Timeless
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| Review Date: August 12, 2010 |
| Reviewer: cavernism, |
| It's easy to see why Doyle's stories have stayed so popular for over 100 years. I was never a big mystery buff, but from the very first sentence of "A Scandal in Bohemia," I was hooked. Each story is the perfect length to read in one sitting, and Sherlock's reasoning and observation abilities never fail to entertain. He's a classic literary character that everyone should read about, and this collection is a great place to start. |
sherlock holmes: a great book by any standard
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| Review Date: January 28, 2007 |
| Reviewer: sir arthur conan doyle, do you really need, to know |
The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a captivating set of over 20 stories of the 56 Sherlock Holmes stories ever written, described from the point of view of Watson, Sherlock Holmes's assistant, living up, if not surpassing, the expectations set by the age-old classic. Each story has a captivating plot, yet all different enough that it leaves you reading and re-reading key parts, trying to figure it out before Sherlock Holmes reveals the answer. I admit, I am yet to reliably put the clues together. As I have found, a large age group enjoys this book, making it a pleasure to share with family. Inside the story, there are plots filled with gentlemen, businesspeople, servants, witnesses, beggars, masked trespassers, and more, that unusually for a mystery book, all have the same likelihood of possibly having a hand in the crime. With stories that show weakness in character, like my personal favorite, (in which it turns out that the people who bring Sherlock there happen to be the murderers themselves!) brings a realistic image of the people involved, calling out to the reader, as if to say, "yes, you are here. This is what has been happening," and, from the moment you begin reading, put you in their shoes.
Occasionally, the plot is not truly revealed, such as in A Scandal in Bohemia, when the suspect escapes before questioning can occur, and the story ends in a question, as to whether or not the villainess escaped permanently, or if her story has just begun. Best set for the advanced reader, I would not classify it as a "light read", and is best read in small pieces, thanks to not only the magnitude of the book, but by the nature of a late 1800's mystery novel. Thanks to wikipedia, I have heard that in 1964, the Sherlock Holmes books were, selling second best in the world, second only to the bible. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most influential mysteries of the 1900's, and is, over-all, a true pleasure, and something I feel everyone should read at some point in their lives. |
great book
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| Review Date: January 28, 2007 |
| Reviewer: , |
The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a captivating set of over 20 stories of the 56 Sherlock Holmes stories ever written, described from the point of view of Watson, Sherlock Holmes's assistant, living up, if not surpassing, the expectations set by the age-old classic. Each story has a captivating plot, yet all different enough that it leaves you reading and re-reading key parts, trying to figure it out before Sherlock Holmes reveals the answer. I admit, I am yet to reliably put the clues together. As I have found, a large age group enjoys this book, making it a pleasure to share with family. Inside the story, there are plots filled with gentlemen, businesspeople, servants, witnesses, beggars, masked trespassers, and more, that unusually for a mystery book, all have the same likelihood of possibly having a hand in the crime. With stories that show weakness in character, like my personal favorite, (in which it turns out that the people who bring Sherlock there happen to be the murderers themselves!) brings a realistic image of the people involved, calling out to the reader, as if to say, "yes, you are here. This is what has been happening," and, from the moment you begin reading, put you in their shoes.
Occasionally, the plot is not truly revealed, such as in A Scandal in Bohemia, when the suspect escapes before questioning can occur, and the story ends in a question, as to whether or not the villainess escaped permanently, or if her story has just begun. Best set for the advanced reader, I would not classify it as a "light read", and is best read in small pieces, thanks to not only the magnitude of the book, but by the nature of a late 1800's mystery novel. Thanks to wikipedia, I have heard that in 1964, the Sherlock Holmes books were, selling second best in the world, second only to the bible. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most influential mysteries of the 1900's, and is, over-all, a true pleasure, and something I feel everyone should read at some point in their lives. |
Quality Buy
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| Review Date: November 18, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Gina Pasley, Germany |
| This book is a definite must-buy for all mystery lovers.The stories speak for themselves, but for those who are not familiar with the stories of Sherlock Holmes I assure you that they are worth reading again and again. I have a small baby and although he has kept me very busy I was able to relax when I sat down during his breif naps and read this book. I also read the book aloud to my husband while he was working on projects around the house. He was also captivated by the stories in the book. When I saw the price of this book I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is it inexpensive for a hardback book, but it also has an attached ribbon bookmark which is convenient and adds to the book's already pleasing appearance. The text is not printed too small to read either. I reccommend this book for readers ages 11 yrs to 100yrs. It is one of my best buys. |
Still The Best!!
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| Review Date: December 28, 2004 |
| Reviewer: C. L Wilson, Elmhurst, Illinois United States |
| Who can say more about Sherlock Homes? Except that he still remains one of the most fascinating characters in the annals of fiction (with the possible exception of "The Sea Wolf" by Jack London). And his latest portrayer, Jeremy Brett, in the PBS series, is just dead-on. He is a joy to watch after you've read the real thing. Why Watson is as old as he is is a mystery, however, as in Doyle's stories he is quite a young man, being at most no more than thirty-five, and in most of the tales, married, and living apart from Holmes. My book had 612 pages, and a page-turner til the last. Especially great to read over the holidays when time is at a premium, and no story is very long. Easy to pick up and put down. The stories are not in the least dated, and if you think that, you are sorely mistaken. A good mystery is a good mystery, in any century. No serious reader should be without Holmes in his collection. |
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