The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes

Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes / 0-7858-1325-X This collection contains the following stories from the following collections: ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - Scandal in Bohemia - Red-Headed League - Case of Identity - Boscombe Valley Mystery - Five Orange Pips - Man with the Twisted Lip - Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - Adventure of the Speckled Band - Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb - Adventure of the Noble Bachelor - Adventure of the Beryl Coronet - Adventure of the Copper Beeches MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - Adventure of the Silver Blaze - Adventure of the Cardboard Box - Adventure of the Yellow Face - Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk - Adventure of the "Gloria Scott" - Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual - Adventure of the Reigate Squires - Adventure of the Crooked Man - Adventure of the Resident Patient - Adventure of the Greek Interpreter - Adventure of the Naval Treaty - Adventure of the Final Problem THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - Adventure of the Empty House - Adventure of the Norwood Builder - Adventure of the Dancing Men - Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist - Adventure of the Priory School - Adventure of Black Peter - Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton - Adventure of the Six Napoleons - Adventure of the Three Students - Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez - Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter - Adventure of the Abbey Grange - Adventure of the Second Stain This is a very extensive collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, although the collection is not comprehensive - the stories contained in The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes are missing, and the Study in Scarlet is absent as well. The illustrations are quite good, and occur at a frequency of about once a page, and add - surprisingly - a great deal to the narrative. I highly recommend this collection if you have not been exposed to Sherlock Holmes or if you are looking to consolidate your collection in a single, tightly-bound, illustrated volume. ~ Ana Mardoll

Sherlock Holmes is one enduring character, written with the analytical reader in mind, with Conan Doyle presenting the logic and the reasoning as detailed as the story itself. This particular edition, is the perfect one. Comfortably large size, easy on the eyes, hardbound is elegant and somehow I found it very easy to position it anyways I wanted, whether I was sitting upright with the book on the desk, or when in travel with the book on my lap, lying on my side with the book on the left. I thought this is important to mention , now ofcourse to the content.. The higlight of this edition is the illustration collection by Sydney Paget, as they appeared when it was first published. It is significant to read the stories with Sydney Paget's illustrations, since Sydney Paget practically defined the way Sherlock Holmes appeared. though Conan Doyle's descriptins can lead one to visualize Holmes, it was Sydney who set it on paper. and the fact that he was working along with Conan Doyle, brings in the authenticity and approval of the visual representation of the stories. Sydney Paget ofcourse is a master illustrator, with fascinating black and white illustrations capturing all the drama in the stories. The book contains, 37 short stories and a complete novel from The Strand Magazine. With all 356 original illustrations by Sidney Paget. Stories included are The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, published in The Strand between July, 1891 and December, 1892 (12 stories); The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Published in The Strand as additional episodes between December, 1892 and November, 1893 (12 stories); The Hound of the Baskervilles, published in The Strand between August, 1901 and April, 1902; and The Return of Sherlock Holmes, published in The Strand between October, 1903 and January, 1905 (13 stories).

This book contains some of the greatest mystery stories the world has ever known. Throughout the book, through the eyes of Holmes' friend and assistant Watson, who recalls the things he sees and hears while in his friends company. This book also features illustrations that create a further interest in the story itself. Doyle shows his genious by leading the reader throughout each story (while successfully hooking them) and providing them with all the necessary clues to solve it. Of course none of it ever ties up in your mind which further compells you to read on faster and faster. When always at the very end, you see how Sherlock's genious (kindly provided by Doyle's genious) ties everything together very effectively by using the famous deducted theory which was concocted by Doyle and is used in every single Sherlock Holmes novel/story. This is a fabulous book and it will make you thirst for more. This is not a book to pass up!

The first Sherlock Holmes book I ever read was given to me as a gift for my thirteenth birthday. It was a collection of the short stories, with a wonderful leather trim and gold leafing, and I thought it was fantastic. I read the first story, and was instantly hooked. Within a few days, I was disappointed with my wonderful new book because it was incomplete. I had devoured all of the selected stories, and was ready for more. Shortly thereafter, I purchased what purported to be the 'only complete Sherlock Holmes available', compiled by Christopher Morley. This became my favourite book. But, alas, neither of these volumes was illustrated. The original stories, which appeared in The Strand magazine, were illustrated, by the great illustrator Sidney Paget. Actually, careful research (which Holmes himself would insist upon) will reveal that Paget was not the first illustrator; however, it is not able to be determined conclusively how many artists preceding Paget. It is know that the first publication of A Study in Scarlet, in which Holmes and Watson are first introduced, was illustrated by on D.H. Friston. These illustrations would appall the Holmesian set today. The next edition after the barely-received Beeton's Christmas Annual edition, was in book form, and apparently illustrated by Arthur Conan Doyle's father, Charles. The next illustration was in The Sign of Four, appearing in Lippincott's Magazine, which showed a scene in India, but did not have one of Holmes. The classic ideas of Holmes (in a visual sense) did not thus solidify until the popular series of short stories in The Strand, illustrated by Paget, beginning with the story A Scandal in Bohemia, in which Holmes is actually out-foxed by THE woman, but still manages a satisfactory ending to the case, and (particularly his illustrations of the serialised Hounds of the Baskervilles) Paget's illustrations have become the standard image. This volume contains all the short stories (56 of them) and the novels (4). (At least, this is the official canon -- there are other proto-stories by Conan Doyle, and dozens of tribute stories written by other authors.) Hundreds of illustrations accompany the text. Perhaps Paget drew his image of Holmes based upon the actor William Gillette, who made a career out of portraying the Baker Street detective on stage in London and New York. Charlie Chaplain got one of his early starts in entertainment by playing the page attendant to Holmes opposite Gillette. From the beginning introduction of Holmes and Watson to Holmes' gentle retirement to beekeepping on the southern coast of England, this book contains all the essential stories (none of the apocryphal, anecdotal, or tribute-written pieces are contained here). Holmes was often thought to be a real person, and Sherlockians the world over still search for 'evidence' to prove that he was. During his 'lifetime', the post office for the Baker Street area regularly received mail addressed to Holmes or Watson at 221B B

I've read most to these adventures over 30 years ago when I was a young teenager. I enjoyed them immensely then. Now that I'm reading these stories again, the illustrations do enhance the stories greatly and adds more depth and understanding to the era in which these stories were written. Although these stories are dated, some having been written over a hundred years ago and from the technological advances in criminology today, the suspense and pace of these stories will keep you glued until you get to the end of the mystery. This book is well worth the expense and will be a fine addition to the collection of any Sherlock Holmes fan.