Book 'em Sunday - Arthur Conan Doyle - A life in letters

Today for Book 'em Sunday we are doing Arthur Conan Doyle, a life in letters. This was written by Jon Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower, and Charles Foley. It was published in 2007.

Arthur Conan Doyle was most famous for his Sherlock Holmes writings. Before he started writing though he had had a most fascinating life.

He was sent away to boarding school at the age of eight and was an extraordinarily avid correspondent, mostly with his mother. Arthur came from a long line of artists. His father was an artist as well, but become a drunk and his mother took over the burden of supporting and raising the children. His mother, Mary Foley, was remarkable in her own right. She was better educated than the woman usually were in Victorian Britain, spoke French and was interested in history and genealogy.

Arthur was trained as a physician and was a ship's surgeon on an Arctic whaling ship at only twenty years of age. He also was a war correspondent and military historian. Ran for Parliament twice and became the world's foremost spokesman for the new religion of Spiritualism.

This book is a excellent read. It is a little more pricey than most books I buy, but it may be out in paperback by now. I loved Sherlock Holmes when I was a kid. I reread them a few years ago and they are even better now. I found that to be true for most classic books. When you have to read them in school it seems more of a punishment than a treat. But taking a second read when you are an adult, they are almost without a doubt, absolutely great.

Conan Doyle had a huge fight with the Sherlock Holmes stories. He wanted to be a "serious writer" and didn't feel that Holmes provided this platform. The dismay he felt is evident in these letters. He even went as far as to kill off Sherlock Holmes. The outcry was tremendous and he reversed the decision in a later book, but he never really embraced Sherlock like the public did.

Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859 and died in 1930. Was married twice and had 5 children. He was knighted and became Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

This is a book that you can pick up and read a little at a time. Arthur had a wonderfully witty letter writing style, as did his mother. The descriptions of the time and events are entertaining. I feel that through private correspondence you really learn the true makeup of a person. What they are feeling, and seeing becomes more real in their own words.

You should take a look at this book and if you can pick up a Sherlock Holmes book while you are at it. You will be super glad you did.