book data
2482 ratings, 4.18 average rating, 148 reviews
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published
November 1st 2004
(first published 1892)
by Scholastic Paperbacks
binding
Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
characters
setting
The United Kingdom
isbn
0439574285
(isbn13: 9780439574280)
description
A colonel receives five seeds in the mail--and dies within weeks. A young bride disappears immediately after her wedding. An old hat and a Christmas...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 3118)
Read in December, 2007
So far this collection of short stories has been marvelous.
"Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb" was a gruesome little gem illustrating the strange comic stoicism of British gentlemen.
"A case of identity" was a cruel little plot and I guessed this one! I was so proud of myself. I figured out who the ne'er-do-well was when the client first presented the facts.
"Noble Bachelor" was another one that I had an inkling about from the beginning, I just didn't kn...more
"Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb" was a gruesome little gem illustrating the strange comic stoicism of British gentlemen.
"A case of identity" was a cruel little plot and I guessed this one! I was so proud of myself. I figured out who the ne'er-do-well was when the client first presented the facts.
"Noble Bachelor" was another one that I had an inkling about from the beginning, I just didn't kn...more
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Read in August, 2007
It's the end of the world and Watson and Holmes, on the cusp of having their brilliant lives snuffed out by the impending doom decide their simmering sexual tension can go no further.
As they remove their clothes, Watson turns around to see Holmes brandishing a tub of Lemon Curd.
"Holmes!" Watson exclaims, "I know what we're about to do goes against God's nature, but what in the name of all that is Holy are you doing with that breakfast condiment?"
To which Holmes replied,...more
As they remove their clothes, Watson turns around to see Holmes brandishing a tub of Lemon Curd.
"Holmes!" Watson exclaims, "I know what we're about to do goes against God's nature, but what in the name of all that is Holy are you doing with that breakfast condiment?"
To which Holmes replied,...more
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Read in November, 2008
"A Scandal in Bohemia" (the woman)
"The Red-Headed League" (If it seems to good to be true...)
"A Case of Identity" (The wicked stepfather)
"The Boscombe Valley Mystery" (All's well that ends well)*
"The Five Orange Pips" (KKK, K?)
"The Man with the Twisted Lip" (Things may not be as they appear)
"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" (What goes in the goose is good for the grabber)
"The Adventure of the Spec...more
"The Red-Headed League" (If it seems to good to be true...)
"A Case of Identity" (The wicked stepfather)
"The Boscombe Valley Mystery" (All's well that ends well)*
"The Five Orange Pips" (KKK, K?)
"The Man with the Twisted Lip" (Things may not be as they appear)
"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" (What goes in the goose is good for the grabber)
"The Adventure of the Spec...more
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After having read "The Hound of the Baskervilles" children's version at the age of 10, for some reason I believed that I knew all there was to know about Mr. Holmes. When the whim struck me I started reading "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" and discovered that there is far more to these stories than I had originally given credit for. This is a series of short stories, told from the voice of Holmes' famous confidant Dr. Watson.
This is a series of mysteries that Sherloc...more
This is a series of mysteries that Sherloc...more
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Read in January, 1985
recommends it for:
Mystery fans
The dozen stories in this collection include Doyle's earliest short fiction featuring his archetypal detective, and they amply demonstrate that his facility with the short format was as great or greater than with novels. I've actually read this book twice, once as a kid and once as an adult (and read some of the stories to my wife); I heartily enjoyed it both times. All of the stories are so uniformly good that it's difficult to pick favorites; but those I especially appreciate include "A...more
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Read in January, 2008
enjoyable, light and easy reads before bed. the size of the short stories are perfect for before sleeping off for the evening.
Doyle's books are perfect for picking up new words and learning vocab. The following are the words that I was a little more curious about:
effusive - unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve
Bohemia - A historical region and former kingdom of present-day western Czech Republic. The Czechs, a Slavic people, settled in the area between the 1st and 5th centuries A.D...more
Doyle's books are perfect for picking up new words and learning vocab. The following are the words that I was a little more curious about:
effusive - unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve
Bohemia - A historical region and former kingdom of present-day western Czech Republic. The Czechs, a Slavic people, settled in the area between the 1st and 5th centuries A.D...more
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Read in February, 2008
I just finished this book this weekend. Btw-really random, but the cover of the book that goes with this review-the print is miniscule, I would advise if any one wants to read this book in the near future, to look for a copy with the cover as a picture of Sherlock Holmes. Its a bigger book, but it's SO much easier to read!!
Anyways, enough about what the book looks like, out of the 12 short stories, I liked all but two. There were a couple that were really good also. All in all, I'm gla...more
Anyways, enough about what the book looks like, out of the 12 short stories, I liked all but two. There were a couple that were really good also. All in all, I'm gla...more
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Read in July, 2007
After reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, which was a deception to me, I've tried to give Sherlock Holmes a new chance to get into me. He didn't succeed.
