What first got you into Sherlock Holmes?

[Amanda]

I first got interested with Sherlock Holmes back when House with Hugh Laurie came on tv. I remember reading a lot of reviews saying House is Sherlock Holmes if he had been a doctor. I was a big fan of House and thought about reading some of the books to see how close the characters were to each other. At first, I wasn't really impressed with them. I always thought the stories were impossible to solve until the end. The first story I read, I believe it was "The Five Orange Pips." I knew the answer right away and each story, felt like it always started the same way. I started getting bored with them and just stopped reading them. And then a few years later, I was on youtube looking at some videos, and there was this video of this guy named Jeremy Brett playing Sherlock Holmes. I clicked onto it and was just amazed by how he played Sherlock Holmes, I knew I wanted to give the books another try. It just so happened I was at a library sale a few weeks later and there on a table was a Sherlock Holmes book with the first two full length novels and some of the short stories. I quickly grabbed it and went home and started reading. The next thing I knew, I had reached the end and was eager to read more of them.

[Mike]

I don't remember how I started so many years ago but The Adventure of the Speckled Band was my childhood favorite. I'm not sure I'd put it at the top of my list today except for sentimental reasons. I have a single volume of the Complete SH, although no illustrations.

I do have a question for you fanatics (uh, er, fans). What does the annotated version add to the stories, and it worth adding to my bookshelf since I already have one complete set?

[Rohit]

LadyDisdain wrote: "^ Wow, you've read most of it - I'm only up to "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" (I'm reading them in the chronological order). I'm not sure when I was first introduced to Holmes - I just remember al..."


sorry for replying late, Even I read all novels in chronological order and I have read all of them now :) , and yes I have seen all the BBC Sherlock episodes.....loved them :) Benedict and Martin did a great job as Holmes and Watson of 21st century....I even have all the Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes series......but I am reluctant to watch them as I imagined Robert Downey jr as Sherlock, when I read all the Sherlock Holmes novels. And now i wont be able to accept another actor playing as Sherlock Holmes.

[Matt]

Great question!! I got into the Canon relatively late(r) in life. Obviously I was aware of who Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle (his literary agent), Dr Watson and Moriarty were, but I had never read an entire story. I was also dimly aware that Sherlock Holmes stories had an extremely hardcore following based on groups that got together all over the world and took their Holmes *very* seriously. Then one day I happened to be on a Billy Wilder film kick and happened to watch The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes*. I was intrigued by the 'depth of the mythology' found in the film so I started reading stories from the Canon. Half-way through reading the stories I started watching Granada's Jeremy Brett series and fell in love with JB's interpretation. I quickly got into the 'writings about the writings' and found the following to my first delicious taste of a much more intriguing and fascinating world I never knew existed:

Vincent Starrett's The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes, Steven Rothman's edited The Standard Doyle Company: Christopher Morley on Sherlock Holmes, Michael Harrison's In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes, William Baring-Gould Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street, the life of the world’s first consulting detective. and Michael Hardwick Sherlock Holmes Companion. Then I subscribed to The Baker Street Journal, and the rest is History!

About a year after all that the first RD Jr/Ritchie movie came out (which I snobbishly ignored), the BBC Sherlock came out (which I grudgingly watched but ultimately came to like/love), by which time I was fully immersed in Sherlockian scion culture, Sherlockian scholarship, older adaptations, etc.

Question for Mike - I assume because you are "retired" that you are over (if I had to guess) 60? I've noticed quite a few older Sherlockians had their first encounter with SPEC when they were kids. Do you remember if it appeared in a literature reader you had in school or something? Just curious.

(thanks for reading for this long...)

* Not to be confused with the Vincent Starrett of the same title.

[Mike]

Matt wrote: "Question for Mike - I assume because you are "retired" that you are over (if I had to guess) 60? I've noticed quite a few older Sherlockians had their first encounter with SPEC when they were kids. Do you remember if it appeared in a literature reader you had in school or something?"

Hi, Matt. Sadly, yes, 68. I don't really remember my first SH reading or source. I do remember that my parents bought a Complete Sherlock Holmes as a gift and I read about 2/3 of that and became sidetracked and didn't finish it at the time. I still have that book and I'd guess I was around 12 at the time.

I have always been analytically inclined, studied chemistry at the university and taught science for a short time before moving to forensics and CSI which pre-dated the current rage of police shows. I was a CSI before the acronym was coined.

I am currently finishing Laurie King's series of Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novels and will move on to other pastiches and writings, your list included. I have additionally accumulated a list of nearly 600 titles of Holmes-related stories and will dig around in that as I am able to find copies to read.

[K]

Just got curious over the name "Sherlock Holmes" and all i knew was that he was a famous detective (i thought he was an actual historical figure ;--;) And when a 3-for-10$ booksale came along with Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in it i got it, read it, and was hooked ever since.

Also catching Sherlock by accident on a plane ride may have helped ;) but Jeremy Brett will always be the greatest portryal of Holmes, second only to the man himself.

[𝕁𝕒𝕕𝕖 (_𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕤𝕙_𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕣_)]

I only got into Sherlock Holmes this year through the BBC adaption. I only wanted to watch it because it was written by two of the writers of 'Doctor Who' and also featured some amazing actors, 10 mins into the first episode prompted me to buy and read the books. Recently i watched a Jeremy Brett episode and regret not watching and reading sooner.

[Naching]

Hello! i became interested in Sherlock Holmes when i saw the 1985 episode of "A Scandal in Bohemia" with Jeremy Brett. i loved Holmes instantly and the first story i had ever read was "The Crooked Man". i wrote a letter to Holmes and received a reply, which is hanging in my bedroom.

[Listra]

O yeah! The first JB episode that I watched was that as well. It was brilliant. I love his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. How did you write a letter to Sherlock Holmes?

[Naching]

Listra wrote: "O yeah! The first JB episode that I watched was that as well. It was brilliant. I love his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. How did you write a letter to Sherlock Holmes?"

i wrote a letter addressed: Sherlock Holmes, 221B Baker Street, London, England. i received a letter about six months later.

[Shanawaz]

Naching wrote: "Listra wrote: "O yeah! The first JB episode that I watched was that as well. It was brilliant. I love his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. How did you write a letter to Sherlock Holmes?"

i wrote a le..."
man whoever lives at 221B must be getting goody baskets all the time!!

[Rose]

Joanna -- I'm with you. Robert Downey, Jr., got me into Sherlock Holmes, and I'll always be grateful to him for that. ^______^

[Lindsay]

My brother and I were just talking about this and decided it had to be watching "The Great Mouse Detective" as kids, though we didn't make the connection to Holmes until we were older. That and I remember a chapter in one of my middle school chemistry textbooks that started out with an excerpt from a Holmes short story, and it made me want to read more.

[David]

Great question. Honestly, I started to read Batman comic books because of its emphasis on Batman's detective skills in crime solving. It was great, but at the same time, I wanted more.

This naturally led me to Sherlock Holmes, and since then I have been thoroughly enjoying the ride.

[Schnaucl]

I'd seen the first Ritchie Sherlock movie but I didn't really get into Sherlock until the BBC show. I fell in love with it.

I haven't read the ACD stories yet but I have read a couple of anthologies. I did get the complete Sherlock Holmes for Christmas though so I intend to read it. It may be a while though. I currently have about 40 books out from the library.

I'm also interested in reading an ACD biography. Does anyone have any recommendations?

[Rohit]

Schnaucl wrote: "I'd seen the first Ritchie Sherlock movie but I didn't really get into Sherlock until the BBC show. I fell in love with it.

I haven't read the ACD stories yet but I have read a couple of antholog..."

Hello Cynthia, ACDs stories r must read...if u r into Sherlock now. But be sure to read the books in chronological order (which I didn't do btw :p). And then after reading them, u can try various other Sherlock pastiches. The only one pastiche I read was 'the house of silk' . And i really liked it.

[Duffy]

Rohit wrote: "Schnaucl wrote: "I'd seen the first Ritchie Sherlock movie but I didn't really get into Sherlock until the BBC show. I fell in love with it.

I haven't read the ACD stories yet but I have read a c..."

