Step back to London, 1895.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories are full of references to everyday activities and events from Victorian times that make the twenty-first century reader run to the reference shelf. Few, for example, are intimately acquainted with the responsibilities of a country squire, the importance of gentlemen's clubs, or the intricacies of the Victorian monetary system.
These twenty-four short essays explore various aspects of life mentioned in the original tales of Sherlock Holmes, providing modern-day insight into the nineteenth century world. Originally shared through various Sherlockian newsletters around the world, they are gathered here for the first time. Essays cover:
- The Life of a Country Squire
- The Holmes' Family Connection to the Vernets of France
- The Fate of Second Sons
- The Victorian Medical Practice
- Victorian Transportion
- The Origins of Scotland Yard
- The River Thames
- Apiculture in the 1800s
- Westminster Palace
- Sherlock's Christmas Spirit
- Practicing Law in Victorian England
- The Second Anglo-Afghan War
- Gentleman's Clubs
- Tobacco
- 221B Baker Street
- Abductive Reasoning
- Dog Breeding
- Poisons
- Fingerprints
- Phrenology
- Communications
- The Monetary System
- The British Museum
- Chloroform
These examinations bring deeper meaning and color to the adventures of the world's most famous consulting detective.
The president of The Crew of the Barque Lone Star, a Sherlockian Scion Society, notes this collection "brings life to a society which we have only dreamed of."
Whether a fan of Sherlock Holmes or a history enthusiast, this book offers interesting tidbits to all.
