- Hardcover: 139 pages
- Publisher: Book Guild Ltd; First edition (1 Mar 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1846241987
- ISBN-13: 978-1846241987
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 13.8 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 307,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
On the Trail of Arthur Conan Doyle is an important contribution to the body of research on the creator of English literature s best loved detective. Between 1882 and 1923, Conan Doyle, the creator of the legendary character of Sherlock Holmes, visited Devon on no fewer than ten separate occasions and resided for no less than four months in total. This book sets these visits within the wider context of Conan Doyle s life and works. The lives of two other men are inextricably bound up with Conan Doyle s experiences in Devon: Dr. George Turnavine Budd, who took him on as a partner at the Plymouth practice, and Bertram Fletcher Robinson, who played an essential part in conceiving and planning The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Hound of the Baskervilles is without doubt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous Sherlock Holmes story. It has been adapted for film, stage and television and employed the talents of some of our finest actors. Similar treatment has also been afforded to another Doyle story entitled The Lost World that features a character called Professor George Challenger. On the Trail of Arthur Conan Doyle explores the extent to which Devon, Budd and Robinson influenced each of these stories and other works by Conan Doyle. The authors have researched their subjects exhaustively and, as well as presenting fascinating portraits of Robinson and Budd; have unearthed new information about Conan Doyle himself. Included is a detailed tour of those parts of Devon associated with the three subjects of this study, commencing in Plymouth and ending in Torquay. This book includes a foreword by Roger Johnson (Editor: The Sherlock Holmes Journal) and features many previously unpublished photographs. A substantial bibliography, invaluable to both scholars and the casual reader, completes the volume.
About the Author
Brian Pugh's interest in Sherlock Holmes dates from 1958 when he was given a copy of The Complete Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. Its companion, The Complete Sherlock Holmes Long Stories, was not long in arriving on his shelves. He is a member of numerous Holmesian groups, including The Sherlock Holmes Society of London and The Franco Midland Hardware Company, a society which derives its name from the short story, The Stock-Broker's Clerk. He is the curator of The Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment where he maintains the modest collection of Conan Doyle photographs and ephemera held by that organization. Paul Spiring is both a Chartered Biologist and Physicist and he is employed by the Department for Education and Science (UK) to work for the European school system in Germany. Recently he was appointed Head of Biology at the European School of Karlsruhe. Paul is the author of a website entitled BFROnline.BIZ that commemorates the memory of Bertram Fletcher Robinson. He is also a member of The Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment .
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There is no doubt that Andrew Lycett's biography on Conan Doyle combined with the recently published volume of Doyle's letters give a pretty comprehensive view of the life of this fascinating author. Having said that it is also true, as remarked by Roger Johnson, that there is still plenty of room for other titles especially where they focus on specific areas of Doyle's life and associations.
Brian Pugh and Paul Spiring have managed to place a magnifying glass over Doyle and his Devon connections and give us some fascinating information (much of which I was unaware of). I found the sections dealing with how Doyle and Fletcher Robinson constructed The Hound of the Baskervilles to be especially interesting and entertaining.
In short, a well researched and entertaining look at this section of Doyle's life.
Brian Pugh and Paul Spiring have managed to place a magnifying glass over Doyle and his Devon connections and give us some fascinating information (much of which I was unaware of). I found the sections dealing with how Doyle and Fletcher Robinson constructed The Hound of the Baskervilles to be especially interesting and entertaining.
In short, a well researched and entertaining look at this section of Doyle's life.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Brian Pugh and Paul Spiring worked long and hard researching and writing On the Trail of Arthur Conan Doyle: An Illustrated Devon Tour (The Book Guild Ltd, Pavilion View, 19 New Road, Brighton BN1 1UF; £12.99). The result is not a big book - 139 pages - but it is most attractively presented. Its succinct account of Conan Doyle's association with Devon and with George Turnavine Budd and Bertram Fletcher Robinson is invaluable, and just to follow the Devon Tour on paper is fascinating. I must declare an interest, as I read through an early draft; I also provided the foreword, which I should not have done if I didn't think the book worthwhile. It's remarkable that, despite the recent publication of ACD's Letters and Andrew Lycett's formidable biography, there's still a place (that's not strong enough: there's still a need) for carefully researched and well-presented books that concentrate on specific aspects of ACD's life. On the Trail of Arthur Conan Doyle has a proud place alongside Geoffrey Stavert's A Study in Southsea and Owen Dudley Edwards' The Quest for Sherlock Holmes.
