Favourite Sherlock Holmes Stories

Overview

The best Sherlock Holmes stories, as selected and introduced by Arthur Conan Doyle himself

The best Sherlock Holmes stories, as selected and introduced by Arthur Conan Doyle himself "When this competition was first mooted I went into it in a most light-hearted way, thinking that it would be the easiest thing in the world to pick out the twelve best of the Holmes stories. In practice I found that I had engaged myself in a serious task . . ." In 1927, Strand magazine challenged its readers to guess which of his Sherlock Holmes stories Arthur Conan Doyle himself rated as his very best. (Mr R. T. Newman of Spring Hill, Wellingborough, won £100 for successfully guessing 10 of the 12 stories correctly.) Doyle revealed his choice and, in his own inimitable way, explained his reasoning in an article for the magazine. The stories included "The Speckled Band," "The Final Problem," and "The Dancing Men." Arthur Conan Doyle’s favorite 12 Sherlock Holmes stories are now published together for the first time, with his original Strand article to introduce his own selection.

Reviews

"Sherlock Holmes is literature."  â€â€ÂEdmund Wilson

Author Biography

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) produced more than 30 books, 150 short stories, poems, plays, and essays across a wide range of genres. His most famous creation is the detective Sherlock Holmes. Robert Giddings is an eminent literary critic who reviews for such publications as the Guardian, the New Statesman, and the Sunday Times.