The Six Thatchers — A Critic's Review

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> ''He begged me to return" [VALL]  </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1icAq-d7XHBM3irDZlKWhx1HgJTdIh93zPHZTFhhizDCwQ45GZR52F6UM-Hxc8hi7m9x2vvMmuANKvO4ZMs_nx4JacIYcD1IBlGDXH0Ia-EhNklMGBaQSeHoTlM_ltMnSh2St3Kest98/s1600/Sherlock+-+Series+4+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1icAq-d7XHBM3irDZlKWhx1HgJTdIh93zPHZTFhhizDCwQ45GZR52F6UM-Hxc8hi7m9x2vvMmuANKvO4ZMs_nx4JacIYcD1IBlGDXH0Ia-EhNklMGBaQSeHoTlM_ltMnSh2St3Kest98/s640/Sherlock+-+Series+4+group.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> [<b><i>Editor's Note:</i></b> this is the second in a series of reviews we'll be sharing on Series 4 of <i>Sherlock</i>.]</div> <br /> <h3> <b>SPOILERS BELOW</b></h3> Finally, after years of waiting, last night we saw the return of <i>Sherlock</i>. I know I've come to be seen as being down on the show, but that perception isn't correct. I am simply honest about it. Once again, for the record, the first two Series were a revelation, and its popularity and reputation were entirely deserved. Just tremendous.<br /> <br /> But then came Series 3.<br /> <br /> From that point on the show was a train wreck, full of self-conscious awareness of its success and cleverness, corrosive pandering to a frenzied fringe in its fan base, and a departure from modern-day adaptations of the Canon to just riffing on itself.<br /> <br /> Other critiques — particularly on Facebook —  have pointed out that the show isn't really an adaptation of the Canon, but is instead its own thing. But this is in direct contradiction of Moffat's and Gatiss's own stated intention for the show. Once its own mythos overwhelmed this intent in Series 3, the show lost its way. Badly.<br /> <br /> With Cumberbatch's and Freeman's exploding popularity — perfectly justified — and their clearly and repeatedly stated disenchantment with filming the show, it's been a long three years since we've seen <i>Sherlock</i> on TV (not including "The Abominable Bride"). As "The Six Thatchers" drew near, my attitude was one of "hope for the best, fear the worst."<br /> <br /> Having said all that, "The Six Thatchers" was a serious improvement on the series since its heyday. The creators obviously heard the criticism. We know they listen to fans (too much so in the past), but we know Moffat and Gatiss are real Sherlockians, and it appears they took some of the criticism to heart.<br /> <br /> <h3> "The old gentleman corrected the mistake" [REIG]</h3> Right out of the gate, they set about fixing many of the mistakes of Series 3: the cold-blooded murder of Charles Augustus Magnusson was an abomination, and so utterly wrong that no amount of tortured fan-rationalization could justify it. Within the first five minutes, they simply made it go away, "like it never happened." I'm sure they wish it really did never happen.<br /> <br /> They also did away with the disingenuous gay-baiting which fed a lunatic-fringe fan-base that I believe nearly drove the stars (especially Freeman) away from the show. This is no surprise as Gatiss explicitly stated in recent interviews that <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/parsec/sherlock-not-gay-steven-moffat-mark-gatiss/" target="_blank">"Johnlock" is never going to happen</a> and furthermore was never intended to happen — clearly distancing themselves from this fan fetish that undoubtedly helped make this the last season of the show.<br /> <br /> Finally <i>Sherlock</i> got back to brilliantly updating Canonical mysteries, and gave Sherlock Holmes real detecting to do. We see him actually having cases and clients again, something that shouldn't be a novelty.<br /> <br /> <h3> "a pretty mess" [REIG]</h3> This is not to say there weren't problems. They still had another mess from Series 3 to clean up: the Mary Morstan as international ninja assassin. Of course, Mary was always marked to eventually die (after all, in the Canon she did). Moffat and Gatiss certainly could have kept her around until the end of Series 4, but instead thankfully exercised their option to get the show back to basics.<br /> <br /> The first 45 minutes of "The Six Thatchers" is brilliant —  as good as anything in the first two seasons. But once it was compelled to deal with the Mary Morstan backstory, with the tortured international intrigue, etc., it bogged down. And then, once back in London, the show found its way again. Even in the novels, whenever the backstory has comes in, pacing and interest go down.<br /> <br /> And now, in a way I haven't felt for years, I am excited to see the next episode, and regret that this will undoubtedly be the last set of shows in the series. Having found its way again, will this series have the impact and influence it originally did?<br /> <br /> Alas, most of the air has gone out of that balloon, but to know that this series looks to end as well as it began (unlike the Granada series, for instance), my gratitude to Moffat and Gatiss is immense, and Sherlockians everywhere owe them a debt for what they brought to our hobby.<br /> <br /> Now, I only hope I get home from <a href="http://bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">New York next weekend</a> in time to see the next episode!<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

The Six Thatchers — A Critic's Review

''He begged me to return" [VALL]   [ Editor's Note: this is the second in a series of reviews we'll be sharing o...

+ Read more »

by Steve Doyle

Sherlock Returns to Form with The Six Thatchers — Review

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "I found myself in dream-land, with the sweet face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me." [SIGN] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVCTEu6zlzB1APyueX4cyYwq3wFfwiwAV6IwEv_KB8FBCeG58-JAc3sQdHzLkGquergDhqfoYMzaWwi6-amuWDf60n6Wty3UiRrFQbMNEJpnxJXZVptHcwSP-oHKyFDCLhZzTDq1ZWm_h/s1600/Sherlock+-+Series+4+Sherlock+landscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVCTEu6zlzB1APyueX4cyYwq3wFfwiwAV6IwEv_KB8FBCeG58-JAc3sQdHzLkGquergDhqfoYMzaWwi6-amuWDf60n6Wty3UiRrFQbMNEJpnxJXZVptHcwSP-oHKyFDCLhZzTDq1ZWm_h/s640/Sherlock+-+Series+4+Sherlock+landscape.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> After 2014's filler episode of <i>Sherlock</i>, "The Abominable Bride" I was afraid that the Moffat and Gatiss may have painted themselves into a bit of a corner. As entertaining as it was to see Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman transported into a more traditional Victorian setting, the one-off episode didn't really advance the plot of the show at all. Besides, I've never been the kind of Holmes fan who really gets much of a charge out of the Victorian nostalgia aspect of Sherlockiana.<br /> <br /> I know many Sherlockians dwell on that whole period, and I get it, it can be a lot of fun. But I've always thought the great strength of the BBC's <i>Sherlock </i>was their ability to make Holmes and Watson so contemporary, while still always retaining so much of the flavor of Doyle's original stories. For me, then, "The Six Thatchers" was a stunning return to form.<br /> <br /> <h3> <b>Spoiler Alert</b></h3> I may as well take this chance to warn any readers who may be approaching this review without having seen the episode, that <b>MAJOR SPOILERS</b> lie ahead! If you read from this point on, I am assuming that you have seen "The Six Thatchers." So let's move along, shall we?<br /> <br /> <br /> For much of the first act of the episode, I wasn't certain that this episode was going to work: there was a lot of comedy in that first 20 minutes. I was beginning to think, "this is all very enjoyable, seeing Cumberbatch displaying his comedic side, but when does the story really begin?" As the story began to get more serious, however, and the plot began to reference "The Six Napoleons" (as we all thought it would), I really began to be drawn into the story. Looking back on the episode now, I feel as if the comedy towards the beginning really heightened the drama to follow.<br /> <br /> One thing I'd like to mention right off the bat is how much I enjoyed Amanda Abbington's work in "The Six Thatchers." Ever since they introduced her as Mary, I've thought the chemistry she shared with Martin Freeman's Watson has been spectacular, and the equal rapport with Cumberbatch's Sherlock was just as enjoyable.<br /> <br /> Most who have loved <i>Sherlock</i> from the beginning knew that the Holmes/Watson duo was one of the best in film and TV history; Mary changed the relationship into an intriguing equilateral triangle. Indeed, for a little while during this episode, I found myself wondering if the attention paid to Mary's role in the show might be working at cross purposes to the dynamic of Freeeman and Cumberbatch's perfect balance as Holmes and Watson. As the show progressed, though, all of those fears were put to rest as, in the end, Mary's presence (followed by her absence) made that Holmes/Watson relationship even more powerful for me.<br /> <br /> Anyway, back to the story... I continued to be fascinated by how skillfully the writers managed to combine elements of "The Six Napoleons" with some of the plot of <i>The Sign of Four</i>, a story that is, of course, inextricably linked with Mary as a canonical character. The four assassins who went by the acronym of A.G.R.A. would make any Holmes fan immediately think of Major Sholto and his associates.<br /> <br /> Another thing I've always admired about the writing on <i>Sherlock </i>is how they manage to refer to the Canon (as well as extra-canonical sources), without merely repeating them as reworked plots in a modern setting: in other words, "A Study in Pink" is not <i>A Study in Scarlet</i> in the 21st century, "The Hounds of Baskerville" is not an update of <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>, and so on. (Did some fans catch the brief reference to Nicholas Meyer's pastiche, <i>The Canary Trainer</i>, in this episode? It made me smile.) [<b><i>Editor's note:</i></b> it could just as easily have been a reference to Wilson, the notorious canary trainer, mentioned in "The Adventure of Black Peter," where Meyer got his inspiration.]<br /> <br /> As Mary's story line grew, I found myself wondering if she would come out of it alive, but I never <i>really </i>thought they would kill her off! Yes, now we come to the biggest spoiler of all: the death of Mary Watson, taking a bullet for Sherlock. As the tears ran down my cheeks, I found myself thinking, "You fool, of course she had to die! We've always assumed that Watson ended up as a widower in the books!" Now, I don't know enough about ballistics and such to know whether it's even possible in real life to jump in front of a bullet, but we all know it's a trope that has shown up throughout film history. For a minute, I thought back to Sherlock being shot by Mary in "His Last Vow," and I thought, will they actually save her? At this point, I'm thinking she's really gone, and I hope there is no "resurrection," as there was for Sherlock. And so three have become two again.<br /> <br /> Before I'd even had the chance to recover from my shock at Mary's death, I had to deal with my sadness at the wedge that has now come between John and Sherlock, as a result of that death, and Mary's posthumous request that Sherlock "save John Watson." Which made me shed yet another tear or two...as well as wondering, what's in store for John Watson? So, as I look forward to the next two episodes of <i>Sherlock </i>Series 4, I find myself with many questions:<br /> <ul> <li>Will John and Sherlock reconcile? (Of course they will. (<b><i>Ed.:</i></b> The question is <i>how</i>.))</li> <li>What of the mysterious woman on the bus? Did she and John have a full-blown affair? Will she be back in another episode? (<b><i>Ed.: </i></b>Count on it.)</li> <li>Is Moriarty indeed involved in the story arc of Series 4?</li> <li>Is there a life for <i>Sherlock</i> beyond Series 4? (I guess that depends on what happens in the next two episodes.)</li> <li>Is Mycroft really the kind of guy who would keep reminders stuck to his refrigerator?</li> <li>Are we going to be introduced to the (mythical) Sherrinford Holmes?</li> </ul> So, wrapping up this review, I feel that, overall, "The Six Thatchers" was one of the best episodes of the entire series. (I don't know if anything can ever beat "A Study in Pink," which I re-watched just last night.) It certainly made me very anxious to see what else is in store for the rest of the season! After my mixed feelings on "The Abominable Bride," I felt as if I were home again: the story was gripping, the acting was top notch, the cinematography was beautiful (those sharks!), and the whole thing was powerful, emotionally and intellectually. I can't wait to see what twists and turns lie ahead.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Sherlock Returns to Form with The Six Thatchers — Review

