Jump to content

The Sherlock Holmes Challenge!


Ben

Recommended Posts

Okay I'm not sure if anyone else would be interested in this, but I thought I'd make (or at least borrow from the web), a list of all the Sherlock Holmes adventures by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of which there were 60 in total (56 short stories, and four novels). I figure this can be either done as a 'read in a year' challenge, or just a on-going one (which will be how most want to do it, I imagine). I'll be in here talking about the challenge, so If anyone wants to join in, feel free to post and discuss. Without further ado..

The Sherlock Holmes Challenge

A Study in Scarlet (1887) (Novel)
The Sign of the Four (1890) (Novel)


The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)

  • 'A Scandal in Bohemia'
  • 'The Red-headed League'
  • 'A Case of Identity'
  • 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'
  • 'The Five Orange Pips'
  • 'The Man with the Twisted Lip'
  • 'The Blue Carbuncle'
  • 'The Speckled Band'
  • 'The Engineer’s Thumb'
  • 'The Noble Bachelor'
  • 'The Beryl Coronet'
  • 'The Copper Beeches'

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894)

  • 'Silver Blaze'
  • 'The Yellow Face'
  • 'The Stock-broker’s Clerk'
  • 'The ‘Gloria Scott'
  • 'The Musgrave Ritual'
  • 'The Reigate Squires'
  • 'The Crooked Man'
  • 'The Resident Patient'
  • 'The Greek Interpreter'
  • 'The Naval Treaty'
  • 'The Final Problem'

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902) (Novel)

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905)

  • 'The Empty House'
  • 'The Norwood Builder'
  • 'The Dancing Men'
  • 'The Solitary Cyclist'
  • 'The Priory School'
  • 'Black Peter'
  • 'Charles Augustus Milverton'
  • 'The Six Napoleons'
  • 'The Three Students'
  • 'The Golden Pince-Nez'
  • 'The Missing Three-Quarter'
  • 'The Abbey Grange'
  • 'The Second Stain'

The Valley of Fear (1915) (Novel)

His Last Bow (1917)

  • 'Wisteria Lodge'
  • 'The Cardboard Box'
  • 'The Red Circle'
  • 'The Bruce-Partington Plans'
  • 'The Dying Detective'
  • 'Lady Frances Carfax'
  • 'The Devil’s Foot'
  • 'His Last Bow'

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927)*

  • 'The Illustrious Client'
  • 'The Blanched Soldier'
  • 'The Mazarin Stone'
  • 'The Three Gables'
  • 'The Sussex Vampire'
  • 'The Three Garridebs'
  • 'Thor Bridge'
  • 'The Creeping Man'
  • 'The Lion’s Mane'
  • 'The Veiled Lodger'
  • 'Shoscombe Old Place'
  • 'The Retired Colourman'

*I posted these in the order which is in the majority of the newer copies of this anthology, not the chronological order.

Total: 15/60.

I'm marking what I've read in medium blue as I go. Hope to see you all with me on this one. :friends3:

Edited by Ben
Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks for posting a full list :) think I'm going to have a go at reading them all, over a few months mind you :)

No problem, and definitely! Wasn't expecting anyone to attempt it in a month (although perfectly possible by some BCFers reading speeds), but it's a nice one just to have as an easy-going dip-in now and again challenge. I might end up just taking all of 2012 to do it. :smile2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ben

Great idea ! Thank you for compiling a list of them all. Wow ,that is certainly a large number of stories. Maybe I'll toss one in now and then. I know I have several on my Kindle but not nearly all of them .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great idea Ben!

 

I have read the first few books and I chose to read them in the same order you have. :) But I accidentally skipped Memoirs and read The Hound of the Baskervilles. I definitely want to read more of Sherlock's adventures this year, although it will likely only be one book (I'm trying to make progress in many different series I've started but not finished). So this will be a very long-term challenge for me; although I might be persuaded to read one alongside you so we can discuss as we go. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently downloaded the entire Sherlock Holmes collection, so I may well take up this challenge. :)

Yay, good to have you on board. :smile2:

 

Good one , Ben! I have Adventures as a free download so I will start with that and see how I like them. My challenge plate is a bit full I will see how I go.

