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16th out of 55 books
—
28 voters
The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics Behind the Great Detective's Greatest Cases
by
E.J. Wagner
Praise for The Science of Sherlock Holmes"Holmes is, first, a great detective, but he has also proven to be a great scientist, whether dabbling with poisons, tobacco ash, or tire marks. Wagner explores this fascinating aspect of his career by showing how his investigations were grounded in the cutting-edge science of his day, especially the emerging field of forensics.......more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
March 1st 2006
by Wiley
(first published 2006)
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A pesar de la mala traducción (aberrante loísmo entre otras cosas), el libro es interesante para cualquiera que quiera saber cómo fueron los inicios de la medicina legal o de la ciencia forense. Utilizando como ejemplos la ficción holmesiana (de ahí viene el título y toda la relación que se establece con Sherlock, en realidad)y casos reales de la época se hace un recorrido sobre los antecedentes de los CSI y similares, tan de moda hoy en día. En fin, interesante; pero que nadie lo lea buscando a...more
Ordered :)This one looks awesome! Halfway through and I love it though it is more a history of forensics than a study of Sherlock's cases in light of forensics. All forgiven though. Just finished and I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I have even ordered a book mentioned which is "the washing away of wrongs" a book on forensics in 13th century China. Go figure but looks pretty interesting.
I recommend the science of Sherlock Holmes to those interested in forensics more than for the fan of Sherlock :...more
I recommend the science of Sherlock Holmes to those interested in forensics more than for the fan of Sherlock :...more
Being a Sherlock Holmes fan, I grabbed this book when I found out about it and I read it in one day. What a wonderful and fascinating book![return][return]The book covers all the different branches of forensic science such as footprints, fingerprints, ballistics, autopsies, blood typing, document forgeries and so on. Each chapter covers a different forensic science and it goes into the background of each one - who discovered the new techniques, how each forensic science developed over the years,...more
I came home from the library today with a stack of non-fiction to read, and this one happened to catch me eye first. I've read a lot of Holmes-related books this year, so I thought this one would be perfect. I need to mention that I am a rather casual Holmes fan - I like his stories, but I really like the character better, and I am by no means letter-perfect on his adventures in the canon.
I liked the approach of this book. It starts with the premise that Conan Doyle was a dedicated researcher, a...more
I liked the approach of this book. It starts with the premise that Conan Doyle was a dedicated researcher, a...more
It is hard to rate this book. From the onset the historical, period criminal cases held my attention as it would for any "collector of odd knowledge". Where E.J. Wagner failed was respectable cross-referencing of fictional writing Conan Doyles character Sherlock Holmes and how the two were distinctly tied together.
Breaking the chapters up by forensic/criminal science and procedures and how they developed through history were well researched, as noted by the multi-page bibliography. What was lac...more
Breaking the chapters up by forensic/criminal science and procedures and how they developed through history were well researched, as noted by the multi-page bibliography. What was lac...more
This fascinating look at the beginnings of forensic science was a nominee for an Edgar award in 2007, and it's easy to see why. Lucidly written, utterly engrossing, it takes as its starting point the stories of Conan Doyle, using them as the springboard to an examination of the various techniques of scientific crime-solving available to the police in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
E. J. Wagner, a crime historian and moderator of the annual Forensic Forum at Stony Brook University's Museum of...more
E. J. Wagner, a crime historian and moderator of the annual Forensic Forum at Stony Brook University's Museum of...more
As a forensic science major, an ardent Sherlock Holmes fan, and someone with a keen interest in history, I found this book to be an absolute delight! Aside from a history of Victorian/Edwardian forensics and a commentary on Sherlock Holmes, the book presents interesting case studies, examining how they were helped or hindered by the science of their time. Some are even quite humorous. The Science of Sherlock Holmes is well-paced and not bogged down in technical detail-- I had no problem reading...more
This book was very informative, if you are a fan of detection literature or TV. The author uses the stories of Conan Doyle as a jumping off point to get into the history of the science of detection.
The book is definitely for a novice or someone who does not have a background in forensic science. Everything is laid out very well and is easily understandable by a layman. Wagner does talk about the big crimes and discusses how emerging science either helped, or hindered, the detection process. Wort...more
The book is definitely for a novice or someone who does not have a background in forensic science. Everything is laid out very well and is easily understandable by a layman. Wagner does talk about the big crimes and discusses how emerging science either helped, or hindered, the detection process. Wort...more
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Il periodo alla fine del diciannovesimo secolo è quello in cui nel Vecchio Mondo si era convinti che mancava pochissimo a scoprire tutto. Arthur Conan Doyle aveva una formazione da medico, come il suo alter ego Watson; ma le sue conoscenze sono meglio rappresentate dalle affermazioni di Sherlock Holmes, come si può immaginare. In questo libro l'autrice, esperta di medicina forense, racconta le conquiste della scienza dell'Ottocento attraverso i riferimenti nelle opere dell'investigatore londines...more
I've been on kind of a Holmesian kick and related materials, and this book is a good excuse for using the famous names and cases while learning something. Wagner does a great job of including cases throughout history to describe the evolution of forensics and the relative importance of what was available to investigators at the time period - the chapters on bloodwork, fingerprint analysis, and use of poisons I thought were particularly good. And of course I love phrenology!