If you want more SH (after reading 3-4 times like me), check out August Derleth's Solar Pons. After reading a couple novels by wanna be authors (7% solution was popular a long time ago), I stumbled on Derleth when I worked in the Minneapolis Public Library. Later in my career I was able to track down a whole set of the Derleth SP paperbacks from a mystery book store in Philadelphia in the 80s. Derleth tried to mirror Conan Doyle's characters and writing style. It impressed me!

[Tiffany]

I got this from my library:Starring Sherlock Holmes: A Century of the Master Detective on Screen .
A graet reference book for all fans of Sherlock movies and TV adaptations. Lots of great photos and information.

[[deleted user]]

i heard about Sherlock Holmes all my life, wanted to get into the character for a long time, then a few years ago i bought the complete stories & novels from the book store.
and i never looked back.

[Tony]

I'm surprised to see -- perhaps I shouldn't be -- how many people got into Holmes by way of movies first of all. A film version of 'Hound of the Baskerville's' (I think that it was probably the Basil Rathbone version) drew me to the novel and I haven't looked back since.

[johanna (jo)]

Tiffany wrote: "I got this from my library:Starring Sherlock Holmes: A Century of the Master Detective on Screen.
A graet re..."

That sounds awesome!


I got into Sherlock Holmes earlier this year ... I'd been read half of The Hound as a kid, and I still remembered some of the story, most vividly the phrase "My dear Watson." :) Earlier this year I decided to try out the stories, with little or no knowledge of Sherlock Holmes at all. Shortly after starting A Study in Scarlet (and being hooked, despite the fact that I was already reading another book. I just had to finish it) I watched my first Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes. I've paused reading the books, for fear that I will finish them too fast, and I'm saving the Granada episodes, too. But they're absolutely awesome, and I'm so glad I discovered them:D

[Asha]

The short stories that were often a part of English subject academics in school.

[Asha]

LadyDisdain wrote: "I'm not a big fan of the movies either, Sarah. Jude Law is actually quite good as Watson (though he's a bit too short with Holmes), but RDJ as Holmles didn't really work for me. He's a great actor ..."

Couldnt agree less. :)

[johanna (jo)]

Asha wrote: "The short stories that were often a part of English subject academics in school."

That is one cool school. :)

[Papanate]

I gained an Interest in Sherlock Holmes when I found the complete works sitting in my father's library shelves.
I also watched and enjoyed the early Rathbone & Bruce movies - as well as the Radio Programs that showed up
On KNXT Los Angeles late at night (2AM if I recall).

The more I read/reread the stories the more I realized how pathetic Nigel Bruce's mumble mouthed bumbled thinking
Portrayal of Watson was; but how true to form Basil Rathbone's portrayal appeared to be - that is until the liberties
He took making Holmes a man of humanity showed me otherwise.

Jeremy Brett's portrays were especially accurate until they wrecked the mysteries with bits like having Stapletons
Death revealed - which is never confirm

I wanted to dislike the the updated to Superheroes Sherlock movies seemed to be. Then I saw them both and was
amazed. The breakdown bits of the Holmesian deductive scenarios of an upcoming event are incredible and reveal
A true genius of physics

And the BBC's Sherlock update is nothing short of miraculous.

[Pratik]

I first Got into Sherlock Holmes when I was 10 by a TV series titled 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' on Fox History and Entertainment....Since then I have been inspired by Meticulously crafted Holmesian Deduction methods all thanks to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle;which then followed to books,movies and of course TV serial......Sherlock

[Mitchell]

i got a book from the school library, it was a collection of short stories from famous writers, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allen Poe, etc, and had 'The Speckled Band' story in it. i liked it but didn't rekindled my love of it until the BBC series started.

[Kabrina]

I had always heard of the name Sherlock Holmes. I knew he was a detective. I knew people would dress up like him or I would see stuff on TV that referenced him. I just didn't know they were all connected.

Eventually, I found out my freshman year of high school he was a literary character. I was reading in one of my textbooks that talked about a book called The Hound of Baskervilles. It sounded creepy and interesting and had Sherlock Holmes, so I told myself I needed to read it one day. It was added to my list of books I use to write down in a notebook. This was before I discovered/used Goodreads.

