Rob Nunn's Blog: Interesting Though Elementary, page 19
October 6, 2019
With a Glow of Admiration I Watched Holmes [CHAS]
Today was one of those glorious days where I didn't have to leave my house. I slept in, had a couple cups of coffee, finished a book, started another, watched the Cardinals game, etc., etc.
But there were plenty of chores to be done as well. Cleaning up from my daughter's birthday party yesterday, laundry, taking care of the dogs. And my most Sherlockian chore of all: ironing my dress shirts.
A quick search of the Canon for the word "iron" will give you dozens of responses. Iron constitutions, iron boxes, iron safes, iron rings, and even iron grips. But nothing specifically about ironing shirts. But to me, ironing my dress shirts will always be a Sherlock Holmes time. Because that's when I watch Jeremy Brett.
I typically iron my shirts about once a month, getting in an episode or two each time. So I'm slowly working my way through the Granada series. I know there are a limited number of episodes and that they go downhill in the later years, so I won't let myself burn through them too quickly. Granada, to me, is like a vintage wine. It's a limited resource and you can only enjoy your first sip one time.
Today's episode was Silver Blaze. What a delightful way to spend an afternoon. One thing I really love about this series is the additions to Watson's role that we get. So many of Holmes's lines are tossed Watson's way to make him more of the series. In Silver Blaze, Watson gets to ask all of the questions of the maid and stable-boy, and we get to see him explaining some of the events to Colonel Ross at the end. Granada's Watson, whether it's David Burke or Edward Hardwicke, is a competent addition to Holmes's agency. And the interplay between Brett and his two Watsons is such a joy to watch!
Every time I dip back into these episodes, the rest of my day is just a little bit better. You can tell that the people who put this show together were fans of the Canon. In Silver Blaze, Holmes and Watson are moving across the moor tracking the lost horse, and the score is so lively and perfectly fit for their movements.
I've posted about my love of Sherlockian podcasts before, but since that post another one has come to be something I love: The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast. This monthly show is an in-depth look at each episode of the beloved Granada series starting with Scandal in Bohemia and working their way through episode by episode. Host Gus gives the typical show recap, but mixed in with that is always a nice biography of one of the people associated with the show's production. Of course you're going to get background information on the actors, but who knew that the composers and directors would be so interesting?
But my favorite part of The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast is the second part, when Gus is joined by his brother Luke and they discuss the episode much like a scion society would discuss a canonical story. The listener gets some great banter about the show, chronology, and scholarship, but as both of these guys work in the film industry, some really interesting information on the production values of the shows are mixed in as well. Listening to this podcast has made me appreciate the Granada episodes that much more. Of course I love watching Brett be brilliant, but now I also appreciate specific shots and musical cues as well.
So, treat yourself sometime soon to a revisit to Jeremy Brett and checking out The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast. Small joys like these can make even mundane tasks like ironing your dress shirts pleasant.
But there were plenty of chores to be done as well. Cleaning up from my daughter's birthday party yesterday, laundry, taking care of the dogs. And my most Sherlockian chore of all: ironing my dress shirts.
A quick search of the Canon for the word "iron" will give you dozens of responses. Iron constitutions, iron boxes, iron safes, iron rings, and even iron grips. But nothing specifically about ironing shirts. But to me, ironing my dress shirts will always be a Sherlock Holmes time. Because that's when I watch Jeremy Brett.
I typically iron my shirts about once a month, getting in an episode or two each time. So I'm slowly working my way through the Granada series. I know there are a limited number of episodes and that they go downhill in the later years, so I won't let myself burn through them too quickly. Granada, to me, is like a vintage wine. It's a limited resource and you can only enjoy your first sip one time.
Today's episode was Silver Blaze. What a delightful way to spend an afternoon. One thing I really love about this series is the additions to Watson's role that we get. So many of Holmes's lines are tossed Watson's way to make him more of the series. In Silver Blaze, Watson gets to ask all of the questions of the maid and stable-boy, and we get to see him explaining some of the events to Colonel Ross at the end. Granada's Watson, whether it's David Burke or Edward Hardwicke, is a competent addition to Holmes's agency. And the interplay between Brett and his two Watsons is such a joy to watch!
Every time I dip back into these episodes, the rest of my day is just a little bit better. You can tell that the people who put this show together were fans of the Canon. In Silver Blaze, Holmes and Watson are moving across the moor tracking the lost horse, and the score is so lively and perfectly fit for their movements.
I've posted about my love of Sherlockian podcasts before, but since that post another one has come to be something I love: The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast. This monthly show is an in-depth look at each episode of the beloved Granada series starting with Scandal in Bohemia and working their way through episode by episode. Host Gus gives the typical show recap, but mixed in with that is always a nice biography of one of the people associated with the show's production. Of course you're going to get background information on the actors, but who knew that the composers and directors would be so interesting?
But my favorite part of The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast is the second part, when Gus is joined by his brother Luke and they discuss the episode much like a scion society would discuss a canonical story. The listener gets some great banter about the show, chronology, and scholarship, but as both of these guys work in the film industry, some really interesting information on the production values of the shows are mixed in as well. Listening to this podcast has made me appreciate the Granada episodes that much more. Of course I love watching Brett be brilliant, but now I also appreciate specific shots and musical cues as well.
So, treat yourself sometime soon to a revisit to Jeremy Brett and checking out The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast. Small joys like these can make even mundane tasks like ironing your dress shirts pleasant.
September 29, 2019
A Complete Change Freshened Me Up Wonderfully [SIGN]
Yesterday I sat down to type up this week's blog post and it was just a bunch of whining that I can't go to November's BSI event in Indiana or Scintillation of Scions next summer. I got about three paragraphs in and realized how miserable it all sounded. And that's not what Sherlockiana is about.
Luckily, I had a much better Sherlockian day today!
I am working on a Sherlockian book project with my friend Peter Eckrich and 33 other wonderful folks. Today, Peter and I spent three hours at a coffee house editing and talking about the submissions for this project and it just reinforced what a great group of folks Sherlockians are. If this project pans out, I think y'all are in for a real treat!
So why sit around and mope about the things I can't do? There's too much in the Sherlockian world to try and do it all. BSI Weekend, The Left Coast Sherlockian Symposium, Nicholas Meyer at the Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis... Hell, I've even had to stop going to one of my local scions because I just couldn't get out to their meetings.
And that's okay.
Instead, I'm going to be happy that there are so many things going on across the country and that our hobby is booming. This is an embarrassment of riches! Think of all of the books that come out each year, how many journals you can subscribe to, the number of Facebook groups you can join, email groups to join, scion societies to attend, Tumblrs to follow, and the list goes on and on.
So this is a reminder to myself and whomever else needs to hear this: There's a lot to be excited for in our hobby.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a project to edit, an event to plan, an article to write, books to read, emails to send.....
Luckily, I had a much better Sherlockian day today!
I am working on a Sherlockian book project with my friend Peter Eckrich and 33 other wonderful folks. Today, Peter and I spent three hours at a coffee house editing and talking about the submissions for this project and it just reinforced what a great group of folks Sherlockians are. If this project pans out, I think y'all are in for a real treat!
So why sit around and mope about the things I can't do? There's too much in the Sherlockian world to try and do it all. BSI Weekend, The Left Coast Sherlockian Symposium, Nicholas Meyer at the Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis... Hell, I've even had to stop going to one of my local scions because I just couldn't get out to their meetings.
And that's okay.
Instead, I'm going to be happy that there are so many things going on across the country and that our hobby is booming. This is an embarrassment of riches! Think of all of the books that come out each year, how many journals you can subscribe to, the number of Facebook groups you can join, email groups to join, scion societies to attend, Tumblrs to follow, and the list goes on and on.
So this is a reminder to myself and whomever else needs to hear this: There's a lot to be excited for in our hobby.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a project to edit, an event to plan, an article to write, books to read, emails to send.....
September 22, 2019
Then I Will Go Back to Him With Some Faked Papers [VALL]
"The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter" is a work of fiction.
Of course it was written by John H. Watson, M.D. But there's some nonsense in this story. Mostly the last two paragraphs. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We all know the story:
Watson and Holmes are having tea.
Holmes says, "BTW did you know I had a brother?"
Watson probably does a spit-take and it's off to the Diogenes Club!
Brother Mycroft is fat and better at detecting how many kids someone has than Sherlock is.
Mycroft's neighbor comes over with a problem: he saw a guy who's been kidnapped, translates some threats from a small giggling man, and gets dumped in the middle of nowhere.
Mycroft places ads in a bunch of papers and Sherlock and Watson go home.
Mycroft NEVER diverts from his habit, except for this one time (and the time submarine plans were stolen, and the time he had to drive a cab, etc. etc.) and he rolls into Baker Street with news.
Time to go rescue a Greek man.
Oh, and the neighbor has been kidnapped again.
But first - warrants!
Bureaucracy, yada yada...
Finally, the scene of the crime.
Oh no, the door is locked.
Holmes unlocks a window.
