{"id":8847,"date":"2019-10-04T13:07:13","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T17:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8847"},"modified":"2019-10-04T13:07:19","modified_gmt":"2019-10-04T17:07:19","slug":"sherlock-holmes-the-worlds-greatest-detective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8847","title":{"rendered":"Sherlock Holmes: The World\u2019s Greatest Detective"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This post was written by Colleen Gerrity, Research Services Assistant.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what\nother people do not know.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories<\/em>, PR4621 .S5 1930, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The\nAdventure of the Blue Carbuncle<\/em>, 1892<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you think of the word detective, who comes to mind? Maybe Agatha Christie\u2019s Hercule Poirot? Edgar Allan Poe\u2019s C. Auguste Dupin? Perhaps even Colombo, Jessica Fletcher, or Inspector Clouseau? There is a good chance one of these names crossed your mind, but there\u2019s an even greater chance the word detective made you think of Sherlock Holmes. Without a doubt, Sherlock Holmes is a name everyone has heard at some point in time. Whether it be from films or television series, or the classic novels and short stories, Sherlock Holmes is a renowned figure in the realm of crime fiction. One could easily argue he is indeed the greatest detective of our time, revolutionizing our perception of mystery and the many detectives who followed in his footsteps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Special Collections Research Center here at George Mason University is lucky enough to have the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories <\/em>(PR4621 .S5 1930). We have not just one, but three volumes brimming with exhilarating mystery and adventure, all encased in beautifully detailed book covers and paired with original illustrations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the brilliant mind behind the world of Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson. Born on May 22, 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Conan Doyle began writing the story that started it all at age twenty-seven. He had graduated from medical school six years prior and partly modeled the soon-to-be-famous detective Sherlock Holmes after his university professor, Joseph Bell. Two years later, A Study in Scarlet<\/em>, was published in Beeton\u2019s Christmas Annual<\/em> and introduced the world to Holmes and Watson. This innovative and now-classic novel begins on page 2 of Special Collection\u2019s first volume of Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But while the world fell in love with Sherlock Holmes, he was not as favored by Conan Doyle. In fact, Conan Doyle decided to \u201ckill-off\u201d Holmes to free him of the obligation to continue his stories. However, Conan Doyle\u2019s mother begged him not too, and when Holmes\u2019 death was published in 1893, twenty-thousand readers canceled their subscriptions to The Strand Magazine \u00ad<\/em>\u2013 the home to where Sherlock Holmes short stories were published. Conan Doyle felt that Holmes overshadowed his \u201cfiner work.\u201d But soon enough, with a push from the public and monetary need, Conan Doyle was back to writing more Sherlock Holmes stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On a more positive note, I would like to conclude with touching upon one of my favorite short stories, The Adventure of the Speckled Band<\/em>, which can be found on page 396 of the first volume of Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories<\/em>. This is just one of fifty-six short stories written by Conan Doyle and was adapted to all forms of media. I won\u2019t spoil the story, but I\u2019ll give you an idea: a sister\u2019s dying words were, \u201cThe speckled band!\u201d What could that possibly mean? Reading this short story, you join Holmes and Watson on their adventure to uncover the truth and bring forth justice. Are you more of a Dr. Watson \u2013 just here for the ride? Or are you more of a Sherlock Holmes \u2013 methodically piecing together clues at every moment, hoping to solve the mystery before anyone else can? Stop by and do some reading here at Special Collections and perhaps you\u2019ll find out just why Sherlock Holmes is considered the world\u2019s greatest detective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Follow Special Collections Research Center on Social Media <\/em>at our Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, and Twitter<\/a> accounts. To search the collections held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our website and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail us at speccoll@gmu.edu<\/a> or call 703-993-2220 if you would like to schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions. Appointments are not necessary to request and view collections.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post was written by Colleen Gerrity, Research Services Assistant. \u201cMy name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people do not know.\u201d Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, 1892 When you think of the word detective, who comes to mind? Maybe Agatha Christie\u2019s Hercule Poirot? Edgar […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[326,5,121,784],"tags":[817,816,404,814,65,813,815],"class_list":["post-8847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rare-books-2","category-scrc-interest","category-scrc-picks","category-studentreflections","tag-crime","tag-detective","tag-fiction","tag-mystery","tag-rare-books","tag-sherlock-holmes","tag-sir-arthur-conan-doyle"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sh_sbillustration.jpg?fit=715%2C938&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-2iH","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6959,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6959","url_meta":{"origin":8847,"position":0},"title":"New Exhibit: Advances in Science, 1586-1999","author":"admin","date":"October 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Bioscience. 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Special Collections Research Center at George Mason University is the home to a plethora of classic literature and unique literary treasures. Sometimes, the literary classics are made to be unique treasures due to their exquisite design and rarity.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "GMU Fairfax Campus"","block_context":{"text":"GMU Fairfax Campus","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=272"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/stacks-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/stacks-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/stacks-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/stacks-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/stacks-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5470,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=5470","url_meta":{"origin":8847,"position":2},"title":"Rare books moving today and other important dates","author":"admin","date":"November 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Special Collections Research Center's rare and antiquarian books have started to move\u00a0over to the new addition today. 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