Ah there's always room for another challenge. ;) Good to have you with us VF.

 

I had a load of audio short stories for Chrimbo so I might pop in to discuss when I get to them.

Looking forward to hearing what you think of them. :smile2:

 

Hi Ben

Great idea ! Thank you for compiling a list of them all. Wow ,that is certainly a large number of stories. Maybe I'll toss one in now and then. I know I have several on my Kindle but not nearly all of them .

Not a problem, I thought it'd be a good one to have a shot at. Yep, there does seem to be quite a lot to get through but in all fairness aside most of the short stories are reasonably short and easy to tick off. Perfect for just dipping into now and again.

 

Great idea Ben!

 

I have read the first few books and I chose to read them in the same order you have. :) But I accidentally skipped Memoirs and read The Hound of the Baskervilles. I definitely want to read more of Sherlock's adventures this year, although it will likely only be one book (I'm trying to make progress in many different series I've started but not finished). So this will be a very long-term challenge for me; although I might be persuaded to read one alongside you so we can discuss as we go. ;)

Thanks Kylie. I've done the same thing as you by reading The Hound of the Baskervilles out of order too (in fact it was my first Holmes story). I'll almost certainly read them in the list order now though, I should think. That's understandable that it'll be a long-term job (I figured most people would do it like that seen as though we've all got a lot of other challenges to be doing). But yeah, hopefully we can at least manage one or two discussions this year. :smile2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great idea, aren't the titles great The Speckled Band, The Engineers Thumb, they just intrigue you lol

The first one is one of the ones I most want to read, Conan Doyle himself listed it as his favourite.

 

I've read A Study in Scarlet and I'm going to start The Sign of Four today.

What were your thoughts on A Study in Scarlet? I think that's the one I'm going read next.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first one is one of the ones I most want to read, Conan Doyle himself listed it as his favourite.

 

 

What were your thoughts on A Study in Scarlet? I think that's the one I'm going read next.

 

I wasn't overly impressed with it, but was still good, I felt it dragged on a bit towards the end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great idea, aren't the titles great The Speckled Band, The Engineers Thumb, they just intrigue you lol

 

The Speckled Band is a terrific story :smile: Notice how they've used those two titles in the BBC's Sherlock (as 'The Speckled Blonde' and Mrs Hudson finding the thumb in the fridge :lol: )

 

I've got the complete collection and it's 30+ years since I read any of them, so I was intending to give them another read anyway. Not setting any timescales for myself, though. :smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ones I've read prior to this challenge:

 

A Study in Scarlet

The Sign of Four

The Hound of the Baskervilles

A Scandal in Bohemia

The Adventure of the Red-Headed League

The Adventure of the Speckled Band

The Adventure of the Dancing Men

The Adventure of the Six Napoleons

 

I've possibly read others too, but these are the ones I recall reading and remember the plots. If I've read others, I'd have to re-read them to properly remember...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

great idea Ben. I have read them all already as I got the complete works years ago. Enjoy though I do reread them from time to time

Thanks Pickle, I'm sure I will enjoy - they're great little stories.

 

I wasn't overly impressed with it, but was still good, I felt it dragged on a bit towards the end.

Ah that's a shame that it wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been and that it dragged a little.

 

The Speckled Band is a terrific story :smile: Notice how they've used those two titles in the BBC's Sherlock (as 'The Speckled Blonde' and Mrs Hudson finding the thumb in the fridge :lol: )

 

I've got the complete collection and it's 30+ years since I read any of them, so I was intending to give them another read anyway. Not setting any timescales for myself, though. :smile:

I love the titles, part of the fun is being intrigued by what the titles could possibly mean. Aha, it's probably sensible not setting a time-scale. :lol:

 

Ones I've read prior to this challenge:

 

A Study in Scarlet

The Sign of Four

The Hound of the Baskervilles

A Scandal in Bohemia

The Adventure of the Red-Headed League

The Adventure of the Speckled Band

The Adventure of the Dancing Men

The Adventure of the Six Napoleons

 

I've possibly read others too, but these are the ones I recall reading and remember the plots. If I've read others, I'd have to re-read them to properly remember...