Gregson: “It is a mercy that you are on the side of the force, and not against it, Mr. Holmes." (Man, that would be a fun idea for a book!)
The Greek man is dead, the neighbor is saved by good old brandy, and a woman ends up kidnapped.
Holmes says, "Case closed."
And then we get these two paragraphs:
"And this was the singular case of the Grecian Interpreter, the explanation of which is still involved in some mystery. We were able to find out, by communicating with the gentleman who had answered the advertisement, that the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy Grecian family, and that she had been on a visit to some friends in England. While there she had met a young man named Harold Latimer, who had acquired an ascendancy over her and had eventually persuaded her to fly with him. Her friends, shocked at the event, had contented themselves with informing her brother at Athens, and had then washed their hands of the matter. The brother, on his arrival in England, had imprudently placed himself in the power of Latimer and of his associate, whose name was Wilson Kemp—a man of the foulest antecedents. These two, finding that through his ignorance of the language he was helpless in their hands, had kept him a prisoner, and had endeavored by cruelty and starvation to make him sign away his own and his sister's property. They had kept him in the house without the girl's knowledge, and the plaster over the face had been for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case she should ever catch a glimpse of him. Her feminine perception, however, had instantly seen through the disguise when, on the occasion of the interpreter's visit, she had seen him for the first time. The poor girl, however, was herself a prisoner, for there was no one about the house except the man who acted as coachman, and his wife, both of whom were tools of the conspirators. Finding that their secret was out, and that their prisoner was not to be coerced, the two villains with the girl had fled away at a few hours' notice from the furnished house which they had hired, having first, as they thought, taken vengeance both upon the man who had defied and the one who had betrayed them.
Months afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us from Buda-Pesth. It told how two Englishmen who had been traveling with a woman had met with a tragic end. They had each been stabbed, it seems, and the Hungarian police were of opinion that they had quarreled and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each other. Holmes, however, is, I fancy, of a different way of thinking, and holds to this day that, if one could find the Grecian girl, one might learn how the wrongs of herself and her brother came to be avenged."
Lies, all lies!
Let's say you are John Watson and you've been writing about your amazing roommate for about ten years now. Things are going well. Those Strand checks are coming in and you've got money for the track and billiards with Thurston. But then you hear that said roommate has an even more amazing older brother. (Never mind that this has been a secret for a decade for some reason) This will be an amazing story to write up! Bonus: there's a mystery attached to it.
And then Holmes doesn't care.
A man was murdered, his sister kidnapped, and another man almost killed. And Sherlock Holmes is done looking into things.
This does not make for a good story. But Watson is not about to let a story slip away. With a few fabrications, we have a classic Sherlockian tale. I've read this store time and time again, and I've never been struck by the hollow ring of these final paragraphs before.
Why would Sophy Kratides's landlord know all about her brother's plight?
Who would have known enough to send a newspaper clipping to Sherlock Holmes?
How did Sophy Kratides disappear without a trace after taking out her captors?
There are too many unanswered questions at the end of the story. We love a happy ending, but this one wraps up a little too neatly. I argue that Watson wanted to write up The Greek Interpreter but had to use artistic license to keep his audience happy. And don't give me that whole "Mycroft was working for Moriarty" business. My money is on an author who knew what the people wanted.
Of course it was written by John H. Watson, M.D. But there's some nonsense in this story. Mostly the last two paragraphs. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We all know the story:
Watson and Holmes are having tea.
Holmes says, "BTW did you know I had a brother?"
Watson probably does a spit-take and it's off to the Diogenes Club!
Brother Mycroft is fat and better at detecting how many kids someone has than Sherlock is.
Mycroft's neighbor comes over with a problem: he saw a guy who's been kidnapped, translates some threats from a small giggling man, and gets dumped in the middle of nowhere.
Mycroft places ads in a bunch of papers and Sherlock and Watson go home.
Mycroft NEVER diverts from his habit, except for this one time (and the time submarine plans were stolen, and the time he had to drive a cab, etc. etc.) and he rolls into Baker Street with news.
Time to go rescue a Greek man.
Oh, and the neighbor has been kidnapped again.
But first - warrants!
Bureaucracy, yada yada...
Finally, the scene of the crime.
Oh no, the door is locked.
Holmes unlocks a window.
Gregson: “It is a mercy that you are on the side of the force, and not against it, Mr. Holmes." (Man, that would be a fun idea for a book!)
The Greek man is dead, the neighbor is saved by good old brandy, and a woman ends up kidnapped.
Holmes says, "Case closed."
And then we get these two paragraphs:
"And this was the singular case of the Grecian Interpreter, the explanation of which is still involved in some mystery. We were able to find out, by communicating with the gentleman who had answered the advertisement, that the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy Grecian family, and that she had been on a visit to some friends in England. While there she had met a young man named Harold Latimer, who had acquired an ascendancy over her and had eventually persuaded her to fly with him. Her friends, shocked at the event, had contented themselves with informing her brother at Athens, and had then washed their hands of the matter. The brother, on his arrival in England, had imprudently placed himself in the power of Latimer and of his associate, whose name was Wilson Kemp—a man of the foulest antecedents. These two, finding that through his ignorance of the language he was helpless in their hands, had kept him a prisoner, and had endeavored by cruelty and starvation to make him sign away his own and his sister's property. They had kept him in the house without the girl's knowledge, and the plaster over the face had been for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case she should ever catch a glimpse of him. Her feminine perception, however, had instantly seen through the disguise when, on the occasion of the interpreter's visit, she had seen him for the first time. The poor girl, however, was herself a prisoner, for there was no one about the house except the man who acted as coachman, and his wife, both of whom were tools of the conspirators. Finding that their secret was out, and that their prisoner was not to be coerced, the two villains with the girl had fled away at a few hours' notice from the furnished house which they had hired, having first, as they thought, taken vengeance both upon the man who had defied and the one who had betrayed them.
Months afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us from Buda-Pesth. It told how two Englishmen who had been traveling with a woman had met with a tragic end. They had each been stabbed, it seems, and the Hungarian police were of opinion that they had quarreled and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each other. Holmes, however, is, I fancy, of a different way of thinking, and holds to this day that, if one could find the Grecian girl, one might learn how the wrongs of herself and her brother came to be avenged."
Lies, all lies!
Let's say you are John Watson and you've been writing about your amazing roommate for about ten years now. Things are going well. Those Strand checks are coming in and you've got money for the track and billiards with Thurston. But then you hear that said roommate has an even more amazing older brother. (Never mind that this has been a secret for a decade for some reason) This will be an amazing story to write up! Bonus: there's a mystery attached to it.
And then Holmes doesn't care.
A man was murdered, his sister kidnapped, and another man almost killed. And Sherlock Holmes is done looking into things.
This does not make for a good story. But Watson is not about to let a story slip away. With a few fabrications, we have a classic Sherlockian tale. I've read this store time and time again, and I've never been struck by the hollow ring of these final paragraphs before.
Why would Sophy Kratides's landlord know all about her brother's plight?
Who would have known enough to send a newspaper clipping to Sherlock Holmes?
How did Sophy Kratides disappear without a trace after taking out her captors?
There are too many unanswered questions at the end of the story. We love a happy ending, but this one wraps up a little too neatly. I argue that Watson wanted to write up The Greek Interpreter but had to use artistic license to keep his audience happy. And don't give me that whole "Mycroft was working for Moriarty" business. My money is on an author who knew what the people wanted.
September 15, 2019
Interesting Interview: Peter Blau
Peter Blau is a name that Sherlockians hear almost from day one in this hobby. He is an avid collector, clearing-house of information, and a genuinely nice guy. I've subscribed to The Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press for years and have corresponded with Peter through a few emails here and always found him to be affable.
But last month I got to meet Peter. And when I introduced myself to him in Minneapolis, I expected a cursory "Hello, how are you?" and then he would be off to talk to folks more important than myself. What I got was a man who was happy to talk with anyone interested in Sherlock Holmes and found him coming up to my dealer's table more than a few times that weekend to talk to me about specific issues of The Baker Street Journal, the birthday weekend, John Bennett Shaw, and other tidbits.
But don't just take my word for it. Peter has been an invested member of the Baker Street Irregulars for 60 years now. Sure, plenty of folks can do that by living long enough, but how many of them have been so influential and left such a positive impact on those they've come in to contact with to warrant a book about their Sherlockian influence while they were still alive?
So, read on. And enjoy this month's Interesting Interview with Peter Blau, Sherlockian Extraordinaire.
How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?
I think that a Sherlockian is someone who enjoys the Sherlock Holmes stories, and does something more. That something can include reading (or writing) Sherlockian scholarship and pseudo-scholarship, reading (or writing) pastiches, joining a Sherlockian society, playing the Grand Game that some of us enjoy so much, collecting, teaching, and on and on.
How did you become a Sherlockian?
I don't remember anything about reading my first Sherlock Holmes story, but I found the world of Sherlockians thanks to Ben Abramson, who in 1948 persuaded my father to subscribe to the Baker Street Journal for me . . . I started writing to people who contributed to the BSJ, and was delighted when they actually replied.