This book contains short stories telling the adventures of Sherlock and his loyal friend Watson, who narrates them as memoirs. Just like in The Hound of the Baskervilles, I have to point out the clichés and common places (maybe this is on purpose (?) since Sherlock mentions, several times, the common places on the crimes he...more
This book contains short stories telling the adventures of Sherlock and his loyal friend Watson, who narrates them as memoirs. Just like in The Hound of the Baskervilles, I have to point out the clichés and common places (maybe this is on purpose (?) since Sherlock mentions, several times, the common places on the crimes he...more
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i first started reading sherlock holmes stories when i was maybe 11 or 12, and i found them very engrossing at the time (i was also into agatha christie at this point in my life). when i re-read these stories while travelling around europe last summer though i realized how hilarious they are. i often find victorian literature to be amusing and it's hard to put my finger on exactly why that is. i think a big part of it is the way the characters are always so totally convinced that they're right...more
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Read in February, 2008
Ok, so I've read all the ACD Sherlocks long ago. But I recently discovered the old radio podcasts on NPR--so I've been treating myself to 1940s radio broadcasts of these short stories, and I think stories that were not entirely what they were in the books either--new or added ones. The listening quality leaves a bit to be desired, but the STORIES are so wonderful alive and with a burly Dr. Watson (you can picture him, a teddy rosevelt shaped man, brusk and mumbling) and inanely esoteric Holmes...more
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Read in January, 1979
As others have noted, Arthur Conan-Doyle was frequently better at the short-form story than the novel - and this is particularly true with Holmes, who rarely shines at greater length, probably because as readers we know we are there for the puzzle, not necessarily deep insight into character.
Here we get 12 of the earliest stories, and most of them still stand up extraordinarily well today - the Red-headed League is still a hoot, and the Speckled Band is properly eerie.
By the end of t...more
Here we get 12 of the earliest stories, and most of them still stand up extraordinarily well today - the Red-headed League is still a hoot, and the Speckled Band is properly eerie.
By the end of t...more
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Read in January, 2001
recommends it for:
anyone - even those who don't usually read mystery books
I was surprised and delighted to discover that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made his mysteries not only about solving an intellectual puzzle through general observations, but about more psychological observations as well. He has a way of observing human nature that resides not only in scientific objective, but in a more human element. I feel like he "gets" people, and is not simply a predictor of their next move.
As this was written long ago, the solving of a few of the mysteries were...more
As this was written long ago, the solving of a few of the mysteries were...more
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Read in August, 2007
I read this while in Berlin, standing in like to get into the capitol building, or something like that. I didn't finish it at the time, but that is the memory I have every time I think of it.
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I enjoyed this series of short stories. I had never watched Sherlock Holmes nor read it, except the Hound one I read a month ago. Not all of the stories were wonderful, but I enjoy the writing and the wit. I was taken off guard by the orange KKK story. That one was definitely not what I was expecting and had some interesting history. I don't even think I can pick a favorite, but I have some nice quotes I liked.
"you see, but you do not observe"
"life is infinitely stranger t...more
"you see, but you do not observe"
"life is infinitely stranger t...more
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ir Arthur Conan Doyle creó uno de los personajes más interesantes, complejos y que mayor número de veces ha sido llevado al cine: el investigador y detective Sherlock Holmes, acompañado de Watson, ¡elemental amigos¡
Los críticos han valorado ciertos aspectos que hacen de Sherlock un personaje distinto. Es un héroe, un genio, tiene una capacidad de análisis y observación superior, más sin embargo es solitario y cocainómano, dos defectos en este punto interesantes.
En el libro ...more
Los críticos han valorado ciertos aspectos que hacen de Sherlock un personaje distinto. Es un héroe, un genio, tiene una capacidad de análisis y observación superior, más sin embargo es solitario y cocainómano, dos defectos en este punto interesantes.
En el libro ...more
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Read in August, 2007
OK. I'm a fan now.
I got this book because it's on the banned book list and because H.E. recommended it. I've heard of Sherlock Holmes, but this is the first time I've actually read any of the stories.
I can see how the mystery genre became popular because of this character, and I can see now why I like the NBC drama, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, so much. Detective Goren must be channeling Mr. Holmes in that he is very observant and has frighteningly accurate deductive skills.
I es...more
I got this book because it's on the banned book list and because H.E. recommended it. I've heard of Sherlock Holmes, but this is the first time I've actually read any of the stories.
I can see how the mystery genre became popular because of this character, and I can see now why I like the NBC drama, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, so much. Detective Goren must be channeling Mr. Holmes in that he is very observant and has frighteningly accurate deductive skills.
I es...more
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This book is great and it's really good, but it gets kind of boring at times and it makes people want to fall asleep.
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Sherlock Holmes doesn't really need reviewing, because there's not an English-speaking person who doesn't know his name. But I will say that I clearly remember being nine years old and thinking that I wanted to grow up to be him, and deciding to spend the rest of my life perfecting my mind so that it might come to be something like his--and come adolescence, I always fell hardest for people who noticed what others didn't. The stories age, the soul presented in them doesn't, and if I'm any bell...more
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Read in October, 2008
I hadn't read any Sherlock Holmes mysteries until recently, despite my usual affinity for mystery novels. I somehow got the impression that Sherlock Holmes mysteries were all entire novels, rather than short stories and I wasn't sure I could maintain interest in Victorian literature for that long. I have really enjoyed reading these short stories, though. The language is interesting as well and I have learned many new words. These stories are very quick to read and not overly elaborate. The m...more
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Read in January, 1998
recommends it for:
Mystery lovers
It's been a long time, but I am pretty sure I remember loving these. I kept hoping I'd be able to figure out "whodunnit" before the end, but that NEVER happened. On the other hand, I never went back and analyzed to make sure, but I don't Sir ACD actually gives you sufficient clues in the story that you COULD do that. Maybe the other characters in the story, like Watson, could have been expected to make certain observations, but I don't think the missing observations are really poin...more
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currently-reading (on 56 people's shelves)
classics (on 28 people's shelves)
mystery (on 20 people's shelves)
fiction (on 16 people's shelves)
1001-books-to-read-before-you-die (on 7 people's shelves)
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classic (on 4 people's shelves)
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quotes from this book
"Women are naturally secretive, and they like to do their own secreting."
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