“Draw your chair up, and hand me my violin, for the only problem which we have still to solve is how to while away these bleak autumnal evenings.” This was a fun book to dip in and out of all month. I’m glad I did it the way I did. I think otherwise it might have been easy to grow tired of Holmes and his Watson. The stories are short and a bit slight, so they make excellent little auditory treats every couple of days […]
Would have liked a lot more Holmes in this one.
Honestly, a teensy bit disappointed in this one. It was more fun in bits and pieces than it was as a whole. This is the novel that famously originated at a dinner between an American publisher, Conan Doyle, and Oscar Wilde. Out of that meeting came The Sign of the Four (which is often shortened to just ‘The Sign of Four‘) and The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I think most people would agree is the superior output (ACD thought it might be good fun […]
“There’s a scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life.”
The first novel down in my quest to read The Complete Sherlock Holmes by the end of 2018. Though I have seen numerous adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories over the years, I only managed to read a handful of the actual source material as a child (and The Hound of the Baskervilles is the only one I remember with any clarity). I never managed to read this one, which gives us the introduction between Mr. Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective, and Dr. John Watson, his friend […]
Another lukewarm Sherlock Holmes adventure
As I slowly continue to work my way through the complete works of the world’s most famous detective through the hands of his creator, I find myself kind of grateful that so many others have attempted to capture his essence in so many different means. I say that because I have loved all Sherlock Holmes related entertainment for so long, and I’d never want to give it up. But if I’d started out with the original books, I would have certainly never wanted to keep […]
Suddenly Surprise Equus – A Phrase No One Wants to Hear
I like to think I mostly get British humo(u)r. I can quote more than just Monty Python Holy Grail. I’m aware the Hugh Laurie is more than Gregory House, M.D. and one half of the British national treasure that is “A Bit of Fry and Laurie”. But… I did not get this on. I had two main road blocks preventing me from liking this one. One, the sudden surprise Equus. (Of course, if there ever a time when you can be prepared for sudden surprise […]
“Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”
I swear I thought I read this book, I have not. I really honestly and truly do not know how a story I know so well, with lines I quote all the time, could have snuck past me. I blame the movie. And the television show. And pop culture? I don’t know. But this has all been solved because now I have read it. Or Stephen Fry read it to me and it was delightful. For anyone else who may have missed this one, here’s […]