"I found myself in dream-land, with the sweet face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me." [SIGN]  After 2014's filler epi...

+ Read more »

by Cory Howell

Year-End Summary: We Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "to take stock of the situation" [CREE]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXzI9DMhU5QqxQTvCxwGGHCC1ACuALTSl3u-O4iX3waB5xjM9J7YbcE3XSROuQfIrWEakL3HAKsfH_79mRDPRhnQ_MV14RKsVdaQe1czQuZFOSyxYGX7zCl2mEZxwlqJFOiB_q2E-nq0j/s1600/TWIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXzI9DMhU5QqxQTvCxwGGHCC1ACuALTSl3u-O4iX3waB5xjM9J7YbcE3XSROuQfIrWEakL3HAKsfH_79mRDPRhnQ_MV14RKsVdaQe1czQuZFOSyxYGX7zCl2mEZxwlqJFOiB_q2E-nq0j/s640/TWIS.jpg" width="594" /></a></div> <br /> Somehow, another year has managed to slip past us seemingly in the blink of an eye. Current geopolitical rumblings, from Brexit to the U.S. presidential election may have left the world in tumult, but here in the world of Sherlock Holmes, things remain constant. In the words of Vincent Starrett, BSI ("<i>A Study in Scarlet</i>") in his storied poem "<a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2013/10/celebrate-national-poetry-day.html#.WGdkovkrLb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">221B</a>,"<br /> <br /><h3 style="text-align: center;"> Here, though the world explode, these two survive,</h3> <h3 style="text-align: center;"> And it is always eighteen ninety-five.</h3> <br /> At I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, we had another successful year, thanks in no small part to our contributors and to you, our readers. We thought we would take a look at just what made up that success, by breaking things down into a few different categories.<br /> <br /> <h3> By the Numbers</h3> <i>"numbers visible to my lens" [SIGN]</i><br /> <br /> It's always difficult to take the passion and emotion behind a hobby and convert it into numbers, but numbers are data points and when viewed properly, data can tell a story. After all, Sherlock Holmes himself said "Data! data! data! I can't make bricks without clay," in "The Copper Beeches." So let's have a look.<br /> <br /> <ul> <li><b>1,244:</b> The number of posts that have been published on IHOSE since our inception in 2005.</li> <li><b>142:</b>  In terms of the number of posts we published, 2016 will place a very respectable third, with 142 entries for the year. Only 2007 and 2015 had more, with 160 and 199 entries, respectively.</li> <li><b>45%:</b> Our contributors (more about them below) accounted for 45 percent of those 142 entries on the site.</li> <li><b>19:</b> We had occasion to be in Sydney, NSW, Australia in late April, marking 19 years since we had last visited. As any such visit should include, we connected with <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose97" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sydney Passengers</a>.</li> <li><b>24:</b> The number of new episodes of the IHOSE podcast, published the 15th and the 30th of every month.</li> <li><b>8:</b> We published eight "terraces," or obituaries in 2016. While a number of members of the BSI passed away again this year, most of the terraces we published were celebrities, an editorial decision on our part, to avoid making the site too morbid.</li> <li><b>5:</b> We counted five sponsors to the show this year, from our faithful two, <a href="http://wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">Wessex Press</a> and <i><a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/" target="_blank">The Baker Street Journal</a></i>, to newcomers the <a href="http://johnhwatsonsociety.com/" target="_blank">John H. Watson Society</a>, Paula Berinstein's <a href="http://amandalester.net/" target="_blank">Amanda Lester series</a>, and <a href="http://bakerstreetbeat.blogspot.com/p/dans-books.html" target="_blank">Dan Andriacco</a>.</li> <li><b>4:</b> We were asked by MASTERPIECE to host the #SherlockPBS live tweet for a fourth time, for the premiere of <i>Sherlock: The Abominable Bride</i> in January. We'll reprise that role <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/12/join-us-as-we-live-tweet-sherlock.html#.WGdzVvkrLb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">for a fifth time tomorrow night with Series 4</a>.</li> </ul> <br /> <br /> <h3> Our Contributors</h3> <i>"it may contribute something to the common cause" [VALL]</i><br /> <br /> If anything, we have learned that this site is more of a community than a destination. And our many contributors make that possible. In 2016, we had 15 separate authors who contributed when the mood struck them. We're grateful to them for their hard work and passion, and we have a few highlights below. Click on their names to see the entirety of their work.<br /> <br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Anastasia#.UvOhfPldV8E" target="_blank">Anastasia Klimchynskaya</a> - We were treated to an international journey as Anastasia <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/07/sherlock-holmes-and-doctor-watson-in.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">took us to Moscow</a> and shared her Sherlockian discoveries there. </li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Chris%20Redmond#.VGlLfPnF-AU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chris Redmond</a> - We never know what to expect from Chris Redmond, but we know that every topic will be of high quality. Chris led the pack with 17 separate entries this year.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Cory%20Howell" target="_blank">Cory Howell</a> - Who better to look at an analysis of the popularity of Tarzan versus the popularity of Sherlock Holmes over the years?</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Crystal%20Noll#.Uucu28Qo5w0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Crystal Noll</a> - The role of international correspondent is never easy, and Crystal came through with her reporting on the re-opening of the Sherlock Holmes Pub.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Derrick%20Belanger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derrick Belanger</a> - Our second most prolific contributor is always at the ready with an interview or book review.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Gordon%20Dymowski#.UuctKMQo5w0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gordon Dymowski</a> - a stalwart reviewer for us, Gordon put his talents to work again at the connection of Holmes and comics.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/James%20O%27Leary#.Uucu28Qo5w0" target="_blank">James O'Leary</a> - the editor of the John H. Watson Society's publication <i>The Watsonian</i> found time to contribute thoughtful essays here once more, many centered around <i>Elementary</i>.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Katie%20Magnusson#.Uv7eU8RDuSo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katie Magnusson</a> - Katie is always ready and willing to help out with book reviews, and she did her fair share again this year.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Leah%20Guinn#.WGeAvvkrLb0" target="_blank">Leah Guinn</a> - In her first essay with us, Leah turned to friendship — an enduring theme of the Sherlockian world.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/M.M.%20McMahon#.VGlK5fnF-AU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Margaret McMahon</a> - Margaret turned her sights on <i>The Abominable Bride</i> this year, and found a curious parallel.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Mattias%20Bostrom#.VOp5bfldWSo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mattias Boström</a> - We can always count on Mattias to create a controversy or fact-check the wider media world. And he didn't disappoint this year.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Rachel%20Gosch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rachel Gosch</a> - Rachel is a new contributor, but she didn't let that stop her, with a number of reviews already to her name. </li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Rob%20Nunn#.Uucu28Qo5w0" target="_blank">Rob Nunn</a> - From New Year's resolutions to an obscure animated program, Rob brought us a variety of insights this year.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Robert%20Stek#.VGlLfPnF-AU" target="_blank">Robert Stek</a> - Some might say Bob is as mad as a hatter for pursuing his interest in Lewis Carroll the same way he does for Sherlock Holmes, but we're just fortunate to have the inveterate punster with us.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/Tim%20Greer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tim Greer</a> - Theatrical is a word that could describe Tim's pursuits and his demeanor. And he's an excellent source of fodder.</li> </ul> <br /> <br /> <h3> Our Show</h3> <i>"now then, listen to this" [SIGN]</i><br /> <br /> This was the first full year of the new show schedule, which we revamped in October 2015. The clockwork-like release of our podcast episodes on the 15th and 30th of every month, alternating one interview and one commentary show, mean predictability for our listeners. It also means stretching for topics for those commentary shows and scrambling to record, edit and post episodes when work, travel or family commitments are looming over us.<br /> <br /> Some of the more notable episodes this year included:<br /> <br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://ihose.co/ihose89" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 89</a>: in which we interviewed Evy Herzog and Susan Rice about The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes. We heard from many listeners about this episode, particularly of the emotional re-telling of the first female investitures in the Baker Street Irregulars.</li> <li>Book shows: we interviewed a number of authors about their books, including <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose91" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maria Konnikova</a>, <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose93" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bob Katz and Andy Solberg</a>, <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose95" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leah Guinn and Jamie Mahoney</a>, <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose99" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chris Redmond</a>, <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose101" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rebecca Romney</a>, <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose105" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger</a>, and <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose109" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lyndsay Faye and Ashley Polasek</a>.</li> <li><a href="http://ihose.co/ihose100" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 100</a>: our centenary was a celebration of the people, voices and memorable moments in IHOSE history. We're looking forward to our next milestone episode.</li> </ul> <br /> <br /> <h3> Passings</h3> <i>"stand with me here upon the terrace" [LAST]</i><br /> <br /> In the wider world, a number of celebrity deaths made 2016 seem like a particularly cruel year. Partially because some of them were icons in their industries, like David Bowie or Alan Rickman; and partially because some of them were particularly young, like George Michael (53), Prince (57), Carrie Fisher (60). And the tragic two day span in which both Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds died left an indelible mark in 2016.<br /> <br /> In the Sherlockian world, we felt the impact as well:<br /> <br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/01/remembering-alan-rickman.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alan Rickman</a>: this one took many people by surprise, and occurred during the BSI Weekend, leaving us scrambling to cover it.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/02/remembering-frank-finlay.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frank Finlay</a>: occupying non-consecutive decades of Sherlock Holmes association, Finlay was a staunch performer.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/03/remembering-douglas-wilmer-bsi.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Douglas Wilmer</a>: not only did Douglas Wilmer portray Sherlock Holmes on film, television and audio books, but he was also a member of the BSI. And your editor hosted him in Boston.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/08/remembering-gene-wilder.html" target="_blank">Gene Wilder</a>: another surprise to many, Wilder was fondly remembered for his manic peformances, of which <i>Sherlock Holmes's Smarter Brother</i> was an underrated one.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/11/remembering-fritz-weaver.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fritz Weaver</a>: we were fortunate to have interviewed Weaver on Episode 26 of our program. He was a delight.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/12/remembering-andrew-sachs.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Andrew Sachs</a>: following in Michael Williams' footsteps on the BBC radio series with Clive Merrison would have been daunting for any actor. Sachs was not only up to the task, but he gave a solid and believable performance.</li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/12/remembering-peter-vaughan.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter Vaughan</a>: more widely recognized of late because of his Game of Thrones role, we can say, "we knew him when..."</li> </ul> <div> <br /></div> <br /> <h3> The Future</h3> <i>"Ah! my dear Watson, there we come into those realms of conjecture" [EMPT]</i><br /> <br /> Before we discuss what the future holds, please make sure you check out our Archive. The right rail here on our site contains a box with the categories Popular / Comments / Archive. Click on that to display posts from any given timeframe.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, what will the future hold for IHOSE? It may not be all that far away, actually. As Bill Watterson wrote, "The problem with the future is that it keeps turning into the present." We'll continue to cover the news of the Sherlockian world and its intersections with popular culture, as we've been doing for a decade. We'd like to make it easier for Sherlockians everywhere to discover events near them, and we're working on a solution for that.<br /> <br /> On our show, expect to discover some familiar names and some newcomers as well, as we continue to bring you the most interesting and relevant interviews. Given the lineup, we may be required to eliminate our every-other episode schedule of interviews and simply produce as many of them as needed in our 24-episode schedule for 2017.<br /> <br /> And finally, we'll be launching a companion audio program that will have its own site and identity. We have a name and a theme picked out, but we're not at liberty to share it yet. All we can tell you is that this will be a weekly audio show that delves into the Sherlock Holmes stories. We'd appreciate your support when it launches. Stay tuned!<br /> <br /> <br /> Thank you so much for being part of our little world here, whether you're a long-time subscriber or a first-time visitor. If you haven't already, please <a href="http://forms.feedblitz.com/4s0" target="_blank">sign up for free email updates</a> from us. And if you're so inclined, help support the future of this site by <a href="http://patreon.com.ihearofsherlock/" target="_blank">becoming a patron</a>.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="54" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdWwR1bfFZ6ZG19mA65Jr30OBQB3oyLygm_VNXIWPNFLQ027PTMJVqE8l-5hAPTkOOwGFsbazSCZ-mME2eZmLzBdChEoDzA_VTto-Iax4QBDgPoiyaz1S7dqzxwWHphm9tkVf788lewbX/s320/IHOSE+Patreon.png" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Year-End Summary: We Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

