."<br />
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Ouja board, long associated with paranormal beliefs, dictates complaints one letter at a time</h3>
"He was pretty steamed up for sure. It took almost two hours to write it all down. He wants them to sneeze and desist, but I’m pretty sure the sneeze part is a typo," said Planchette.<br />
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Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger, and author of  <i>The Lost World</i>, died in 1930 after a long career as a doctor, soldier, statesman and writer.  "He also wanted to know why no one is interested in <i>Sir Nigel</i>, whatever that is,” said Planchette.<br />
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More details of this astonishing story as it develops <a href="https://burtwolder.wordpress.com/2015/07/27/if-true-astonishing-news/" target="_blank">can be found here</a>.<br />
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Conan Doyle Sues Own Estate from Beyond the Grave

"opening a grave without the consent of the next-of-kin" [HOUN] Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, has s...

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by Third Pillar

The Horror of Holmes: An Interview with Author William Meikle

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"when this horror occurred"[VEIL]</h4>
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Over the last 100 years, as pastiches have grown ever more popular, we have seen the blending of different literary genres with Sherlock Holmes.  There are romances (the <a href="http://amzn.to/1MFYnAc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Russell novels</a>), science fiction tales (<i><a href="http://amzn.to/1JFdfzG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes Through Time and Space</a></i>), mash ups with Dracula (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Further-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes-Dracula/dp/1781161429/">Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula</a>), Dr. Moreau (<i><a href="http://amzn.to/1MFYtaZ" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and the House of Pain</a></i>), and even Jane Austen (<i><a href="http://amzn.to/1JFei2P" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Particular Friend</a></i>).  What is probably the most popular genre, though, is combining Holmes and horror, and one of the best authors in this genre is William Meikle.  We had a chance to interview Mr. Meikle via email about his Holmes stories, his horror fiction, and a new <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/285514212/my-peculiar-family-an-anthology?ref=video">Kickstarter</a> anthology project he's currently involved in.<br />
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I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere:  In "The Sussex Vampire," Holmes states "No ghosts need apply," yet most of your Sherlock Holmes stories blend elements of horror in with the traditional pastiche. What made you decide to have the consulting detective take on unspeakable terrors?</h4>
<b>William Meikle:</b> Initially at least, we have EDGE Publishing and Charles Prepolec to thank - I saw a story submission call for their <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1U7BBSo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gaslight Grotesque</a></i> anthology back in 2009 and sent in a story which I was delighted to have accepted. Then <a href="http://lovecraftzine.com/" target="_blank">The Lovecraft Ezine</a> put out a call for Lovecraftian Holmes mash-ups, and I had a story accepted for that too. Once <a href="http://darkregions.com/" target="_blank">Dark Regions Press</a> expressed an interest in more, I was on my way. <br />
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As you can probably tell if you've read any, I'm happy to play fast and loose with the Canon, although apart from the introduction of the supernatural, I like to stay as close as I can to the original concepts of the characters. A bit of leeway-but not too much. But ghosts, monsters, supernatural terror, and unspeakable things from beyond is what I'm all about as a writer, and throwing them at Holmes and Watson just seemed like a natural thing to do for me.<br />
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It doesn't stop me from getting some blisteringly bad reviews and name calling from purists, but I suppose that's the price I pay for taking what few liberties that I have.<br />
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But they're my stories, and I'm very proud of them, and of getting a small place in the ranks of Sherlockiana. Plus having a still growing set of gorgeous limited edition hardcovers of my tributes to the great fellow Scotsman on my shelves makes me very happy.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: You have written pastiches not just of Holmes but also of Doyle's Professor Challenger.  What is it about Doyle's characters which draws you to writing new adventures with them?</b></h4>
<b>WM:</b> I grew up with Doyle, Wells, Verne, and Stevenson, and even now I still go back and reread them all. It's the characters more than anything - Holmes especially is still recognizable worldwide all these decades later. Not many writers have captured the public imagination like that.<br />
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There's also the nostalgia factor - I've also written numerous <a href="http://www.williammeikle.com/whycarnacki2.html">Carnacki</a> stories, and I've got a hankering to try a Victorian alien invasion story soon too. It's just the way my brain is wired I guess.<br />
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Plus, as a writer, having a pre-built framework to hang stories on gives you a way in to stories without having to worry about some of the technical aspects, so that's attractive too. </div>
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<b>IHOSE:  You were born in Scotland and now reside in Canada.  How do your different locales impact your writing?</b></h4>
