Knave of Diamonds
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“it's the king of diamonds” [MAZA] It took Laurie R. King six years to find a publisher for her first book, but it was worth the wait. She won the Edgar in 1994 for Best First Novel with A Grave Talent, which launched her Kate Martinelli series, set in San Francisco. That same year, The Bee-Keeper’s Apprentice introduced the impressive, young Mary Russell, who would meet and eventually marry the retired Sherlock Holmes — “the least marriageable man I knew,” according to Mary, in 1921. Since then, Russell and Holmes have traveled the world in eighteen novels, finding mystery and...
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World Wide Doyle
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“from Portsmouth at midday” [LAST] The Portsmouth Library is home to the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, largely made possible by the bequest of Richard Lancelyn Green. This world-renowned collection, the work of one of the foremost Doylean scholars, is a treasure trove for researchers, enthusiasts, and the public. The Collection preserves books, manuscripts, artifacts, and ephemera that illuminate Conan Doyle's life, his beloved Sherlock Holmes, and the cultural impact of his work. Laura Weston is the Education and Learning Officer for the Collection at the Portsmouth City...
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The Digital Archives at the Toronto Public Library
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“You can file it in our archives, Watson” [RETI] North America is home to a number of public collections, libraries, museums, and archives that hold treasures related to Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Not least among them is the Toronto Public Library. Home to the famed Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, the TPL is a great friend to Sherlockians and Doyleans everywhere and regularly welcomes visitors to view and research its more than 25,000 items related to Conan Doyle. And curator Jessie Amaolo joined us to talk about the digital offerings of the collection. What...
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White Smoke
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“we can bring it to a successful conclusion” [EMPT] When we discussed the Midwest Canonical Conclave in Episode 308, we weren't exactly sure what to expect. Organizer Steve Doyle, BSI ("The Western Morning News") gave us a general idea of what the aim was and what we might see there, but our expectations were blown away. Unlike any other Sherlockian event we've attended, the inaugural BSI Canonical Conclave (this of the Midwest variety) was a true delight. Burt and Scott reflect on the event and their experiences, consider the benefits of having attended, and muse on the...
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Holmes In an Hour or Two
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“good enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences” [SCAN] Don't care for Sherlockian chronologies? Well, you're not alone! Neither did our guest today, and he's written a number of books on the subject. Brad Keefauver, BSI ("Winwood Reade") is a member of the Sherlockian Chronologist Guild and author of Holmes In an Hour or Two: A Sherlock Holmes Fan's First Sherlockian Chronology, or Create Your Own Timeline of Sherlock Holmes's Life in the Shortest Time Possible. It's not a matter of simply picking dates or looking for discrepancies; creating a chronology can...
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The BSI Midwest Canonical Conclave
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“grazed the subclavian artery” [STUD] While the Baker Street Irregulars is the most well-known of Sherlockian societies, it is by no means the only one — nor even the most important. There are gatherings happening every week, in person and virtually, of Sherlockian societies. And just like the Sherlockian societies that sprouted up in those early years of the hobby, Steve Doyle, BSI ("The Western Morning News") thought it might be helpful to bring some of them together in a spirit of building Sherlockian community and creating connections. And that's taking the form of...
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The Evolution of 221B Con
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“able to evolve from their own inner consciousness” [STUD] Now in its 12th year, 221B Con has become a mainstay of annual Sherlockian events, drawing people from all over the world to Atlanta every April. It was founded as a response to Sherlock on BBC, but has expanded beyond that to include the original stories as well as all forms of media. Last year, the founders announced that this year would be the final 221B Con. As we narrow in on that date, regular attendee and volunteer Johanna Draper Carlson isn't convinced that has to be the case. But the future isn't quite...
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The Golden Era of Sherlock Holmes an His Contemporaries
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“the high opinion formed of him by his contemporaries.” [VALL] When the first Sherlock Holmes short stories came on the scene, they were something of a novelty: non-serialized, self-contained tales that put the Strand Magazine on the map. As with any success story, this one inspired imitators. These contemporaries of Sherlock Holmes inhabited the pages of the Strand and many other magazines of the day. Author Michael Cohen has stepped forward to catalog and categorize them from the years 1891 to 1914. This surprising array of characters includes those who were consciously not trying to...
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That Ghastly Face
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“a wistful look on his wrinkled face” [BLAN] The first Sherlock Holmes adventure authored by Sherlock Holmes was “The Blanched Soldier.” It tells the tale of a family’s attempt to protect their son, a friend’s dedication to determining the truth, and Holmes’s actions to explain everything. Ira Matetsky, BSI ("The Final Problem") edited this volume and in the process, assembled a group of Sherlockians who have unique talents to apply to the analysis of the story and the manuscript, which was generously made available from the Berg Collection at the New York Public Library....
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Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere
“One of the most precious public possessions of the empire” [BERY] Joel Meadows began what eventually became Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders: The Gene Genie in 2002 while working on Tripwire as a quarterly print magazine. He tells us the story of how it took two decades to bring this vision to life with illustrator Andy Bennett, and what the plans are for part two of the story. The initial Kickstarter for part one was wildly successful, and the Kickstarter for the sequel is under way. The praise has been effusive: “A darn good romp” – Guillermo...
info_outline“That was the curious incident” [SILV]
From time to time, we see analysis and debate about whether Sherlock Holmes was autistic, had Asperger Syndrome, or is in some other way on the spectrum.
As neurodiversity becomes more understood and accepted in the 21st century, it seems natural to explore this not only with Holmes, but with other characters in the genre as well.
In The Autistic Sleuth, Christopher Chan and Patricia Meyer Chan, Ph.D., test the question: Is the entertainment industry celebrating neurodiversity or is it reinforcing stereotypes? They analyze how two dozen characters appearing in filmed productions from around the globe who are presented as atypical minds.
We have Sherlockian news, as well as another round of the Canonical Couplet quiz. It's a super-easy one this time. The winner, chosen at random from all correct answers, will receive a copy of The Autistic Sleuth. Send your answer to comment @ ihearofsherlock .com by May 14, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. EDT. All listeners are eligible to play.
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And we also have additional conversation with Chris as bonus content for this episode for our supporters.
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Links
- The Autistic Sleuth: Screen Portrayals of Detectives on the Spectrum in Sherlock Holmes Adaptations (Kickstarter | Amazon | Bookshop.org)
- Chris Chan's author page on Amazon
- Chris Chan books on MX Publishing
- Crime and Criticism (Chris Chan's Blog)
- News stories:
- Sherlock Holmes Magazine #2 - The Jeremy Brett edition (Kickstarter)
- Uniquely New York: A Good Mystery - Otto Penzler celebrates 45 years of the Mysterious Bookshop (YouTube)
- The 'B' List - Curtis Armstrong's hilarious presentation of minor villains (YouTube)
- Sherlock Mondays: The Hound of the Baskervilles (The Rosenbach)
- The 81 Best, Worst, and Strangest Dr. Watson Portrayals of All Time (CrimeReads)
- Burt and Scott on Rippercast's From Adler to Amberly: "The Adventure of the Three Students" (Spotify)
- Find all of our relevant links and social accounts at linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock.