I Hear Of Sherlock Everywhere

"an historical curiosity" [MUSG]  Vincent W. Wright has stumbled across what can only be described as a remarkable piece of scholarship. In fact, it may be the very first example of its kind. Sherlockians have long considered "the Game" to have begun under the scholarship of Msgr. Ronald A. Knox in 1911. But as researchers keep digging, much like archaeologists, they're finding information that steers them in new directions.  We discuss Vincent's methods, his sources, and what he sees as fertile ground for additional research.   Get your Canonical Couplet here! We have two lines of poetry for you; all that remains is for you to determine which Sherlock Holmes story they represent. Send your answer to comment @ ihearofsherlock .com by February 14, 2022 at 11:59 a.m. EST. The winner will receive a prize of historical interest from the IHOSE vaults. All listeners are eligible to play.     Sponsors Wessex Press is the premier publisher of books about Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, including The

"a connoisseur and collector" [ILLU]  Chuck Kovacic is an artist of many dimensions. His paintings are but one of these dimensions — universally visible to those who can see his work in art galleries, or places like McSorley's Old Ale House in New York City. But Chuck's flair for Sherlockian scholarship and collecting has taken him in a rare direction: he has a recreation of Sherlock Holmes's 221B Baker Street sitting room built in his house in California. And it contains more than reproductions or Canonical items; Chuck has taken his level of collecting to a far deeper and studious level. Tune in as he shares his "collection mania in its most acute form" [ILLU] with us.   We're pleased to announce the return of the Canonical Couplet! We'll be accepting responses through January 29, 2022 at 11:59 a.m. EST. The winner will receive an item from the IHOSE vaults. NOTE: we have bonus content for our Patreon supporters: an outtake clip and more of Chuck's Sherlockian artwork, including his portrait of Christopher

"put forward with such a quiet air of mastery" [STOC]  As regular readers and listeners know, Michael F. Whelan, BSI ("Wiggins") passed away in October of 2021. His contribution to the Sherlockian game was more than any one person could adequately describe. To honor his memory, we gathered a number of Baker Street Irregulars to remember Mike beyond his Sherlockian self — people who knew him well and could comment on his interests, his personality, and his character. These were: Peter Blau, Ross Davies, Steven Doyle, Les Klinger, Hartley Nathan, Otto Penzler, and Steve Rothman. We hope you can appreciate the man Mike Whelan was, what he did for the Sherlockian community, and the kind of leadership he represented. There is no Canonical Couplet quiz in this episode; the lines are still open for answers from the previous episode, which are due by January 14, 2022 at 11:59 a.m. EDT.   Sponsors Wessex Press is the premier publisher of books about Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, including The Sherlock H

"it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all" [TWIS] The game—of life—is afoot! In our endless pursuit of happiness, is it possible that we have overlooked some crucial clue? Sherlock Holmes says "Yes." As Glenn Dakin kept reading the Sherlock Holmes stories, he discovered more wisdom buried in those pages than many modern-day philosophers. He extracted some examples to serve as the basis for his book, Sherlock Holmes' Little Book of Wisdom: How to Deduce What On Earth Is Going On. Glenn's book has ten chapters with lessons from the stories, paired with his wonderfully witty and whimsical illustrations to make this journey of wisdom one of fun. And, if you're any kind of curious Sherlockian, you'll want to know about the connection to D. Martin Dakin. The answer awaits within...   Please be sure to play our Canonical Couplet quiz: the winner will receive a copy of Observations by Gaslight. Answers are due by December 29, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. EDT.     Sponsors Wessex Press is the pre

"draw inferences from our observations" [CARD]  Lyndsay Faye, BSI ("Kitty Winter") has a knack for capturing the voice of John H. Watson in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But in her latest Sherlock Holmes book, she treats us to more than just one voice. Observations by Gaslight: Stories from the World of Sherlock Holmes (Mysterious Press, 2021) takes a vastly different approach. In this series of long-ish stories, Faye treats us to a series of epistolary adventures, as seen through the eyes of Inspector Lestrade, Irene Adler, Wiggins, Inspector Bradstreet, Mrs. Hudson, and none other than Lomax the sub-librarian. It's a fresh approach with six very distinct voices that earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, who lauded the "nuance, wit, and clever plotting" of the stories. You'll want to tune in to this chat with Edgar finalist Lyndsay Faye. Observations by Gaslight goes on sale to the public on December 7, 2021 and Lyndsay is appearing at the Mysterious Bookshop for an event that evening. Plea