<b>WM:</b> Locale is always a big thing for me - a lot of my work is set in Scotland, and much of my newer stuff is now happening in Canada. Both have been rural environments in the main apart from a spell in Edinburgh. I now live on a remote shoreline up on the East Coast of Newfoundland with whales, icebergs and bald eagles for company, and a strange sense of isolation has crept into a lot of my recent work.<br />
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But I still go back to London for the Holmes and Carnacki tales. It helps that I spent ten years in the Old Lady back in the '80s so as a locale the old buildings, streets and parks are all still vivid in my mind. I find I need that kind of visual connection somewhere to get me into the stories in the first place.<br />
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<b>IHOSE:  You have a story in a new anthology which is currently part of a Kickstarter campaign.  Tell us a little bit about the story and the anthology.</b></h4>
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<b>WM:</b> The anthology is <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/285514212/my-peculiar-family-an-anthology?ref=video"><i>My Peculiar Family</i></a> and features original never before seen stories by: Christopher Golden and James A. Moore, Stacey Longo, Jason J. Mooers, Robert Mayette,William Meikle, F. Allen Farnham, Samantha Boyette, David Schechter, Rob Watts, Kristi McDowell, Karen Gosselin, George O'Conner, Derrick Belanger, Bracken MacLeod, John Pallisano and Tracy Hickman, with original artwork by Peter  Vinton, Jr. and Sara Richard.<br />
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The individual stories are based entirely on a package each author was given containing a tintype, a name and an occupation/fact about a family member whose picture was found in a box, and had to tell that person's story. <br />
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My story "The Luck of Walter Dimsdale" is about a 19th century steamboat gambler who hits an extraordinary run of luck after meeting a strange woman. But good luck can turn to bad luck on one roll of the dice, and Walter finds that out all too quickly. <br />
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Hopefully the kickstarter will succeed as, given the names involved, there's some great writing in the pipeline. Anyone interested can see the campaign <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/285514212/my-peculiar-family-an-anthology?ref=video">here</a>.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: The question we ask all Sherlockians.  If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one Sherlock Holmes story, which would it be and why?</b></h4>
<b>WM:</b> It would have to be <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>. It's been among my favorite things for well over 40 years now and stands up to numerous reads. It can't be matched for characterization and atmosphere and although the Hound is explained away, it is the closest thing in the canon to my own stories.<br />
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Plus, it's longer than the short story canon tales, so would keep me occupied for longer in my hammock, and would have more useful sheets of toilet paper. <br />
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<b>IHOSE:  What are your current projects?</b></h4>
<b>WM:</b> I've got a short supernatural Holmes novel, <i>The Dreaming Man</i>, coming next year from Dark Renaissance - once again with great illustrations by Wayne Miller, and once again something that will really annoy the purists. I think that'll be me finished with Doyle pastiches for a while - I'll have The Quality of Mercy collection, the three London Terrors novellas and this new novel as well as the Challenger collection.<br />
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I intend to do more Carnacki though, as I love them even more than the Holmes and Challenger worlds, and I want to do a 3rd collection at some point soon.<br />
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Apart from that, I've got a supernatural Ripper story coming in <a href="http://amzn.to/1NCVIIi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories</i></a>, several secret projects in the pipeline at Dark Renaissance, and 2 novels still to write in my current contract with DarkFuse. <br />
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Busy, busy, busy - the way I like it.<br />
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<b>IHOSE:  Any last thoughts?</b></h4>
Anyone interested in my Sherlockiana can find the list of my publications <a href="http://www.williammeikle.com/Sherlockandme.html" target="_blank">on my site here</a>.<br />
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Also, <a href="http://darkrenaissance.com/product/sherlock-holmes-special-offer" target="_blank">Dark Renaissance is running a deal through August</a>: For $25 you can you get both my Sherlock Holmes books The London Terrors trio of novellas and <i>The Quality of Mercy</i> short story collection - nice signed limited edition paperbacks, illustrated by Wayne Miller - and free shipping if you're in the US.<br />
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<b>William Meikle</b> is a Scottish writer, now living in Canada, with twenty novels published in the genre press and over 300 short story credits in thirteen countries. <br />
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He has books available from a variety of publishers including Dark Regions Press, DarkFuse and Dark Renaissance, and his work has appeared in a number of professional anthologies and magazines with recent sales to NATURE Futures, Penumbra and Buzzy Mag among others. <br />
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His recent novel <i>The Hole</i> reached #3 in the Amazon Horror charts and looks to be well on the way to being another big success story. <br />
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Learn more about the author <a href="http://www.williammeikle.com/index.htm">here</a>.<br />
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The Horror of Holmes: An Interview with Author William Meikle

"when this horror occurred"[VEIL] Over the last 100 years, as pastiches have grown ever more popular, we have seen the blen...

