The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics B...
Praise for "The Science of Sherlock Holmes"
"Holmes is, first, a great detective, but he has also proven to be a great scientist, whether dabblin... read full description
reviews
Jan 19, 2012
Mark
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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,
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Sep 08, 2009
Cindy
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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 r More...
I liked the approach of this book. It starts with the premise that Conan Doyle was a dedicated r More...
Sep 16, 2011
Bill
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Taking as its starting point the classic tales of Arthur Conan Doyle's great detective, The Science of Sherlock Holmes is an entertaining stroll through the history of criminology, illuminating many of the Holmes and Watson tales with the light of the growing knowledge of medicine and forensics, which underwent considerable change and improvement in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century. Without being unduly morbid, Wagner focuses on the various areas of criminal behaviour in brief, easily read
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Jul 13, 2010
Catherine
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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' More...
E. J. Wagner, a crime historian and moderator of the annual Forensic Forum at Stony Brook University' More...
Feb 10, 2012
Katarina
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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 read
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Jan 12, 2011
Maurizio
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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
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May 21, 2011
Emily
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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 organi More...
The organi More...
Oct 03, 2011
Jen
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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 a
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Aug 24, 2010
Joyce
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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.
Feb 01, 2012
Flerida
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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
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Oct 19, 2011
Cathrine
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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.
Mar 09, 2011
Cheri
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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.
Feb 21, 2010
Bones
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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.
Jul 27, 2011
An excellent, interesting, well-written and researched, and entertaining look at the history of the science behind the great detective's forensic methods. Recommended.
Oct 09, 2009
Lillian
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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.
Mar 23, 2011
Ann
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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
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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
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Feb 03, 2009
Coki
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Interesting non-fic - not great narrative but fun anecdotes about turn of the century crime and investigation - made me want to read some Holmes
May 22, 2008
Jc
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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 o
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Sep 28, 2007
Lori
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Very interesting and entertaining. Its easy to take forensic science for granted since it is now used so routinely; hard to believe that scientific methods didn't exist 100 years ago.
I liked how each chapter was devoted to a different forensic methodology. The author tied the chapters to Sherlock Holmes mysteries, but I didn't think that was necessary. The information would have stood well on its own.
I liked how each chapter was devoted to a different forensic methodology. The author tied the chapters to Sherlock Holmes mysteries, but I didn't think that was necessary. The information would have stood well on its own.
Jan 09, 2011
Amy
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The first audio book I've listened to which has really held my attention.
Apr 27, 2011
Bill
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A fairly interesting book about the contemporaneous science that helped form Holmes as a character. This is definitely one for the science nerd and/or Sherlock Holmes fan.
Jan 07, 2012
Rob
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Not so much focused on Holmes, but the origins of modern-day crime scene investigation. Plenty of examples and historical tales fill the book. I enjoyed it immensely.
Oct 09, 2011
Erica
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Just ok. The science was interesting, but comparing it to Sherlock Holmes felt like a stretch. There often wasn't much of a connection--it felt like Wagner searched for Holmes stories that could be used as an intro after having already written some of the chapters.
Oct 20, 2008
Andrea
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Although I know that a lot of material for the Sherlock Holmes books came from Eugene Francois Vidocq, a character I am writing about now (historical biography), E. J. Wagner does a nice job of bringing the case stories alive.
Jan 20, 2011
Joanna
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Entertaining introduction to the history of forensic science and criminology. Loved the lengthly bibliography in the back so I could easily find more information on... whatever. Eugène François Vidocq is a badass.
Oct 06, 2011
David
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A must read for anybody interested in crime generally and the stories of Sherlock Holmes in particular!