What is your favorite canonical story?
I always say it's the one I've read most recently . . . in this case "The Missing Three-Quarter" . . . all the stories have something that's both interesting and enjoyable.
Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?
It was the late John Bennett Shaw who taught me just about everything I know about enjoying the world of Sherlockians. . . and there's a Facebook page for The Friends of John Bennett Shaw that shows just how much he has meant to so many people.
What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?
I enjoy collecting, and of course collecting.
What things do you like to research related to Sherlock Holmes?
My special interest at the moment is in Sherlockian drama . . . stage, screen, radio, and television.
What is one of the biggest changes you have seen in Sherlockiana during your time in this hobby?
There so many more Sherlockians now, thanks to new media and new ways people find the world of Sherlockians.
How did Scuttlebutt come about?
It began as pieces of paper on which I paragraphed gossip to send to John Bennett Shaw, and he did the same. Then it became "information sheets" with limited circulation, and then (and now) an actual newsletter.
What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?
Zach Dundas' The Great Detective and Mattias Bostrom's From Holmes to Sherlock
Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?
I've no idea . . . predictions seem always to be wrong when it comes to the future.
But last month I got to meet Peter. And when I introduced myself to him in Minneapolis, I expected a cursory "Hello, how are you?" and then he would be off to talk to folks more important than myself. What I got was a man who was happy to talk with anyone interested in Sherlock Holmes and found him coming up to my dealer's table more than a few times that weekend to talk to me about specific issues of The Baker Street Journal, the birthday weekend, John Bennett Shaw, and other tidbits.
But don't just take my word for it. Peter has been an invested member of the Baker Street Irregulars for 60 years now. Sure, plenty of folks can do that by living long enough, but how many of them have been so influential and left such a positive impact on those they've come in to contact with to warrant a book about their Sherlockian influence while they were still alive?
So, read on. And enjoy this month's Interesting Interview with Peter Blau, Sherlockian Extraordinaire.
How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?I think that a Sherlockian is someone who enjoys the Sherlock Holmes stories, and does something more. That something can include reading (or writing) Sherlockian scholarship and pseudo-scholarship, reading (or writing) pastiches, joining a Sherlockian society, playing the Grand Game that some of us enjoy so much, collecting, teaching, and on and on.
How did you become a Sherlockian?
I don't remember anything about reading my first Sherlock Holmes story, but I found the world of Sherlockians thanks to Ben Abramson, who in 1948 persuaded my father to subscribe to the Baker Street Journal for me . . . I started writing to people who contributed to the BSJ, and was delighted when they actually replied.
What is your favorite canonical story?
I always say it's the one I've read most recently . . . in this case "The Missing Three-Quarter" . . . all the stories have something that's both interesting and enjoyable.
Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?
It was the late John Bennett Shaw who taught me just about everything I know about enjoying the world of Sherlockians. . . and there's a Facebook page for The Friends of John Bennett Shaw that shows just how much he has meant to so many people.
What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?
I enjoy collecting, and of course collecting.
What things do you like to research related to Sherlock Holmes?
My special interest at the moment is in Sherlockian drama . . . stage, screen, radio, and television.
What is one of the biggest changes you have seen in Sherlockiana during your time in this hobby?
There so many more Sherlockians now, thanks to new media and new ways people find the world of Sherlockians.
How did Scuttlebutt come about?
It began as pieces of paper on which I paragraphed gossip to send to John Bennett Shaw, and he did the same. Then it became "information sheets" with limited circulation, and then (and now) an actual newsletter.
What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?
Zach Dundas' The Great Detective and Mattias Bostrom's From Holmes to Sherlock
Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?
I've no idea . . . predictions seem always to be wrong when it comes to the future.
September 8, 2019
I Confess That I am Surprised and Disappointed [SIGN]
After last week's exciting news of Holmes in the Heartland, I'm sorry to take a less enthusiastic tone this week. But this topic is near and dear to my heart, and I feel that I've been misled by someone very important to me.
The topic: Book Recommendations
The perpetrator: Sherlock Holmes
As someone who does a book recommendation segment on The Watsonian Weekly podcast, I'm always looking for Sherlockian books to tell others about. As a Sherlockian, I'm always looking for interesting books that I haven't read yet. In fact, I have an ongoing TBR list that is three pages long, and two and a half shelves of books in my basement just waiting to be read.
So I view it as an important time investment when I read a Sherlockian book. Life's too short to read bad books, right?
That's why I was so disappointed by Mr. Holmes.
"Let me recommend this book,—one of the most remarkable ever penned. It is Winwood Reade's Martyrdom of Man," Holmes says in The Sign of Four.
Sherlock Holmes can't be wrong. So for years, I've expected this book to be a worthwhile addition to my shelves. Well, I finally got around to reading it last week. And let me NOT recommend this book.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't the literary version of Holmes and Watson, where I would be hard pressed to come up with any enjoyable parts. Reade makes some very interesting points in his history of the world, but he never seems to decide if he wants to be writing a history text or an opinion piece on religion.
And it's a long book. It took forever to read and was confusing. At first I thought it was just me. School was back in session, I was exhausted every night, and had little time to read outside of the demands of work and family. I was starting to wonder if I wasn't paying attention as I read. Things started sounding familiar later in the book. Was I rereading pages I'd already read? No. Winwood Reade repeats himself in this book a lot.
Some Sherlockians like to have a copy of every book mentioned in the Canon. Clark Russell sea stories, Bradshaw, Catallus, etc. I love books and I always thought I'd end up there someday. But if I have a book on my shelf, I want to have read it. And I don't know if I can trust Sherlock Holmes to recommend books to me anymore. Holmes's book recommendations are never to be entirely trusted,—not the best of them.
The topic: Book Recommendations
The perpetrator: Sherlock Holmes
As someone who does a book recommendation segment on The Watsonian Weekly podcast, I'm always looking for Sherlockian books to tell others about. As a Sherlockian, I'm always looking for interesting books that I haven't read yet. In fact, I have an ongoing TBR list that is three pages long, and two and a half shelves of books in my basement just waiting to be read.
So I view it as an important time investment when I read a Sherlockian book. Life's too short to read bad books, right?
That's why I was so disappointed by Mr. Holmes.
"Let me recommend this book,—one of the most remarkable ever penned. It is Winwood Reade's Martyrdom of Man," Holmes says in The Sign of Four.
Sherlock Holmes can't be wrong. So for years, I've expected this book to be a worthwhile addition to my shelves. Well, I finally got around to reading it last week. And let me NOT recommend this book.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't the literary version of Holmes and Watson, where I would be hard pressed to come up with any enjoyable parts. Reade makes some very interesting points in his history of the world, but he never seems to decide if he wants to be writing a history text or an opinion piece on religion.
And it's a long book. It took forever to read and was confusing. At first I thought it was just me. School was back in session, I was exhausted every night, and had little time to read outside of the demands of work and family. I was starting to wonder if I wasn't paying attention as I read. Things started sounding familiar later in the book. Was I rereading pages I'd already read? No. Winwood Reade repeats himself in this book a lot.
Some Sherlockians like to have a copy of every book mentioned in the Canon. Clark Russell sea stories, Bradshaw, Catallus, etc. I love books and I always thought I'd end up there someday. But if I have a book on my shelf, I want to have read it. And I don't know if I can trust Sherlock Holmes to recommend books to me anymore. Holmes's book recommendations are never to be entirely trusted,—not the best of them.
September 3, 2019
Excited by the Amazing Announcement [VALL]
I have been sitting on this announcement for a while and I can finally talk about it publicly!
Holmes in the Heartland is back in 2020!
Our inaugural Sherlockian weekend last year was a great success, and we are excited to have another one next year. We got some great feedback from last year's attendees and think everyone coming to St. Louis next summer is in for a real treat!
But I'm getting ahead of myself. First things first.
When and where is it?
July 24-26, 2020 at the Sheraton Westport Plaza hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.
Put that weekend in your calendar now. Registration won't open until October, but you're not going to want to forget those dates.
What can you expect when you come to Holmes in the Heartland in St. Louis next summer?
Well, here's where that feedback comes in. Last year's Holmes in the Heartland celebrated the new St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection housed at the St. Louis Public Library, showcasing some items from the collection and talking about how it came to be. But the room wasn't open on the day of the symposium so none of the visitors actually got to see the collection. Many people said they would be interested in seeing what St. Louis's collection had there, so we are kicking the weekend off with that!
Friday afternoon will be a guided architectural tour of the St. Louis Public Library central branch, a beautiful Carnegie library full of Beaux-Arts and Neo-Classical touches that even a novice like myself can appreciate. Following that, we will have a private viewing of the St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection in the Rare Books and Manuscript Room of the library. When we wrap up there, the group will take a short walk to Baileys' Range, a cool burger and ice cream spot.
Saturday will be a day full of Sherlockiana! Another request we had was to have vendors at our next event, so get to the ballroom to check out the vendor tables before settling in for a day full of speakers on this year's theme, "Arch Enemies."