"those sacred writings, drawn in Egyptian letters" [STUD]  If there is one author to whom we owe the rise in popularity of Sherlock Holmes in the mid-1970s, it is Nicholas Meyer, BSI ("A Fine Morocco Case"). It was his novel The Seven Per-Cent Solution (which spent 40 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List) and his screenplay for the film version of the book that put Sherlock Holmes back in mainstream consciousness. Meyer and Holmes have returned with The Return of the Pharaoh, another Holmes adventure tale that takes us to Egypt in 1910 amid the Egyptomania craze that was running high in Europe at the time.  As The Return takes Holmes and Watson on a journey to North Africa, our conversation with Nick takes us on a literary journey spanning 45 years as he looks at how his writing has (or hasn't) changed over that time. We also point out the timely nature of his topics, homages to Conan Doyle, and even get nods to Homer, Edgar Allan Poe, and Agatha Christie. It's an interview you won't want to miss with

"there were several objects in the room which called for special attention" [BLAC]  Collecting must be in the air: following our last episode with Rebecca Romney talking about Sherlockian collecting, we have with us the legendary Sherlockian collector Glen Miranker, BSI ("The Origin of Tree Worship"), who is staging an exhibit in conjunction with the Grolier Club in January. The exhibition is "Sherlock Holmes in 221 Objects" and will run from January 12 - April 16, 2022. Glen and his wife Cathy Miranker curated the 221 objects, selected from Glen's impressive trove of over 8,000 items. You'll hear how he came to acquire some of those objects, how he (or rather his erstwhile conscience) decides when to add an item to the collection, what it's like to prepare his most precious items to be loaned to an institution, and what to expect at the exhibition. [Note: we did encounter a bit of sound disruption in during the recording; consider it akin to the static you might hear in old time radio shows.] To honor Glen'

"a small but select library" [GLOR]  After covering the Shaw 100 in a previous episode and wondering what the future of Sherlockian libraries and collections might look like, we could think of no better guest to interview than Rebecca Romney, BSI ("That Gap on the Second Shelf"). You may remember her from a previous appearance (on Episode 101) or from her frequent drop-ins on Pawn Stars, or more recently in the documentary The Booksellers. We know her as a Sherlockian, co-author of Printer's Error, co-founder of the Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize, and co-founder of Type Punch Matrix. And yes, even as a collector herself. Our conversation with Rebecca was wide-ranging, during which she gave her prediction about future definitive lists of collectibles, defined who collectors are and how young people can begin their collecting journey, and astutely observed that a collection is "an autobiography in the form of a treasure hunt." And of course, we have another Canonical Couplet to challenge your acuity. If

"I'll show you a grim little bit of evidence" [RETI]  Paul Churchill, BSI ("Corot") delighted in recreating evidence boxes for each Sherlock Holmes story. After his death in 2008, Deborah Clark became their steward. Regular attendees of Watson's Tin Box see evidence boxes at every monthly meeting, but we wanted to give you a peek inside as well. Debbie sat down with us to detail what these evidence boxes are, how Paul created them, and what makes them so special.  The contents inside them (and outside of some of them) are astounding in their reality and detail, bringing the Sherlock Holmes stories to life in a unique way. We have posted photos of some of the contents. And of course, we have another Canonical Couplet to challenge your acuity. If you are chosen as a winner, you'll get The Sherlock Holmes Scrapbook by Peter Haining. Answers are due by October 14, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. EDT. Information on sponsors, links, and notes are available below.   Please do consider becoming a Patron of the Arts. Your supp

"a ramble through the Ragged Shaw" [PRIO]  As the curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries, Tim Johnson has seen just about everything. Almost as much as John Bennett Shaw saw. When he was putting on his conferences and chatting with the various attendees, Shaw noticed something: there wasn't a definitive list of what every Sherlockian Library should have.  Based on his observations, wide network, and endless library, Shaw developed a list of some 100 books, periodicals, and other material with which every Sherlock Holmes enthusiast should be familiar. This became known as The Shaw 100. Over time, items were added and others deleted. We talk with Tim about how the collection and the list came to be, what significant changes occurred, and what a Shaw 100 list of 2021 might look like. Can you guess what might be on it? And of course, we have another Canonical Couplet to challenge your acuity. If you are chosen as a winner, you'll get The Sherlock Holmes Scrapbook by P

"And why not Norwood?" [NORW]  Before there was Jeremy Brett, there was Anthony Edward Brett. Like the modern-day television actor, he played Sherlock Holmes in over 40 films. But you know him as Eille Norwood. Most of his Sherlock Holmes films from the 1920s remain hidden from the public, so when the British Film Institute announced a major restoration project, we called Russell Merritt, BSI ("The Trepoff Murder") to enlighten us. Russell is a silent film scholar, having recently retired from the University of California, Berkley as a professor of film. He was actively involved in the restoration of other recently discovered silent Sherlock Holmes films such as William Gillette's 1916 Sherlock Holmes and the German Der Hund der Baskervilles from 1929. Together, we go behind the scenes of the Norwood films — a drama itself — and cover the Clive Brook film, as well as Russell's Holy Grail of lost Sherlock Holmes films. And of course, we have another Canonical Couplet to challenge your acuity. If you are chose

"all gossip upon the matter" [BERY]  If there is one name that is synonymous with the Sherlockian hobby, it is Peter Blau, BSI, 2s. ("Black Peter"). And if there is one publication that is eagerly anticipated every month, it is his longstanding newsletter "Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press." As "Cartwright" of the Baker Street Irregulars, Peter goes more places, sees more things, and overhears more than just about anyone in the Sherlockian world. So much so that it has often been said that if Peter doesn't know about it, it's not happening. We had a chance to speak with Peter about the origins of his newsletter, what makes for a good story, and what his plans for the future are. You won't want to miss this episode. And of course, we have another Canonical Couplet to challenge your acuity. If you are chosen as a winner, you'll get some mystery item from the IHOSE vaults. Answers are due by August 29, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. EDT. Information on sponsors, links, and notes available below.   Please do consider

"I have all the facts in my journal" [STUD]  For our 221st episode, we had to make it as deeply Sherlockian as we could. What better topic than The Baker Street Journal, the first (ir)regular publication about Sherlock Holmes scholarship? First published in 1946, the BSJ is a stalwart in the Sherlockian community, and it's much more than scholarship. Steven Rothman, BSI, 2s. ("The Valley of Fear") has edited the Journal since 2000, and he'll be the first to admit it's much more than scholarship. On the occasion of the BSJ's 75th anniversary, we discuss the origins of this little yellow-backed publication, its evolution, and where it's headed. Steve's enthusiasm for the topic knows no bounds. We were pleased to receive many congratulatory notes, so we open up the listener mailbag for a few of them. And of course, we have another Canonical Couplet to challenge your acuity. If you are chosen as a winner, you'll get a year's subscription to the BSJ. Already a subscriber? We'll extend your subscription. Answers a

"Interesting, though elementary" [HOUN]  Rob Nunn found the Sherlockian world not long ago, and since then, our impression of him is one not too far from the name of our show: "We hear of Rob Nunn everywhere." From winning the coveted Beacon Award from the Beacon Society in recognition of his work in the classroom involving Sherlock Holmes, to his involvement in a number of Sherlockian Societies in the Midwest and the creation of Holmes in the Heartland, Rob has made his presence known.  Nor does it end in the classroom or society meeting; Rob has contributed to I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere as a columnist, wrote The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street (MX Publishing), and has another major writing project in the works. But his most prolific work comes in the form of Interesting Though Elementary, a blog that grew out of his first book and evolved into regular interviews of — wait for it — interesting Sherlockians (although, as you'll find, that's redundant). We have another Canonical Couplet after the inter

"An almanac!" [VALL]  When Ross Davies, BSI ("The Temple"), first published Sherlock Holmes content in his publication, The Green Bag, he had no idea what he was in for.  Let's just say that the response was enough to ensure that Sherlock Holmes got his own starring role in another publication, which became The Baker Street Almanac. Now in its fourth year, the BSA has become a go-to resource for tracking significant goings-on with respect to Sherlock Holmes around the world. We talk with Ross about the genesis of this amazing publication, how people can get a copy, and what goodies await inside (think: Easter eggs!). We have another Canonical Couplet after the interview. If you are chosen as a winner, you'll get a copy of the Baker Street Almanac. Answers are due by July 14, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. EDT. Information on sponsors, links, and notes available below. Please do consider becoming a Patron of the Arts. Your support helps us to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs, production

