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The Sign of Four
The 100 Best Novels
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Week 26 - The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
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Shirley wrote: "Not heard of this one!"SHOCKED!! One of the most famous Sherlock Holmes stories! Although reading the blurb Jenny has quoted, it sounds quite similar to Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone only with Sherlock Holmes... I wonder if this is why The Moonstone seemed to be so familiar to me when I read it?
There are only four actual novels aren't there? And I seem to remember finding this one the most boring - though someone else should probably say as it's a while ago now. I like the short stories better in general.
Jean wrote: "There are only four actual novels aren't there? And I seem to remember finding this one the most boring - though someone else should probably say as it's a while ago now. I like the short stories b..."Overall, I would say that Sherlock Holmes is best in the short stories (unlike Hercule Poirot). But I think the most boring one is the last novel, The Valley of Fear.
Leslie wrote: "Shirley wrote: "Not heard of this one!"SHOCKED!! One of the most famous Sherlock Holmes stories! Although reading the blurb Jenny has quoted, it sounds quite similar to Wilkie Collins' The Moon..."
He actually mentiones the similarities between the both books, Leslie.
Leslie wrote: "Shirley wrote: "Not heard of this one!"SHOCKED!! One of the most famous Sherlock Holmes stories! Although reading the blurb Jenny has quoted, it sounds quite similar to Wilkie Collins' The Moon..."
Ha ha, I know, but then I've not read any of the Sherlock Holmes stories, although you will be glad to know I have heard of The Hound of the Baskervilles!!
Gill, me too!
Leslie - oh, do you know, I think that's the one I meant! It's the one all about secret societies (although that makes it sound more interesting than it was - at least for me.)Gill - me three! She's probably my second favourite author.
Mod
Agree!!! Four then!
And I have to say I can't stand Sherlock Holmes!!!!
Oh dear Laura - I think you'd better duck as there's bound to be some fallout after that...!! LOL
I just love Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes!My grandad was a bookbinder in London in the 1890s and later, and via this my dad had bound 6-monthly original copies of The Strand Magazine, in which Sherlock Holmes first appeared. I have them now (beating my brother to them!).
So, I read them again and again in my childhood. Also the Brigadier Gerard books, and the historical romances - Rodney Stone, etc.
Since I was brought up in West Norwood and Streatham in South London, it was exciting to have Holmes and Watson going to South London in the very first book, and to read stories like The Norwood Builder and others based there!
Very much a boys' author, I would have thought. I have never read What Katy Did, or Little Women, by contrast.
Coincidently, I have just bought the entire Sherlock Holmes from audible on their recent 2 for 1 credit offer, so about 50hrs for £3, read by the brilliant Simon Vance, and listened to A Study in Scarlet and part of The Sign of Four while digging the garden on Sunday and Monday.
Then to see Gill's comment! Shame on you - LOL
I meant LauraT's comment!
I read this last year and quite enjoyed it, though I much preferred some of his other short stories and The Hound of the Baskervilles remains my favourite Holmes story by far.
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De Gustibus non ... sputazzandum est, as we say mocking the latin way of saying!!! (Sputazzare is more or less to Spit)
Laura - yes, no need for any disputandum-ing!What modern Italian crime writers translated into English would you recommend? I know Donna Leon writes in English, and know Michele Giuttari and love Andrea Camilleri. But that's about it.
Thanks for sharing your bookbinding story, John. That's fascinating! Oh - but - a boy's author? C'mon!!When I was deemed old enough to be given an "adult" ticket and allowed through the hallowed doors to the grown-ups' library, my first two books were... Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. A friend of the family then told me that one was "a lot better than the other" with no more clues.
I don't think I ever appreciated books with a domestic environment unless they have an extra something, and still dislike cosy sagas to this day. I liked adventure stories, fantasy stories with a magical element, stories about animals and the like. Perhaps I'm the exception to prove your rule though, John...
On the thread about "Little Women" I remember asking if any male readers had read it.
Pink - I was hoping you would comment, as I know you've read quite a lot of the short stories very recently.
Jean - my wife has already scolded me for the 'boys' stories' comment! She loves these stories, too. What response did you get re Little Women?
Jean - thank you. No male answers to your question, even when repeated! I think I'll have to read Little Women to see if I think it's inspirational or twee - I'll let you know
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What modern Italian crime writers translated into English would you recommend? I know Donna Leon writes in English, and know Michele Giuttari and love..."
I'm afraid it's about all i read: as you'll probably can see looking at my books I tend to read english!!!
Of course I love Camilleri - where's an italian who doesn't?
Also Gianrico Carofiglio with his Involuntary Witness and other novels is not a bad writer...
LauraT - Carofiglio sounds good - just ordered Involuntary Witness from Amazon second-hand. Thank you.Can you read Camillieri fluently? Isn't it in Sicilian dialect?
John I definitely found Little Women twee, so I'm not sure what that says about me!
John wrote: "Jean - thank you. No male answers to your question, even when repeated! I think I'll have to read Little Women to see if I think it's inspirational or twee - I'll let you know"I am 95% sure that you will find at least parts of it painfully 'twee', if I understand that term. However, underneath the religious/moral prose, the description of life in that time and place is well done.
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Can you read Camillieri fluently? Isn't it in Sicilian dialect?"
It is a language "invented" by Camilleri, a mix between italian, sicilian and other languages. If you don't stop for each single word you get into it and have no problems. Same thing happens with the "gramelot" a totally invented language by Dario Fo our last nobel for literature in his theatre play. You can't understand it - it is no real language - but you get what he wants to say.
All About Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Involuntary Witness (other topics)The Valley of Fear (other topics)
The Sign of Four (other topics)
The Picture of Dorian Gray (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gianrico Carofiglio (other topics)Elizabeth Gaskell (other topics)
Elizabeth Gaskell (other topics)
Oscar Wilde (other topics)
Arthur Conan Doyle (other topics)
from the article:
"In the summer of 1889, the managing editor of the American magazine Lippincott's visited London to commission new fiction from some up-and-coming authors. On 30 August, he held a dinner at the Langham hotel attended by Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle, among others. The upshot was an unprecedented and remarkable double: The Picture of Dorian Gray and a new Sherlock Holmes novel, originally titled 'The Sign of the Four'.
(...)
The story that Holmes swiftly unravels will involve some potent aspects of India in all its mystery and romance: the "mutiny" of 1857; stolen jewels from Agra; and a Sikh plot. On only his second outing in a full-length novel, Holmes is on top form throughout, stimulated by injections of cocaine and his celebrated deductive method ("How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?") Here, unmistakably, is the voice of the master."
Find the full article here