"to take stock of the situation" [CREE] Somehow, another year has managed to slip past us seemingly in the blink of an eye. C...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

Episode 111: A Hip Hop Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Yes, Mr. Holmes, I teach music." [SOLI] </h4> <div> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wemkG4_hzUYw1I-PemKCZLra16x4TzqNh4O0ISiJQkl-sKpKsAsoBVh4FdVDtM9FpbXXuGmBkQv4n7qgZfO4KvNWvUpzvXDF9sl_xRdA4gei3ZAbfAyp6P4AlYMZTtO_zfi2kRi3aykI/s1600/Holmes+an+American+Musical.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wemkG4_hzUYw1I-PemKCZLra16x4TzqNh4O0ISiJQkl-sKpKsAsoBVh4FdVDtM9FpbXXuGmBkQv4n7qgZfO4KvNWvUpzvXDF9sl_xRdA4gei3ZAbfAyp6P4AlYMZTtO_zfi2kRi3aykI/s640/Holmes+an+American+Musical.PNG" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="90" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4950507/height/90/width/600/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/no-cache/true/render-playlist/no/custom-color/f1d660/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe><br /></div> <br /> It's our final show of 2016, we welcome Karen Wilson to the program to discuss a variety of musical associations of hers with Sherlock Holmes. From teaching to composing to performing, she does it all, and incorporates that into her Sherlockian pursuits.<br /> <div> <br /></div> We're treated to one of the best toasts of the year, "Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street," performed for us by Karen. It was inspired by "Alexander Hamilton" from the hit musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and it does not disappoint.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Karen shares with us her muse, the creative process, her other inspirations and more in this memorable interview. Plus, a solution for getting kids to put down those pesky electronic devices.<br /> <br /> Burt and Scott mention some Sherlockian resolutions for 2017; what are yours? And do you have suggestions for guests for 2017? Let us know with a call, a comment, or an email.<br /> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;">  <img height="40" src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/widget-images/become-patron-widget-medium%402x.png" style="color: #0000ee; text-align: center;" width="204" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> And please consider becoming a regular supporter of ours on <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. Your support helps us to meet production costs.</div> <br /></div> <div> <div> <h3> Sponsors</h3> This episode includes our two longtime sponsors. Please support our sponsors by visiting their sites:<br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">Wessex Press</a>, which is debuting <i>Unmitigated Bleat</i> by Paul Herbert, BSI at the BSI Weekend.</li> <li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Baker Street Journal</a>, where you can subscribe to the 2017 BSJ. </li> </ul> <br /> 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> <div style="font-family: 'times new roman';"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> <div> </div> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock111.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size 27.6 MB, 59:17</h4> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/300151512&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> <h3> <b>Notes</b></h3> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 1:35 Hello and introduction</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 2:21 Sherlockian resolutions for 2017</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 6:30 Wessex Press<br /> 7:45 A quick Doctor Who aside<br /> 9:22 Karen Wilson joins the show<br /> 14:30 Burt discovers Karen's hidden talent with a Hamilton-inspired toast<br /> 23:15 The creative process<br /> 26:57 Looking back at other Sherlockian music, including Harvey Officer and his contributions<br /> 33:42 Gilbert and Sullivan parodies are typically well-received, such as "He Is the Very Model of the Modern Major Medico"<br /> 36:02 Flanders and Swann inspire<br /> 42:42 Appearing at the Gaslight Gala<br /> 47:55 A new Sherlockian society idea<br /> 51:09 Sherlock Holmes Brand<br /> 52:06 The Baker Street Journal<br /> 53:40 Final thoughts for 2016</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> <div> <h3> </h3> <h3> Links</h3> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.hamiltonbroadway.com/" target="_blank">Hamilton</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yygMhtNQJ9M" target="_blank">Folk Song Army</a> by Tom Lehrer</li> <li><a href="http://wessexpress.com/html/vbs.html" target="_blank">Voices from Baker Street</a> recording</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYCXO_FZj5k" target="_blank">How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera</a> by Anna Russell</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flanders_and_Swann" target="_blank">Flanders and Swann</a></li> <li><a href="http://bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">The BSI Weekend</a></li> <li>Ralph Vaughn Wiliams' <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv6YBg7PLag" target="_blank">Sinfonia Antarctica</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/09/doctor-will-meet-me-here-resi_16.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Sherlock Holmes Suite</a> by Carey Blyton</li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rozsa-Violin-Concerto-Sinfonia-Concertante/dp/B000U7V9B2/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1483070331&sr=1-1&keywords=miklos+rozsa+violin+concerto" target="_blank">Miklos Rozsa's Violin Concerto</a>, inspired by his <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Private-Life-Sherlock-Holmes/dp/B000PTYOYO/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1483070414&sr=1-1&keywords=rozsa+private+life" target="_blank">soundtrack to The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes</a></li> </ul> </div> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> Many more links, articles and images are available in our Flipboard magazine at  <a href="http://ihose.co/flipsherlock" target="_blank">ihose.co/flipsherlock</a>, as well as on the <a href="https://plus.google.com/communities/114565123495685504221" target="_blank">The Sherlock Holmes Community</a> on Google+ (with over 4,000 members), as well as through our accounts on  <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/ihearofsherlock">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/04/ihose-on-snapchat-just-in-time-for.html">Snapchat</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  and <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>.</div> </div> <br /> <br /> Please <a href="http://bit.ly/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">subscribe to us on iTunes</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I2nib4h55h3cz3yxmzovj6icbmi" target="_blank">Google Play</a>, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a>, <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/i-hear-of-sherlock-everywhere?refid=stpr" target="_blank">Stitcher</a> or <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Spreaker</a> and be kind enough to leave a rating or review for the show. And please tell a friend about us, in any fashion you feel comfortable.<br /> <br /> 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 /> <br /></div> <div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";">--</span><br /> <div> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /> </span></div> <div> </div> </div> </div>

Episode 111: A Hip Hop Holmes

"Yes, Mr. Holmes, I teach music." [SOLI]  It's our final show of 2016, we welcome Karen Wilson to the program to ...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

