Helpful Score: 8
I found this book just as I was finishing "The Complete Sherlock Holmes," a one-volume collection of every Holmes story found in the canon. This little book is a quick read that includes interesting little tidbits and insights into the stories themselves as well as information regarding the culture at that time.
A brief summary of every Holmes story is included, but know that they are essentially spoilers. So you might want to read the actual Holmes stories before you read this book so that you don't ruin any of the endings.
I enjoyed the cultural details, such as definitions of what the difference is between a Hansom and a chaise. It talks about the novelty of cocaine and other drug uses at the time (and society's changing opinions of them). It looks at Holmes in pop culture. It explores Holmes in TV and film and the list of actors who have played him. There are also several pages of games and puzzles to test your skills at trivia and deduction.
In all, this was a very light, quick read that offered some useful background information into the real and fictional world of Sherlock Holmes. Because of this, it's fun to read and it makes for a good quick-reference source if you're looking for details of a specific story but can't seem to recall the title. After all, the stories do start running together after a while...
A brief summary of every Holmes story is included, but know that they are essentially spoilers. So you might want to read the actual Holmes stories before you read this book so that you don't ruin any of the endings.
I enjoyed the cultural details, such as definitions of what the difference is between a Hansom and a chaise. It talks about the novelty of cocaine and other drug uses at the time (and society's changing opinions of them). It looks at Holmes in pop culture. It explores Holmes in TV and film and the list of actors who have played him. There are also several pages of games and puzzles to test your skills at trivia and deduction.
In all, this was a very light, quick read that offered some useful background information into the real and fictional world of Sherlock Holmes. Because of this, it's fun to read and it makes for a good quick-reference source if you're looking for details of a specific story but can't seem to recall the title. After all, the stories do start running together after a while...
