The Sherlock Holmes File

The Sherlock Holmes File | Michael Pointer

pick

I loved this book! Especially the account of the Holmesians' first road trip to Switzerland in full Victorian cosplay! Author, Michael Pointer, pictured, though he didn't state what character he represented.
Probably for Baker Street diehards only, but if you're a bit irregular then there's plenty to love.

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Bookwomble

The Sherlock Holmes File | Michael Pointer

One of the chapters is an account of the first Sherlock Holmes Society of London's pilgrimage to the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland in 1968.
The society Flickr account has an album of photos showing their journey, in costume, from London to Switzerland, including several luminaries of Holmesian studies. It was gratifying to find a couple of photos including Michael Pointer.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/shsl/albums/72157640063611234/
#Sherlocked

Bookwomble The photo shows the pilgrims meeting Adrian Conan Doyle at his Swiss home, Chateau de Lucens. Holmes is Society member Tony Howlett, and as Irene Adler, Dominique Joos, an actor hired for the role, who performed in a “whodunit“ scene at the Society banquet in Geneva. (edited) 1w

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Bookwomble

The Sherlock Holmes File | Michael Pointer

"If Conan Doyle had really meant business when he attempted to get rid of Sherlock Holmes, he should have killed off Dr Watson. That's the key to it. Without Watson there really can be no Holmes."

Pointer giving the good doctor his due recognition, both as a character & as a narrative device.

Of all the Watsons, Nigel Bruce's incarnation (despite the un-Canonical bumbling) is always the one that springs to my mind.
#NoPlaceLikeHolmes #Sherlocked

bibliothecarivs Okay, Bruce's Watson is the one that comes to mind, but which is your favorite portrayal in film/ television? 1w

Bookwomble @bibliothecarivs While Jeremy Brett is my favourite Holmes (though only a hair's breadth ahead of Basil Rathbone), and both Watson actors in that production were good, neither emanated the warmth of character that Bruce installed in his part. It's not always an accurate depiction, but captures Watson's faithfulness, dependability and vulnerability. So, it is Nigel Bruce for me 😊 1w

Bookwomble @bibliothecarivs Pointer's opinion of Bruce's Watson is: "regrettable"! I accept, myself, that he's not a good representation of Doyle's Watson, but I guess he seeped into my consciousness as a child. My least favourite Watson portrayals are Jude Law and Martin Freeman, as they always present to me as being themselves pretending to be the part they're playing, rather than actually being the part. 1w

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bibliothecarivs Fascinating. Thanks for sharing, my friend. 1w

dabbe Nigel & Basil! 🖤🖤🖤 1w

The_Book_Ninja I used to watch the Rathbone Sherlocks when I was a kid too and absolutely loved them. Imagine my surprise when I eventually read a book and there was no incredulous buffoonery from Watson. I now consider Bruce‘s Watson as beyond ridiculous 1w

Bookwomble @The_Book_Ninja Not at all accurate, but I'm still fond of him 😊 7d

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Bookwomble

The Sherlock Holmes File | Michael Pointer

I read " The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes" last week & enjoyed it enough that I bought the author's follow up, "The Sherlock Holmes File".
They do cover similar ground but from different angles, & the File is a larger format to better display the significantly greater number of illustrations. I imagine the material Pointer put together when researching the first book was enough to justify this one.
It focuses on the development of Holmes's ⬇️

Bookwomble ... appearance, props and personal characteristics, from Doyle's written description, to the early illustrations and the additions made by artists (deerstalker cap) and actors (Inverness cape and meerschaum pipe) to the now accepted figure of Holmes.
Despite the tanned dust jacket (which is fine for the price I paid), the book's in good order for its age (1976), and while I hadn't intended to read it immediately, it looks like that is happening! 1w

Bookwomble #NoPlaceLikeHolmes 1w

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