Sherlock Holmes Connections in Rogue One

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "connected in some way" [WIST] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6sQXzmn1XkPQ2lHu4TFVB54wMG1So5yesy5OqnPl3NKgWCTHCsTyI9bsdMoVtdoK-5bKc1M396HXzNurzhm0NLbf2ZIq-7YJSFqqbiDPCOTPSWdPVokEmjjAQQK7OLm0WQRxK_9wd8dd/s1600/Holmestrooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6sQXzmn1XkPQ2lHu4TFVB54wMG1So5yesy5OqnPl3NKgWCTHCsTyI9bsdMoVtdoK-5bKc1M396HXzNurzhm0NLbf2ZIq-7YJSFqqbiDPCOTPSWdPVokEmjjAQQK7OLm0WQRxK_9wd8dd/s1600/Holmestrooper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> With the advent of the new Star Wars movie <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2" target="_blank">Rogue One: A Star Wars Story</a></i>, it was inevitable that we'd find some connections to Sherlock Holmes in the film. Not of the Canonical variety, you understand, but rather of the cast. We picked out at least six actors in <i>Rogue One</i> who also appeared in Sherlock Holmes films or television shows.<br /> <br /> If you haven't seen the film yet, we won't give away any spoilers — although the final connection may be a bit of a surprise (only if you've avoided the Internet in the last two weeks, that is).<br /> <br /> <h4> Mads Mikkelsen</h4> One of the first actors we see in the opening scenes is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0586568/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t9" target="_blank">Mads Mikkelsen</a>, who plays <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Galen_Erso" target="_blank">Galen Erso</a>. Erso is a former Imperial engineer who has defected, only to be found and put back to work creating the Death Star. Mikkelson's connection is probably the most tenuous on this list, but we'd like to point it out anyway. His brother, Lars Mikkelsen, played <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2013/07/collection-of-m-is-fine-one-empt_29.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Charles Augustus Magnussen</a> in "His Last Vow" on <i>Sherlock</i>. Mads also played Kaecilius in <i>Doctor Strange</i>, which starred Sherlock lead Benedict Cumberbatch.<br /> <br /> <h4> Alistair Petrie</h4> The square-jawed <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0677944/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t11" target="_blank">Alistair Petrie</a> makes a convincing and commanding General Draven, the leader of the Rebel Alliance. He also took command in "The Sign of Three" on <i>Sherlock</i>, where he played <a href="http://bakerstreet.wikia.com/wiki/James_Sholto" target="_blank">Major James Sholto</a>, Watson's former commanding officer who managed to make things interesting at Watson's wedding.<br /> <br /> <h4> Jonathan Aris</h4> A very familiar face to <i>Sherlock</i> fans, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0034877/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t18" target="_blank">Jonathan Aris</a> showed up in <i>Rogue One</i> as <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Nower_Jebel" target="_blank">Senator Nower Jebel</a>, of the Imperial Senate. Jebel was secretly the Minister of Finance to the Rebel Alliance. The beady-eyed Aris also played the frustrated <a href="http://bakerstreet.wikia.com/wiki/Philip_Anderson" target="_blank">Philip Anderson</a>, whose forensics skills pale when Sherlock Holmes is around. Anderson was convinced that Sherlock was still alive and even formed some theories around his survival.<br /> <br /> <h4> Tony Pitts</h4> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0686029/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t30" target="_blank">Tony Pitts</a> plays <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dunstig_Pterro" target="_blank">Captain Dunstig Pterro</a> in <i>Rogue One</i>, a captain in the Galactic Empire. Somewhat of a generic role, it's somewhat of a parallel to his appearance as Chief Superintendent in "The Reichenbach Fall" episode of <i>Sherlock</i>.<br /> <br /> <h4> Warwick Davis</h4> It wouldn't be a Star Wars movie without <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001116/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t57" target="_blank">Warwick Davis</a>, who first appeared as the lovable Wicket, the Ewok that stole scenes in <i>Return of the Jedi</i>. In this turn, Davis plays <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Weeteef_Cyubee" target="_blank">Weeteef Cyubee</a>, one of the members of Saw Guerra's band of Partisans. In the Sherlockian world, Davis played Randolph Walker in "The Kingdom of Bones" episode of <i>Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes</i> alongside Ian Richardson in the role of <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2011/05/great-teacher-cree_30.html#.WGV52PkrLb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dr. Joseph Bell</a>. You'll recall that Bell was Arthur Conan Doyle's professor at medical school and that Richardson played Sherlock Holmes in <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086310/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_71" target="_blank">The Sign of Four</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085692/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_72" target="_blank">The Hound of the Baskervilles</a></i> in 1983.<br /> <br /> <br /> And finally...<br /> <br /> <h4> Peter Cushing</h4> This was the most surprising appearance of all. In <i>Rogue One</i>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Cushing" target="_blank">Peter Cushing</a> reprised his role as <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wilhuff_Tarkin" target="_blank">Governor "Grand Moff" Wilhuff Tarkin</a>. Surprising because Cushing, who played the role in the original 1977 <i>Star Wars</i>, died in 1994. He of course played Sherlock Holmes in the 1959 Hammer version of <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>, in <a href="http://bakerstreet.wikia.com/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes_(1965_TV_series)" target="_blank">BBC TV's series</a> in the mid to late 1960s (having inherited the role from <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/03/remembering-douglas-wilmer-bsi.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Douglas Wilmer</a>), and finally in <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088108/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Deat</a></i>h in 1984.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW6wp97X_iJnf_mqFZO3IJJ1ZRE424YG2iNtQ9RNS59qJ0tBE_b6GDpN9-jd9BuwOTyxWWQZ0wzFQTGVbhq7_VihCGEyiP7xAC04YfK6FYOxGpcaaq9JOemFELB_G6E5-ndc2Pw4yFbuQ/s1600/Cushing+as+Tarkin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW6wp97X_iJnf_mqFZO3IJJ1ZRE424YG2iNtQ9RNS59qJ0tBE_b6GDpN9-jd9BuwOTyxWWQZ0wzFQTGVbhq7_VihCGEyiP7xAC04YfK6FYOxGpcaaq9JOemFELB_G6E5-ndc2Pw4yFbuQ/s640/Cushing+as+Tarkin.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> The wizards at Industrial Light and Magic managed to use <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/rogue-one-cgi-grand-moff-tarkin-actor-peter-cushing-princess-leia-carrie-fisher-animated-a7483991.html" target="_blank">CGI techniques to create a digital version of Cushing</a>, drawing both on his previous appearance and on actor Guy Henry, who physically played the part during filming. Henry retained much of the physical features of Cushing, but the creators decided that rather than use a similar-looking actor for the final film, they'd recreate Cushing's character digitally.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vFQWLfJggB8" width="640"></iframe><br /></div> <br /> The results are impressive, although the two digitally-created characters still retain a bit of that wax figurine essence about them. The industry still has a bit of work left to do.<br /> <br /> This may be a technique we see more of in the future, and it may be extended to genres other than science fiction. Perhaps we'll see Basil Rathbone or William Gillette resurrected for a future performance. What do you think?<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Sherlock Holmes Connections in Rogue One

"connected in some way" [WIST]  With the advent of the new Star Wars movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , it was inevitable t...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

Join Us as We Live Tweet Sherlock Series 4

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "four and a fifth" [RESI] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdppbdqj3kJq9MZmhogQITaw7lmTPx9jrE-x2W5YpEnGf5AGYSE458pMtI4HrENq-d4B105FvDN3r3higRAXCLZSJSZesA1pDdpC1wCufPr0v_Z52zjca6JS-e1s6EeyWv76pW0-VcW7Td/s1600/Sherlock+series+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdppbdqj3kJq9MZmhogQITaw7lmTPx9jrE-x2W5YpEnGf5AGYSE458pMtI4HrENq-d4B105FvDN3r3higRAXCLZSJSZesA1pDdpC1wCufPr0v_Z52zjca6JS-e1s6EeyWv76pW0-VcW7Td/s640/Sherlock+series+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> This Sunday evening January 1 marks the beginning of <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/series/sherlock-s4/" target="_blank">Series 4 of <i>Sherlock</i> on MASTERPIECE on PBS</a>, which is again being broadcast on the BBC and PBS on the same day. The series kicks off with the episode "The Six Thatchers" at 9:00 pm ET on January 1, followed by "The Lying Detective" on January 8, and concluding with "The Final Problem" on January 15.<br /> <br /> And as has been a tradition, we at I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere have been asked by PBS for a fifth time to live tweet the episodes. "A fifth time with only four series?" you ask? Yes, because <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2015/11/the-sherlock-special-more-photos.html#.WGPP_fkrLb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">we live tweeted <i>Sherlock: The Abominable Bride</i></a> last year as well. You can find our announcements for live tweeting <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2010/10/to-me-than-twitter-illu_25.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Series 1</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2012/05/for-second-time-abbe_4.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Series 2</a> and <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2014/01/live-sherlockpbs-twitter-chat.html#.WGO_tPkrLb3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Series 3</a> here.<br /> <br /> A Twitter chat is simply a live commentary that runs along with the television program; it is not designed to share spoilers, nor is it meant to replace the show itself. Think of it as a living, breathing, trivia section from IMDb.com, with interaction and observations. Our particular interest is finding the references, quotes, characters and untold tales from the original Sherlock Holmes stories as they appear in this modern production, and pointing them out with the hashtag <b>#OriginalQuote</b>.<br /> <br /> In addition to <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">@IHearofSherlock</a> (follow us!), you'll certainly want to follow <a href="http://twitter.com/MasterpiecePBS" target="_blank">@MasterpiecePBS</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/PBS" target="_blank">@PBS</a>. The hashtag for the event will be <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SherlockPBS&src=hash" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#SherlockPBS</a>.<br /> <div> <br /></div> <div> And don't worry! If you don't have a Twitter account, you can simply follow along on twitter.com. If you need help keeping up with the stream, check out other resources such as <a href="http://tweetdeck.com/" target="_blank">Tweetdeck</a>, <a href="http://tweetchat.com/" target="_blank">TweetChat</a> and <a href="http://twitterfall.com/" target="_blank">Twitterfall</a>.<br /> <br /> We'd appreciate it if you show your support by tweeting:<br /> <div> <br /> <div> <div> <h4 style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"> I'm joining the #SherlockPBS Twitter chat with @IHearofSherlock on Sunday evening.</h4> <div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://ctt.ec/9Yzbn" target="_blank"><img alt="Tweet: I'm joining the #SherlockPBS Twitter chat with @IHearofSherlock on Sunday evening http://ctt.ec/D1xkY+ @Masterpiece @PBS" src="http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-4.png" style="border-width: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Some notes about what's going on over on the PBS website:</span><br /> <ul style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> <li><i>Sherlock</i> Season 4 episodes will be available to watch online, beginning the day after broadcast, for a limited time at <a href="http://pbs.org/masterpiece" style="color: #006f85; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">pbs.org/masterpiece</a>, as well as available for purchase via <a href="http://shoppbs.org/" style="color: #006f85; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ShopPBS.org</a>.</li> <li>Be sure to check out all of the associated material available in the <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/series/sherlock-s4/" target="_blank">Sherlock Series 4 section of the PBS website</a>. It includes the <a href="https://t.co/2S4egmL5FD" target="_blank">MASTERPIECE Studio Podcast</a>, with interviews with Louise Brealey, Amanda Abbington and Martin Freeman.</li> </ul> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulcE7AwGGZ-7EJRr6x-6P3I4pfbFp42yfUO6zkQhZ7sZWjE__EgtbWT5l8Yoei4yZnFxtcik4viwKBfTWhNAoKYLCFKtx0M3T6ANx-8AUH-mY-RFxBhirn3y4gZTPA550n7u0Mi-SzmXl/s1600/Sherlock+Masterpiece+podcast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulcE7AwGGZ-7EJRr6x-6P3I4pfbFp42yfUO6zkQhZ7sZWjE__EgtbWT5l8Yoei4yZnFxtcik4viwKBfTWhNAoKYLCFKtx0M3T6ANx-8AUH-mY-RFxBhirn3y4gZTPA550n7u0Mi-SzmXl/s640/Sherlock+Masterpiece+podcast.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div> <span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div> <div> <span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div> <span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We look forward to having you join us on Sunday evening and tweeting along with the #SherlockPBS hashtag. Say hello to us on </span><a href="http://twitter.com/IHearofSherlock" style="background-color: white; color: #006f85; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@IHearofSherlock</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and let us know what you think of the program.</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div> <div> <span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">We'll be back again on <b>January 8 at 9:00 pm ET</b> and again at <b>January 15 at 7:00 pm ET</b>. See you on Twitter!</span></span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> <div> --</div> <div> <br /></div> </div> </div>

Join Us as We Live Tweet Sherlock Series 4

"four and a fifth" [RESI]  This Sunday evening January 1 marks the beginning of Series 4 of Sherlock on MASTERPIECE on PBS ,...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

A Christmas Post Without Slush

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "the second morning after Christmas" [BLUE]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFtzw_vauLqGI8i0SrRwFREYxyE65Xzmhy3UpfMc83q9GBaYo3Uu9riMCNGwfqH4g6RsS5Q73kB-7FoGXwXd7Fn9DcSm8i1-XMrvQH8DWBj-PdmKcMLi5ID3u5ZJ-aJ90QMZSc1HSIoy0/s1600/blue-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFtzw_vauLqGI8i0SrRwFREYxyE65Xzmhy3UpfMc83q9GBaYo3Uu9riMCNGwfqH4g6RsS5Q73kB-7FoGXwXd7Fn9DcSm8i1-XMrvQH8DWBj-PdmKcMLi5ID3u5ZJ-aJ90QMZSc1HSIoy0/s400/blue-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Today traditionally marks the date on which "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" took place. The seventh in the series of stories that make up <i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i>, BLUE is the sole Christmas story in the Sherlock Holmes canon.<br /> <br /> Watson sets the stage for us by opening the tale with this paragraph:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> "I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable hard felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the purpose of examination."</blockquote> It has become a tradition at I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere to acknowledge December 27th with a repeat feature. Just as the <i>Wall Street Journal</i> annually reproduces a 1949 editorial written by Vermont Royster called "<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj-3My0j_zJAhUIPCYKHePhBrMQFgghMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2FSB10001424052970204464404577112431986005786&usg=AFQjCNFBOMTBdMiqlxf9tGYz0Jb-tieRKw&sig2=qjutMkGmsi34eHf1n39PhQ" target="_blank"><i>In Hoc Anno Domini</i></a>," we saw no reason to avoid replication here.<br /> <br /> In the case of this post (previously titled "The Second Morning After Christmas" [BLUE]) which has been used in <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2006/12/second-morning-after-christmas-blue_27.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2006</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2008/12/second-morning-after-christmas-blue_27.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2008</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2009/12/second-morning-after-christmas-blue_27.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2009</a> <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2010/12/second-morning-after-christmas-blue_25.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2010</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2011/12/second-morning-after-christmas-blue_27.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2011</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2012/12/second-morning-after-christmas-blue_27.html#.Ur0PksRDuSo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2012</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2013/12/our-annual-sherlockian-christmas.html#.Vn_hSRUrLb1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2013</a>, and <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2015/12/happy-blue-carbuncle-day.html#.WF1PxvkrLb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2015</a> we find that we have a piece that continues to please, so we'll continue the tradition.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6321981775136876837" name="more"></a>If this is new to you, please feel free to share and use this at your own Sherlockian society holiday meetings. The only thing we ask is that you attribute the poem to its rightful author. If you'd like to listen to it, we also produced <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/12/special-episode-compliments-of-season.html#.UuXITsQo5w0" target="_blank">a special episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere in December 2007</a> in which we read the verse:<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="100 " mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1114993/height/100%20/width/600/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/no-cache/true/render-playlist/no/custom-color/87A93A/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></center> <br /> So, we bring you "Two Days After Christmas," a tribute to "The Blue Carbuncle" in the style of Clement Moore's <a href="http://iment.com/maida//familytree/henry/xmas/poemvariants/troysentinel1823.htm" style="color: #003366;">A Visit from St. Nick</a>, popularly known as "The Night Before Christmas."<br /> <br /> <div style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24531783/Two-Days-After-Christmas" title="View Two Days After Christmas on Scribd">Two Days After Christmas</a></div> <br /> <br /> In addition, here are two more holiday-themed episodes of our show that you may find enjoyable: a discussion of "The Blue Carbuncle" and an interview with Peter Blau concerning his Sherlockian Christmas tree:<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="100" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/2162913/height/100/width/600/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/no-cache/true/render-playlist/no/custom-color/f00606/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></center> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="100" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/3262892/height/100/width/600/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/no-cache/true/render-playlist/no/custom-color/87A93A/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> Wishing you peace, happiness and joy in 2017.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <div> <br /></div>

A Christmas Post Without Slush

"the second morning after Christmas" [BLUE] Today traditionally marks the date on which "The Adventure of the Blue Carbu...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

An Audio Holiday Gift

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "compliments of the season" [BLUE]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDRwEJ6Sq5xj51NLm9cy-7fTPOpgYs0L2DraoI9U84DOoeqsiI1GXu1P6njvbqFWZlVR4Hnq6IKhM6hpC-r8xlTl63_qvma6Q5lncVUe1HhlzZRV9mRZVLSxgvLdcBjAQEC2RDhQ7G0af/s1600/Blue+Carbuncle+Christmas+Dinner+cropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDRwEJ6Sq5xj51NLm9cy-7fTPOpgYs0L2DraoI9U84DOoeqsiI1GXu1P6njvbqFWZlVR4Hnq6IKhM6hpC-r8xlTl63_qvma6Q5lncVUe1HhlzZRV9mRZVLSxgvLdcBjAQEC2RDhQ7G0af/s640/Blue+Carbuncle+Christmas+Dinner+cropped.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to our faithful readers, listeners and friends.<br /> <br /> We recently had an opportunity to listen to an old episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere — specifically, <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose49" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 49: I'll Have a Blue Christmas</a>. It's a favorite for a number of reasons: a deep discussion of the story, a reading of a Christopher Morley essay, and a grand conversation between Scott and Burt. Despite originally airing four years ago, the episode still holds together and is a wonderful way to spend your holiday.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="100" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/2162913/height/100/width/600/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/005190/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe><br /></div> <br /> Join us as we play six degrees of Middlemass; think along with us as we wade our way through a number of other film and television productions; and revel in Morley's observation about the varying colors of Holmes's dressing gown: "That is what fiction exists for: to make delightful the impossible and the unbelieved."<br /> <br /> There's so much to enjoy about this episode. But perhaps we're biased. Won't you let us know what you think?<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

An Audio Holiday Gift

"compliments of the season" [BLUE] Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to our faithful readers, listeners and friends. We re...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