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by Belanger Books

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Re-imagined in LEGOs

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"Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks." [TWIS]</h4>
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For many of those who enjoy reading the original Sherlock Holmes stories, the illustrations of Sidney Paget have traditionally brought those scenes to life visually. When Granada began producing <i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i> in the mid-1980s starring Jeremy Brett, the team faithfully recreated many the original illustrations. Now you can now enjoy the detail and creativity of yet another real-world version of them in the <a href="http://amzn.to/1U6zgqO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes Lego Book Series</a>. Instead of using actors and sets, this version uses LEGO brand minifigures and bricks.<br />
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During his PhD studies in physical anthropology, Dr. P. James Macaluso revived his old passion for LEGOs and combined it with his love of Sherlock Holmes in a unique manner. He designed LEGO versions of the Victorian England of Sherlock Holmes’ world as seen in Sidney Paget’s illustrations of scenes in the stories from <i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i>. The books in this series use photographs of these models to illustrate the stories. These LEGO illustrations bring the Paget drawings, and hence the stories, to life in a new way. <br />
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As of this review, the first seven stories from <i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i> have been distributed by MX Publishing.  Each soft cover book in the series contains one original story, incorporating the LEGO illustrations of models built from the original Paget drawings. <br />
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James’ attention to detail is apparent in all of his models. The iconic scene of Watson and Holmes in their own train compartment (carriage) has been captured by Sidney Paget, the Granada production starring Jeremy Brett, and now in LEGO bricks (shown above). Another classic scene presented is <i>the</i> woman, Irene Adler, in disguise and wishing Holmes a good night on his doorstep in “<a amzn-ps-bm-asin="1780926049" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="a1039f3a7a5c4f28c96e6921ec596145" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="A Scandal in Bohemia lego" href="http://www.amazon.com/Scandal-Bohemia-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes/dp/1780926049/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=socialmediama-20&linkId=a1039f3a7a5c4f28c96e6921ec596145&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_5121789" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Scandal in Bohemia</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_5121789" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=socialmediama-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=a1039f3a7a5c4f28c96e6921ec596145&_cb=1440252280896" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" />.” In another, John Openshaw is portrayed opening the envelope with the orange pips in “<a amzn-ps-bm-asin="1780926952" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="c6a270bd823b5d7bf4d82ea4c0c99a88" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="the five orange pips lego" href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Five-Orange-Pips-Adventures/dp/1780926952/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=socialmediama-20&linkId=c6a270bd823b5d7bf4d82ea4c0c99a88&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_6990467" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Five Orange Pips</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_6990467" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=socialmediama-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=c6a270bd823b5d7bf4d82ea4c0c99a88&_cb=1440252301015" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" />,” complete with pips. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Good night, Mr. Sherlock Holmes."</td></tr>
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These books are charming. They are for old and young alike. For those of us seeking for new ways to engage younger readers in the Canon, the LEGO characters are accessible and could serve as inspiration to knowledgeable LEGO engineers. For those who enjoy another version of the illustrations, the books capture the imagination.  <br />
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/pjamesmacalusojr/home/lego-sherlock-holmes" target="_blank">The accompanying website</a> is also recommended. At the website, you can learn more about the books and the author. You can enter a contest to win a Sherlock Holmes mini-figures, find the 69-page pdf document containing instructions to build <a href="http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/413692" target="_blank">a model of Undershaw</a>, or download a set of printable LEGO-Sherlock Holmes character bookmarks. You can also learn how to purchase LEGO plans for building 221B Baker Street in LEGOs.<br />
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<br />
