Product Description

Dr Watson records eleven stories revealing the astonishing abilities of the famous consulting detective similar only in exhibiting those unusual and outre features so dear to Holmes, his chronicler and their myriad readers. Watson includes the earliest case of the champion of the law and what tragically seems to be his last. In their Baker Street rooms the two men have heard many a strange secret and brought peace to more than one troubled soul. But murderers and thieves - and even that Napoleon of crime, Professor Moriarty - can never escape from the untiring and indefatiguable Holmes...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #92840 in Books
• Published on: 1993-09-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

About the Author
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859 and died in 1930. His greatest achievement was, of course, his creation of Sherlock Holmes and of Dr Watson. Penguin publish all the books about the great detective, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Valley of Fear, His Last Bow, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, The Uncollected Sherlock Holmes and The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes.

Customer Reviews

A superb addition to this superlative collection
Clive Merrison and Michael Williams are, for me, the essential Holmes and Watson of any dramatised versions. The fact that these are audio adaptations simply means that the pictures (in your mind) are better. If the BBC were to be praised for nothing else (and these days it's hard to praise them for anything!) then they should be heartily congratulated for having had the vision and foresight to commission a full rendering of the entire Sherlock Holmes canon, keeping the same pair of actors throughout. I don't think this has ever been done anywhere else.

This particular volume, the second set of three comprising "The Memoirs", contains four of the better stories from that period in Conan Doyle's writing: "The Musgrave Ritual", "The Reigate Squires", "The Crooked Man" and "The Resident Patient". Originally broadcast in 1992, two are directed by Patrick Rayner, the other two by Enyd Williams, both being involved in the entire project throughout. "The Crooked Man" is a particularly affecting tale with a stunning performance by Brian Blessed, far superior to that he gave in "The Sign of the Four". Everything about these audio versions, from script to casting, from background atmosphere to Leonard Friedman's haunting violin playing of the theme, speaks of class and quality.

If you cannot obtain or afford the complete collection, then this volume will make a superb stand-alone addition to any audio collection. It is highly recommended for any lover of BBC Audiobooks.

The second selection of Holmes and Watson adventures.
After the (unexpected) success of the serialisation of "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" in the Strand magazine, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle progressed to this collection, the "Memoires". Included are some of the greatest Sherlock Holmes stories, one may even say greatest detective stories. Silver Blaze, and The Final Adventure, being the two high-points.

This is before Watson becomes an bungling incompetent and is actually showing signs of learning from his mentor. We have an ideal master/apprentice relationship laid out for us, wherein we also find the more important relationship of friendship. Prehaps, it is this which prolongs the endearing touch of the tales for the modern reader.

If you consider yourself a Holmes fan and have not yet read this, shame on you. If you are being introduced to the master, run on in and buy this masterpiece, This is, perhaps, the zenith of the detective fiction art.

A classic on your shelves
"THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES" includes one of the finest stories ever written by Sir Arthur C. Doyle : "THE MUSGRAVE RITUAL" digs deep into English history (as deep as a cellar), "THE CROOKED MAN" tells you frightening stuff about the English soldiers in the days of India, "THE GREEK INTERPRETER" tells us Sherlock has got a brother (Mycroft) just as clever as himself and "THE FINAL PROBLEM" ends it all by the mysterious disappearance of the great detective.
FOR THE COLLECTOR: good to have this classic with a kind of 1950-cover and on the good size (11 X 18cm). Bigger than that just isn't practical (especially in the days when so many people travel all around).
FOR THE HOLMSIAN : hope this short review will help people get to the real underlying idea about Sh. Holmes : it's not about a crime story, it's about someone who teaches you HOW TO THINK CORRECTLY.
Marc