A Holiday Gif(t) from I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "on the twenty-second of December" [BLUE]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OinVncBdnw9WBDdtsqH760sLPQqU102K_YGLO3lZ45vH0VKzC44Ok5YkcAApIAMjEmtOX6KmQkHhwhor6V8W7knR7CK3OYOwpqgPPxXdIK0tgTSaasezyR2QbUYwA7JsVV6yK6w7RJCe/s400/MUSG+-+Holmes+records+tin+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OinVncBdnw9WBDdtsqH760sLPQqU102K_YGLO3lZ45vH0VKzC44Ok5YkcAApIAMjEmtOX6KmQkHhwhor6V8W7knR7CK3OYOwpqgPPxXdIK0tgTSaasezyR2QbUYwA7JsVV6yK6w7RJCe/s400/MUSG+-+Holmes+records+tin+box.jpg" /></a></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> On this date in 1888/9, the famed Hotel Cosmopolitan jewel heist occurred. As it was chronicled in "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle":<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> "Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Horner, 26, plumber, was brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22nd inst. abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect that he had shown Horner up to the dressing-room of the Countess of Morcar upon the day of the robbery, in order that he might solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had remained with Horner some little time, but had finally been called away. On returning he found that Horner had disappeared, that the bureau had been forced open, and that the small morocco casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was accustomed to keep her jewel, was lying empty upon the dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was arrested the same evening; but the stone could not be found either upon his person or in his rooms. Catherine Cusack, maid to the Countess, deposed to having heard Ryder's cry of dismay on discovering the robbery, and to having rushed into the room, where she found matters were as described by the last witness. Inspector Bradstreet, B Division, gave evidence as to the arrest of Horner, who struggled frantically, and protested his innocence in the strongest terms. Evidence of a previous conviction for robbery having been given against the prisoner, the magistrate refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion, and was carried out of court."</blockquote> </div> <div> As this marks the beginning of the only Christmas story in the Sherlock Holmes canon, we thought it was appropriate to leave you with this gift for the holiday season: an animated GIF of "The Blue Carbuncle," lovingly reimagined as "The Bloo Sparkly" by the creator whorl, of the now-defunct site Holmesian.net.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> (If you're scrolling down and the GIF has already started, simply refresh your browser to start over.)</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/scottmonty/Stick-BLUE.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/scottmonty/Stick-BLUE.gif" width="640" /></a></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Compliments of the season. May all your carbuncles be blue this holiday season. Thank you for spending at least part of 2016 with us.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> --</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

A Holiday Gif(t) from I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

"on the twenty-second of December" [BLUE] On this date in 1888/9, the famed Hotel Cosmopolitan jewel heist occurred. As it ...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

Down the Rabbit Hole with Holmes and Watson – Three Reviews

<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> "towards the Triple Alliance" [NAVA] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyahoCfUTLqodqI9cL6dtel8ZlBPtKj9Y7xf5PgAchfmdIoGKIgfnhD8aQTtqJ6SV1pYjgtSCT-QFQxmc8Jtk0DuSuXOwU6Z6lk4HwEatcGwg7itmtmTzvQgc8g7-VktZ1SrVIHn0C4dI/s1600/LCS-IHOSE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyahoCfUTLqodqI9cL6dtel8ZlBPtKj9Y7xf5PgAchfmdIoGKIgfnhD8aQTtqJ6SV1pYjgtSCT-QFQxmc8Jtk0DuSuXOwU6Z6lk4HwEatcGwg7itmtmTzvQgc8g7-VktZ1SrVIHn0C4dI/s640/LCS-IHOSE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> Sherlock Holmes is such an iconic character in literature that he has been both idolized and satirized in pastiches for over a century. After author and screenwriter Nicholas Meyer paired Holmes with Sigmund Freud in 1975 in <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven-Per-Cent_Solution" target="_blank">The Seven Percent Solution</a>, </i>Holmes and Watson have been in adventures with the likes of Oscar Wilde, Madam Curie, Count Dracula, and countless other characters, historical and fictional. To paraphrase Holmes, as unlikely as some pairings may be, some are more unlikely still. One combination that seems to be a challenge for pastiche writers has been Sherlock Holmes and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Carroll" target="_blank">Lewis Carroll</a> (or his Wonderland creation, Alice).<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /> <h3> "a glimpse of one or two murders" [ILLU]</h3> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> In the 1995 anthology <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Orbit-Mike-Resnick/dp/0886776368" target="_blank">SherlockHolmes in Orbit</a>,</i> editors Mike Resnick and Martin H. Greenberg included two short stories in which Holmes found himself in Carrollian territory. But as far as I can tell, it wasn’t until 1998 that the first novel appeared - <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Alice-Wonderland-Murders/dp/0953765938" target="_blank">SherlockHolmes and the Alice in Wonderland Murders</a></i> by Barry Day. Day authored four other Holmes pastiches, and he has written and produced plays and musical revues showcasing the work of Noël Coward, the Lunts, Oscar Wilde, and others. Of the three books reviewed here, for me his was the most satisfying story, though not without some ‘trifling’ flaws.  <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> In October of 1898 Holmes and Watson are pitted against American yellow press publisher, John Moxton – and Holmes soon deduces that Moxton is the adopted identity of James Moriarty, who, like Holmes, did <i>not</i> perish at the Reichenbach Falls. He has undergone surgery and weight gain to hide his true identity as he manipulates the press and seeks power as well as revenge upon Holmes. The connection with Carroll comes with public figures who are humiliated and then murdered, with each incident having a parallel in <i>Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.</i> Moxton taunts Holmes with references to <i>AAIW</i> and even invites Holmes and Watson to a Wonderland-themed Halloween costume party (with Watson as the Red King and even Lestrade appearing as the Walrus).<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> The story moves at a good pace, and Day captures Watson’s voice fairly well. For me, however, Holmes’ calling Watson “old fellow” throughout the book was irritating. Doyle used that phrase exactly five times in the Canon, and in each instance, he was not addressing Watson but was describing a ‘fellow’ who was ‘old.’ Holmes used the phrase ‘dear fellow’ or ‘my dear fellow’ and in not all of those instances was he necessarily referring to Watson. A major anachronism was the single unnecessary use of ‘sonar’ in the second chapter as Moxton hoaxed the public with the apparent appearance of ‘Nessie’ in Loch Ness.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> Impressive, however, was Day’s prediction of the current state of news reporting and how a demagogue can utilize the press.   <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"> “Moxton’s theory of the nature of truth is becoming all too credible. You read about a thing – therefore it is. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"> . . .<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"> “You mean that the perception is as good as truth?”<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"> “Better, Watson, better. Particularly if people are given the perception they would like to see.  No, I’m afraid that in the future people like our friend – with the aid of sufficient funds and the available technology – will be able to provide the so-called ‘people’ with a version of the world they would prefer to live in. And if the uncomfortable truth should occasionally leak through, well . . . twenty-four hours and another headline will conveniently cover it up again.”<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Perhaps in the late 90’s Day had in mind Rupert Murdoch, but nonetheless he seems remarkably prescient given the proliferation of fake headlines and bogus news stories in the past year or two.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> All in all, it was a decent 180-page read, though it did not feature Holmes interacting with Carroll who would have been 22 years his senior; presumably a meeting could have occurred in the 1880’s with Carroll consulting Holmes. Day’s book is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Alice-Wonderland-Murders/dp/0953765938" target="_blank">available at Amazon</a>.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <o:p><br /></o:p> <h3> <o:p>"under some absurd illusion" [SECO]</o:p></h3> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Also available at Amazon is Ron Brackin’s 2013 <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Adventure-Deadly-Illusion/dp/0989746321" target="_blank">SherlockHolmes: The Adventure of the Deadly Illusion</a></i>.  Brackin was an investigative journalist who covered the Middle East extensively and is author of <i>Son of Hamas</i>.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> In "The Adventure of the<i> Gloria Scott</i>," we explicitly learned that Holmes did attend university.  Sherlockian scholars have long debated just where Holmes spent his university years. We know that Holmes is brilliant, and therefore we deduce that he attended at least one of the two best universities in the UK, Oxford or Cambridge. A hotly contested issue, it is the reason why at Sherlockian conferences you will sometimes see for purchase tee-shirts or sweatshirts proclaiming ‘Camford University’ or ‘Oxbridge University.’ Brackin obviously comes down on the side of Oxford because <i>The Deadly Illusion</i> begins in September of 1872 with 18 year-old Sherlock using his observational skills and deductive reasoning to explain a magician’s stage illusion to the 40 year-old Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, then a don of Christ Church college.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Brackin blends fact with fiction throughout the book, sometimes insensibly twisting facts to suit, if not theory, then at least to suit his story line. I may be a neophyte Carrollian, but I could not find a reference to Dodgson being a devotee of illusions and magic, though he did love the stage in general. But if liberty is to be taken in furtherance of the story by having Dodgson enamored of stage magic, then so be it. It allows Holmes to display his powers of observation and logical reasoning.<br /> <br /> A supporting character, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nevil_Maskelyne" target="_blank">John Nevil Maskelyne</a>, a real magician in the 1800’s (and inventor of the pay toilet – I kid you not!) plays an important role in crafting a duplicate of a burglar’s tool which helps Holmes infiltrate a den of thieves and roughnecks. Confusing, however, was the reference to ‘The Magnificent Jasper’ performing at the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in the first chapter – Jasper Maskelyne was indeed a magician as well, but was born in 1902, the grandson of John Nevil Maskelyne. Also annoying was Holmes’ occasional calling of Dodgson “old fellow” or “old man.”  Aside from my personal annoyance as expressed previously, I have my doubts that an 18 year old student, even Holmes, would address a don of Oxford as “old man,” especially considering its colloquial British slang meaning.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Brackin continues to intermingle fact and fiction when a butler is murdered during the commission of a burglary - jewels are stolen from the home of (fictional) Sir Arthur Bellingham who is noted as a member of the (real) <a href="http://www.reformclub.com/" target="_blank">Reform Club</a>. A Scotland Yard inspector draws the wrong conclusions from the evidence at the scene but Holmes sees and observes what actually occurred. The (real) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne" target="_blank">Jules Verne</a> makes a cameo appearance along with (fictional) Phineas Fogg. Verne’s (fictional) bank robber James Strand (from <i>Around the World in 80 Days</i>) becomes a central figure, and he happens to have been a partner in crime with Michael Moriarty, the father of three brothers, all named James, one of whom wrote a celebrated monograph on “The Dynamics of an Asteroid” familiar to mathematician Dodgson. A brief mention is made of Dodgson’s real passion for photography (though a typographical error turned ‘pyrogallic acid’ to ‘hyrogallic’) with a photographic session with (real) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Kitchin" target="_blank">Alexandra ‘Xie’ Kitchin</a>. Holmes’ skill at ‘baritsu’ helped him capture a criminal despite the fact that ‘bartitsu’ was not developed by Edward William Barton-Wright until 1898.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> The narrative does not flow as smoothly in <i>Deadly Illusion</i> as it did in the <i>Alice in Wonderland Murders</i> due to the author’s sometimes forced insertion of factual material in an ambitious effort to bolster the Victorian atmosphere. However, to his credit, Brackin does manage to introduce Holmes to Dodgson in a timeline which <i>could</i> have happened (in the loosest meaning of the word ‘could’) and the plot line, while not worthy of Arthur Conan Doyle, does make sense. Holmes solves his second case showing his deductive skills before moving to lodgings in Montague Street and eventually Baker Street.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <h3> <o:p><span style="text-align: center;">"I could have laughed when I realized it was the cat" [CHAS]</span></o:p></h3> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> A blended reality is left behind as we venture into<i> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Adventure-Grinning-Cat/dp/1780928858" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Grinning Cat</a></i> by Joseph Svec. We find Sherlock Holmes at the height of his career in February 1898, searching for Lewis Carroll and Alice—both of whom have mysteriously disappeared! The first clue might be that date—nearly one month after the death of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.  Holmes is asked to investigate the disappearances by none other than the Cheshire Cat, the White Rabbit, and the Hatter.  The game is certainly afoot - a rabbit’s foot!<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> The story is set initially in the Victorian world of Holmes and his chronicler, John H. Watson. It begins, as do many Holmesian pastiches, with a note to the reader followed by a “recently rediscovered” explanatory note from Dr. Watson which informs the reader that publication must not take place for at least twenty-five years in order to protect his and Holmes’s reputations, due to the “fantastical,” “amazing,” and “utterly different” nature of the story.<br /> <br /> We know by the second page of Chapter One that we have left the well-known, if imaginary, sitting room of 221B Baker Street when the unexpected Cheshire Cat speaks to Holmes and Watson, and Holmes soon realizes that Watson is not using ventriloquism to fool him. After several hours of silent deliberation, Holmes concludes that a talking / dematerializing cat is, after all, not impossible, just highly improbable, and he is ready to be of service.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> The author pays homage to both Holmes and Carroll, dropping phrases and paraphrases that knowledgeable Sherlockians and Carrollians will recognize. It is a fantastic journey from Baker Street to the home of the recently deceased Dodgson in Guildford, to a visit with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells" target="_blank">H.G. Wells</a>, and a trip to Mars using his Time Machine. Then it’s back to London, followed by Wonderland, back to Baker Street, and even to an ethereal and unearthly 'river of time.' The author has much fun with wordplay and puns when the group is in Wonderland. We meet the Bandersnatch, the Unicorn, the Red Queen, and other Wonderland characters throughout the adventure.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> In the Acknowledgments, the author states that he is a newcomer to the Holmes stories, only recently having been introduced to them. Perhaps he can be forgiven for not paying more attention to the Holmes–Watson relationship and for focusing only on Holmes as a logician. He calls Carroll (who was also a logician) a “logistician,” a term primarily meaning someone knowledgeable in logistics—though it is also a synonym for “logician.” Unfortunately Carroll seems disrespected, as his name is misspelled twice in the same chapter, the Gryphon is referred to as “Griffon” (technically correct but not the preferred or Carroll’s spelling; a griffon is actually an Old World vulture, not to be confused with “griffin,” a wire-haired pointing dog from Belgium), and the Jabberwock (a major player in the story) is mis-named “Jabberwocky.”<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> I may be overly critical, but the book has numerous spelling, typographical, and typesetting errors; idiosyncratic and inconsistent capitalizations and bold-faced words, and not-quite-right references.  Much of the blame for these may rest with the <a href="http://mxpublishing.com/" target="_blank">publisher’s</a> proofreader. As Watson narrates, we get some sense of his thoughts, and this fleshes him out as a character. But Holmes functions only as the perfect logician throughout: to call his portrayal one-dimensional is to imply more depth than is evident. As a Carrollian and Sherlockian I wanted to love this book, but I came away disappointed.  As they say, “your mileage will vary,” and a hardcore Carrollian may gain much enjoyment reading about the playful interactions of the Wonderland characters in Watson’s narration.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Nicholas Meyer set a high bar when he introduced Holmes to Freud. To be truly successful, a pastiche author must capture Watson’s voice and style, must respect the relationship between Holmes and Watson, and of course must show Holmes’ deductive abilities in unraveling a puzzling mystery. In the past few years, several authors (my favorites - David Stuart Davies, Lyndsay Faye and Bonnie MacBird) have shown their writing skills to meet this standard, and their detailed knowledge of Holmes and Victorian England help re-create a world “where it is always 1895.” Add Lewis Carroll or more fantastically, Alice in Wonderland, to the narrative and the task more than doubles in difficulty. I look forward to another attempt.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></div> --<br /> <br />