Kicking off the panel will be our keynote speaker, Curtis Armstrong. But not to be outdone will be a great lineup of other Sherlockian speakers with their own takes on "Arch Enemies": Ray Betzner, Steven Doyle, Beth Gallego, Elinor Gray, Kristen Mertz, Dr. Minsoo Kang, and The St. Louis Costumers Guild.
You won't have far to go as Saturday's dinner will be at the Sheraton and followed by a Sherlockian game night.
But the theme is "Arch Enemies." Shouldn't there be something about the Gateway Arch?
Yes, there should. That's why Sunday will find you on the St. Louis riverfront and touring St. Louis's most famous landmark, the Gateway Arch! Ride to the top, watch a movie on the history of the Arch, and check out the newly remodeled interactive museum at the Arch before wrapping up the weekend with lunch on historic Laclede's Landing.
I can't tell you how excited I am for this weekend. The planning committee made up of members of The Parallel Case of St. Louis have come up with some really great stuff for 2020. Come at once if convenient!
Holmes in the Heartland is back in 2020!
Our inaugural Sherlockian weekend last year was a great success, and we are excited to have another one next year. We got some great feedback from last year's attendees and think everyone coming to St. Louis next summer is in for a real treat!
But I'm getting ahead of myself. First things first.
When and where is it?
July 24-26, 2020 at the Sheraton Westport Plaza hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.
Put that weekend in your calendar now. Registration won't open until October, but you're not going to want to forget those dates.
What can you expect when you come to Holmes in the Heartland in St. Louis next summer?
Well, here's where that feedback comes in. Last year's Holmes in the Heartland celebrated the new St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection housed at the St. Louis Public Library, showcasing some items from the collection and talking about how it came to be. But the room wasn't open on the day of the symposium so none of the visitors actually got to see the collection. Many people said they would be interested in seeing what St. Louis's collection had there, so we are kicking the weekend off with that!
Friday afternoon will be a guided architectural tour of the St. Louis Public Library central branch, a beautiful Carnegie library full of Beaux-Arts and Neo-Classical touches that even a novice like myself can appreciate. Following that, we will have a private viewing of the St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection in the Rare Books and Manuscript Room of the library. When we wrap up there, the group will take a short walk to Baileys' Range, a cool burger and ice cream spot.
Saturday will be a day full of Sherlockiana! Another request we had was to have vendors at our next event, so get to the ballroom to check out the vendor tables before settling in for a day full of speakers on this year's theme, "Arch Enemies."
Kicking off the panel will be our keynote speaker, Curtis Armstrong. But not to be outdone will be a great lineup of other Sherlockian speakers with their own takes on "Arch Enemies": Ray Betzner, Steven Doyle, Beth Gallego, Elinor Gray, Kristen Mertz, Dr. Minsoo Kang, and The St. Louis Costumers Guild.
You won't have far to go as Saturday's dinner will be at the Sheraton and followed by a Sherlockian game night.
But the theme is "Arch Enemies." Shouldn't there be something about the Gateway Arch?
Yes, there should. That's why Sunday will find you on the St. Louis riverfront and touring St. Louis's most famous landmark, the Gateway Arch! Ride to the top, watch a movie on the history of the Arch, and check out the newly remodeled interactive museum at the Arch before wrapping up the weekend with lunch on historic Laclede's Landing.
I can't tell you how excited I am for this weekend. The planning committee made up of members of The Parallel Case of St. Louis have come up with some really great stuff for 2020. Come at once if convenient!
August 26, 2019
Interesting interview: Liza Potts
The website Sherlockian.net has long been one of the premier online resources for fans of Sherlock Holmes. Started in 1994, it was the first and only Sherlockian site on the internet at the time. Over the years, it grew and grew, becoming too big for just one person to run effectively.
Enter Dr. Liza Potts.
On September 16, 2016, Dr. Potts and her team at WIDE Research at Michigan State University officially became the new caretakers of Sherlockian.net. The past three years have given us a redesign of the site, easier navigation, and scores and scores of new content for newbies and seasoned Sherlockians alike.
But who is the woman behind the site? Keep reading to find out a little bit more about Liza Potts and her views on Sherlockiana...
How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?
Now there’s a term that is far more contested than I could ever have imagined! For me, anyone who is interested in the Great Game can be a Sherlockian. Whether you’ve come to the community through film, fic, canon, graphic novels, television, audiobooks, radio, cosplay, manga, art, or whatever else - you are welcome. And to quote my betters “All Holmes is Good Holmes.”
How did you become a Sherlockian?
My father was a fan of Holmes in all his forms, especially Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett. He started with the radio shows, listening to them as a youngster in the 1930’s. He loved science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. He was an older Dad, so I grew up watching older shows (“reruns”) a lot on PBS. I guess you could say I was raised as a true believer in the nerdly trinity of Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Who, and Star Trek. My mother tried her best, but I was far more interested in canon than soaps (although the latter can lead me into eyebrow arching hysteria).
What is your favorite canonical story?
This question always gets me - we have so many to choose from! I love the mystery and moodiness of Hound and the strong feminist turn in Speckled Band. The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane holds a terrifying place in my heart as someone who has been stung by several jellyfish while growing up in Florida.
Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?
Our lab at Michigan State University is home to a very diverse group of students, faculty, and specialists who work on the site together. Our students are awesome - curious, smart, resourceful, and interested in Sherlock Holmes and the community at large. In addition to reading the latest and greatest works from the community, they all have access to copies of the Adventures. They regularly attend our local scion meetings, The Greek Interpreters. And every year, we bring students to 221B Con to learn more about the community. Their take on Sherlockiana gives me a new perspective on how, where, and why our community is growing.
What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?
I love maps, so visuals of rooms, locations, geography, and even workflows are exciting to me. In my office, I have a massive map of Victorian London and an illustration of the layout of 221B. I’ll happily stare off into space, examining these maps and imagining the possibilities.
What things do you like to research related to Sherlock Holmes?
While much of my focus is on connecting digital bits for the Sherlock Holmes community, I am very interested in the spaces and places where Sherlockians meet and participate in memory-making activities - whether these are meetings, cons, events, or visiting story settings in London (which we have done on our study abroad trips). The ways in which our community is changing and growing is an area of my research.
What does a typical day's work look like for Sherlockian.net?
We have a pretty steady workflow for revising content, ensuring that our links are up-to-date, responding to inquiries we receive through our online form, and reviewing new material as it comes along. We meet once a week as a team, and then communicate throughout the week using Slack. A typical day could include fixing a broken link, updating our Watson Wednesday content, howling at a post on Twitter, booking tickets for an event, and editing a new review submission.
As a curator of this hobby, what particular trends do you find interesting?
With over 300 pages and thousands of links, the trends that interest me the most are the ones that will help bring in new community members and sustain our enjoyment of the Great Detective and his Dear Doctor. When new students show up to our Sherlockian.net meetings, our first question is--aside from the ever important “what is your favorite kind of bagel so I can be sure to pick it up for our next lunch meeting”--where did you first encounter Sherlock Holmes and what is your favorite take on the canon? This leads us in so many interesting directions - anime, fan fiction, RDJ films, art about otters and hedgehogs, and more. Right now, we have an fantastic project manager who is a canon devotee and a content writer who knows Holmes only through anime. It’s awesome.
What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?
I love the places that Lyndsay Faye has taken our detective, and Dust and Shadow is tops for me. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s stories about Mycroft are intriguing to me, and I am about to listen to his second book (a delight during long car rides!). Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald gave me the heebie jeebies (that’s a compliment). Finally, I definitely recommend the audio version of G.S. Denning’s A Study in Brimstone. I caught a flu of dire seriousness and didn’t give it much of a chance at first, but the audio version has me laughing and appreciating the exasperated cleverness of his work. Wait...do you mean books that aren’t about Sherlock Holmes? Um...
Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?
Our community is definitely going through some changes, but I am confident that we will continue to carry on, as new generations make Holmes their own. It’s a privilege and a delight to be the caretaker of the great old house that is Sherlockian.net.
Enter Dr. Liza Potts.
On September 16, 2016, Dr. Potts and her team at WIDE Research at Michigan State University officially became the new caretakers of Sherlockian.net. The past three years have given us a redesign of the site, easier navigation, and scores and scores of new content for newbies and seasoned Sherlockians alike.
But who is the woman behind the site? Keep reading to find out a little bit more about Liza Potts and her views on Sherlockiana...
How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?
Now there’s a term that is far more contested than I could ever have imagined! For me, anyone who is interested in the Great Game can be a Sherlockian. Whether you’ve come to the community through film, fic, canon, graphic novels, television, audiobooks, radio, cosplay, manga, art, or whatever else - you are welcome. And to quote my betters “All Holmes is Good Holmes.”
How did you become a Sherlockian?
My father was a fan of Holmes in all his forms, especially Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett. He started with the radio shows, listening to them as a youngster in the 1930’s. He loved science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. He was an older Dad, so I grew up watching older shows (“reruns”) a lot on PBS. I guess you could say I was raised as a true believer in the nerdly trinity of Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Who, and Star Trek. My mother tried her best, but I was far more interested in canon than soaps (although the latter can lead me into eyebrow arching hysteria).
