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A review by ryner
Arthur and Sherlock: Conan Doyle and the Creation of Holmes by Michael Sims
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Arthur Conan Doyle is most renowned as the inventor of Sherlock Holmes, the astute, determined and steadfast London detective whose many solved cases contribute to what we now consider the mystery genre in its infancy. Doyle's inspiration for his famously analytical protagonist came not from his own imagination but instead from a respected medical professor he studied under in Edinburgh. In this biography, author Michael Sims illustrates Doyle's life before and after his "Sherlock" fame.
I thought I initially heard about this book on the SYMHC podcast, but I'm not finding the episode now to confirm. It was interesting to learn of Doyle's background and of his desire to become a writer despite having been educated as a physician. There was one scene in which I took exception to Sims' choice of phrase, when he declared that "Arthur delivered at home their first child" — doctor notwithstanding, I'm pretty sure we know who did all of the work. Amusing side note: When the categories were released for Read Harder 2022 and the first one was "a biography of an author you admire," I was already in the middle of this book. I'm unsure about the term "admire," since I knew nothing about Doyle personally or as a writer, but I suppose I admire or respect him about as much as I do any other author, so SCORE!
I thought I initially heard about this book on the SYMHC podcast, but I'm not finding the episode now to confirm. It was interesting to learn of Doyle's background and of his desire to become a writer despite having been educated as a physician. There was one scene in which I took exception to Sims' choice of phrase, when he declared that "Arthur delivered at home their first child" — doctor notwithstanding, I'm pretty sure we know who did all of the work. Amusing side note: When the categories were released for Read Harder 2022 and the first one was "a biography of an author you admire," I was already in the middle of this book. I'm unsure about the term "admire," since I knew nothing about Doyle personally or as a writer, but I suppose I admire or respect him about as much as I do any other author, so SCORE!