ROGER JOHNSON
Editor: The Sherlock Holmes Journal
The District Messenger (no. 281)
31 March 2008
ROGER JOHNSON
Editor: The Sherlock Holmes Journal
The District Messenger (no. 281)
31 March 2008
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
On The Trail of Arthur Conan Doyle (an Illustrated Devon Tour) by Brian W Pugh and Paul R Spiring).
THE lives of few writers, if any, during the past couple of centuries, can be as rewarding to the student as that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
This gifted novelist and short story writer - famed for the creation of probably the most famous fictional detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes - led a varied, full and at times exciting life, and the part of it based in Devon is brought to life in a fascinating, most informative way, by Brian W Pugh and Paul R Spiring in this excellent book.
While Doyle's wider life is referred to, the main thrust of the book is aimed at his life locally, chronicling the people he met, or with whom he worked, and the influence which they and the local area had upon his writing.
Readers in West Devon will recognise so many of the places which Doyle visited and which sowed in his fertile mind seeds for future tales. Mention is made of a trip to Tavistock during which it is probable that the idea for his story 'Silver Blaze' was born.
In this tale set in Dartmoor, Tavistock is mentioned, and also it contains probably Holmes' most famous link, where he draws the attention of a local police inspector 'to the curious incident of the dog in the night time.'
Dartmoor, of course, looms large in Doyle's most famous work - 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - with the authors tracking down the places and local legends upon which the chilling tale is based with a skill and tenacity the great detective himself would have been proud of.
The economical, direct style of the writing, and the wealth of exhaustively researched information contained therein, make this a first class read for those serious students of Sherlock Holmes and/or Dartmoor, whilst for those who just enjoy a rattling good tale it will be a welcome acquisition.
On the Trail of Arthur Conan Doyle (an Illustrated Devon Tour) by Brian W Pugh and Paul R Spiring is published by Book Guild Publishing, priced at £12.99 and available in most bookshops. ISBN 978 184624 198 7.
TED SHERRELL
The Tavistock Times Gazette
6 March 2008
THE lives of few writers, if any, during the past couple of centuries, can be as rewarding to the student as that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
This gifted novelist and short story writer - famed for the creation of probably the most famous fictional detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes - led a varied, full and at times exciting life, and the part of it based in Devon is brought to life in a fascinating, most informative way, by Brian W Pugh and Paul R Spiring in this excellent book.
While Doyle's wider life is referred to, the main thrust of the book is aimed at his life locally, chronicling the people he met, or with whom he worked, and the influence which they and the local area had upon his writing.
Readers in West Devon will recognise so many of the places which Doyle visited and which sowed in his fertile mind seeds for future tales. Mention is made of a trip to Tavistock during which it is probable that the idea for his story 'Silver Blaze' was born.
In this tale set in Dartmoor, Tavistock is mentioned, and also it contains probably Holmes' most famous link, where he draws the attention of a local police inspector 'to the curious incident of the dog in the night time.'
Dartmoor, of course, looms large in Doyle's most famous work - 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - with the authors tracking down the places and local legends upon which the chilling tale is based with a skill and tenacity the great detective himself would have been proud of.
The economical, direct style of the writing, and the wealth of exhaustively researched information contained therein, make this a first class read for those serious students of Sherlock Holmes and/or Dartmoor, whilst for those who just enjoy a rattling good tale it will be a welcome acquisition.
On the Trail of Arthur Conan Doyle (an Illustrated Devon Tour) by Brian W Pugh and Paul R Spiring is published by Book Guild Publishing, priced at £12.99 and available in most bookshops. ISBN 978 184624 198 7.
TED SHERRELL
The Tavistock Times Gazette
6 March 2008
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