What is your favorite canonical story?
This question always gets me - we have so many to choose from! I love the mystery and moodiness of Hound and the strong feminist turn in Speckled Band. The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane holds a terrifying place in my heart as someone who has been stung by several jellyfish while growing up in Florida.
Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?
Our lab at Michigan State University is home to a very diverse group of students, faculty, and specialists who work on the site together. Our students are awesome - curious, smart, resourceful, and interested in Sherlock Holmes and the community at large. In addition to reading the latest and greatest works from the community, they all have access to copies of the Adventures. They regularly attend our local scion meetings, The Greek Interpreters. And every year, we bring students to 221B Con to learn more about the community. Their take on Sherlockiana gives me a new perspective on how, where, and why our community is growing.
What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?
I love maps, so visuals of rooms, locations, geography, and even workflows are exciting to me. In my office, I have a massive map of Victorian London and an illustration of the layout of 221B. I’ll happily stare off into space, examining these maps and imagining the possibilities.
What things do you like to research related to Sherlock Holmes?
While much of my focus is on connecting digital bits for the Sherlock Holmes community, I am very interested in the spaces and places where Sherlockians meet and participate in memory-making activities - whether these are meetings, cons, events, or visiting story settings in London (which we have done on our study abroad trips). The ways in which our community is changing and growing is an area of my research.
What does a typical day's work look like for Sherlockian.net?
We have a pretty steady workflow for revising content, ensuring that our links are up-to-date, responding to inquiries we receive through our online form, and reviewing new material as it comes along. We meet once a week as a team, and then communicate throughout the week using Slack. A typical day could include fixing a broken link, updating our Watson Wednesday content, howling at a post on Twitter, booking tickets for an event, and editing a new review submission.
As a curator of this hobby, what particular trends do you find interesting?
With over 300 pages and thousands of links, the trends that interest me the most are the ones that will help bring in new community members and sustain our enjoyment of the Great Detective and his Dear Doctor. When new students show up to our Sherlockian.net meetings, our first question is--aside from the ever important “what is your favorite kind of bagel so I can be sure to pick it up for our next lunch meeting”--where did you first encounter Sherlock Holmes and what is your favorite take on the canon? This leads us in so many interesting directions - anime, fan fiction, RDJ films, art about otters and hedgehogs, and more. Right now, we have an fantastic project manager who is a canon devotee and a content writer who knows Holmes only through anime. It’s awesome.
What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?
I love the places that Lyndsay Faye has taken our detective, and Dust and Shadow is tops for me. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s stories about Mycroft are intriguing to me, and I am about to listen to his second book (a delight during long car rides!). Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald gave me the heebie jeebies (that’s a compliment). Finally, I definitely recommend the audio version of G.S. Denning’s A Study in Brimstone. I caught a flu of dire seriousness and didn’t give it much of a chance at first, but the audio version has me laughing and appreciating the exasperated cleverness of his work. Wait...do you mean books that aren’t about Sherlock Holmes? Um...
Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?
Our community is definitely going through some changes, but I am confident that we will continue to carry on, as new generations make Holmes their own. It’s a privilege and a delight to be the caretaker of the great old house that is Sherlockian.net.
August 21, 2019
You May Have Read of the Remarkable Explorations of a Norwegian Part 2
As promised, here is the rest of my recap of the Norwegian Explorers' weekend!
Saturday kicked off with what seemed a bit of a canonical stretch.... Sherlock Holmes and how he was connected to the game show scandals of the 50's. Alan Rettig showed a clip of two contestants utterly NAILING Sherlockian trivia. Even moreso that some noted Sherlockian scholars. And how did they do it? Well, the game was rigged, obviously. We were all glad to hear that, because I think everyone in the room was feeling pretty inferior as we watched the contestants nail question after question!
Barbara Rusch was up next with her talk, "The Creeping Man and Other Dark Tales of the Canon" where she shared her thoughts on many themes found in the sixty stories including pantheism, Darwinism, eugenics, stereotypes, and genetic determination. She asked the audience if these views should be attributed to Sherlock Holmes or Arthur Conan Doyle.
David Polvere followed that with an in-depth look at what "baritsu" could have been. His argument was that it was "batitsu," a form of self defense popularized by E.W. Barton-Wright (and his amazing mustache). Batitsu was publicized in magazines in the 1890's, and Holmes could have learned this before it became widely known to the Victorian public. If so, it was batitsu that not only helped Holmes defeat Moriarty at Reichenbach, but it came in handy with another caped crusader many years later.
Everyone's favorite anthropologist, Carlina de la Cova, was up next with "A Most Worthy Colleague in Anthropology." After bumming everyone out by telling us that Indiana Jones isn't a real anthropologist, she delved into the meat of her talk, the anthropological aspects of two stories in particular, The Sussex Vampire and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Carlina admitted that she was probably the only person in the room who finds Dr. Mortimer cool and announced that she didn't covet Holmes's skull, she covets Benedict Cumberbatch's.
Cheryll Fong made her third Norwegian Explorers's presentation with "Minneapolis and the Farewell Tour," a look at the Minneapolis Opera House where William Gillette performed during his farewell tour with Sherlock Holmes. A lot of historical fact about a local institution that the locals really enjoyed, but the rest of us learned something new for sure: many theaters of the time reserved the uppermost seats for the city's prostitutes. The more you know...
Dan Payton wrapped up the day's lectures with his talk, "Victorian Attitudes Toward America," where he showed the results of a poll of 60 Sherlockians to see if they could name all of the stories in the Canon where America is mentioned. And in sticking with the theme of the conference, announced that the average Victorian would have considered America a dark, wicked, and strange place.
There was some downtime between the presentations and dinner. Some folks retired to their rooms for a respite, while I searched out as much Sherlockian contact as I could. I love these weekends for this reason: hanging out with other people who share an interest so strongly that we will travel and spend an entire weekend talking about our shared passion. Whether it was the hotel lobby or the bar, there was always someone to pal around with. (You may notice my anxiety had completely disappeared by this point. Sherlockians have a special way to make people feel welcome.)
Dinner soon followed, and I was lucky enough to sit with friends both old and new. Joe Eckrich and Ed Weiss from The Parallel Case of St. Louis as well as old friend Cindy Brown from Texas were at the table, and we were joined by Jerry and Judy Margolin and Charles and Kristin Prepolec. The night's conversation was an absolute delight, and I was remiss to give it up for the guest speaker, but it was the always magnificent Bill Mason, so it was definitely worth paying attention to!
Bill started off his talk by wondering what would Sherlock Holmes think if he were to walk into the room we were all in that night? Obviously, some people would accost him for a selfie, but after the hubbub died down, would he be happy with what we Sherlockians have done to him? Bill Mason is an absolute delight, so let me just quote some of his choicest lines from the night.
On Irene Adler: "That whole Irene Adler love interest nonsense has been impossible to kill."
On pastiche team ups: "Forrest Gump has nothing on pastiche Sherlock Holmes."
On a recent adaptation: "The worst thing that's ever been done to Sherlock Holmes can be summed up in two words: Will Ferrell." and "I will actually admit to laughing at Will Ferrell's Sherlock Holmes. And I didn't bother anybody because I was the only person in the theater!"
But even though Bill proposed that Holmes himself could take issue with some of the things we've done to him, he ended his talk on a positive note. Bill listed scores of reasons why Sherlock Holmes has endured all of these years. At the heart, he is a character that we love, and can you ask for more than that?
Peter Blau took the podium then to oversee the night's auction. The items included two Collier's magazines, issues containing The Adventure of Black Peter and The Adventure of the Dying Detective. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman autographs were also auctioned off. And the final item was an original conference poster signed by the Explorers' own artist, Amanda Downs Champlin. Thanks to the generous bidders, the UM library collections will continue to keep going strong for years to come.
Surprise, surprise, a large group of us found our way to a bar and spent a good amount of time getting to know each other better before we wrapped up our last night in the friendly north. Then it was back to the rooms and our portraits of Loni Anderson (never forget about Loni Anderson).
Sunday found us at our last day of the conference, and it kicked off with fellow educator, Shannon Carlisle. Her talk, "Whimsical Little Incidents and Three Pipe Problems in a Sherlockian Themed Classroom" introduced many people in the room to her classroom where she annually creates new Sherlockians at her elementary school. The intersection of Sherlockiana and education is a sweet spot for me, and Shannon deserves her own blog post for sure. In the meantime, check out JuniorSherlockian.com to see how kids in your life can join in this hobby with age appropriate activities.
It was then time for the "Long Suffering Companions" panel. Judy Margolin shared the story of what it's like to live in a museum. She shared some of her husband, Jerry's, more interesting materials, the rules they have in their house for display, and some of the people who started out as visitors and turned into good friends.
Mike McKuras, husband to Norwegian Explorer Julie McKuras, shared stories of Sherlockian travels as an NSS (Non-Sherlockian Spouse). Mike was down in St. Louis at one point and managed to only take one picture, that of a Clydestale's rump. Hopefully, Mike and Julie can make it down to next year's Holmes in the Heartland conference and find more things to photograph!
