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Amy Thomas reviews The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes: The Sherlockian Artwork of Norman Schatell

19 Aug

The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes:

The Sherlockian Artwork of Norman Schatell

Reviewed by Amy Thomas

The Baker Street Babes

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“As an art lover, I derive special joy from visiting museums like the Met in New York or the National Gallery. There’s a somewhat impish part of me, however, that takes more than a little delight in The Far Side and any collection of cartoons from The New Yorker I can get my hands on. It’s difficult to explain the appeal of a humorous cartoon—you either get it or you don’t, much like lolcats or anti-joke chicken. If, like me, you’re the sort of person who enjoys cartoons, The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes is right up your street.

During the 1970s, artist Norman Schatell published prolifically in The Baker Street Journaland various other prestigious Holmesian publications. This book collects over three hundred of his cartoons and presents them as a delicious buffet to delight humorously-inclined Sherlockians.

Books of cartoons make wonderful coffee table accompaniments, because they bear opening over and over again to discover new things to enjoy. Schatell’s work is both whimsical and respectful. It’s obvious he was a skilled artist and a knowledgeable Sherlockian, so part of the fun for readers is finding the in-jokes he included for those who are in the Holmesian know.

My one beef with the book, the fact that it’s a little hard to read the written text on a few cartoons, actually adds to the charm: Apparently, several of the included illustrations are actually reproduced from illustrated envelopes Schatell sent to his friends, so a bit of a homespun feel is to be expected.

Norman Schatell’s artwork added a great deal to the world of Sherlock Holmes fandom in the 1970s. Thankfully, due to his son Glenn’s efforts, new-wave fans can now enjoy his collection of humorous, irreverent, and delightful cartoons for years to come.”

The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes is available from major bookstores including Amazon USA, Barnes and Noble USA, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK, and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository. Also available on Amazon Kindle.

 
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Posted by on August 19, 2013 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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The day the Australia’s cricketers came to Sunderland

31 Jul

Sunderland Echo Article: The day the Australia’s cricketers came to Sunderland, 11th April, 2013

“WEARSIDE cricket fans will be bowled over by a new book. Today we take a look.

HOWZAT! A new book featuring Wearside’s links to a historic Ashes game planned for this summer has just been published by sports historian and archivist Keith Gregson.

Australia in Sunderland: The Making of A Test Match details ten games played by Australia within the town between 1878 and 1977 – complete with archive photos and documents.

“On August 9, 2013, the Australian cricket team will step onto the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground for a history-making Ashes Test – the first ever on Durham soil,” said Keith.

“For cricket fans this is the final page of the final chapter of a fairy tale which started to turn into reality in the 1990s, with Durham County’s move to First Class cricket status.

“However, there is a already a solid historical link between Australia and the County, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the ten matches played by Australia in Sunderland.”

Wearside’s cricketing roots are thought to date to at least 1801, just before the Napoleonic Wars, when the first recorded local games were held on Monkwearmouth Shore.

It would be another seven years, however, before Sunderland Cricket Club – whose members would later beat the Australians during their first visit to these shores – was documented….”

Read the full article here.

Keith Gregson will be at Waterstones in Sunderland signing books on Thursday, 1st August 12.00 – 2.00.

Australia in Sunderland: The Making of a Test Match is available from all good bookstores including in the USA Barnes and Noble and Amazon, in the UK Amazon and Waterstones. For other countries Book Depository offer free delivery worldwide.

australia in sunderland

 
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Posted by on July 31, 2013 in Sport, Uncategorized

 

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Amy Thomas from The Baker Street Babes reviews Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition

29 Jul

“When I was a young teenager, I was utterly besotted with Prince William. What can I say? While my friends were eagerly snapping up magazines featuring N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys, I bought a short and fairly abysmal unauthorised biography of the royal heir. I didn’t care; it was something. Thankfully, Benedict Cumberbatch fans of any age no longer have to face the indignity of wasting money on shoddy prose.

Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition is an exhaustively-annotated and impressively-detailed account of a young actor’s career. Some might ask if now is the time for such a book, releasing arguably nearer the beginning of his acting career than the end; however, the transitional aspect gives the tome much of its interest. Porter purposefully sought to chronicle the rise of an actor who is only just beginning to reach the heights many expect him to continue to scale.

It’s important to note that since the book is unauthorised, the information is gleaned from other sources. The value of such a book is the same as that of a very specific encyclopedia–it presents a host of information that most fans would be unable or unwilling to look up for themselves.

Whether or not Cumberbatch is as successful in the future as the author and many in the media and wider fandom expect, this book will continue to serve as an interesting signpost at the crossroads of a person’s life. Even those who have followed Benedict for some time will likely find new details to savor.

As a frequent user of Tumblr, a photo-heavy social networking site, I know firsthand that plenty of young people are as besotted today with Benedict Cumberbatch as I once was with the future king of England. Lynnette Porter has provided them, and their older counterparts, with a valuable guide to a fascinating career. No abysmal imitations need apply.”

Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition is available from all good bookstores including in the USA Amazon, Barnes and Noble, in the UK Amazon, Waterstones, and for everywhere elseBook Depository who offer free worldwide delivery. In ebook format there is Kindle, iPad,Kobo and Nook.

Cumberbatch

 
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Posted by on July 29, 2013 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Sherlock Holmes Society of London reviews The Curse of Sherlock Holmes by Dhanil Ali

27 Jul

“Back in March I was sceptical when I learned of a play that was about tour the north-west: “Somewhere between the fact and the fiction Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s greatest creation stole the soul of Jeremy Brett, the actor who would become the embodiment of the Baker Street Sleuth. The Curse of Sherlock Holmes follows Jeremy as he fights for his sanity… his life.” I don’t know how it came across in performance, but the published script by Dhanil Ali (MX Publishing, 2013) is thought provoking and dramatic, without being unnecessarily sensational. Since the protagonist is Jeremy Brett, however, the disclaimer: “All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental,” is decidedly disingenuous.”

The Curse of Sherlock Holmes is available from all good bookstores including in the USAAmazon, Barnes and Noble, in the UK Amazon, Waterstones,  and for everywhere else Book Depository who offer free worldwide delivery. 

curse of sherlock holmes

 
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Posted by on July 27, 2013 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Book Review: Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition

26 Jul

Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition is available from all good bookstores including in the USA Amazon, Barnes and Noble, in the UK Amazon, Waterstones, and for everywhere else Book Depository who offer free worldwide delivery. In ebook format there is Kindle, iPad, Kobo and Nook.

girlonbridge's avatarGirl Meets Sherlock: A Holmesian Blog

Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition: An Unauthorised Performance Biography

By Lynnette Porter

Reviewed by Amy Thomas

BCInTransition

When I was a young teenager, I was utterly besotted with Prince William. What can I say? While my friends were eagerly snapping up magazines featuring N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys, I bought a short and fairly abysmal unauthorised biography of the royal heir. I didn’t care; it was something. Thankfully, Benedict Cumberbatch fans of any age no longer have to face the indignity of wasting money on shoddy prose.

Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition is an exhaustively-annotated and impressively-detailed account of a young actor’s career. Some might ask if now is the time for such a book, releasing arguably nearer the beginning of his acting career than the end; however, the transitional aspect gives the tome much of its interest. Porter purposefully sought to chronicle the rise of an actor who is only just beginning…

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Posted by on July 26, 2013 in Uncategorized

 

Peter Blau reviews ‘The Hound of The Baskervilles’ stage adaptation by Simon Corble.

17 Jul

“Simon Corble’s two-act play “The Hound of the Baskervilles” was first per formed in and outdoor venue in Britain in 1995, and the script’s now available (London: MX Publishing); Corble’s introduction explains how the play came to be written, and why it differs from the book.  It can be interesting indeed to read scripts when you have already read the story.”

Hound of The Baskervilles: A Sherlock Holmes Play is available from all good bookstores including in the USA Amazon and Barnes and Noble, in the UK Waterstones, Amazon and Book Depository (free worldwide delivery). In ebook format it is in Kindle, Nook and iPad.

hound

 
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Posted by on July 17, 2013 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Review of A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes by Margaret Whitmer.

14 Jul

“This is a slim, 80-page volume that culls the essence of the Great Detective’s teachings and sorts them into categories and quotes of a paragraph or less.

It follows the same style as Bevelin’s previous book, “Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger,” a very popular how-to for investors, now in its third edition.  Bevelin has done for Holmes what he did for business moguls like Charles Munger and Warren Buffett in previous books.

He demonstrates what students of the Holmes saga have always known: That the adventures of the fictional sleuth are not just entertaining tales, but a road map on how to think, to do research and to hit upon a solution to a problem, whether it pertains to crime or not.

“Like the scientist trying to solve a mystery of nature, Holmes first gathered all the evidence he could that was relevant to his problem,” mathematics and science writer Martin Gardner is quoted in the book.

“At times, he performed experiments to obtain fresh data. He then surveyed the total evidence in the light of his vast knowledge of crime and/or sciences relevant to crime, to arrive at the most probable hypothesis. Deductions were made…then the theory further tested against new evidence, revised if need be, until finally the truth emerged with a probability close to certainty.”

This method is used not only by scientists, but by anyone seeking to problem-solve in any field, including business and medicine.

Holmes’ maxims are compared to those of other real-life logical observers and thinkers, including his model, Dr. Joseph Bell of Edinburgh; and to English scientist Francis Bacon, to French physiologist Claude Bernard and to others.

Doyle himself stated: “The general lines of reasoning advocated by Holmes have a real, practical application to life.”

So much wisdom is packed into this small book it would be impossible to distill it into a brief review.  But everyone’s favorite maxims are there, such as, “Eliminate all other factors and whatever remains must be the truth,” (from The Sign of Four) and “Like all other arts, the science of deduction and analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it” (from A Study in Scarlet).

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone – Holmes enthusiast or not – who might benefit from a primer on systematized common sense.”

Reviewed by: Margaret Whitmer, June, 2013

A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes is available from all good bookstores includingAmazon USA, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK, and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository. In ebook format it is in Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Apple iBooks(iPad/iPhone).

a few lessons

 
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Posted by on July 14, 2013 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Sherlock Holmes Society of London reviews The Amateur Executioner by Dan Andriacco and Kieran McMullen

10 Jul

“The Amateur Executioner: Enoch Hale Meets Sherlock Holmes by Dan Andriacco and Kieran McMullen. MX Publishing. 2013. 180 pp. Enoch Hale, a native Bostonian, is a reporter for London’s Central News Syndicate (where, in 1920, Horace Harker is still a familiar figure, though far from revered) and a friend of Chief Inspector Wiggins of Scotland Yard. As it becomes evident that the apparent suicide of a Music Hall artiste was only the first of a series of murders by hanging, Hale’s determination to find the link between the victims is variously helped and hindered by a cast of remarkable characters that includes his friend T S Eliot, W B Yeats, Bernard Shaw, Ezra Pound, Alfred Hitchcock and Winston Churchill. The presence of each person is rarely gratuitous and is never forced. Given Hale’s personality and background, and the edgy mixture of crime and politics in which he becomes involved, their participation is almost to be expected. So, of course, is that of Sherlock Holmes. In contrast to most tales involving Holmes, The Amateur Executionertakes us into an ambiguous and murky world where right and wrong aren’t always distinguishable. I look forward to reading more about Enoch Hale.”

The Amateur Executioner  is available from all good bookstores including in the USA Amazon, Barnes and Noble, in the UK Amazon, Waterstones,  and for everywhere else Book Depository who offer free worldwide delivery. In ebook format there is Kindle, Nook, iPad and Kobo.

the amateur executioner

 
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Posted by on July 10, 2013 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Book Review: (Holmesian) Christmas in July

06 Jul

girlonbridge's avatarGirl Meets Sherlock: A Holmesian Blog

July begins the second half of the year, and it’s a good time to start thinking about what to buy for people on your Christmas list. For most Sherlockians, books are always a welcome gift. Two yuletide-themed tomes recently caught my eye.

ChaoticLittleChristmas1

Sherlock Holmes: Have Yourself a Chaotic Little Christmas by Gwendolyn Frame is a frothy, charming advent calendar of Holmes stories, with one for each day of December. The tales range from serious to humorous, mysterious to comforting. Frame’s Holmes reads like the man as we might see him reflected in the flames of a warm holiday fire–touched with Christmas spirit and good cheer, without the sharper edges of his personality in evidence. The book would be an excellent stocking stuffer, or perhaps an entertaining decoration to adorn a book-lover’s coffee table during the holiday season.

MissingSnowman1

Sherlock Holmes and the Missing Snowman by David Ruffle, with illustrations…

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Posted by on July 6, 2013 in Uncategorized

 

Sherlock Holmes Society of London reviews East Wind Coming by Yuichi Hirayama and John Hall

21 Jun

“The Shoso-in Bulletin, published in English between 1991 and 2004, was the most truly international Holmesian periodical of all. It was founded by our distinguished Japanese member Hirayama Yuichi, whose own contributions alone justified the Bulletin’s existence.East Wind Coming: A Sherlockian Study Book by Yuichi Hirayama and John Hall (MX,www.mxpublishing.co.uk) gathers twenty-eight of Dr Hirayama’s essays, from The Shoso-in Bulletin, The Baker Street Journal, The Ritual and elsewhere, along with four written jointly with a leading English Holmesian, John Hall. Yuichi has discovered, in a Japanese detection manual of 1940, the simple means by which Holmes determined the direction Herr Heidegger’s bicycle travelled on the moor. In Grand Duke Paul of Russia, he has identified the most credible candidate for the King of Bohemia. As a dentist, he explains, entirely convincingly (alas!), that Sherlock Holmes was toothless. The collaborations examine Holmes’s sporting prowess, Watson’s qualifications, and the travesty of Holmes in the Arsène Lupin canon, but most stimulating, I think, are the authors’ discussions of the first nine cases in The Adventures. Altogether it’s a grand collection!”

East Wind Coming is available from all good bookstores worldwide including in the USA Amazon and Barnes and Noble, in the UK Amazon and Waterstones . Fans outside the US and UK can get free delivery from Book Depository. In ebook format it is in Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Apple iBooks(iPad/iPhone).

east wind coming

 
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Posted by on June 21, 2013 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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