The organization left...more
The organization left...more
"Sherlock Holmes may have been fictional," writes E.J. Wagner, "but what we learn from him is very real. He tell us that science provides not simplistic answers but a rigorous method of formulating questions that may lead to answers." The Science of Sherlock Holmes offers a history of forensic science by focusing on 1) what informed Arthur Conan Doyle's portrayal of Holmes and his method, and 2) how Holmes in turn influenced his real-life descendants. It's not a comprehensive history, but rather...more
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Jun 02, 2012
David Szondy
added it
Sherlock Holmes is regarded as the world's greatest detective. More than that, he is that rare instance of a fictional character who has not only become a household word, not only become a part of popular culture and folklore, but has joined that elite group of characters whom many people firmly believe really existed.
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Considering how quickly I read this book, I'm surprised I didn't give it more stars. But I think this is an example of expectations not meeting reality. First the good: this was an interesting history of forensic science, focusing on the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. I like the author's writing style and her vocabulary is prodigious. Unfortunately, as a Sherlock Holmes fan, I was disappointed that the book didn't deliver more Sherlock. He was mentioned usually at the beginning and end...more
I really enjoyed this book. I am a student of history and I especially like the Victorian period. I like all the connections the author made between comments of Sherlock Holmes and cases he solved and the real life research that was going on and similar real life crimes. The book was a pretty light read; at an adult level, but not master's thesis level. It gives a good overview of the history and specific cases without getting bogged down in every little detail. Also there is a helpful glossary...more
Very interesting and entertaining for those who are addicted to Sherlock Holmes stories. Many forensic tools and techniques that are common today had not yet been developed when Conan Doyle made use of them in one of the stories, e.e. toxicology, fingerprinting, knowledge of insect life cycles to prove time of death, etc.
Oct 19, 2011
Cathrine Bonham
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Sherlock Fans and True Crime lovers
I loved this book. It was so interesting to read about how crimes were solved in the Victorian era.
Very readable and full of true anticdotes about true crimes and Real Life "Sherlocks" that solved them. A must read for any fan of the Great Detective and the world he lived in.
Very readable and full of true anticdotes about true crimes and Real Life "Sherlocks" that solved them. A must read for any fan of the Great Detective and the world he lived in.
Sherlock Holmes is really just a jumping off point in this history of turn of the century forensic science. Wagner is an engaging writer and clearly researched the book thoroughly. Not as cohesive as The Poisoners Handbook in the way it links the different areas of criminology and lacking the depth of The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, I thought it was a nice introduction to the field.
This book was an excellent, informative look at the history of the era of Sherlock Holmes! It managed to include science that was informative without being way over my head, and every chapter was interesting. Additionally, the incorporation of quotes from the Holmes canon was flawless--not overdone, but very appropriate. Recommended to: Baker Street Irregulars, CSI fans, history buffs who love a good crime.
I'm actually using this as a text in one of my classes. It is interesting, informative, and applicable to modern forensic techniques. It is quite enjoyable to read and meshes nicely with the canon.
An excellent, interesting, well-written and researched, and entertaining look at the history of the science behind the great detective's forensic methods. Recommended.
Tis about the history of forensic sciences interwoven with the stories that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote. I enjoy forensic television shows, but I've never had a desire to read Sherlock Holmes, now I can't wait to start! I will enjoy watching Bones all that much more :~) Wonderfully well written.
I've been lured in by an exciting title once again! This book is really about the history of forensic science. It needed more Holmes!
Oct 27, 2011
Portia Costa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Sherlock Holmes fans, people interested in the history of CSI
A fascinating and informative read. Shines a light on the forensic background to the Sherlock Holmes stories, with examples from real cases that may have influenced Conan Doyle, and the insights and misapprehensions of investigators at the time. I some ways, the police and scientists of the late Victorian/Edwardian era naturally drew the same correct conclusions that their contemporary counterparts would... but in other cases they were blundering in the dark without benefit of modern technology...more
Interesting non-fic - not great narrative but fun anecdotes about turn of the century crime and investigation - made me want to read some Holmes
This is more of a lay history of forensic police work than a Sherlock Holmes related book. The author almost seems to be forcing Holmes references into her text. This was not necessary (oh, and some of the S.H. references do work, they just aren’t all needed), as what makes this a good read doesn't need extra help. It is a nice introduction to forensic technique, how it developed, and some of the yet unanswered questions. A definite recommendation to any person who is interested in forensics or...more
Very interesting, informative book about 19th century forensics.
Fascinating and well-written!
A basic look at the history of scientific methods used in crime solving. It was a solid background on the subject and there were sufficient references to Sherlock Holmes in order to justify the tie in. However, I felt as though there were some fairly obvious examples that the author failed to develop, particularly the fingerprint transfer in The Norwood Builder. That absence prevented the book from being a true evaluation of Sherlock's scientific method.
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E. J. WAGNER is a crime historian, a lecturer, a teller of suspense stories for adults, and the moderator of the annual Forensic Forum at the Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences at Stony Brook University, New York. Her work has been published in Ellery Queens Mystery Magazine, The New York Times and The Lancet.
Her book, The Science of Sherlock Holmes, is a 2007 Edgar Award winner."
More about E.J. Wagner...
Her book, The Science of Sherlock Holmes, is a 2007 Edgar Award winner."
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