John Bennett Shaw's step-daughter Barbara wrapped up the talks with tales of living with Johnny Appleseed. John was THE Sherlockian collector. But not only did he collect items, but he was also known for collecting Sherlockian visitors. John's collection went on to become a major component of the University of Minnesota's Sherlockian collection, so her talk was very pertinent to the room.
I was looking at a ten hour drive back home and school started the following day, so it was time for me to slip out and hit the road. I was sorry to miss the radio play, which I heard was wonderful. I was even more sorry to go without saying goodbye to all of the people I got to spend such a great four days with. Sherlockian friends old and new and from this country and Canada were the absolute highlight of this trip.
I fully admit that as the beginning of school loomed closer and closer in the days leading up to the Norwegian Explorers's conference, I wondered if it was a bad idea to go north for four days. On my way back, I had no such reservations. It was the best Sherlockian event I've ever been to, and it's a good thing they only happen every three years, otherwise my heart might burst with appreciation for all of the amazing people in our hobby!
So, here's to everyone who put on an absolutely wonderful event: from the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving us a place to get together, thanks for all of the time it took to coordinate, and thanks for the welcoming atmosphere you've created. Your conference may have been about dark, wicked, and strange things, but you folks are the furthest thing from it.
Saturday kicked off with what seemed a bit of a canonical stretch.... Sherlock Holmes and how he was connected to the game show scandals of the 50's. Alan Rettig showed a clip of two contestants utterly NAILING Sherlockian trivia. Even moreso that some noted Sherlockian scholars. And how did they do it? Well, the game was rigged, obviously. We were all glad to hear that, because I think everyone in the room was feeling pretty inferior as we watched the contestants nail question after question!
Barbara Rusch was up next with her talk, "The Creeping Man and Other Dark Tales of the Canon" where she shared her thoughts on many themes found in the sixty stories including pantheism, Darwinism, eugenics, stereotypes, and genetic determination. She asked the audience if these views should be attributed to Sherlock Holmes or Arthur Conan Doyle.
David Polvere followed that with an in-depth look at what "baritsu" could have been. His argument was that it was "batitsu," a form of self defense popularized by E.W. Barton-Wright (and his amazing mustache). Batitsu was publicized in magazines in the 1890's, and Holmes could have learned this before it became widely known to the Victorian public. If so, it was batitsu that not only helped Holmes defeat Moriarty at Reichenbach, but it came in handy with another caped crusader many years later.
Everyone's favorite anthropologist, Carlina de la Cova, was up next with "A Most Worthy Colleague in Anthropology." After bumming everyone out by telling us that Indiana Jones isn't a real anthropologist, she delved into the meat of her talk, the anthropological aspects of two stories in particular, The Sussex Vampire and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Carlina admitted that she was probably the only person in the room who finds Dr. Mortimer cool and announced that she didn't covet Holmes's skull, she covets Benedict Cumberbatch's.
Cheryll Fong made her third Norwegian Explorers's presentation with "Minneapolis and the Farewell Tour," a look at the Minneapolis Opera House where William Gillette performed during his farewell tour with Sherlock Holmes. A lot of historical fact about a local institution that the locals really enjoyed, but the rest of us learned something new for sure: many theaters of the time reserved the uppermost seats for the city's prostitutes. The more you know...
Dan Payton wrapped up the day's lectures with his talk, "Victorian Attitudes Toward America," where he showed the results of a poll of 60 Sherlockians to see if they could name all of the stories in the Canon where America is mentioned. And in sticking with the theme of the conference, announced that the average Victorian would have considered America a dark, wicked, and strange place.
There was some downtime between the presentations and dinner. Some folks retired to their rooms for a respite, while I searched out as much Sherlockian contact as I could. I love these weekends for this reason: hanging out with other people who share an interest so strongly that we will travel and spend an entire weekend talking about our shared passion. Whether it was the hotel lobby or the bar, there was always someone to pal around with. (You may notice my anxiety had completely disappeared by this point. Sherlockians have a special way to make people feel welcome.)
Dinner soon followed, and I was lucky enough to sit with friends both old and new. Joe Eckrich and Ed Weiss from The Parallel Case of St. Louis as well as old friend Cindy Brown from Texas were at the table, and we were joined by Jerry and Judy Margolin and Charles and Kristin Prepolec. The night's conversation was an absolute delight, and I was remiss to give it up for the guest speaker, but it was the always magnificent Bill Mason, so it was definitely worth paying attention to!
Bill started off his talk by wondering what would Sherlock Holmes think if he were to walk into the room we were all in that night? Obviously, some people would accost him for a selfie, but after the hubbub died down, would he be happy with what we Sherlockians have done to him? Bill Mason is an absolute delight, so let me just quote some of his choicest lines from the night.
On Irene Adler: "That whole Irene Adler love interest nonsense has been impossible to kill."
On pastiche team ups: "Forrest Gump has nothing on pastiche Sherlock Holmes."
On a recent adaptation: "The worst thing that's ever been done to Sherlock Holmes can be summed up in two words: Will Ferrell." and "I will actually admit to laughing at Will Ferrell's Sherlock Holmes. And I didn't bother anybody because I was the only person in the theater!"
But even though Bill proposed that Holmes himself could take issue with some of the things we've done to him, he ended his talk on a positive note. Bill listed scores of reasons why Sherlock Holmes has endured all of these years. At the heart, he is a character that we love, and can you ask for more than that?
Peter Blau took the podium then to oversee the night's auction. The items included two Collier's magazines, issues containing The Adventure of Black Peter and The Adventure of the Dying Detective. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman autographs were also auctioned off. And the final item was an original conference poster signed by the Explorers' own artist, Amanda Downs Champlin. Thanks to the generous bidders, the UM library collections will continue to keep going strong for years to come.
Surprise, surprise, a large group of us found our way to a bar and spent a good amount of time getting to know each other better before we wrapped up our last night in the friendly north. Then it was back to the rooms and our portraits of Loni Anderson (never forget about Loni Anderson).
Sunday found us at our last day of the conference, and it kicked off with fellow educator, Shannon Carlisle. Her talk, "Whimsical Little Incidents and Three Pipe Problems in a Sherlockian Themed Classroom" introduced many people in the room to her classroom where she annually creates new Sherlockians at her elementary school. The intersection of Sherlockiana and education is a sweet spot for me, and Shannon deserves her own blog post for sure. In the meantime, check out JuniorSherlockian.com to see how kids in your life can join in this hobby with age appropriate activities.
It was then time for the "Long Suffering Companions" panel. Judy Margolin shared the story of what it's like to live in a museum. She shared some of her husband, Jerry's, more interesting materials, the rules they have in their house for display, and some of the people who started out as visitors and turned into good friends.
Mike McKuras, husband to Norwegian Explorer Julie McKuras, shared stories of Sherlockian travels as an NSS (Non-Sherlockian Spouse). Mike was down in St. Louis at one point and managed to only take one picture, that of a Clydestale's rump. Hopefully, Mike and Julie can make it down to next year's Holmes in the Heartland conference and find more things to photograph!
John Bennett Shaw's step-daughter Barbara wrapped up the talks with tales of living with Johnny Appleseed. John was THE Sherlockian collector. But not only did he collect items, but he was also known for collecting Sherlockian visitors. John's collection went on to become a major component of the University of Minnesota's Sherlockian collection, so her talk was very pertinent to the room.
I was looking at a ten hour drive back home and school started the following day, so it was time for me to slip out and hit the road. I was sorry to miss the radio play, which I heard was wonderful. I was even more sorry to go without saying goodbye to all of the people I got to spend such a great four days with. Sherlockian friends old and new and from this country and Canada were the absolute highlight of this trip.
I fully admit that as the beginning of school loomed closer and closer in the days leading up to the Norwegian Explorers's conference, I wondered if it was a bad idea to go north for four days. On my way back, I had no such reservations. It was the best Sherlockian event I've ever been to, and it's a good thing they only happen every three years, otherwise my heart might burst with appreciation for all of the amazing people in our hobby!
So, here's to everyone who put on an absolutely wonderful event: from the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving us a place to get together, thanks for all of the time it took to coordinate, and thanks for the welcoming atmosphere you've created. Your conference may have been about dark, wicked, and strange things, but you folks are the furthest thing from it.
August 18, 2019
You May Have Read of the Remarkable Explorations of a Norwegian
Last weekend, I found myself in the lovely land of Minneapolis for the Norwegian Explorers's triennial conference. I had always heard what a great conference it was. I have to say, it exceeded all of my expectations.
First of all, the members of the Norwegian Explorers are absolutely delightful folks. I met at least a half dozen of them over the weekend and they were all interesting, friendly, and welcoming.
And the conference itself? Well, it lives up to the hype.
We arrived on Thursday in time for the welcome reception at the hotel. That was very nerve-wracking for me. There were 148 people at the conference, so walking into a room where I knew maybe a dozen or so was tough. Luckily, The Parallel Case of St. Louis was represented with five members there, so I always had someone close at hand.
As the evening went on, I got to meet more people including Peter Blau (which I may have fan-boyed on Twitter about), and it was wonderful to finally meet so many Sherlockians in real life that I've talked with on Twitter or through email. People I've collaborated with over the years or come to respect by reading their opinions or seeing how they treat others online turned out to be just as nice in person as they were in the virtual world. At some point, it was rumored that a local bar had its own Ferris wheel and that's where the after-party was. I ended up in a cab with three Sherlockians I had only known for about twenty minutes, and we were on our way.
The Red Circle of the MidwestThe weather was beautiful, so everyone hung out at the outdoor tables in between miniature golf holes (this was quite a bar!) until it was time to call it a night. A car ride home with three other Sherlockians (one of whom I'd only known online, and one I'd just met that night), and it was back to my room to fall asleep under the gaze of the Loni Anderson portrait that was in every hotel room.
The hotel was... eclecticFriday kicked off with Tim Johnson's stunning display from the Sherlock Holmes Collections in the university library. Upstairs from that, Holmes's sitting room was available for view. I could try and do justice to some of the amazing artifacts and detail of the sitting room, but I will let the pictures do the talking.
Back at the hotel, I had my vendor table set up to sell copies of The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street, Parallel Case of St. Louis scion pins, and duplicate issues of the Baker Street Journal from the St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection. Leading up to the conference, I was thinking that it was a mistake to get a dealer's table because I wouldn't be able to socialize and they aren't always worth the hassle. Boy, was I wrong! I met more people at my table than I ever would have if I were on my own. So many people walked up just to say hi! I sold out of Criminal Mastermind, and sold more pins than I had expected. And the Research Collection easily sold more old issues of the BSJ than we ever have in a single event!
Ross Davies gave the day's first talk, discussing "Dark Places in the Empty House." Ross has a knack for detailed canonical maps, and this was no different! Not only did he present, in his words, "perhaps an exhaustively complete inventory" of the possible routes taken in EMPT, but each attendee went home with one of Ross's wonderfully detailed maps for the story. A great artifact, indeed!
Regina Stinson's talk, "Deceptions, Disguises, and Dark Secrets," took us through Holmes' ability to use disguise throughout the Canon as well as other's uses. She also shared an example of some people who aren't very good at telling a disguise from an actual person (*cough, cough* Nigel Bruce *cough*), and ended with this line about The Illustrious Client: "In the end, it was the baron who lost face."
David Harnois was up next with "Boswell's Journey to the Dark, Wicked, and Strange" in which he introduced many of people to his podcast, I Am Lost Without My Boswell, and went through the history of the show as well as the technical aspects for recording. His research is nothing if not thorough, which explains why he had to test out handcuffs on his former roommate. He didn't clarify if that's why the roommate is a former one...
The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections business meeting was after, which included Tim Johnson's talk about the status of the collections. Tim was the keynote speaker at last year's Holmes in the Heartland in St. Louis, and his speech there was unbelievable. Seeing him speak again this year made me realize just what a wonderful person he is. Tim cares for all of Sherlockiana and anyone interested in our hobby. This quote from Tim really sums it up: "We're a little old. We're a little white. We need to be a big tent. We need to expand our voices." It would be a better world if we were all a little bit more like Tim Johnson.
The final talk of the night was given by Jeffrey Hatcher, screenwriter for Ian McKellan's "Mister Holmes." He took issue with some of the clients that come to Baker Street describing some of them as "another really nice person whose been sent to Sherlock Holmes to introduce him to more interesting people." Jeffrey then took nine people out of the audience and had them outline their own Sherlock Holmes play. In all honesty, it was the end of the day, and this part drug on a little too long. It was interesting and funny, but I was ready for dinner.
Day two wrapped up and I had acquired a LOT of new books for the St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection. (Just a little plug for the St. Louis collection, if you need to do any research on Holmes and you're in the St. Louis area, check it out!)
Anyway, seven of us loaded into a minivan to scour the area for dinner, only to end up two blocks away from the hotel that we started from. A lot of fun was had there, and I somehow promised everyone at the table that I would watch the dreadful Dudley Moore "Hound of the Baskervilles" film. I guess that's what I get for voicing my opinion on Will Ferrell so loudly. And, like most Sherlockian get-togethers, we joined up with other groups back at the bar. The night rolled on, and almost every topic under the sun was discussed before we all headed back to our rooms with Loni Anderson to watch over us.
To be continued...
First of all, the members of the Norwegian Explorers are absolutely delightful folks. I met at least a half dozen of them over the weekend and they were all interesting, friendly, and welcoming.
And the conference itself? Well, it lives up to the hype.
We arrived on Thursday in time for the welcome reception at the hotel. That was very nerve-wracking for me. There were 148 people at the conference, so walking into a room where I knew maybe a dozen or so was tough. Luckily, The Parallel Case of St. Louis was represented with five members there, so I always had someone close at hand.
As the evening went on, I got to meet more people including Peter Blau (which I may have fan-boyed on Twitter about), and it was wonderful to finally meet so many Sherlockians in real life that I've talked with on Twitter or through email. People I've collaborated with over the years or come to respect by reading their opinions or seeing how they treat others online turned out to be just as nice in person as they were in the virtual world. At some point, it was rumored that a local bar had its own Ferris wheel and that's where the after-party was. I ended up in a cab with three Sherlockians I had only known for about twenty minutes, and we were on our way.
The Red Circle of the MidwestThe weather was beautiful, so everyone hung out at the outdoor tables in between miniature golf holes (this was quite a bar!) until it was time to call it a night. A car ride home with three other Sherlockians (one of whom I'd only known online, and one I'd just met that night), and it was back to my room to fall asleep under the gaze of the Loni Anderson portrait that was in every hotel room.
The hotel was... eclecticFriday kicked off with Tim Johnson's stunning display from the Sherlock Holmes Collections in the university library. Upstairs from that, Holmes's sitting room was available for view. I could try and do justice to some of the amazing artifacts and detail of the sitting room, but I will let the pictures do the talking.
Back at the hotel, I had my vendor table set up to sell copies of The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street, Parallel Case of St. Louis scion pins, and duplicate issues of the Baker Street Journal from the St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection. Leading up to the conference, I was thinking that it was a mistake to get a dealer's table because I wouldn't be able to socialize and they aren't always worth the hassle. Boy, was I wrong! I met more people at my table than I ever would have if I were on my own. So many people walked up just to say hi! I sold out of Criminal Mastermind, and sold more pins than I had expected. And the Research Collection easily sold more old issues of the BSJ than we ever have in a single event!
Ross Davies gave the day's first talk, discussing "Dark Places in the Empty House." Ross has a knack for detailed canonical maps, and this was no different! Not only did he present, in his words, "perhaps an exhaustively complete inventory" of the possible routes taken in EMPT, but each attendee went home with one of Ross's wonderfully detailed maps for the story. A great artifact, indeed!
Regina Stinson's talk, "Deceptions, Disguises, and Dark Secrets," took us through Holmes' ability to use disguise throughout the Canon as well as other's uses. She also shared an example of some people who aren't very good at telling a disguise from an actual person (*cough, cough* Nigel Bruce *cough*), and ended with this line about The Illustrious Client: "In the end, it was the baron who lost face."
David Harnois was up next with "Boswell's Journey to the Dark, Wicked, and Strange" in which he introduced many of people to his podcast, I Am Lost Without My Boswell, and went through the history of the show as well as the technical aspects for recording. His research is nothing if not thorough, which explains why he had to test out handcuffs on his former roommate. He didn't clarify if that's why the roommate is a former one...
The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections business meeting was after, which included Tim Johnson's talk about the status of the collections. Tim was the keynote speaker at last year's Holmes in the Heartland in St. Louis, and his speech there was unbelievable. Seeing him speak again this year made me realize just what a wonderful person he is. Tim cares for all of Sherlockiana and anyone interested in our hobby. This quote from Tim really sums it up: "We're a little old. We're a little white. We need to be a big tent. We need to expand our voices." It would be a better world if we were all a little bit more like Tim Johnson.
The final talk of the night was given by Jeffrey Hatcher, screenwriter for Ian McKellan's "Mister Holmes." He took issue with some of the clients that come to Baker Street describing some of them as "another really nice person whose been sent to Sherlock Holmes to introduce him to more interesting people." Jeffrey then took nine people out of the audience and had them outline their own Sherlock Holmes play. In all honesty, it was the end of the day, and this part drug on a little too long. It was interesting and funny, but I was ready for dinner.
Day two wrapped up and I had acquired a LOT of new books for the St. Louis Sherlock Holmes Research Collection. (Just a little plug for the St. Louis collection, if you need to do any research on Holmes and you're in the St. Louis area, check it out!)
Anyway, seven of us loaded into a minivan to scour the area for dinner, only to end up two blocks away from the hotel that we started from. A lot of fun was had there, and I somehow promised everyone at the table that I would watch the dreadful Dudley Moore "Hound of the Baskervilles" film. I guess that's what I get for voicing my opinion on Will Ferrell so loudly. And, like most Sherlockian get-togethers, we joined up with other groups back at the bar. The night rolled on, and almost every topic under the sun was discussed before we all headed back to our rooms with Loni Anderson to watch over us.
To be continued...
August 4, 2019
In Search of Whatever Chance Might Throw in His Way [STUD]
I've just returned from a family vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida. I knew this trip was going to really cut into my Sherlockian activity time, so I made every attempt I could to make it a somewhat Sherlockian foray.
It's a long drive from southwestern Illinois to central Florida, so of course I got some reading in. I enjoyed L.B. Greenwood's "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Raleigh Legacy" on the way down and "Serpentine Musings, Vol. 2" edited by Susan Diamond and Marilynnne McKay on my way home. Both were delightful for different reasons and a nice addition to my Sherlock Holmes shelf on Goodreads.
The drive also allowed me to spend time editing my current Sherlockian manuscript. I've been putting this off for some time now, so it felt good to get back to work on that!
But the first REAL Sherlockian event came in Atlanta. I reached out to Heather Holloway on Twitter to see if there was anything Sherlockian of note to check out while we stopped over for the evening. There wasn't, but she offered to meet for dinner. Um, yes! Ashley Polasek asked to join us, and a party was set! (Side note: at the time, it didn't dawn on me that Ashley lives in South Carolina and she was offering to drive FIVE HOURS ROUND TRIP just to meet up with Heather and me! But, Heather is definitely worth the drive.)
To recap that night's conversation would be rambling and nonsensical to everyone not there, but the three of us had a great time talking about everything from societies to thimbles. I've talked with both of them online plenty of times, and interviewed both of them on this blog (Heather here, and Ashley here), but this was the first time I've ever gotten to meet them in person. It was a true pleasure to meet other self-described "Sherlockian riffraff" and like many of my Sherlockian interactions, I look forward to many more!
Then, it was on to Florida. Scott Monty posted about the lack of Sherlockian content at Disney a few years ago, and let me tell you it hasn't changed much. I was bound and determined to find SOME connection though, so journey with me through the four Disney parks, desperately searching for something, ANYTHING Sherlockian:
Disney's Hollywood Studios:
There is NOTHING here. Hollywood Studios is quickly becoming a Star Wars theme park, so I can't say I was too surprised. But man, I really came up empty on day one.
Magic Kingdom:
I was going to do better here. At first, I thought the best I would be able to do was see Tinkerbell and say that she was one of the Cottingley fairies. But it got better.
After the nightly fireworks display, Magic Kingdom has a show called Once Upon a Time where they project images onto the castle. It's a lot more interesting than I just made it sound, trust me. At the very end of the show is a Winnie the Pooh segment, and the whole castle turned into a honeycomb that one might find at a certain cottage on the Sussex Downs.
Animal Kingdom:
This looked like it was going to be another bust. But then we went to go see Finding Nemo: The Musical. And lookie there! A stage full of lion's mane jellyfish. Holmes' later years were really represented well.
Epcot Center:
Epcot is broken into two sections: Future World (the big silver golf ball and all the building around it) and The World Showcase. Obviously, Future World was a bust. No Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century here. I was down to the World Showcase. We traveled through many countries on our search:
Mexico - No Basil, but I always do enjoy The Three Caballeros ride.
Norway - I guess you could say we were Norwegian explorers while we rode Frozen Ever After.
China - I don't consider Detective Pikachu Sherlockian, but I took a picture of this just in case I couldn't do any better
Germany - I could've written 'rache' on a wall somewhere but didn't want to get kicked out, but I did hear some German music, which is rather more to my taste than French or Italian.
Italy - No naval treaties or people disguised as old priests.
America - quartering of the flag? Nope. Just funnel cakes and a Guardians of the Galaxy show.
Japan - Nothing for Miss Sherlock but there were a lot of cute teddy bears.
Morocco - A Persian slipper perhaps? I could do better than that.
France - After a wonderful dinner here, I was really grasping at straws. Coal tar derivatives? Lady Holdernesse? Telegrams ankle-deep? Even Lady Frances would've counted at this point. But non.
Canada - I searched the gift shop for boots to say that they were made for Henry Baskerville. But no.
All of these getting to my best bet: the United Kingdom. First things first: I checked the pub. There wasn't anything Sherlockian there, but I did have a nice draft or two, so that worked for me. I went through the tea shop, the toy shop, and the front half of the clothing shop. Nothing Sherlockian. But then, tucked back in the back corner of the back half of a shop was this:
Well, that was all fun and games, but the real Sherlockian treasures awaited me when I got home a few days later! Being gone for two weeks really makes your mail pile up, so when I had opened everything, I had plenty of stuff to keep me busy! And sometimes it's just nice to be back home with my books.
It's a long drive from southwestern Illinois to central Florida, so of course I got some reading in. I enjoyed L.B. Greenwood's "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Raleigh Legacy" on the way down and "Serpentine Musings, Vol. 2" edited by Susan Diamond and Marilynnne McKay on my way home. Both were delightful for different reasons and a nice addition to my Sherlock Holmes shelf on Goodreads.
The drive also allowed me to spend time editing my current Sherlockian manuscript. I've been putting this off for some time now, so it felt good to get back to work on that!
But the first REAL Sherlockian event came in Atlanta. I reached out to Heather Holloway on Twitter to see if there was anything Sherlockian of note to check out while we stopped over for the evening. There wasn't, but she offered to meet for dinner. Um, yes! Ashley Polasek asked to join us, and a party was set! (Side note: at the time, it didn't dawn on me that Ashley lives in South Carolina and she was offering to drive FIVE HOURS ROUND TRIP just to meet up with Heather and me! But, Heather is definitely worth the drive.)
To recap that night's conversation would be rambling and nonsensical to everyone not there, but the three of us had a great time talking about everything from societies to thimbles. I've talked with both of them online plenty of times, and interviewed both of them on this blog (Heather here, and Ashley here), but this was the first time I've ever gotten to meet them in person. It was a true pleasure to meet other self-described "Sherlockian riffraff" and like many of my Sherlockian interactions, I look forward to many more!
Then, it was on to Florida. Scott Monty posted about the lack of Sherlockian content at Disney a few years ago, and let me tell you it hasn't changed much. I was bound and determined to find SOME connection though, so journey with me through the four Disney parks, desperately searching for something, ANYTHING Sherlockian:
Disney's Hollywood Studios:
There is NOTHING here. Hollywood Studios is quickly becoming a Star Wars theme park, so I can't say I was too surprised. But man, I really came up empty on day one.
Magic Kingdom:
I was going to do better here. At first, I thought the best I would be able to do was see Tinkerbell and say that she was one of the Cottingley fairies. But it got better.
After the nightly fireworks display, Magic Kingdom has a show called Once Upon a Time where they project images onto the castle. It's a lot more interesting than I just made it sound, trust me. At the very end of the show is a Winnie the Pooh segment, and the whole castle turned into a honeycomb that one might find at a certain cottage on the Sussex Downs.
Animal Kingdom:
This looked like it was going to be another bust. But then we went to go see Finding Nemo: The Musical. And lookie there! A stage full of lion's mane jellyfish. Holmes' later years were really represented well.
Epcot Center:
Epcot is broken into two sections: Future World (the big silver golf ball and all the building around it) and The World Showcase. Obviously, Future World was a bust. No Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century here. I was down to the World Showcase. We traveled through many countries on our search:
Mexico - No Basil, but I always do enjoy The Three Caballeros ride.
Norway - I guess you could say we were Norwegian explorers while we rode Frozen Ever After.
China - I don't consider Detective Pikachu Sherlockian, but I took a picture of this just in case I couldn't do any better
Germany - I could've written 'rache' on a wall somewhere but didn't want to get kicked out, but I did hear some German music, which is rather more to my taste than French or Italian.
Italy - No naval treaties or people disguised as old priests.
America - quartering of the flag? Nope. Just funnel cakes and a Guardians of the Galaxy show.
Japan - Nothing for Miss Sherlock but there were a lot of cute teddy bears.
Morocco - A Persian slipper perhaps? I could do better than that.
France - After a wonderful dinner here, I was really grasping at straws. Coal tar derivatives? Lady Holdernesse? Telegrams ankle-deep? Even Lady Frances would've counted at this point. But non.
Canada - I searched the gift shop for boots to say that they were made for Henry Baskerville. But no.
All of these getting to my best bet: the United Kingdom. First things first: I checked the pub. There wasn't anything Sherlockian there, but I did have a nice draft or two, so that worked for me. I went through the tea shop, the toy shop, and the front half of the clothing shop. Nothing Sherlockian. But then, tucked back in the back corner of the back half of a shop was this:
Well, that was all fun and games, but the real Sherlockian treasures awaited me when I got home a few days later! Being gone for two weeks really makes your mail pile up, so when I had opened everything, I had plenty of stuff to keep me busy! And sometimes it's just nice to be back home with my books.