Down the Rabbit Hole with Holmes and Watson – Three Reviews

"towards the Triple Alliance" [NAVA]  Sherlock Holmes is such an iconic character in literature that he has been both idoli...

+ Read more »

by Spocklock

Episode 110: Sociable and Clubbable

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started" [GREE] <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQM4K8DTUq244zUJE1M7_8RnpNkp6KzMDKqa_G8jqoziTL4vYxnAx9hf7zFF7Lppyf57pjUGT7_Ae0Yx9SvEz5WxF9YsAzZ8nP9KyOrTQg_HtKxRGXnzNMuiDKPa6EqgKcfcp3zqqpQAf1cN2wihH8ZIGoplpcK-vyNZqLFWKOIBRpUK_t_NFHh2GJI9c/s1400/ihearofsherlock110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQM4K8DTUq244zUJE1M7_8RnpNkp6KzMDKqa_G8jqoziTL4vYxnAx9hf7zFF7Lppyf57pjUGT7_Ae0Yx9SvEz5WxF9YsAzZ8nP9KyOrTQg_HtKxRGXnzNMuiDKPa6EqgKcfcp3zqqpQAf1cN2wihH8ZIGoplpcK-vyNZqLFWKOIBRpUK_t_NFHh2GJI9c/s1400/ihearofsherlock110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQM4K8DTUq244zUJE1M7_8RnpNkp6KzMDKqa_G8jqoziTL4vYxnAx9hf7zFF7Lppyf57pjUGT7_Ae0Yx9SvEz5WxF9YsAzZ8nP9KyOrTQg_HtKxRGXnzNMuiDKPa6EqgKcfcp3zqqpQAf1cN2wihH8ZIGoplpcK-vyNZqLFWKOIBRpUK_t_NFHh2GJI9c/w640-h640/ihearofsherlock110.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Sherlockian societies are literally everywhere. <a href="http://www.sherlocktron.com/three.pdf" target="_blank">Go ahead and check</a> — we'll wait. And just as there are many things that make them unique, there are just as many that bind them together.<br /> <br /> Whether it's traditions, geography, frequency, or program style, Sherlock Holmes is at the center of it all. And while Sherlock and his brother Mycroft felt right at home at the Diogenes Club, which was created for the most unsociable and unclubbable men around, Sherlockian gatherings exist for just the opposite reason. We band together because we're gregarious people and we have a common love of all things related to the Sherlock Holmes stories.<br /> <br /> Burt's recent travels have taken him to a number of Sherlock Holmes groups, and he reflects on what's special about each. You might find some confluence with groups you belong to; or perhaps there are stark differences. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think other interested Sherlockians should know about your local group's traditions.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> Listen along to hear about these and other discoveries, including Scott's revelation that there's a difference between the <a href="http://hoboken.pastperfect-online.com/32340cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=EC2806A5-5D51-4AB0-9FAF-115931825540;type=301" target="_blank">Hoboken Free State</a> and the Hoboken-free state. Top it off with our Gas-Lamp, the poem "The Friendship Club" by Charles E. Lauterbach, which appeared in the 1958 <i>Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual</i>.<br /> <br /> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a div="" gt="" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2318606&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fihearofsherlock.com%2Fpodcast" target="_blank"> </a></div> <br /> Please consider becoming a regular supporter of ours on <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. Your support helps us to meet production costs.<br /> <br /></div> <div> <div> <h3> Sponsors</h3> This episode includes our two longtime sponsors. Please support our sponsors by visiting their sites:<br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">Wessex Press</a>, which is debuting <i>Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle in the Newspapers, Volume 3</i> at the BSI Weekend.</li> <li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Baker Street Journal</a>, where you can purchase the eBSJ. </li> </ul> <br /> 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> <div style="font-family: "times new roman";"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div> </div> </div> <div> </div> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock110.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size 26.2 MB, 5</h4> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/298153342&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /> <br /><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Merriweather; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.episodes.fm/258126625" style="color: #013fd3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Listen to I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere anywhere you get podcasts<br /></a></span></h3> <div style="text-align: left;"> <h3> <b>Notes</b></h3> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 1:32 Hello and introduction</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 2:49 Wessex Press</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 4:15 There's another podcast out there</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 6:54 The people and the groups related to our hobby</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 11:01 The Grillparzer Club of the Hoboken Free State</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 15:28 The Christopher Morley Walk at the Baker Street Irregulars and Friends Weekend</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 18:56 Frequency, traditions and creativity galore mean unique experiences</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 33:55 Let's hear about your area's Sherlockian society's traditions</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 34:52 The News!</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 38:15 Tribute to Andrew Sachs</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 43:52 <i>The Baker Street Journal</i></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 45:23 The Editor's Gas-Lamp</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> 52:23 Your help needed</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> <div> <h3> </h3> <h3> Links</h3> <ul> <li><a href="http://revolutionspodcast.com/" target="_blank">Revolutions</a> podcast</li> <li><a href="http://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/" target="_blank">The History of Rome</a> podcast</li> <li>A <a href="http://www.sherlocktron.com/three.pdf" target="_blank">geographical listing of Sherlockian societies</a> globally</li> <li><a href="http://johnhwatsonsociety.com/archives/145" target="_blank">The Grillparzer Club of the Hoboken Free State</a></li> <li><a href="http://bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">BSI Weekend</a> website</li> <li><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/11/15/mcsorleys-reopens-after-rat-problem-led-to-closure/" target="_blank">McSorley's Old Ale House is open again</a>, after a slight issue</li> <li><a href="https://ashsherlockian.org/" target="_blank">The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes</a></li> <li><a href="http://ihose.co/ihose89" target="_blank">Episode 89</a> of IHOSE</li> <li>Find events at the <a href="http://www.sherlockiancalendar.com/" target="_blank">Sherlockian Calendar</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amateurmendicantsociety.org/" target="_blank">Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit</a></li> <li><a href="https://prioryscholarsnyc.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Priory Scholars of NYC</a></li> <li>Remembering <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/12/remembering-andrew-sachs.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Andrew Sachs</a> and <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/12/remembering-peter-vaughan.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter Vaughan</a></li> <li>Our <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose26" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview with Fritz Weaver in Episode 26</a></li> <li><a href="http://ihose.co/bsi2017tips" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Getting the most out of the BSI Weekend</a></li> </ul> </div> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> Many more links, articles and images are available in our Flipboard magazine at  <a href="http://ihose.co/flipsherlock" target="_blank">ihose.co/flipsherlock</a>, as well as on the <a href="https://plus.google.com/communities/114565123495685504221" target="_blank">The Sherlock Holmes Community</a> on Google+ (with over 3,900 members), as well as through our accounts on  <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/ihearofsherlock">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/04/ihose-on-snapchat-just-in-time-for.html">Snapchat</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  and <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>.</div> </div> <br /> <br /> Please <a href="http://bit.ly/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">subscribe to us on iTunes</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I2nib4h55h3cz3yxmzovj6icbmi">Google Play</a>, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a>, <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/i-hear-of-sherlock-everywhere?refid=stpr" target="_blank">Stitcher</a> or <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Spreaker</a> and be kind enough to leave a rating or review for the show. And please tell a friend about us, in any fashion you feel comfortable.<br /> <br /> 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 /> <br /></div> <div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";">--</span><br /> <div> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /> </span></div> <div> </div> </div> <br /><br />

