[.ca] The Complete Sherlock Holmes (ISBN 0517220784)

From Amazon.com:
This volume, authorized by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate, contains all 4 full-length novels and all 56 short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes. At over a thousand pages, the weighty tome is a perfect gift for budding amateur sleuths, and it is an ideal companion for a long stay on a desert island (or a leisurely trip through the English countryside). As the reader wades past the tense introductions of A Study in Scarlet and moves towards such classic tales as The Hound of the Baskervilles, "The Adventure of the Speckled Band," and "The Final Problem," she is sure to draw her own conclusions about Holmes's veiled past and his quirky relationship with his "Boswell," Watson. Doyle never revealed much about Holmes's early life, but the joy of reading the complete Holmes is assembling the trivia of each story into something like a portrait of the detective and his creator. By the end of the long journey through London and across Europe (with a long stopover at Reichenbach Falls), one is apt to have found a friend for life. --Patrick O'Kelley

The print IS too small!:
The book is oversized but I agree with the previous reviewer that the print is too small--luckily, I found "The Annotated Sherlock Holmes" edited by William S. Baring-Gould at a used bookstore and is the BEST complete Sherlock Holmes collection I have EVER seen and the supplemental material is extensive and staggeringly wonderful--try to find that one (it will probably be in 2 volumes)in the used book section of this site...

The BEST book I have ever READ!:
Hi, I was reluctant to read this books since year. I have read one story and now I am addicted. Please read this. Holmes stories are the wonder of the world.

Great book if I could see it!:
Print is too small.No, not just for my 61 year old eyes.This was a Christmas gift for my 11 year old grandson. Half way though the first story he had a headache. Returned the book and I'm shopping for something "visible"!!

Elementary, my dear reader:
The first Sherlock Holmes book I ever read was given to me as a gift for my thirteenth birthday. It was a collection of the short stories, with a wonderful leather trim and gold leafing, and I thought it was fantastic. I read the first story, and was instantly hooked. Within a few days, I was disappointed with my wonderful new book because it was incomplete. I had devoured all of the selected stories, and was ready for more. Shortly thereafter, I purchased what purported to be the 'only complete Sherlock Holmes available', compiled by Christopher Morley. This became my favourite book. However, I have continued to collect editions of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and this is one of those collections. It does contain all the short stories and all the novels. It does not have illustrations or other commentary, and the print (in a double-column format) is rather small, but it is nonetheless a useful text for those who don't want to have a heavier book in their hands. The original stories, which appeared in The Strand magazine, were illustrated, by the great illustrator Sidney Paget. From the beginning introduction of Holmes and Watson to Holmes' gentle retirement to beekeepping on the southern coast of England, this book contains all the essential stories (none of the apocryphal, anecdotal, or tribute-written pieces are contained here). Holmes was often thought to be a real person, and Sherlockians the world over still search for 'evidence' to prove that he was. During his 'lifetime', the post office for the Baker Street area regularly received mail addressed to Holmes or Watson at 221B Baker Street. While such an address does not (and did not during the late Victorian era) exist, there is a business on the site that would be 221B, and they have dedicated a desk to Holmes, and strive to answer mail received in the great detective's name. Perhaps the two elements that made Holmes and Watson the world-renowned figures that they became are, first, the dominance of the British Empire globally at the time Conan Doyle was writing, which made English things sought-after, admired, and to be emulated, and secondly, the introduction of a method of detection hitherto unknown, both in the annals of detective stories (save perhaps in a proto-form in Poe and a few other obscure pieces of dubious literary merit) and in real life. Holmesian tales became required reading in the training of police and detectives in many parts of the world. It is still recommended even when it is not required. Holmes permeates other literature and venues as well. When Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation looks for images of Holmes, he is being guided by the descriptions in the stories as well as by the illustrations in The Strand. When the BBC produced Jeremy Brett's rendering of Holmes, the same holds true. When Basil Rathbone's films were cast, these illustrations and stories were uppermost in the directors' minds. So, pull some tobacco from your persian slipper, stoke your pipe, scratch out a tune on your violin, and re-enter the gas-lit world of the foggy London, where danger is afoot and one detective can always save the day.

Doyle's Legacy:
Of all the memorable characters in literature, Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is justly one of the most famous (rivaled by only a small handful of others). In the Complete Sherlock Holmes, you find this peculiar, proper, analytical, brilliant consulting detective. You also meet his equally famous boswell, Dr. Watson, and unforgettable criminals, plots and deductions. There are four novels and fifty-six short stories. Many of them are masterpieces. A few, especially some of the later works, are dated and disappointing (thus only four stars). But do not be too concerned. After you read this series, you will see why the pipe smoking genius of Baker Street has fans throughout the world. Highly recommended.