We had a chance to interview James by e-mail to find out his plans for the LEGO Book Series, and the for his models.<br />
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<h4>
<b>IHOSE:</b>  Are you planning to illustrate the rest of the stories from <i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i>? </h4>
<b>Macaluso:</b> I have already completed the illustrations for the remaining stories that comprise <i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i> with the exception of the final tale, "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches," which I am currently preparing. I would like to publish the complete set of the 12 short stories, including the next volume which was one of Conan Doyle’s favorites, namely "The Adventure of the Speckled Band."<br />
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<h4>
IHOSE:  Will you tackle other stories, and if so, which ones?</h4>
<b>Macaluso:</b> If I have the time I would love to illustrate <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> as this is not only my favorite Sherlock Holmes story, but also literary work in general. However, I am not sure if or when I will continue illustrating Sherlock Holmes stories, as I am also interested in using LEGO to illustrate other classics of literature.<br />
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<h4>
IHOSE: Will you ever exhibit your Victorian London of Sherlock Holmes in the real world?</h4>
<b>Macaluso:</b> I did have a LEGO model of Victorian London a number of years ago when my wife and I lived in the United States. However, upon moving to Europe several years ago, almost all of the buildings and streets were dismantled, although I still have the train station I designed and built. Our move to Paris and then Spain was in part responsible for my creating the book series. As we have limited space in which to set up a large city model, I decided to combine my interests in LEGO and literature, and in particular Sherlock Holmes, and create smaller models which can be easily built, stored and displayed. Nonetheless, I am currently completing a LEGO minifigure scale model of 221B Baker Street, with the interior of the sitting room and bedroom of Sherlock Holmes completely furnished, which I will later share via the book series website or possibly even exhibit next year when my wife and I move to England.<br />
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So, make some time to stroll through Victorian times with the LEGO characters and enjoy this series of books and their accompanying website. The books are available in soft cover from the publisher, <a href="http://amzn.to/1U6AoKZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, in ebook format and on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/p.-james-macaluso/id868783089?mt=11">iTunes</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780926049/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780926049&linkCode=as2&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=HLVMUTHJ2RJZSBXZ"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780926049&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebakerstree-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1780926049" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780926278/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780926278&linkCode=as2&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=EWOOEVK5A4F4ZXAC"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780926278&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebakerstree-20" /></a>  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780926243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780926243&linkCode=as2&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=LCRFY3IB7GQJE5IJ"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780926243&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebakerstree-20" /></a>  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780926987/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780926987&linkCode=as2&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=LXYRX6KAKT4WOGTO"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780926987&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebakerstree-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1780926987" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780927940/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780927940&linkCode=as2&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=QLKHL27T3XU67KEB"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780927940&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebakerstree-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1780927940" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780926952/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780926952&linkCode=as2&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=HUZR3FKSCO4PKVEL"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780926952&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebakerstree-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1780926952" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780926928/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780926928&linkCode=as2&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=D34TLRR6UCI72N3B"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780926928&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebakerstree-20" /></a>

