Doyle's World is no ordinary book. It is instead a work that deciphers the cryptic origins and actual scientifi c methods used by fi ction's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes--and provides a detailed look into the psyche and working life of Holmes' creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Revealed here for the fi rst time--by son-father writing team Daniel Friedman, MD, and Eugene Friedman, MD--are the inspirations behind the physical, emotional, and intellectual characteristics that Doyle wove together so deftly to bring his legendary sleuth to life. The authors o er research-based answers to such intriguing questions as: ■ From whom did Sherlock Holmes actually learn the art of detective work? ■ Why did Doyle kill off Sherlock Holmes-- and how did the country of Japan inspire how he brought his famous detective back to life after nearly a decade? ■ What story elements did Doyle borrow from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island? ■ How did Doyle apply his fervent belief in Spiritualism to a variety of Holmes stories? ■ Who inspired Doyle to write about civil rights after a steamship journey in 1882? ■ How did the women in Doyle's life come to influence the relationships with women that both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have across sixty written adventures? The book is divided into three sections. The fi rst is dedicated to the elements--both good and bad--that comprised Doyle's childhood and early adult years, and how an assemblage of persons and places and things from his life found their way into his literature. The second section emphasizes the complex themes and plots present in the Sherlock Holmes adventures, while it also examines some of Doyle's strengths--and weaknesses--as a public fi gure of his time. And in the book's concluding part, the authors o er two "lost" stories they uncovered that were written by Doyle under a pseudonym. Doyle's World is a work of rich detail and in-depth scholarship that should win over established fans of Doyle and devoted "Sherlockians" everywhere--and which should engage, and entertain, all others who enter this intriguing hall of literary mirrors.
