The Best of Sherlock Holmes

by Randall Stock

Holmes by Frederic Dorr Steele

This website is devoted to covering noteworthy items related to Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It includes lists of "the best" Holmes stories and quotations. It also includes information on Conan Doyle manuscripts, Beeton's Christmas Annual, Sherlockian and Doylean computer products, and more.

NEWS

Discovering Another Copy of Beeton's Christmas Annual

A new copy of Beeton's 1887 has been identified, but this magazine is still rarer than a Shakespeare First Folio. Beeton's Christmas Annual for 1887 carried the very first Sherlock Holmes story and is the most expensive magazine in the world, with a copy selling for $156,000 at auction. Learn more about this rare magazine in the newly revised Beeton's 1887 checklist and census.

The Year's Best Sherlock Holmes Books and DVDs

There are hundreds of Sherlock Holmes books and many movies. What should you get if you are a new fan of Holmes? I've noted the 10 Best Sherlock Holmes books and DVDs for new fans, and also provide a list of the Top Books and DVDs from 2011.

Publishing Rare Conan Doyle Material

Later in 2012, the British Library and the University of Chicago Press will publish Conan Doyle's Diary of an Arctic Adventure, including a manuscript facsimile and related material. This follows their production last fall of the Conan Doyle's previously unpublished first novel from a manuscript long thought to be lost in the mail.

Hound of the Baskervilles Manuscript Leaf at Auction

It's the most famous Sherlock Holmes story – but only 35 original manuscript leaves are still known to exist. See a picture and read new details about a Hound leaf offered for sale in December 2011. See the revised census of the Hound of the Baskervilles manuscript for a photo of a different leaf and more info about the other leaves.

Even More About Manuscripts

Those who can't afford the hundreds of thousands of dollars for an original Holmes manuscript can still own an excellent copy in this manuscript facsimile of "A Scandal in Bohemia". And there's more news about auctions of Conan Doyle material, including the sale of the manuscripts for "The Sussex Vampire" and "The Solitary Cyclist" in the Manuscripts section. That section also has a checklist to more than 40 of ACD's other manuscripts, more information about Conan Doyle manuscript material and facsimiles, and links to five online photos of Holmes manuscripts.

Sidney Paget Original Artwork & Sesquicentennial

Sidney Paget established the iconic picture of Sherlock Holmes with his illustrations for The Strand Magazine. Only a few of his original drawings are still known to exist, and to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth, see an updated census of Sidney Paget Original Drawings and Artwork.

Laurie King on Writing Stories with Holmes

Laurie R. King is the New York Times best-selling author of a series of books involving Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell. Her latest book is The Pirate King. See my feature on Laurie King talks about writing, Russell, and Holmes.

Basil Rathbone versus Robert Downey, Jr.?

With a blockbuster movie of Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey, Jr., it's only natural to wonder how it compares to the Basil Rathbone films. The Rathbone pictures are all on DVD – and Double Feature releases offer excellent quality at great prices. See this list of the Best Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies and recommended DVD versions.

The Best Sherlock Holmes Pastiche Says Ellery Queen

Ellery Queen thought that Vincent Starrett wrote one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories ever. This story first appeared as a booklet in 1920 that's now a rare collectible. You can read the full story on this website, and see a Census of the First Edition of The Unique Hamlet by Vincent Starrett.

The Familiar Quotations of Sherlock Holmes
It's elementary that there are many excellent quotations in the Holmes stories. In fact, entire books of these popular passages have been published. But which of these are the most famous? Find out in The Ten Most Famous Quotations from the Sherlock Holmes Stories.

Best Holmes Stories
It's official! Sherlockian scholars have selected the best stories in the largest and most comprehensive appraisal ever made of the Sherlock Holmes tales. Poll results were published in the Baker Street Journal. Now you can read about that poll, plus many other polls over the years, at this site's section on The Best Sherlock Holmes Stories.

For Your Attention
Learn about some important books and other sections of this website from my Other Points of Interest.

Collect books? Check out my Sherlockian and Other Books for Sale

Vers. 1.93fx-N Original work (stock221b)