Book 75: Finished.

I am a little torn in writing about this title. And it's not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I was expecting something different than I got.

It certainly wasn't the writing style. If I had started this novel without knowing the name of the author, I would have guessed. After reading all of his Holmes stories and novels, I think I have Doyle pegged. He has a distinctive voice that carries in all of his writing. And it was certainly clear here.

No, I was more disappointed in the story. I mean, look at that cover. Don't you expect to see lots of dinosaurs and monsters? So did I. That is not to say that the book didn't have them, but I felt, for what I understood the book to be, that there would be more. This is probably because I am completely desensitized to this kind of action and gore. I've seen those Jurassic Park movies. I am sure that my 21st century mind and experience ruined this for me.

I can guess that back when this was published, it was shocking and scary. A group of men are in a mysterious place deep in the Amazon searching for monsters. A couple of times they do get chased (and by cannibals-it honestly reminded me of the scene from Pirates of the Caribbean when they are hanging in the bone cages). But that action didn't start until halfway through.

We spend the first half of the book getting to know our main character, Ed Malone, a lowly news reporter who is in love with some girl. He wants to prove to her that he can be brave and daring, so when the opportunity arises to go and seek out the "lost world" that a crazed professor has reportedly found, he goes. And then we spend the rest of that half of the book traveling and getting to the plateau. All the action with the dinosaurs and monsters is therefore condensed into too short chapters (I really just wanted someone to get eaten. Is that so much to ask for?).

The other thing that irritated me was the racism. The men on the expedition are learned men and perhaps I held them to too high a standard, but small comments and bits of dialogue irritated me, especially when referring to the "loyal and faithful Negro" waiting for them at all times.

All that being said, I did walk away from it liking it. I could see giving this to a teenage boy and having him read it. I think teenage boys would love it! In fact, while not a teenage boy, but certainly A boy, my husband has been eying my copy of the book and asking about it. I think he would love this book, as it is very much up his alley-adventure, guns, some violence, and not very long.

I think I just prefer my classics a little heavier. But this was certainly a fun read and a great way to see the beginnings of science-fiction and adventure novels. I would definitely recommend it if those kinds of titles are up your alley, otherwise this may not be your preferred cup of tea. I would most definitely refer you to the Holmes stories-there is probably a reason why we cherish those more than this one. :)

Book 75: Book Stats and The Lost World.

Title: The Lost World

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)

First Published: 1912

My Edition: Penguin (seen at right-this cover was designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, the same designer responsible for those cloth bound editions that I LOVE)

Pages: 264

Other Works Include: All of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories

I spent quite a few months last year slowly working my way through Doyle's collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. It was a lot of fun and I loved Doyle's writing style. You can find links to all my reviews on my "Finished Books" page if you are interested.

When I was making my list, I knew that I wanted to read the Holmes stories, but I also wanted to sample another piece of Doyle's writing. After looking at some titles, I decided that this one, The Lost World, would probably be something I would really enjoy reading. I love science-fiction, so this would be a welcome break from some of those bulky, heavy classics.

So I am really looking forward to some dinosaurs and rollicking good action...that is not Michael Crichton inspired. Of course, this will be fun to look at the differences between this and modern thrillers that focus on long-lost animals. :) But yes, based on the writing I saw in Holmes, I am definitely looking forward to this.

Have any of you read this? What did you think?

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: Finished.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

Completing all of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels is one of the biggest accomplishments of this project so far. 56 short stories and 4 novels is a lot of material on a couple of characters. And while Doyle never gave me all the details and the full background on either Holmes or Watson, I have learned to regard these two men as close friends. I know them, and I know their stories. In a crisis situation, I would know who I could rely on, and who to turn to.

But learning about these two men was not all that I learned. I am sure that my own deduction skills have improved. :) I also learned a great deal about crime in the era that Holmes and Watson lived in. And while these stories didn't have all of the fancy equipment and lab items that you might see on CSI, they tricked me more times than I figured them out.

More than that, this series showed me that it is not just in our generation that characters became so well-loved and like. With our addictions to series like Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games, the characters and terminology from those books lives on in our everyday chatter. I would argue that Sherlock Holmes has permeated even further. We all see the sign of a detective when we see his signature hat, his cloak, and the magnifying glass up to his eye. Those are the signs of a lasting impression of literature on the world. Personally, I would rather remember a dazzling and intelligent detective over a vampire who sparkles in the sunlight.

These stories have lasted and become such a part of our culture for a reason. Holmes is the ultimate detective-a man who lives by his own rules and seems to love no one (except maybe Watson). He works to prove his intelligence and to show that there can be an explanation for almost everything.

Sherlock Holmes will forever be a part of the literary canon. He is a figure and a character that we will always remember.

I think Doyle says it best. In the introduction to The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, Doyle says the following,

"I fear that Sherlock Holmes may become like one of those popular tenors who, having outlived their time, are still tempted to make repeated farewell bows to their indulgent audiences...His career has been a long one...It is a striking example of the patience and loyalty of the British public."

Yes, Holmes perhaps outlived his legacy, but Doyle would probably be surprised at how the public has held on to his character. I don't think Doyle ever could have dreamed that in 2009 there would be a movie made about the famous detective that he attempted to off, but had to bring back to life because of public demand.

That shows the power of literature and the effect it can have on those who cherish it.

In any case, I can finally cross off The Complete Sherlock Holmes from my list and move on. But I know I will be returning to these stories and novels in the future...many, many times.

Sherlock Holmes: The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

If it is even possible, I enjoyed the stories in this collection far more than those in the previous. And I really thought those were hard to top. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is the last collection of Holmes stories ever published by Doyle, and bring the mastery of Holmes to a close. But more on that closing at a later date.

For now, I need to focus on what makes this final collection of 12 short stories just as good, and better, than the ones that came before.

In the beginning, the Holmes stories were clever and original, which is what made them popular. But as Doyle developed Holmes, and Watson, Holmes becomes this person that is larger than life. He shows that Holmes is not immune to anything, and even he can be stumped at times. And if there were a theme to any of the stories....it would be to never give up. Holmes always seems to know that the answers will come to him if he waits.

This is never more true than in these stories. There is one story I want to talk about from the start. Throughout the series, you always seem to perceive Holmes as a person with no real human connections. He never shows deep and loving devotion to another person, and always seems to interact with his friends at a great distance. In "The Adventure of the Three Garridebs," Watson is accidentally shot (not a spoiler...I promise). Holmes reaction made the entire series for me. He transformed in a single moment into a person, not just a detective. He feared for his friend and showed real love and care. I loved it.

Another story that I got a kick out of was "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire," a tale about a woman accused of sucking blood from her baby's neck. It was one that was slightly creepy, but in the end, logical (as always for a Holmes story. The paranormal is never real). I enjoyed seeing an early vampire story....where the vampire does not glitter in the sun.

The best part of these last 12 stories is that they continued to showcase Holmes and Watson in the same light. Both characters age, but do it realistically. And Doyle stays true to who he created them to be back in the beginning. For a writer who never wanted to write another Holmes story, he continued to produce amazing little mysteries. These were just as deliciously written as the first.

Again, these were more violent. One story talked about hiding a live body in a coffin with a dead body, which was a little unnerving (and a nightmare of mine). I think Doyle's diversions into the morbid was based on fan requests, otherwise, why go there?

Anyway, I have a lot more to say about Doyle and the great detective in length, but that will wait for another post-when I can sit back and think more clearly about all 56 short stories, and the full 4 novels that I have been reading since April.

Sherlock Holmes: His Last Bow.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

I feel as though Sherlock Holmes and Watson are fast becoming some of my best and most intimate friends. In the eighth book in the vast collection of Sherlock Holmes mysteries, we, as the readers, are greeted with some phenomenal stories. His Last Bow contains some of my most favorite Holmes stories (that I have read so far), and continues to develop the famous detective's reputation for intelligence.

His Last Bow begins with a preface written by Dr. Watson that explains that Holmes has retired and is living a fairly normal life away from London. The collection of stories included in the volume contain many that were never before "released" to the public for various reasons. I love this little preface as a way of introduction to more stories about the dynamic duo. While you would think that not a lot of character development can happen in a single short story, by this point I had read nearly 40, plus four novels. Watson's little letter of introduction made my little heart warm.

This volume contains far fewer stories than any other, with only 8. But, like I said, it has more of my favorites.

Let's begin with "The Adventure of the Cardboard Box." In this story, a woman is sent a box with two human ears, freshly removed from their victims. She has no idea who they must belong to and is in a panic. Once again, Holmes steps in and solves the dilemma. One of the reasons I like this story so much is that it is a great example of human emotion. Holmes didn't have to solve so much of a complicated story, but the people involved in this story truly touched me.

