View source for Review:A Sherlock Holmes Handbook/Christopher Roden

{{Cargo_Reviews_Articles
 |Date=1993-01-01
 |Book=A Sherlock Holmes Handbook
 |BookAuthor=Christopher Redmond 
 |Reviewer=Christopher Roden
 |Topics=Handbook
}}
This review of the book ''"A Sherlock Holmes Handbook", by Christopher Redmond '' was written by [[Christopher Roden]] and published in the [[A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society]] (Vol. 4, 1993).


== Review ==
[[File:Acd-society-journal-1993-vol4-p198-review-croden.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society]] (Vol. 4, 1993, p. 198)]]
[[File:Acd-society-journal-1993-vol4-p199-review-croden.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society]] (Vol. 4, 1993, p. 199)]]
[[File:Acd-society-journal-1993-vol4-p200-review-croden.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society]] (Vol. 4, 1993, p. 200)]]

: [[File:dundurn-press-1993-a-sh-handbook.jpg|100px]]
: '''A Sherlock Holmes Handbook'''
: by Christopher Redmond 
: Simon & Pierre, Toronto, 1993; 251pp; Cdn$29.99 (U.S.$26.50; UK£16.75) Casebound; ISBN: 0-88924-246-1
: (Available in UK from Dundurn Distribution, 73 Lime Walk, Headington, Oxford OX3 7AD, Telephone: 0865-67575)


'''Reviewed by Christopher Roden'''

This is a handbook with something of a difference and the reason for that, quite simply, is because it is the latest offering from Chris Redmond, one of the world's more astute and enquiring Sherlockian scholars. Redmond's previous work has been original, indicating hours of research, and A Sherlock Holmes Handbook benefits from similar attention. Research and originality, however, make it more difficult to adapt information to the short notes and snippets of information one might normally expect to see in a handbook, and it is little surprise, therefore, that this is a book to be read as well as dipped into. The excellent index — twenty-five pages, with five columns to the page is indispensable in finding one's way around such a treasure-trove of facts and views. 

The book's contents are arranged into nine chapters: [[The 62 Sherlock Holmes stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle|The Canon]]; Characters and Adventures; [[Sherlock Holmes]] in Print; [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]; The Victorian Background; Crime and Punishment; [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] in Modern Media; Fans and Followers; A Spreading Influence. There are short dissertations on 'Overtones in the stories', '[[Manuscripts]]', 'Publishing', 'Copyright', 'Illustrations', etc., all of which contain useful information for the student of [[Sherlock Holmes]] and, to a degree, [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]. The Sherlockian world changes so quickly these days, however, that some information is already out of date. For example, despite a 1992 publication date, the facsimile edition of '[[LION|The Lion's Mane]]' fails to make the section on manuscripts: that this is so, and bearing in mind that the author only succeeded in finding a publisher early in 1993, suggests that such items of detail may have been sacrificed in the rush to get the book into print. There are, of course, omissions and errors for which the compiler of such a volume cannot cater: one doubts whether anyone will solve the problem of noting society officials, who are likely to change at the most inconvenient of times, and are most likely to do so in the middle of a publishing schedule. At best, such changes can be corrected in a future printing.

Redmond eschews the popular Sherlockian myth that [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]] has no place in a discussion on [[Sherlock Holmes]] by providing a thirty-two page chapter, which offers a concise and clear over-view of [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]]'s life and work. He includes comment on the family background and a brief analysis of the literary and spiritualist output. It is not an exhaustive essay: it does not set out to be; nor does the book allow space for it to be. Although it is written in text-book (or reference book) style, this is, essentially, a handbook — a source book for relevant information, and a springboard for further discussion. 

The chapters on 'The Victorian Background' and 'Crime and Punishment' are particularly interesting, especially, one might think, for the North American reader who has difficulty understanding some of the 'quaint British customs. Some minor points made me raise an eyebrow: I, and probably several hundred thousands of Lancashire's natives, would disagree with Redmond's locating Lancashire in 'The Midlands of England' (p. 102). And it is apparent that a North American conception of geographical distance is brought into play when Redmond describes Minstead as 'not far from Crowborough' (p. 120). Certainly, in terms of mileage, the distance is not far, but the statement overlooks the fact that, despite motorways, journeys on British roads can still be tortuous and time-consuming. 

[[The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (1989-2003)|The Arthur Conan Doyle Society]] receives due mention here, too, along with [[A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society|ACD]], the Society's Journal. The latter is deemed to contain some material which takes a slightly desperate tone, faced as Doyleans are with the necessity of rescuing the author from the shadow of his creation. It is an interesting viewpoint, I suppose — and I did say that this book was a springboard for discussion. 

Any criticisms are small matters in the overall scheme of things and should not be seen to detract from the book's usefulness and wisdom. Redmond will hope that this will be the one reference book no Sherlockian will wish to be without. He may also include Doyleans in that statement for, however much this may be billed as a book for Sherlockians, it is a book for Doyleans too. And Redmond, however much he may wish to argue the point, shows himself to be just as much a Doylean as a Sherlockian. 

C.R.








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