"Smith Within My Grasp" [DYIN]

The notion of finding one of Dr. Watson's lost manuscripts has long been something akin to the search for the Holy Grail and something that has fueled more than its fair share of pastiches. [That link goes to a database of Sherlockian pastiches kept by Michael Procter; it is also one of the helpful links on our Resources page, which is at the top of the navigation of the site.]

Now we have something even better: a lost publication of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. This isn't just any publication; this is his very first novel, written in 1883 when he was 23 years old and living in Portsmouth, trying to establish himself as a doctor and a writer. Unfortunately, his manuscript was lost in the mail on the way to the publisher, never to see the light of day.

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Not to be outdone, Conan Doyle later rewrote The Narrative of John Smith entirely from memory, but his novel was never published in his lifetime. Well, as an ardent believer in spiritualism, Conan Doyle must be among us today, smiling at the prolonged delay of his very first work as a novelist.

The book concerns John Smith, a fifty-year-old man confined to his room by an attack of gout. He explores a range of topics such as literature, science, religion, war, and education in a style that should be familiar to anyone who knows him through his later works - particularly the Sherlock Holmes stories.

We're intrigued with what this early work holds, and we'll look forward to presenting you with some additional views on it next month as I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere welcomes Jon Lellenberg and Daniel Stashower, two of the editors/annotators of the novel, to discuss their findings. You may recall Jon and Dan joining Episode 13 of the show to discuss their other book Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters.

Will you read this new treasure?



Image credit: Boston Public Library (Flickr)


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"A Sound of Galloping Across The Moor" [HOUN]

One of the strengths of the canon - and Conan Doyle's writing - is its ability to connote a vivid, memorable atmosphere. The Hound of the Baskervilles is the most frequently adapted - and most noted by both scholars and casual fans - of Conan Doyle's novels for its ability to immerse the reader in a moody, darkened setting.

Thankfully, the Veni Vidi Theatre company in London is producing a uniquely styled adaptation. From August 15th to August 20th, the Theater adapted The Hound of the Baskervilles as a radio drama - actors voicing the characters, and the production will be reminiscent of a pre-World War II audio production. (Think Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater as a comparison). Rather than do a scene-by-scene recreation onstage, the troupe appears to have gone one step further - providing an adaptation that attempts to engage the audience on both an immediate and more imaginative level.

Thankfully, Veni Vidi has provided some videos about the production. You can check out the playlist below:

This production of The Hound of the Baskervilles was adapted by Simon Williams, and is directed by Natalie Anne-Downs. Veni Vidi's adaptation seems to be a uniquely distinctive approach to the canon, and a must-see for Sherlockians everywhere. A review from remotegoat.co.uk called it "a perfect homage to both radio theatre and to Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary work."

If you were among those who were able to see the production, we'd love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.

Editor's note: Gordon regularly covers the intersection of Sherlock Holmes and the entertainment industry. You can also find him at Blog THIS, Pal! and Comic Related.

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"Solitary Meditations" [DEVI]

Dr. Bryce L. Crawford, Jr., BSI (“The Solitary Cyclist”) died on September 16, 2011 at the age of 96. He was the last remaining founder of The Norwegian Explorers, which was founded in 1948 at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Crawford was born in New Orleans, received his PhD in 1936 from Stanford University and did post-graduate work at both Harvard and Yale. He was a University of Minnesota Professor of Chemistry from 1940 through 1985. He held the titles of Chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Dean of the Graduate School. Dr. Crawford was a member of the National Academy of Sciences since 1956, and was awarded the Priestly Medal in 1982. It is the highest honor conferred by the American Chemical Society and is awarded for distinguished service in the field of chemistry.

The commemorative plaque at Reichenbach Falls was the brainchild of the Norwegian Explorers, and Dr. Crawford was largely responsible for the inscription on the plaque…“Across this ‘dreadful cauldron’ occurred the culminating event in the career of Sherlock Holmes, the world’s greatest detective, when on May 4, 1891, he vanquished Prof. Moriarty, the Napoleon of Crime.” It was erected by the Norwegian Explorers and The Sherlock Holmes Society of London on June 25, 1957. Dr. Crawford co-authored “The Final Problem – Where?” an essay relating how the exact spot for the plaque was chosen. After he returned from his reconnaissance mission to Switzerland, he submitted a 48 cent expense report for the funicular ride to the top of the Falls. His reimbursement was denied because of lack of sufficient documentation, which became a continual source of amusement. To his delight, many years later he was given a frame with 48 cents in it.

Dr. Crawford was invested into the Baker Street Irregulars in 1985 as “The Solitary Cyclist.”


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"The Scholarship Is a Very Valuable One" [3STU]

On the anniversary of Jeremy Brett's death, his alma mater, the Central School of Speech & Drama at the University of London, has started a scholarship in his memory.

Funded by an Italian donor, Ms. Pia Trona, the scholarships will apply to five applicants in financial need for the 2011-12 entry year, with an addition two slots for each of the following entry years (2012-13 and 2013-14).

Ms. Trona remarked,

"Jeremy Brett is an inspiration to me, and I wanted to be able to find a way to help him to be remembered amongst the next generation of Central students so that his legacy might continue. I couldn’t fund a whole school the way he dreamt of doing, but I hope that by making this gift I can help in some way make a difference in the life of a hard-working, talented student."

The scholarship is meant to commemorate Brett’s contribution to acting and his mental health advocacy work, as well as his dream to found a school for unemployed actors. For more information, please see the related press release.


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"Obviously Under the Influence" [HOUN]

Many of we Sherlockians enjoy the occasional diversion from the canon - or even pastiche - to partake of something that shows the pervading influence of Conan Doyle and the Great Detective on popular culture. Recently, there were two examples of online content (one a web comic, the other a column written about a specific video release) that were not only influenced by Holmes, but one in particular contains insight into the era.

The online New Comic Day site focuses on the trials and tribulations of a group of comics fans centered around a comics shop. Written by Eric Ratcliffe, the strip has started to focus on a Sherlockian theme, and is leavened with great humor. Here are parts one and two of the Holmes-influenced storyline; updates can be received via RSS feed.

In addition, current Doctor Who producer Steven Moffatt is also working on a second series of Sherlock...but Doctor Who has had a slight Holmesian touch in its past. In October, 1977's Talons of Weng Chiang will be rereleased in a "special edition", with copious amounts of bonus material covering various aspects of the Victorian era (Be sure to check out the documentary on music hall - very enlightening and informative). Please feel free to visit this detailed review from July to gain a greater background, and to also investigate a story that is steeped in atmosphere....

Finally, via the Internet Archive, the first ever Sherlock Holmes-themed film from 1900, entitled Sherlock Holmes Baffled:

Holmes has had an influence on popular culture, and for your enjoyment...a few examples of that influence which span the century.

Editor's note: Gordon regularly covers the intersection of Sherlock Holmes and the entertainment industry. You can also find him at Blog THIS, Pal!and Comic Related.
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"Pushing Another One in My Direction" [STUD]

Move over, Sherlock. Make room for Sherlock Holmes.

CBS has evidently seen the furor caused by the Robert Downey, Jr. film and more importantly, the television series from the BBC.

The Tiffany network's attempt is being described as "a modern take on the cases of the pipe-smoking private eye created by Arthur Conan Doyle." It will be written by Rob Doherty and produced by Samantha Timberman and Carl Beverly. No word yet on the timing.

As Holmes himself said,

"There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before."

And clearly, Sherlock creator Stephen Moffat thought the same:

What do you make of this announcement? More good material for Sherlockians, or a lame effort to benefit from the success of a similar show on the BBC?


Incidentally, for those of you who crave a CBS Eye-inspired magnifying glass (pictured above), you can get one in sterling silver with a sapphire teardrop for the low price of £920 from 20ltd.

We've previously covered the BBC version here:

• "The Rooms at No. 221B, Baker Street" [STUD]
• "Something More Modern" [HOUN]

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"I Am Lost Without My Boswell" [SCAN]

It's not often that the 18th & 19th centuries and Twitter intersect. Yet that's exactly what happened when Mashable shared a story called Twitter Parodies: 9 Top Literary Fakes.

The reason we're sharing it here is there are some natural connections with Sherlock Holmes. The first two that grabbed our attention were the accounts of Dr. Samuel Johnson (@DrSamuelJohnson) and his faithful friend and biographer James Boswell (@RealBoswell).

Here's a sampling of their tweets, which you can see have a bent toward current events.

Other Canonically-connected literary types from that list include Edgar Allan Poe (@Edgar_Allan_Poe), whose Dupin Watson was reminded of in A Study in Scarlet. As you can see, he's a barrel of laughs.

And just for good measure (For Measure), there's William Shakespeare (@ShakespeareSays).

The full list can be found via our Twitter account here. If you have additional suggestions for this list, please let us know.


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"The Signature is Typewritten" [IDEN]

The current state of Unders

[Editor's note: Updated with current photos, courtesy of Catherine Cooke, BSI ("The Book of Life")]

We've previously mentioned the plight of Undershaw in these pages. The home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for a decade - and a decade of very prominent work - is in a terrible state of disrepair and under threat of development rather than preservation.

For a very thorough history on the situation, please take a look at "An Effort to Preserve It" [IDEN] written by Jacquelynn Morris, the U.S. representative for the Undershaw Preservation Trust. It gives a good background of what's happened to date.

We have been regularly active about and supportive of these efforts here. Other posts, in chronological order, include:

• "Possibly You Have Seen Pictures and Read Descriptions of the Old Building" [MUSG]
• "...You've Surely Saved the Lodge" [VALL]
• "Let Us Now See the Letter" [TWIS]
• "I Can Hardly Explain It" [NOBL]
• "Shall I Sign Here?" [BLAC]
• "Sombre Face of the Old House" [VALL]
• "An Effort to Preserve It" [IDEN]

The lead image above and the three images below show the sad current state of the building and the grounds of Undershaw. They were taken in Hindhead on Saturday, September 10, 2011 by Catherine Cooke. Click the images to enlarge.

    

 
Undershaw Needs Your Help
This historic building faces near destruction if we don't do something now. There are a few simple things you can do to help.

1. Sign the petition to show your support by Friday September 16, 2011.
2. When signing the petition, if you log in with your Facebook account, you can share it as a status update.
3. Share this post with everyone you know and tell them something like this:

If you believe that Undershaw, former home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Homes, should be saved from development, please sign this petition! We need as many American Sherlockians as possible to sign this no later than Friday, September 16. Share this with all your U.S. Sherlockian friends! 

The petition now includes the ability for Americans (unlike the one mentioned in "Shall I Sign Here?" [BLAC] that only applied to British citizens and ex-pats. If you would like to help save this historic monument to a particularly creative time in Conan Doyle's life - one that included The Hound of the Baskervilles, please do your part to help get the word out.

We all bear some responsibility in keeping his memory alive.

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"With His Pen in His Hand" [BOSC]

We've got a few Sherlock Holmes pens in our possession and we'd like to make a couple available to our readers. For those who haven't seen this particular design previously, it was designed after a sketch by Tom Richmond and made for sale by David Ian Davies. It's a unique and handsome pen, made of resin and fashioned with a replaceable ball-point cartridge. You'll definitely be the envy of fellow Sherlockians with this one!

We thought an interesting way to share the wealth would be to run a contest that involves you, dear readers.

Here's how you can be eligible to win one of the two pens we have available:

1. Leave a comment on this article describing what likeness of Holmes you picture when you read the stories.
2. Share this post from bakerstreetblog.com with at least one other person - using email, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or whatever social network you prefer - and tell them about the contest.
3. Share another post from this site with at least one other person - using email, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or whatever social network you prefer - and leave a link to that mention in the comments section of this post.
4. Mention @bakerstreetblog on Twitter with a link to this post.
5. Like The Baker Street Blog on Facebook.

The contest will be running until 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 15, 2011, after which we will choose two individuals at random. Good luck!

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