I also loved "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," which is about a missing set of plans for military equipment. Holmes gets to do a little breaking and entering and truly uses all of his sleuthing expertise to solve the case and clear an innocent man's name. I felt that this was one of the more interesting cases, given the political intrigue and mystique.

This collection also has "The Adventure of the Dying Detective," where Holmes is dying of a mysterious disease and will not let Watson near him. This is one of the cases that would never happen in modern times, given our extensive medical knowledge, but it was clever and interesting, and I loved Holmes ability to play a part, even on his "death-bed."

However, the crowning jewel in this collection is the story called "His Last Bow," the final outing of Sherlock and Holmes, set far later than any of the other stories. A major difference is that this story is not told from Holmes' or Watsons' perspective, but by some outside third party. It is set on the eve of World War I and definitely shows some of the patriotic sentiments of the time. It was moving and stirring. And I can imagine that at the time of its publication, it was bittersweet.

In all, this collection of short stories continued on the trend of more violent crime. I am sure that the novelty of having Holmes solve simple and non-violent crimes grew old rather quickly. We are all drawn to the ghastly side of human nature, and the crimes presented here for Holmes to solve display that need of the public.

But, Doyle does a supreme job of giving Holmes more depth and heart as the stories go on. I think Holmes would like us to think that he is a standoffish kind of man, who doesn't rely on anyone, but Holmes needs Watson and the public to love him to be the man that he is. I can see that coming through in these stories.

Again, I can only imagine how the public viewed "His Last Bow" as their last outing as a duo. For us, I can see it in the way we reacted to the last Harry Potter novel coming out. The end of Holmes and Watson as a team must have been heartbreaking for those who followed the pair from the beginning. And even though I still have one more volume to go (and this volume was published after "His Last Bow" was released), I know it will merely be more "recollections" from Watson.

I have been on a trip with Holmes and Watson, and I still have one more book, and 12 more stories to go until I get there and have to say goodbye for now.

Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

The last of the Sherlock Holmes novels, The Valley of Fear is the follow-up to the best of the novels. I can say this assuredly, as I have officially finished the four novels, and unfortunately, the hype surrounding The Hound of the Baskervilles is true.

That being said, The Valley of Fear is definitely a great story. It picks up along the same lines as Hound, but in a different sense. You can certainly tell that Doyle is growing ever more tired of his detective. He never wanted to write more Holmes stories after the last one in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. I can tell, as the reader, that Doyle is simply placating the public. It shines through in his writing.

There is also the leaning towards violence in this novel, as there was in some of the later short stories in The Return of Sherlock Holmes. It seems that Holmes is now the master murder-scene investigator rather than a great detective of the weird and unusual. It makes me long for the clever sleuthing in stories like "The Red-Headed League."

Anyway, the book opens with a brutal murder and unusual circumstances. The murdered man's head is blown off and his house is surrounded by a moat. The drawbridge was up that night, so there was no where for the murderer to go. Of course, Holmes and Watson are drawn into the crime and slowly, Holmes works out the details of the crime.

Halfway through the book, Holmes gives the solution to the crime. Like he did in A Study in Scarlet, Doyle switches gears at the halfway point to give the full back story to the crime. In A Study in Scarlet, this merely bothered me. However, here is really irritated me.

We begin with such dark and mysterious circumstances around the death that I just want to know the solution. I do not want to read through another 100 pages of back story to get the full picture. Doyle takes his time painting the portrait of the valley of fear, seemingly without a point. By the time this section ends, I was annoyed and angry and felt that Doyle wasted my time.

The switching of pace threw me off, and most of the story seemed extravagant. While I can understand his need to explain what happened to the characters and how they arrived at the point of the murder, I wish, like I did for A Study in Scarlet, that Doyle had intertwined that narrative with the rest of the mystery specific events. It would have made for a much more enjoyable reading experience.

That being said, I again have to go back to the violent element of the plot. In earlier stories, the crime was never so violent and the means of death were never so gruesome. I have to wonder if Doyle was getting a little morbid in his later years, or if the public outcry was so much that he needed to outdo each crime he presented. Personally, I don't mind gruesome, but I find that the continual use of violence is obnoxious in the way that Doyle uses it.

However, given my complaints, I still enjoyed the novel as a whole. The back story was well-developed and showed Doyle's ambition to write things other than Sherlock Holmes stories. The characters other than Watson and Holmes took on more development, and the solution was surprising (although, I feel I should point out that this is the first time I guessed the solution before Holmes revealed it!).

By this point, I can feel the end of Holmes, and while I am enjoying the Holmes stories and his development as a character, I am ready to set him aside.

I have two more books of short stories left: The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes and His Last Bow. Both are shorter than the other books of short stories, but it might take me a little ;onger to get through them, especially since I am growing a little weary of Holmes. We shall see!

I will be glad to cross Sherlock off my list. It is hard to believe I have been reading about him since April 1!

Sherlock Holmes: The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

We last left Watson searching the cliffs for evidence of Holmes' body at the end of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes met his equal in the dark and mysterious Professor Moriarty. Watson assumes Holmes for dead after searching the "crime scene" and reader was left feeling cheated.

After the publication of "Memoirs," Doyle was done writing about Holmes. He never intended for Holmes to become so popular and refused to write more stories featuring the detective. However, public outcry and anger convinced him to give it another go.

So here was Doyle's problem: How does he bring Holmes back to life after already "killing him off?" The answer comes in the first story in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, "The Empty House." Three years have passed since Holmes met his end, when all of a sudden, the detective returns and reveals himself to Watson. Personally, I felt cheated. I'm not going to give away how Holmes escaped, but let me just say that I felt Doyle gave an easy solution to the problem, fitting to bring Holmes back to life.

Nevertheless, these Holmes stories are just as exciting and as eventful as the other two collections I have read to date. Again, there is a slight increase in the darkness and violence of the collection as I found in the previous set, but all the stories seemed to be well developed. I just think Doyle was leaning towards the more sinister to give a darker tone to the actions of everyday people. There is also some confusion as to time period, since the stories don't follow themselves one after the other in chronological order. Instead, our trusty narrator Watson pulls files from different years and fills us in on the details.

Speaking of Watson, I have to go back to the issue of his wife. In the first story we learn that Watson is recovering from "bereavement," which I am assuming is the death of his wife, since she disappears. Watson also moves back to Baker street to again, live with Holmes. Now, while I understand why Doyle would give Watson a romantic interest in the manner of foiling him against Holmes' harsher characteristics, couldn't he have given her a better send off? It seems like Doyle wasn't sure how to bring Watson and Holmes back together again, so killing off Mary was the easy way. Granted, it makes Watson easier to believe when mysterious strangers show up to see Holmes and he is there, but it irks me anyway. Why bother giving him a wife in the first place if all she did was get in the way?

I also had quite a few favorite stories. "The Dancing Men" stole the collection with a tale about dark and mysterious pasts mixed with a clever code that Holmes was able to break. It seemed like a far more realistic mystery to solve and for that reason I truly loved it.

"The Solitary Cyclist" was another that I enjoyed, even though it was on the creepy side. A young woman must bike alone twice a week to the train station to make it home, but is followed by a strange man. The results were a little scary and I really felt for the poor damsel in distress!

I also really enjoyed "The Three Students." Rather than lean towards violence like many of the other stories did, this story was about perception and seeing things for what they really are. A professor accidentally leaves answers to an important exam on his desk while he is out and he returns to find them missing! The resulting confrontations with the three student suspects was a great way of reminding myself that appearances are always deceiving.

"Charles Augustus Milverton" also showed a darker side of humanity, as a man known for blackmailing the wealthy came head to head with Sherlock Holmes. I love that Doyle begin to explore the seediness and depths of human nature in these stories and it was at its height in this one.

The last story I truly enjoyed was "The Six Napoleons." A number of Napoleon busts are smashed throughout the city leading Holmes and Watson on a chase to figure out why someone is destroying the images of Napoleon. It was a much light story than any of the rest and fun to read!

Overall, it was another collection of great Holmes stories. I can definitely see the progression from where Doyle began. Holmes is becoming more than just a shadowy detective. We can see glimpses of his own humanity more and more as the stories develop and I am beginning to grow rather fond of him.

However, I am curious to see how Doyle is going to end it all after two more novels and two more short story collections. He already finished Holmes off once. Will he again? Or will he leave it open for us to interpret? I cannot wait to find out.

I do know that I am beginning to develop an appreciate for the skill it takes to write mysteries. There is a complexity there that is something new to me, and try as I might. I never guess right (although I AM getting closer to understanding Holmes' methods).

In any case, I think I will be incredibly said when this Holmes journey comes to an end.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is next!

Sunday Salon: May 9, 2010.

I am glad that another week is done, but it seems like time has been moving fairly quickly recently. You agree?

I had a very full and busy week, with some subbing jobs and some others things going on with my summer job at the park. Things are starting to pick up, which is wonderful. We have a lot more going on so there is more to do. People are starting to come back on staff, which is always a good thing, as those of us who have been working can get a little sick of each other after a while.

In regards to reading, I have had an off couple of weeks, but it picked up over the last couple of nights. I honestly think my brain needed a rest, so I took a break. It seems like I am back on, however, as I flew through the next book of Sherlock Holmes stories, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, in only a day. I also started The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, which I am enjoying immensely.

I haven't had a chance to dive into Milton's Paradise Lost yet, and to be honest, I don't think now is the right time to get into something that requires my full focus. So perhaps in another month or two I'll be up to the challenge.

I have some great things planned for the coming month. Tomorrow will debut the first of what will hopefully be many "Classic Interviews." I hope you all tune in and think about participating. I would love to have you!

The vote for the first read-along I am hosting also ends today, so I hope you voted for the book of your choice! Either way, I'll definitely go with the top 2 choices and host two at the same time. It offers a little more variety and if one book doesn't suit your fancy, I hope the other one will.

I am hoping to get through the next Sherlock Holmes book of short stories this week (The Return of Sherlock Holmes), as well as finishing The Mayor of Casterbridge. I also have a week or two to finish up the LOST books challenge. Technically I could count The Brothers Karamazov towards it, but I feel like I need to read one more book solely for that purpose. We'll see what happens though.

Anyway, stay tuned for details about read-alongs on Tuesday, as well as other posts during the week. Happy Reading!

Sherlock Holmes: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are the first full collection of Holmes stories. The public was clamoring after the first two full-length novels for more Holmes, so Doyle grudgingly agreed o write more stories. All of the stories published in both The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes were originally printed in The Strand Magazine. All of them were accompanied by pictures and such as well. My library happened to have a collection of all of these stories that were mere reflections of what the stories would have looked like in that publication, complete with pictures. It has been a lot of fun reading the stories as they would have appeared.

Over all, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes contains some of the most recognizable Holmes short stories: "The Red-Headed League," "The Adventure of the Speckled Band," and "A Scandal in Bohemia." All 12 stories still feature Holmes and Watson.

Watson moved out of the rooms he shared with Holmes on Baker Street at the conclusion of the second novel when he married. I was curious to see how Doyle was going to being Watson back in, since many of the mysteries begin when Watson and Holmes are in their Baker street home, just sitting around. The problem was solved when Watson would come for a visit and the mystery would begin there, or he would tell the reader that it happened before his marriage. However, the reader sees little of his wife and I wonder if Doyle began regretting giving Watson a woman to marry, since he is essential to Holmes' stories. Watson is the narrator after all.

I was a little wary going into these stories. I personally find mysteries hard to write, so I was curious to see how Doyle was going to create these small compact stories. And since he was paid for each story, I wondered if they'd even be any good. I was pleasantly surprised.

While I read "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" in high school with a few other stories, I hadn't had any other exposure to Holmes. I was impressed with each story as I read it and I found myself racing the sleuth to try and solve each mystery. He won each time, by the way. Nevertheless, each story was fun and well-developed.

Personal favorites included "The Red-Headed League" which was about a society just for red-haired folk, as well as "The Man with the Twisted Lip" which I found to be a slight reflection of our own hard economic times as a man does what he needs to so he can support his family. I also loved "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" which is probably one of the more famous Holmes stories, as well as "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches."

Every story was entertaining and well thought out. As I moved on with each story, I also noticed a few trends. The first is that mention of Watson's wife all by disappeared, and each story seemed to get a little more gruesome. Where some of the earlier stories centered around something missing, or a strange occurrence that spurred the person to action, some of the latter stories became quite violent-like a man losing his thumb, or a family hiding someone away in a locked room.

However, I still loved all of Holmes stories, and I am loving how I can see the transformation in his character as I read through the series of novels and stories. Each of the stories was also the perfect length for a quick read in the middle of doing something else. If anything, this has encouraged me to read more short stories!

Next up in the Holmes universe: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.

Sunday Salon: April 25, 2010.

It is really hard to believe that April is almost over! Where is time going these days?

I had a pretty good week in terms of reading. I am still in the middle of the three books at left. While I did my post for The Count of Monte Cristo and the Classics Circuit on Friday, I still have a little left to finish. It is a phenomenal novel and I think i just bit off a little more than I could chew doing it along with a few other things.

I am also still working on the second collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories. They have fallen by the wayside in the last week as I have been chipping away at the two big novels, but I really want to get through them by the end of the month.