Episode 110: Sociable and Clubbable

"It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started" [GREE]  Sherlockian societies are literally everywhere....

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

A Study in Sherlock — What's In a Name?

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Europe was ringing with his name" [REIG]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CANT-mVS9I-dGCp6lyQ4M0tKasnQDxUJuJQEN-sdU0h_TKmHkgnjWeZTXuXZ73vLIWx__jXt-lyfHDZaWtQIeLv5Lbb_lF5_ybltxBaE-N2qeLPyQKj4HCQ6o1x89tY_keAd8gPWsA6V/s1600/Eine+Studie+in+Scharlachtrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CANT-mVS9I-dGCp6lyQ4M0tKasnQDxUJuJQEN-sdU0h_TKmHkgnjWeZTXuXZ73vLIWx__jXt-lyfHDZaWtQIeLv5Lbb_lF5_ybltxBaE-N2qeLPyQKj4HCQ6o1x89tY_keAd8gPWsA6V/s400/Eine+Studie+in+Scharlachtrot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Whether Sherlock Holmes got his first name from a cricketer whom Arthur Conan Doyle admired, a 17th century theologian whom he couldn't help knowing about, a Stonyhurst schoolmate, or a great-aunt on his father's side, all of which are theories that have been plausibly advanced, there's general agreement that "Sherlock" was an Irish surname and possibly a place-name before it was ever coupled with the name of Holmes. <br /> <br /> It's also generally accepted (although one Sherlockian tried to make it a portmanteau word from "sheriff" and "lockup") that the root meaning of "Sherlock" is "shining-locks" or, in modern English, "fair-haired". (Etymologists cite spellings like "scirloc".) We learn in "The Dancing Men" that Holmes's hair actually looked like "a black top-knot", but perhaps he was blonde as a baby.<br /> <br /> Still, there is always room for an alternative theory, and I have one to offer, after noticing a little park in the city where I live that goes by the name of Scharlach Green. "Scharlach", pronounced pretty much like "Sherlock" except for the final consonant that only Germans and Scots can manage, is the German word for "scarlet". Arthur Conan Doyle, who had some of his education in Germany, spoke the language well enough to know that.<br /> <br /> And when he brought his not-so-fair-haired detective to life in that first story in 1887, he gave the tale the title <i>A Study in Scarlet</i>. When it was translated into German, early in the 20th century, it appeared under the title <i>Späte Rache</i> ("Belated Revenge"), but more recently the preferred German title is <i>Eine Studie in Scharlachro</i>t — not just "scarlet" but "scarlet red". It would be interesting to know what German-speaking readers think when they encounter Sherlock in Scharlach.<br /> <br /> The connection between the colour and the name sheds a bit of new light on the still unresolved question of why the novel refers to "scarlet" in the first place. The obvious answer would be that scarlet is red, and red is the color of blood, and there's blood in this story. The obvious answer is wrong; for one thing, blood is not, in fact, scarlet. It's more like crimson, which is a darker, bluer red. Doyle, or Watson, knew that perfectly well: the word "crimson" appears eleven times in the Canon, mostly as the color of blood, while "scarlet" is used in that way only once, in "The Lion's Mane", to describe lacerations. <br /> <br /> It's pretty well established that Doyle's scarlet is a reference to texts in the Bible — notably a passage in Isaiah: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." As Tim Healey pointed out in an article in the <i>Sherlock Holmes Journal</i> a few years ago, a "scarlet woman" is now a prostitute or a loose woman. Healey's conclusion: "To Doyle, well versed in the Bible, scarlet meant sin and violence, and we have a tale of rape and murder."<br /> <br /> Scharlach can, like Sherlock, be a surname. (Julius Scharlach was a 19th century promoter of German colonialism, and Alfred Nobel's lawyer.) So can Scarlet: the name goes at least as far back as Will Scarlet, one of Robin Hood's legendary band of robbers. Earle Scarlett was a notable Alberta physician and public figure, and one of Canada's first Sherlockians. Miss Scarlett is well known to those who play Clue (in England, "Cluedo"). <br /> <br /> And then there is Scarlett O'Hara of Gone with the Wind, who demonstrates the use of a surname as a given name — just like Sherlock, in fact, and perhaps it's the same name anyway.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img height="293" src="https://i.imgflip.com/x0fjq.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> --<br /> <br />

A Study in Sherlock — What's In a Name?

"Europe was ringing with his name" [REIG] Whether Sherlock Holmes got his first name from a cricketer whom Arthur Conan Doyle...

+ Read more »

by Chris Redmond

Signed Letter from Conan Doyle Up for Auction

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "at the Danish capital" [STUD]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqd6tnCnLX2l60hiwwkKlMDwwnVVHz9LVIYhznSZW80T0EauZphs8Myl5J2WdZsAcJJseYHYaHkOFhWgLV8PNlHtSbxHqdOUuVo9QNUPHO6SgsTWC8i47yW2xYLw7oTbZJ_StUOoWRhkU/s1600/Conan+Doyle+Letter+-+top.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqd6tnCnLX2l60hiwwkKlMDwwnVVHz9LVIYhznSZW80T0EauZphs8Myl5J2WdZsAcJJseYHYaHkOFhWgLV8PNlHtSbxHqdOUuVo9QNUPHO6SgsTWC8i47yW2xYLw7oTbZJ_StUOoWRhkU/s640/Conan+Doyle+Letter+-+top.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Here's your chance to own an authentic letter from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.<br /> <br /> Our regular listener / reader Christian Mongaard let us know that auction house <a href="https://bruun-rasmussen.dk/m/lots/2B18C88AD12F?auction_day_id=1005028" target="_blank">Bruun Rasmussen is offering this autograph letter</a> signed by Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle. The single page letter is 11.3×17.6 cm and was written by Conan Doyle on letterhead from his Crowborough home, dated July 24, 1911.<br /> <br /> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jG6q-rFfWDyPDvXudZKshPVyVHg1PWuQpXNJvthcBLV1CEwuhksMbbcSObzrD_xislZrxA6080uivILLacD11XVVCazyR3lbyex2ikIbyExtykmLSAsnN9aaxQOfmh8HupCSaJ7VXzm9/s1600/Conan+Doyle+Letter+-+full.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jG6q-rFfWDyPDvXudZKshPVyVHg1PWuQpXNJvthcBLV1CEwuhksMbbcSObzrD_xislZrxA6080uivILLacD11XVVCazyR3lbyex2ikIbyExtykmLSAsnN9aaxQOfmh8HupCSaJ7VXzm9/s1600/Conan+Doyle+Letter+-+full.png" /></a></div> <br /> The text of the letter is as follows:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Dear Sir<br />   Pray excuse the delay in answering your kind invitation. I am not clear whether Mr. Schwensen may have made some arrangement for us upon Tuesday. We are of course in his hands. If not we shall be happy to accept your invitation to dinner.<br />          Yours very truly</blockquote>                     Arthur Conan Doyle<br /> <br /> <br /> As with many handwritten items, this comes with a story. According to the site:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i>The occasion is Doyle's attendance at his brother's wedding on 2 August 1911. His brother, Major John Innes Doyle (1873–1919), was actually married in the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen with the Danish concert singer, Miss Clara Schwensen (1881–1930), daughter of Landowner Reinholdt Schwensen (1829–1917) from Lolland, who is described in the letter as “Mr Schwensen”.</i><br /> <br /> <i>The recipient of the letter is anonymous, but it is most likely the English emissary, Sir William Conyngham Greene (1854–1934), with whom Doyle had dinner with in Copenhagen the day before the wedding. In this way the letter is not only related to the world of Sherlock Holmes in general, but also has a fun historical relevance for especially Danish Sherlockians.</i></blockquote> This letter was in the collection of collector, late President of The Danish Baker Street Irregulars, and member of the Baker Street Irregulars Bjarne Nielsen, BSI ("The Veiled Lodger").<br /> <br /> The auction is set to take place on December 13, 2016 at 6:30 pm in Copenhagen and online. <a href="https://bruun-rasmussen.dk/m/lots/2B18C88AD12F?auction_day_id=1005028" target="_blank">Bidding starts</a> at 4,000 kr. (approx. $580) and the estimate is thought to be between 8,000 and 10,000 kr. ($1,160 - 1,450)<br /> <br /> We trust that it will find an equally deserving home.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /></div>

Signed Letter from Conan Doyle Up for Auction

"at the Danish capital" [STUD] Here's your chance to own an authentic letter from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Our regular...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty