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.