The Brothers Karamazov has been a pleasant surprise and my last post over the 4th part and my feelings about the book as a whole will be posted on Thursday. I will be glad to wrap up all of these books. I find it hard to concentrate on so many different books at once. My mind is going all different directions as I read them! At least with reading the short stories I can settle in with one story in one quick sitting and not be bothered.

I did really enjoy the read-along and would love to do more of them in the future. It makes reading the harder books a little easier, since I almost feel like I have to get posts up to meet my commitment. Odd, isn't it? I did join a Paradise Lost read-along with Rebecca Reads. Paradise Lost is another title that intimidates me, so I hope to get through it unscathed. Speaking if intimidating titles, what books scare you off??

Goals for this week are to finish the three books I have in progress: The Brothers Karamazov, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.

Happy Reading!

Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

The Sign of Four (I have also seen it as The Sign of the Four), is the second of the Sherlock Holmes novels, and the second large publication featuring the sleuth. Like the first novel, this gives more insight into the relationship between Holmes and Watson, his ever present side-kick.

I will tell you from the beginning that I loved this novel more than the first one, which I also rather liked. The mystery was complex and interesting, and the story didn't break away halfway through like it did in A Study in Scarlet.

You also have, for the first time, a female in distress, who seems to have captured the heart of our dear Dr. Watson. This really through me for a loop, since I always pictured the two men together, bonded for life. It seems as if a female enters somewhere, and I don't recall a female with Watson in later novels and stories that I have read. Interesting.

The novel itself seems a little spookier than the first, and also gives more graphic descriptions. Our female heroine lost her father at a young age mysteriously, and in the years since, has been informed via letter that she is heir to a large fortune. Whoever sent the letter then continues to send her one large a valuable pearl a year, until after 6 six years she is finally told to come and meet him face-to-face. This is where she employs the help of Holmes and Watson, and where Dr. Watson becomes smitten.

As she is filled in on the details of the treasure she is entitled to, a murder is discovered and the mystery unfolds rapidly.

I liked that the novel didn't break away like the first did, to give back story, but that the history was woven into the telling of tale to the characters. Doyle did a much better job of educating the reader AND Holmes at the same time, so that there remained a connective thread throughout the narrative. That definitely helped maintain the suspense.

One thing that I have come to love is how Holmes always outwits the police detectives and inspectors. So often the police detectives come to logical and obvious conclusions in the cases Holmes is also investigating. They obviously want to find the clear and reasonable answer, which I think is understandable. But Holmes always challenges himself to think outside the box and look at everything that might be a possibility. After all, that is why he is Sherlock Holmes.

The reader also learns about Holmes mastery of disguises in this novel. He shows the ability to transform himself into other identities to help investigate his mysteries, which is something I don't recall from my other readings of Holmes' stories.

I do need to talk about Dr. Watson for a moment. He is just as important as Holmes in these novels, since he is the narrator. He asks the questions we would ask, and says the things we are thinking, so he is a necessary part of the story in order for the Holmes novels to work as they do. However, like I said above, Watson became smitten with the female in distress (Mary Morstan) and eventually proposes to her at the conclusion of the novel (That it not really a spoiler. Watson has two wives throughout the Holmes series). I find Watson's little love interest, as a side story, irritating. I thought it distracted from the power of the mystery and that Watson was kind of a jerk for falling for this girl who just realized she may be heir to a treasure.

With that being said, I had no idea before reading the series that Watson gets married, let alone two times. I always had this impression that Watson and Holmes were inseparable friends who always remained together. But, just as we think we know a lot about them, they change on us!

Anyway, this was an incredibly enjoyable, and fast-paced mystery that I absolutely loved! These Sherlock Holmes novels are packed with action and suspense and are simply fun to read.

Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet.

Like I said in my introduction to Sherlock Holmes, I am reading through all four novels, and all fifty-six short stories starring the famous detective. Rather than just skip around and read what I am feeling at the moment, I felt it was a better idea to read the novels and stories in order of publication. That way I can get to know Holmes and Watson as they develop.

I am also going to point out one more time that while I am reading all NINE books featuring Holmes, they are only counting as ONE title on my overall list. See my introduction for clarification.

I am also choosing to read them this way since, from my prior experience reading Doyle's work, the two characters reference old cases in later books. This way I am going through the mysteries right along with them!

The first selection is the debut novel, A Study in Scarlet. This was the world's first introduction to Holmes and to Watson. I had never read this particular Holmes story before, so I was curious as to how the relationship between Holmes and Watson began, as well as how Doyle was going to develop their characters.

I am glad that I got to find out much more of the history of both characters. We learn in the first three chapters much of their histories before the novels and stories take place. Watson was a doctor in the army and only came back to England after he suffered an injury. Upon returning home, an old friend runs into him and upon hearing that Watson is looking for rooms, offers to introduce him to Holmes, who is looking for a roommate. That is how Watson and Holmes meet. For some reason, I always had the impression that they were longtime friends (not sure why), but I am glad to see they befriended one another later in life.

Once living together, Watson and Holmes have to learn each others habits. I really like how the character of Watson is narrating. Obviously it makes it easier for Doyle. Had Holmes been the narrator, he would let the reader know the answers as Holmes discovered them. Watson makes a perfect narrator. He is smart enough that we can trust him to ask the right questions, and makes the guesses we would make if we were in his position. I also love Watson's interpretations of Holmes' character.

Anyway, the back history has really helped to develop both characters in my mind and to see how they have the relationship that they do.

The plot of A Study in Scarlet surrounds a mysterious murder of a foreigner (and American). Based on only a few clues that the police detectives don't see, Holmes eventually discovers who the murderer is, and JUSTICE! I don't want to give away too many details to ruin it for you, but that is the jist of the plot after the first three chapters of back story and exposition.

One thing that stuck out to me is that halfway through the novel, the pace completely switches gears. The first half of the novel is the discovery of the murder, the race to catch the murderer, and the eventual capture. The second half launches into something completely different. The reader is transported to a completely different time and place to get the back story of the murder and why it happened. While I understand that Doyle needed to explain how everything got up to that point, it felt extremely disconnected and I felt like I was reading a completely different novel (he was talking about Mormons. I mean, we went from capturing a criminal in London to Mormons settling in Utah in a matter of 2 pages).

I wish Doyle had found another way to give us that history without jumping so drastically.

That being said, I loved the build up of the history. It made the murderer into a person that the reader could actually like and admire. Not because he committed murder, but because of what he went through and the lengths he went to for justice (even if that begs the question, can we or should we take justice into our own hands?).

The result was a fun and fast-paced novel. It set up the relationship between Holmes and Watson beautifully, and set the tone that Holmes was no ordinary detective. I am hoping that the next novel The Sign of the Four is just as wonderful to read!

Adventures with Sherlock Holmes.

The character of Sherlock Holmes is synonymous with the mystery genre. His profile alone adorns books and there is an immediate connection between the shape of his hat, the curve of his pipe, and mystery. Even people who have never read any story or novel starring Sherlock Holmes know who he is. He is the master sleuth, the king of deductions, and the person you would want to call if, heaven forbid, anyone went missing in your family.

Sherlock Holmes is mystery. He has starred in countless films and television shows. His image and persona has been taken on by many, including the dashing Robert Downey Jr. in the 2009 film adaptation (no, I have not seen it. I am merely commenting that Robert Downey Jr, is, in fact, rather dashing). However, it is only in the books that Holmes seems to come alive and capture the hearts of readers.

What really makes my head spin is that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had no intention of continuing on with Holmes as a character. He considered his work with Holmes just a trial and never dreamed that Holmes would become what he did. It was only after public outcry that Doyle wrote more novels and stories starring the sleuth and his ever-present sidekick-Dr. Watson. His flyaway character resulted in 4 complete novels and 5 collections of short stories starring the master sleuth. I bet Doyle never imagined that mystery and Sherlock Holmes would always go hand in hand with each other.

I feel safe in telling you that I have minimal exposure to Holmes, and mystery in general. Granted, I went through a phase in middle school and my freshman year of high school where I read most of Mary Higgins Clark's work, but it was a passing phase. I have also read a few of Agatha Christie's novels, mainly for school. It would probably be safe to say that I simply cannot handle a lot of thriller/mystery novels. I am incredibly jumpy and scream at anything.

I cannot stand suspenseful or scary movies. I get nightmares easily and freak out for weeks afterward. The last scary movie I saw in theaters was I am Legend and I clawed at Matt's arm the entire time. By the time the film was over, I was almost in tears. I simply cannot stand to be surprised.

But I have read some of the Holmes stories. And I have read The Hound of the Baskervilles numerous times. I actually taught The Hound of the Baskervilles during my student teaching year to my ninth graders and really enjoyed it. It is a fast, fun novel that really catches your attention. My ninth graders loved it, and the super cheesy film adaptation we watched at the end of the unit.