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Re-imagined in LEGOs

"Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks." [TWIS] For many of those who enjoy reading the original Sherlock Holmes...

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by M. M. M.

Why One Sherlockian Does Not Support the New Short Story Collection

<h4 style="text-align: center;">
"Some deep sorrow gnaws ever at her heart." [HOUN]</h4>
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[<i><b>Editor's note:</b> the following does not represent the opinion of this site; this is one Sherlockian's opinion about a very complex matter. We'll leave it to you to decide for yourself.</i>]<br />
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No doubt you have recently seen testimony on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere by the numerous authors involved with MX Publishing’s Kickstarter campaign and ambitious undertaking to present the largest collection of Sherlockian writings <i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1229605719/the-worlds-largest-new-sherlock-holmes-story-colle" target="_blank">(The World's Largest New Sherlock Holmes Story Collection</a></i>). Many of the authors are very dear friends of mine for whom I have much respect; in addition they are all extremely talented, so I have no doubt the collection will be a stellar one. But I will not be supporting the Kickstarter, nor will I be purchasing the books. <br />
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The project is being promoted as one to benefit Undershaw, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former home, which he designed himself, and where he brought Sherlock Holmes back to life in order to get the funds to cover the building costs of Undershaw. While this three-volume set by MX appears on the surface to be a worthy cause—and I believe that MX Publishing has every good intention—to some of us who have been intimately involved with the <a href="http://www.saveundershaw.com/" target="_blank">Undershaw Preservation Trust</a> (UPT) and know the struggles to save this magnificent icon of historic and literary value, the long-term benefit of the fundraising is questionable. <br />
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I have been an active and outspoken member of UPT since 2009; I have been the U.S. representative for nearly that long, and have worked closely with the founder and co-founders of UPT. (<b>Note</b>: In this piece I am speaking only for <u>myself</u>; I do not speak for UPT nor any of its officials, though I write this with their permission.) In 2011 I visited Undershaw and saw for myself the deterioration it suffered at the hands of its former owners, whom UPT continued to challenge through legal means to force them to comply with the local requirements of maintaining an unoccupied property. <br />
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<h4>
"the whole history of the settlement" [STUD]</h4>
In addition, the former owners had plans to convert the home to several townhomes, and to build other townhomes on the property. Those of us who supported UPT and Undershaw worked long and hard to raise awareness around the world that this home, and all it represented for Sherlockians, would be destroyed forever should this be allowed to happen. It was not only the home itself that we wished to preserve, but the land upon which the home was built. As Conan Doyle had sought out a suitable location to build a home to aid his wife in her struggles with tuberculosis, he wrote to his mother in 1895 about the parcel of land in Hindhead, Surrey, “It is because its height, its dryness, its sandy soil, its fir trees, and its shelter from all bitter winds present the conditions which all agree to be best in the treatment of phthisis [tuberculosis]. If we could have ordered Nature to construct a spot for us we could not have hit upon anything more perfect.” <br />
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Fast forward--past successful rulings on behalf of Undershaw, victories for its preservation, attempts to find a buyer or buyers to purchase the home and perhaps to create an historic center of all things Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes--to the present, and the purchase of Undershaw by DFN Foundation / Stepping Stones School. [<i>An additional but truncated timeline can be found on <a href="http://artintheblood.net/understanding-the-undershaw-debatedebacle/" target="_blank">Art in the Blood</a>. - Ed.</i>]<br />
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<a href="http://www.steppingstones.org.uk/News/Undershaw-Saved/" target="_blank">Stepping Stones Schoo</a>l is an educational opportunity for children with various challenges. In itself, it is a most worthy cause; that Undershaw was bought to house a branch of the school could have been the best combination of historic preservation paired with a cause that no doubt Conan Doyle would be proud of. But at that point the worthiness of the cause gets in its own way, and as a result, Undershaw—for which many of us have worked so long to save—will be sacrificed to a skewed understanding of what “preservation” and “restoration” really mean. <br />
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Undershaw has always been more than just a piece of property and a derelict brick home. Undershaw represents Conan Doyle—and Sherlock Holmes—at a pivotal time of their individual existences. The home was designed by Conan Doyle, and named, as he wrote, “Undershaw—a new word, I think, and yet one which described it exactly in good Anglo-Saxon, since it stood under a hanging grove of trees” (“shaw,” meaning a small copse or wood). As the area did not yet have electricity, an electric generating house with a steam driven plant made Undershaw the first house in Hindhead to have electricity. The home is where Conan Doyle lived when he wrote <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>. “The Empty House,” and <i>The Return Of Sherlock Holmes</i> resurrected Holmes from the Reichenbach Falls in Conan Doyle’s study at Undershaw. Inside those walls <i>The Great Boer War</i> was written. The house was where Bram Stoker, J.M. Barrie, and Virginia Woolf stayed as guests; William Gillette traveled to Undershaw to discuss Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes” play. While living at Undershaw, Conan Doyle received the knighthood, defended George Edalji, and met the woman who would become his second wife, Jean Leckie. [For more information on the history of Undershaw, see <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2011/03/effort-to-preserve-it-iden_7.html#.Vc1PVfRRK-y" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“An Effort to Preserve It”</a>] <br />
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<h3>
"marked down for destruction" [VALL]</h3>
The DFN Foundation, or Stepping Stones School, were at first perceived as the savior of Undershaw when the purchase was made. Supporters celebrated listened to promises as UPT founder John Gibson and the Foundation entered discussions, reached agreements and ultimately signed a deal seemingly in support of his mission to keep Undershaw exactly as Doyle knew it.<br />
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What happened next is a “he-said-she-said” situation, as the lines of communication were confused, and the destruction of portions of the Undershaw estate began. (It should be noted that UPT continues to fight for Undershaw through the British legal system, with the encouragement of English Heritage and The Victorian Society.) In recent months the electric-generating house has been demolished, the stable (which had been left for 100 years with its iron stalls just as Conan Doyle had made them) has developed to become a small residential facility; the well which served the property has been filled with concrete (again, that had previously been left as it was when the Conan Doyle family was in residence); a tree planted by Conan Doyle himself has been bulldozed, as has most of the “endless sea of greenery” as described by Bram Stoker upon a visit there. The very nature and spirit of Undershaw, along with its name, is being destroyed. <br />
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In addition, a structure nearly three times the size of Undershaw will be built adjacent to it, in a modern style which will eclipse the modest Victorian home. Conan Doyle’s home will become a mere shadow of its former self, with nothing remaining of its proud literary heritage, nor of its significance to Sherlockians around the world. <br />
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On the Kickstarter page for <i>The World’s Largest New Sherlock Holmes Story Collection </i>the description of the fundraiser says, “The [contributing] authors are donating the royalties to the restoration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's former home, Undershaw.” Knowing of the destruction—not restoration—of Undershaw which has occurred to date, I have little confidence in just how much restoration we can really count on. The only part of Undershaw which has been slated for restoration as far as I know has been the stained glass windows which Doyle had designed and installed. <br />
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There is no blame to be placed on the writers who believed they were contributing to the restoration of Undershaw through their work, nor on the hundreds of backers of the Kickstarter campaign. Nor should Steve Emecz and MX Publishing be perceived as having any ill intentions. This is, perhaps, a disagreement in what one considers restoration and preservation. To me, that entails much, much more than a set of stained glass windows. It involves preserving the integrity of an historic home. <br />
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I am in full support of the fine work that Stepping Stones School does on behalf of disabled children, and the educational opportunities offered those children in a safe and comfortable environment. However, any piece of property could have provided the school with its new home; sacrificing Undershaw did not have to be a part of it. <br />
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Once the building plans have been completed, there will only remain a shell of what Undershaw once was, and what it could have been. And so, on behalf of the home which I and others have worked for over a decade to save, the home where I touched the actual wall of the study where Conan Doyle wrote about the characters which have meant so much to me, I cannot support the Kickstarter campaign, nor the books which will result from it.<br />
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Those of you who are interested in the Undershaw Preservation Trust are invited to view the Undershaw Preservation Trust website at <a href="http://www.saveundershaw.com/" target="_blank">www.saveundershaw.com</a> for <a href="http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/sir-arthur-conan-doyles-undershaw-9841022" target="_blank">updates on the legal battles</a> to save Undershaw. We will continue to fight for true preservation and restoration of Conan Doyle's home until all legal means are exhausted. <br />
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<i>"We never understand how little we need in this world until we know the loss of it."</i> - J.M. Barrie, friend to Conan Doyle<br />
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Why One Sherlockian Does Not Support the New Short Story Collection

