Arthur Conan Doyle becomes a story-teller
Like young Winston Churchill, Doyle hated Latin, Greek, and math, but loved to read and found he had a knack for storytelling....
"Among his comrades he became popular as a yarn-spinner, and this he turned to good account: ‘There was my début as a story-teller. On a wet half-holiday I have been elevated on to a desk, and with an audience of little boys all squatting on the floor, with their chins upon their hands, I have talked myself husky over the misfortunes of my heroes. Week in and week out those unhappy men have battled and striven and groaned for the amusement of that little circle. I was bribed with pastry to continue these efforts, and I remember that I always stipulated for tarts down and strict business, which shows that I was I was born to be a member of the Authors’ Society. Sometimes, too, I would stop dead in the very thrill of a crisis, and could only be set agoing again by apples. When I had got as far as “With his left hand in her glossy locks, he was waving the bloodstained knife above her head, when .....” or “Slowly, slowly, the door turned upon its hinges, and with eyes which were dilated with horror the wicked Marquis saw ....” I knew that I had my audience in my power."
Pearson, Hesketh, Conan Doyle: His Life and Art
"Among his comrades he became popular as a yarn-spinner, and this he turned to good account: ‘There was my début as a story-teller. On a wet half-holiday I have been elevated on to a desk, and with an audience of little boys all squatting on the floor, with their chins upon their hands, I have talked myself husky over the misfortunes of my heroes. Week in and week out those unhappy men have battled and striven and groaned for the amusement of that little circle. I was bribed with pastry to continue these efforts, and I remember that I always stipulated for tarts down and strict business, which shows that I was I was born to be a member of the Authors’ Society. Sometimes, too, I would stop dead in the very thrill of a crisis, and could only be set agoing again by apples. When I had got as far as “With his left hand in her glossy locks, he was waving the bloodstained knife above her head, when .....” or “Slowly, slowly, the door turned upon its hinges, and with eyes which were dilated with horror the wicked Marquis saw ....” I knew that I had my audience in my power."
Pearson, Hesketh, Conan Doyle: His Life and Art
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Michael
(new)
Aug 31, 2017 08:46PM
In the end of his schooling, he received this valediction from the schoolmaster: ‘Doyle, I have known you now for seven years, and I know you thoroughly. I am going to say something which you will remember in afterlife. Doyle, you will never come to any good.’
reply
|
flag