"the prize at Olympia" [LAST]  It's a well-known fact that Arthur Conan Doyle went up against the legendary cricket player W.G. Grace on the field in 1900. But his interest in sport went much further than that. From cricket to golf, motorcycles to auto racing, downhill skiing and more, Conan Doyle equated physical fitness with fitness of the mind and spirit. He even went as far as championing the British Empire concept for Olympics following Great Britain's sorry showing in the 1912 Summer Olympics.   Mark Albertstat, MBt., BSI ("Halifax") joins us to talk about all manner of Doyle's athletic interests, from his very early days to his final years. Mark recently wrote an article for Canadian Holmes on Conan Doyle and the 1912 Summer Olympics, and is an authority on Conan Doyle and sports. We have another Canonical Couplet after the interview. If you are chosen as a winner, we have a mystery prize from the generous gifts sent to us by Tony Quattrochi.. Answers are due by June 29, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. EDT.   Info

"many excellent qualities" [MISS]  One of the latest books in the BSI Manuscript Series from the BSI Press is The Staunton Tragedy, the manuscript for "The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter."   Edited by Wiggins emeritus Michael F. Whelan, the book brought together Sherlockians of all stripes for a wide variety of essays about and related to the story. The story itself was fairly thin and didn't present anything in the way of crime-solving on Sherlock Holmes's part, but the essays in The Staunton Tragedy make up for that.   Series production manager John Bergquist, BSI ("The King of Scandinavia") and transcriptionist-cum-annotator Phil Bergem ("Birdy Edwards") join I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere to talk about this book and their collaboration on manuscripts that spans 10 books. If you are chosen as the lucky Canonical Couplet quiz winner, we have  a wonderful collection of Sherlock Holmes puzzle and quiz books. Answers are due by June 14, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. EDT. Information on sponsors, links, and notes

"It is with a heavy heart" [FINA]  The worlds of Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle enthusiasts have lost a giant. Jon Lellenberg, invested in the Baker Street Irregulars as "Rodger Prescott of Evil Memory" in 1974, passed away on April 24, 2021 after a short illness.   Jon's contribution to our hobby was almost too immense for words. He was a confidant and representative of the Conan Doyle Estate for many years, extending back to a close relationship with Dame Jean Conan Doyle. As an author and editor, he contributed to a number of books on Conan Doyle's life, including A Life in Letters and Dangerous Work, both co-edited with Dan Stashower, BSI ("Thurston").    Jon's knowledge of early Irregularity and the times in which those Irregulars lived and worked was unrivaled, which made him the perfect person to tackle the BSI Archival History Series. During that time, he was known as the Thucydides of the Baker Street Irregulars.   With four appearances on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, Jon gave us so much

"In glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases" [SPEC]  One of the most well-known societies in the Sherlockian / Holmesian world is The Sherlock Holmes Society of London. Originally founded in 1934, the society lost steam for a few years and was permanently re-incorporated in 1951.   Nicholas Utechin, BSI ("The Ancient British Barrow") joins I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere to discuss the society's remarkable history, including its founding, exciting events and expeditions, and its commitment to remaining a membership-based organization. You won't want to miss Nick's announcement of something very special coming up for members on May 15. The Canonical Couplet quiz winner this time will win a copy of This August and Scholarly Body: The Society at 70.  Answers are due by May 14, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. Information on sponsors, links, and notes available below. Please do consider becoming a Patron of the Arts. Your support helps us to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs, production

"magnetism which drew good humour from all around him" [VALL] It's not often that we talk bout the topic of humor on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere. Regular listeners may strain to find humor in Burt and Scott's banter, but we're fans of humor here at IHOSE. It's strange, then, that we find ourselves more than 200 episodes into this production without a nod toward Sherlockian parody. Episode 214 corrects that as we speak to Bill Peschel, who has collected more than 40 years' worth of Sherlockian parodies. In The 223B Casebook Series, Bill takes us on that journey, from the early parodies in Punch by such notables as R.C. Lehmann and P.G. Wodehouse, to two volumes of Edwardian parodies including some by Mark Twain and John Kendrick Bangs, through two volumes each of the Great War and of the Jazz Age, as well as others. Why 223B? Because they're directly next door to the 221B stories, that's why! The Canonical Couplet quiz winner this time will win their choice of a book from the series. Answers are due by Apri