"Some deep sorrow gnaws ever at her heart." [HOUN] [ Editor's note: the following does not represent the opinion of this...

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by Jacquelynn Morris, ASH, BSI

Episode 80: The Great Detective

<h4 style="text-align: center;">
"this exhibition of the great detective" [VALL]</h4>
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<br />
If you were tasked with writing about the significance of Sherlock Holmes in popular culture, how would you go about it? After all, it's been a topic of numerous books throughout the years and we're currently awash in Sherlock Holmes books, shows, websites and the rest.<br />
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Journalist Zach Dundas took a very unconventional approach with his book <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="0544214048" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="8f3b3436cd967885df5e85434bb7e04e" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="The Great Detective: The Amazing Rise and Immortal Life of Sherlock Holmes" href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Detective-Immortal-Sherlock/dp/0544214048/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=socialmediama-20&linkId=8f3b3436cd967885df5e85434bb7e04e&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_1831027" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Great Detective: The Amazing Rise and Immortal Life of Sherlock Holmes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_1831027" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=socialmediama-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=8f3b3436cd967885df5e85434bb7e04e&_cb=1439519865331" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></i>. It's a combination travelogue, memoir and cultural biography that brings us through the Sherlock Holmes chronologically. Zach joins us to talk about the writing process and the Sherlock Holmes bug that bit him so many years ago. Along the way, you might even encounter a familiar name or two.<br />
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We examine the dual nature of Arthur Conan Doyle and the striking differences - and similarities - between him and his unfortunate father, Charles Altamont Doyle. But more than that, we discuss the enigmatic nature of the legendary author and examine his increasing fervor over Spiritualism. All of this and the growing fascination with Sherlock Holmes by increasingly larger numbers of people.<br />
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We of course have our usual roundup of Sherlock Holmes news, from Laura Linney professing her early love of Sherlock Holmes to battles of copyright ,and debates among Sherlockians. That plus our usual set of sponsors (including one very special one) and the Mental Exaltation quiz round out the show.<br />
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If you do purchase one of our <a href="http://ihose.co/221Bstickers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">221B or 1895 stickers</a>, please <a href="mailto:comment@ihearofsherlock.com" target="_blank">send us a picture</a> of where you've put it.</div>
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Notes:</h3>
1:30 Introductory remarks and witty banter<br />
3:30 IHOSE goes to New York<br />
8:15 Check out the special way to contact us<br />
9:45 News and commentary<br />
20:26 Sponsors - including one you shouldn't miss<br />
26:20 Interview with Zach Dundas<br />
1:19:53 Mental Exaltation quiz show<br />
1:25:25 Final comments</div>
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And you might want to be sure you pay attention for a special <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg_(interaction_design)" target="_blank">Easter egg</a> somewhere in the show...<br />
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<a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock080.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size 41.4 MB, 1:30:29</h4>
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Links:</h3>
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<li><a href="http://ihose.co/mrholmes2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our review of Mr. Holmes</a>: an emotional and somber Sherlock</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/VIbh_HZJ3tM" target="_blank">Laura Linney and Sir Ian McKellen at Google</a></li>
<li>Mattias Bostrom covers the <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2015/07/the-scandalous-sherlock-holmes.html#.Vc1PQ7JViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">confusion around Sherlock Holmes and copyright</a></li>
<li> <a href="http://ihose.co/221Bstickers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">221B and 1895 oval stickers are again available</a>: <a href="http://ihose.co/221Bstickers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ihose.co/221Bstickers</a></li>
<li>Chris Redmond looks at <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2015/07/you-say-sherlockian-i-say-sherlockian.html#.Vc1QXLJViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlockians and Sherlockians</a></li>
<li><a href="http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/english-and-drama/2014/05/the-spirit-voice-of-sir-arthur-conan-doyle.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The spirit voice of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</a></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2aR-dOm5l0Zdhthd_v-VcKMCsSlZr4BYR7VqNNasXNuVkfbRpHocCbCY-TL23tUEQo-0pxDnjK1VJNT3MqfTKlNeOPWwIGGk7cc2KXvFj5ipUKxgjBRHhum4QDwDkZfv1y73LwE1BK0c/s1600/Logo+-+ACD+Latin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2aR-dOm5l0Zdhthd_v-VcKMCsSlZr4BYR7VqNNasXNuVkfbRpHocCbCY-TL23tUEQo-0pxDnjK1VJNT3MqfTKlNeOPWwIGGk7cc2KXvFj5ipUKxgjBRHhum4QDwDkZfv1y73LwE1BK0c/s320/Logo+-+ACD+Latin.png" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Giving you a run for your money"</td></tr>
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Many more links, articles and images are available in our Flipboard and Scoop.it sites at <a href="http://ihose.co/flipsherlock" target="_blank">ihose.co/flipsherlock</a> and <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/sherlock-holmes" target="_blank">ihose.co/scoopsherlock</a>, as well as on the <a href="https://plus.google.com/communities/114565123495685504221" target="_blank">The Sherlock Holmes Community</a> on Google+ (over 2,700 members), as well as through our accounts on <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>.<br />
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Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at (774) 221-READ (7323).<br />
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<h3>
Sponsors</h3>
This episode includes two sponsors that deserve your attention:<br />
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<a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">Wessex Press</a> (check out the new <a href="http://wessexpress.com/html/newspaper.html" target="_blank"><i>Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle in the Newspapers Volume 1</i></a>)<br />
<a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" target="_blank"><i>The Baker Street Journal</i></a>, where you should get <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/subscriptions.html" target="_blank">your annual subscription</a> in now to secure all four issues and a very special Christmas Annual about <i>The Seven Per-Cent Solution</i>.<br />
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Interested in becoming 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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