I also read a bunch of the Holmes short stories throughout high school and college, and those I read, I loved. I think, more than anything, I love that Holmes is able to solve these crimes of murder and deception without the use of modern devices and knowledge. It makes him seem more of a genius. I love that Doyle doesn't have to give in to little tricks or devices to capture the hearts of his readers. He merely stays true to his character and the crimes he solves.

It makes sense then, that Doyle's work is on the list. When I added it on to my list of classics, I suppose I wasn't really thinking when I wrote "55. The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." On one little line, that word "complete" seems insignificant. Now that I am going to take on the mystery master, it is a little more daunting to realize that while "Book 55" on that original list will only count towards one book completed, it is actually the completion of 4 novels and 5 books of short stories. That is much more than it seems.

So this is how I am going to go about it. I will be reading everything starring Mr. Sherlock Holmes-all 4 novels and 5 books of short stories. They will be read in order of publication as follows:

1. A Study in Scarlet (novel)
   
2. The Sign of the Four (novel)
   
3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (short stories)
   
4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (short stories)
   
5. The Return of Sherlock Holmes (short stories)
   
6. The Hound of the Baskervilles (novel)
   
7. The Valley of Fear (novel)
8. His Last Bow (short stories)
   
9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (short stories)

If you haven't noticed yet, in the left hand column there is a progress section, which keeps track of the novels I have read and how many I have left to go. I added a section for Sherlock Holmes, which will be updated as I finish each book. Each book I finish will get its own review and post, and I will be writing a wrap-up post when I eventually finish all 9 books. None of these single titles will be added as a number for a book completed on my master list of finished books. Instead, they have their own section at the bottom of that list, where I will record what I have finished, as well as linking them back to their post (see the above link to see what I mean).

Only after I have finished all 9 books will I add "The Complete Sherlock Holmes" to my finished books list. And while it will only count as 1 out of 250, you and I both know it counts for much more.

Sunday Salon: March 28, 2010.

This was definitely a more calm week than last week. I would say that it was needed!

The weather changes have really been bothering me. I am susceptible to migraines, and I have had quite a few this week. With fronts coming in, the temperature changing, my head has been pounding almost all week.

I am glad to say that starting tomorrow I got back to full time hours working at the park and my supervisor pay! Matt and I are really looking forward to me working more and I can't wait to have more time to be out of the house and doing something. I love working at the park!

Unfortunately, no sub jobs for this week. I rarely saw anything posted and when I did, it was something I am not qualified to sub in (special education resource rooms).

There are rumors circulating in Michigan that there is a bill in question forcing many teachers of retiring age to retire, or they will be forced to start paying their own benefits. As an unemployed educator, I'm not sure what to think about this. There are a LARGE number of retired-age teachers still working, so having those jobs open would mean great things for the thousands of people in my situation! But, I don't know if this bill is the right way to do that. Who knows!

In reading news this week, I had another great week. I managed to get through a Holmes novel and Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. Woolf always takes a little more concentration than I think it will, but it is always worth it. I even went to the library to check some things out and get small paperback copies of each of the Holmes novels. I have rheumatoid arthritis and my big, hardcover edition of the complete Holmes stories and novels is too heavy to hold up. Unfortunately, my library is lacking in the individual novels. All they have are the big compilations which doesn't help my situation. I did find a large print edition of A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four. I read A Study in Scarlet out of it and the huge letters actually made my eyes go a little batty. All of the other novels and story collections I am trying to get through inter-library loan. We'll see how that goes.

I also made some big changes here on the blog. After an e-mail from blogger letting me know they were revising some templates and editing options, I decided to take advantage of their new 3-column look with a total blog makeover that is completely different from what I had (hopefully you noticed). It makes things easier for me since I don't have to scroll way down to see some vital pieces of information. I also think the template is little more custom to my blog-the whole "odyssey" theme. I am loving it, but expect to see a few small tweaks and changes as I get used to it.

I also added another page at the top. I have been getting a lot of e-mails recently with questions about my blog, so I figured I should answer them. Rather than have one big post, I thought it would be easier to have an easily seen page with the answers. Feel free to check it out!


This coming week I am hoping to get through another Sherlock Holmes novel, as well as The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I am also hoping to start one of the 2 Dumas novels I am reading for my stop on the Classics Circuit. My giveaway for two signed, hardcover copies of Carrie Ryan's books ends Thursday at midnight.

I am hoping for another good reading week, so keep your fingers crossed!

Happy reading everyone!