Later on that year, the first Sherlock Holmes movie came out and I loved it. During that time though, I didn't harp on a subjects for too long unless it would not possibly leave my mind.

Between the first film and the second, I became interested in all things dealing with the 1700 and 1800s. I was always fascinated by history but since discovering Wikipedia and it's magic, my love grew.

I had watched Dorian Gray(2009), Interview with the Vampire, read and watched Pride and Prejudice, read a good portion of A Tale of Two Cities, watched this weird but awesome documentary on real-life "vampires" on the Discovery Channel, saw the Wolfman(2010), watched my first ever episodes of Doctor Who on TV(forgot the titles but the 10th Doctor and Rose were running from I believe this werewolf in one episode and in another they were in the 1700s I believe),and watched probably more stuff I can't remember, dealing on those subjects. I just loved everything that had a Gothic, old-age feel to it.

I was also turning into a movie buff and had to keep up on all the movie news or I would go crazy.

Fast forward a year or so after seeing the 1st movie, I wasn't reminded of the Sherlock Holmes again until I heard on the news they would be making a sequel. The first film was showing on TV too and I caught the second half of it, reminding me how amazing it was.

When A Game of Shadows came out I was obsessed! It had all the things I loved in a movie. My eyes were glued to the screen. I think I was attracted to the intelligence both Watson and Holmes had and their great analytic skills and obviously the setting. Intelligent men in period clothes was/is my weakness. Not to mention it was set in the 1800s.

Anyways,I watched the movie twice in theaters ( I wanted to see it more than once but couldn't), died over the dance and chess scene, watched with hooked ears at the opera deception part and the ending credits,but throughout the whole thing I was truly mesmerized over the great wit and subtext that was sprinkled in the film. It was during this exact point in time I fell in love with all things Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

(Don't get me started on my Marvel obsession).

I began watching all of Downey's movies and some of Jude's and researched all I could on Mr. Holmes. I told myself I was going to buy all the books and learn to be more like Holmes in all aspects. I had always wanted to play chess, so I told myself I would finally join the chess team at school the next year (which I did).

It was also during this time I discovered my love of fanfiction and that there was such a thing as Holmes/Watson. I had always known about fanfiction and actually looked down upon it at first, saying it wasn't real writing, though that changed when reading some stories on my favorite Artemis Fowl book characters in late elementary to early middle school online.
I discovered slash fiction when after watching Dorian Gray(2009)-the relationship between Dorian and his seductive lifestyle wasn't enough and I wanted to know more. This led to my love of Drarry (Draco/Harry) but that's a totally different subject.

Literally a day or two later, I discovered this thing called BBC Sherlock while browsing Tumblr (I was just getting into the site and didn't really understand what was going on at first lol. I was like why is this weird guy constantly popping up when I look up Sherlock Holmes stuff? Benedict Cumberbatch? Why are the pictures moving? Oh it's a gif? Hmmm...that's what those things are called. This is cool and weird at the same time!).

Once discovering it was a show, I was pissed because the idea of making a Sherlock in modern times seemed unnecessary to me. I liked House but rarely sat down and watched it. I thought I wouldn't like BBC Sherlock so I put off watching it for a few days.

Eventually I gave in, watched it, and I loved it. I was just in time to catch Series 2 that was coming out literally 3 days later. I found out there were hardcore fans of the show already and they had to wait a year. Unfortunately, since I'm now a fan, I have to wait too for Series 3.

I have to say the fans helped fuel my love for the show. There were pictures of posters of "I Believe in Sherlock Holmes" everywhere online and people were freaking out over Sherlock's towl and analyzing the trailer for Series 2 when it came out.

I was like "these are my people! I'm not alone! I'm not the only one who gets really invested in shows, books, and movies!" lol. That started by love of Tumblr but again a different subject entirely.

Doing more research, I saw you could visit 221B in England and a boat load of other stuff.

I soon found out about this show called Elementary that would be released and again was upset because I thought they were piggy-backing off BBC Sherlock. I eventually got over it and am actually planning on watching it when I lower my list of TV shows on my watch list.

But yeah, my obsession isn't as bad as it was, but if/when they make a 3rd Sherlock Holmes film (the script is being written!) and/or I watch the Sherlock series 3, I'm sure it's going to return with a huge bang.

Also, I still need to order my Watson scarf online.

Whew! Okay, I'm done. You guys just don't understand how crazy I was about these characters. It was insane!

If any of you read all that, I would like to give you a virtual hug!

Have a marvelous day :]

[Jean-Christophe]

The two first book I read at school was "The Hound of Baskercilles" and "The Blue Carbuncle" but I really discovered Holmes when I saw in the 1990's in France, Granada's Jeremy Brett. Brett is and will stay forever the best Holmes !!!

[Karl]

As a child, in the sixties, I watched Nils Nordberg(,later BSI,) win a popular game show on Norwegian national TV. His chosen topic was Sherlock Holmes. I also remember sneak-viewing one or two episodes of Douglas Wilmer TV-series. Then I found an old collection of the short stories in the local library, which I read several times. The first book that I bought with my own money was a collection with commentaries by the aforementioned Nordberg. In 1973 I visited London for the first time, making sure Baker Street and The Sherlock Holmes Pub was on the top of the list of attractions. Over the years I have become an avid collector of sherlockian, holmesian and doylean books and memorabilia, following only one rule: When I see a book (or an object) concerning Holmes, I buy it at once, even if it means I have to go hungry...

[Angharad]

After the first episode of BBC Sherlock... like I always knew about Sherlock Holmes, it was like an ingrain thing, but I was never really interested, but then i watched BBC's Sherlock and I was just blown away and then I bought the complete works of Sherlock Holmes and the rest, as they say, is history!

[adlin]

In 8th grade, through the Tab program (you ordered books through the school), I ordered one of the sets of short stories, probably The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. This lead to getting the Complete Sherlock Holmes and I've been a fan since. He's still my fave.

I was very happy with the way PBS handled the update and enjoy those productions.

[CJ]

It was the old Basil Rathbone movies. He made a pretty good Holmes (although you have to forgive the Deerstalker cap), but what they did to Watson was a crime... After that, a Study in Scarlet got me hooked.

[Kathleen]

I first read "The Speckled Band" in middle school as an entry in a literature textbook, and have been hooked ever since.

[Kristen]

The summer I was eleven I read "The Hound of the Baskervilles". That got me hooked as well as an old B&W series from England, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" starring Ronald Howard son of Leslie Howard of "Gone With the Wind" fame. The BBC re-ran the series during the summer!

[MJ]

My dad read aloud several stories from the canon to my siblings and I when we were younger, and then a short time after that my mom discovered the Granada series with Jeremy Brett and I fell in love. I also saw Robert Downey Jr's movies and the BBC's Sherlock--I love them both as well.

[Autumn]

As a total Newbie, the show Elementary got me into Sherlock Holmes, and I have only finished Season 1 on DVD in the past couple of weeks. I am ready to start reading some of the stories next. Well, that and my friend John!

[Oscar]

My first exposure to Sherlock Holmes was as a child with the Basil of Baker Street books and the 1986 Disney film "The Great Mouse Detective."

That whet my appetite for Holmes and then as I got older I picked up the books (reading Hound first, IIRC) and I started watching the Granada series on PBS and the occassional Rathbone Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes is probably the fandom I've been in the longest, come to think of it...

[Rob]

I first was intrigued by Sherlock Holmes with the 2009 movie, then a few years later I got an iphone and downloaded the free copy of "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" by Aurthur Conan Doyle. I hadn't started to read it until recently when I watched, and quickly got hooked on, the BBC tv series staring Benedict Cumberbatch.

I am an addict now and this has re-ignited my passion for reading many years ago.

All I have now is the iphone and library books to read, looking to purchase one of those back-lit reading contraptions. ;)

[Megan Y]

I watched the BBC version during Chinese New Year vacation with my relatives and I immediately got hooked. They only had Series 3 so I went back online and watched Series 1 and 2, and am now waiting patiently [not] for Series 4. I think Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock is perfect. ♡ Jonny Lee Miller in CBS's Elementary is pretty cool too, but Ben has more elegance to the role, if you know what I mean.

[Margaret]

Local librarian when I was 10. I'd read all the kids books and she let me borrow adult ones. She handed me a copy of "A Study in Scarlet". Within two pages I was hooked. Have been a devotee of Holmes & Watson ever since.

[Desmond]

I discovered Sherlock Holmes while working at Borders Bookstore. We had a copy of The Complete Illustrated Sherlock Holmes which contains facsimile copies of the stories from the original Strand Magazines. I purchased it because I like old books, but when I actually sat down to start reading it, I fell in love with Holmes and Watson.

[Gerald]

I was never really into Sherlock Holmes until I saw Jeremy Brett portray him on the Masterpiece Mystery series. I will watch them anytime I see them listed on Netflix. I a lot of people I knew Holmes was around. I am a book nut and I always loved the illustrations so after Brett I joined the Folio Society and the first book I ordered was "The Hound of the Baskervilles.

[[deleted user]]

The first "Sherlock experience" were the movies. I haven't started reading the books until I have possession of at least most of them. I want to read some of the originals.

[Margaret]

Gerald wrote: "I was never really into Sherlock Holmes until I saw Jeremy Brett portray him on the Masterpiece Mystery series. I will watch them anytime I see them listed on Netflix. I a lot of people I knew Holm..."

Jeremy Brett's portrayal was excellent. Especially with Edward Hardwick as his Watson.

[Catherine]

Jeremy Brett on Granada in the 1980's.

[Salvo]

One day, last month, i saw in library a very big yellow book called "Conan Doyle: tutto Sherlock Holmes", a collection of all 9 books, i have never read before books of Doyle, i have never seen film about Sherlock but that book.. i don't know.. I bought it. I read "A Study in Scarlet " and immediately after "The Sign of Four ", then "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes", "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and now i'm reading "The Return of Sherlock Holmes"... in every book I discovered new things about Sherlock and Watson, their character and their personality, their strengths and weaknesses, their friendship. My favourite book? boh.. for me is only a very wonderful big yellow book (yes there are too many adjectives)

[Sarah]

In 1990, I was not a big reader as an eight year old. I lived in a really bad neighbourhood and I got into a bike accident / fist fight with a boy. I was taken to one of my mom's friends who was studying pediatrics. He bandaged me up and sat me on the couch and told me not to move. To my horror, he had turned the TV to PBS. I was force fed Jeremy Brett. The combination of his acting, the city, the action, adventure & mental stimulation hooked me. Holmes was the gateway drug that seduced me into becoming a bookworm. I was ruined for life.

[[deleted user]]

Awesome!

[Mitra]

I was quite interested in Conan Doyle as someone whose trajectory at Edinburgh University and his interest in forensic science was worthy of some attention, but I never thought much of his literary style. I generally read a great deal because of my work and I find a good number of TV shows lack enough good acting, writing or directing to draw my attention away from reading stories first hand before they're televised. A few years back, I saw and enjoyed the acting of both Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in the National Theatre production of Frankensteine, I looked up these actors and fell on the Beeb's Sherlock and the CBS's Elementary. I didn't think much of Sherlock Holmes portrayed by Cumberbatch as the character seemed too boring and the writing too cliché for my taste, Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock in Elementary on the hand, I found thoroughly fascinating. As a child, I had read a few Sherlock Holmes stories without paying much attention to the character and the personality of Holmes, and now with Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock the psychology of Holmes, his struggles and his relations with Watson in particular became more prominent than the murder cases. Suddenly, Sherlock Holmes became a real person, poignant, vulnerable and always supremely clever. I believe Conan Doyle who was always drawn into everything new and peculiar, would have enjoyed the Elementary interpretation of Holmes, the ethos and pathos of the man, the ambiguous love between Holmes and Watson, especially with Watson being a Chinese-American woman surgeon.So, in the end, I only really discovered Sherlock Holmes thanks to Jonny Lee Miller's fine and surprisingly inspiring interpretation of Sherlock, a truly Renaissance man.