The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes

Essays on Victorian England

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.