'A Scandal in Bohemia' and 'The Adventure of the Red-Headed League' are two of my favourites. I was completely at loss with where the second one was heading; it was such a bizarre plot to start with. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No problem, and definitely! Wasn't expecting anyone to attempt it in a month (although perfectly possible by some BCFers reading speeds), but it's a nice one just to have as an easy-going dip-in now and again challenge. I might end up just taking all of 2012 to do it. :smile2:

 

I might take that long aswell, or even longer hehe. I think its a great challeng idea :)

 

So it seems I've read them out of order now . . . grrrr will have to sort that one out methinks

 

A Study in Scarlet (1887) (Novel)

The Sign of the Four (1890) (Novel)

 

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)

  • 'A Scandal in Bohemia'
  • 'The Red-headed League'
  • 'A Case of Identity'
  • 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'
  • 'The Five Orange Pips'
  • 'The Man with the Twisted Lip'
  • 'The Blue Carbuncle'
  • 'The Speckled Band'
  • 'The Engineer’s Thumb'
  • 'The Noble Bachelor'
  • 'The Beryl Coronet'
  • 'The Copper Beeches'

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894)

  • 'Silver Blaze'
  • 'The Yellow Face'
  • 'The Stock-broker’s Clerk'
  • 'The ‘Gloria Scott'
  • 'The Musgrave Ritual'
  • 'The Reigate Squires'
  • 'The Crooked Man'
  • 'The Resident Patient'
  • 'The Greek Interpreter'
  • 'The Naval Treaty'
  • 'The Final Problem'

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902) (Novel)

 

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905)

  • 'The Empty House'
  • 'The Norwood Builder'
  • 'The Dancing Men'
  • 'The Solitary Cyclist'
  • 'The Priory School'
  • 'Black Peter'
  • 'Charles Augustus Milverton'
  • 'The Six Napoleons'
  • 'The Three Students'
  • 'The Golden Pince-Nez'
  • 'The Missing Three-Quarter'
  • 'The Abbey Grange'
  • 'The Second Stain'

The Valley of Fear (1915) (Novel)

 

His Last Bow (1917)

  • 'Wisteria Lodge'
  • 'The Cardboard Box'
  • 'The Red Circle'
  • 'The Bruce-Partington Plans'
  • 'The Dying Detective'
  • 'Lady Frances Carfax'
  • 'The Devil’s Foot'
  • 'His Last Bow'

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927)*

  • 'The Illustrious Client'
  • 'The Blanched Soldier'
  • 'The Mazarin Stone'
  • 'The Three Gables'
  • 'The Sussex Vampire'
  • 'The Three Garridebs'
  • 'Thor Bridge'
  • 'The Creeping Man'
  • 'The Lion’s Mane'
  • 'The Veiled Lodger'
  • 'Shoscombe Old Place'
  • 'The Retired Colourman'

*I posted these in the order which is in the majority of the newer copies of this anthology, not the chronological order.

 

 

 

I've stolen your first post Ben, I hope you don't mind but so far I am 8/60. I have The Hound of the Baskervilles on my TBR pile in book form though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm just over half way through 'The Sign of the Four ' and so far it is a very good read.

Definitely going to get onto this one soon.

 

Anyway, I just finished The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which has taken me much longer to read than I thought, although certainly not through lack of enjoyment. I'll just copy and paste my thoughts from my reading blog as they sum up my thoughts nicely.

 

Thoughts:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's first set of Sherlock Holmes stories, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a great selection of twelve cases where the genius detective and his friend John Watson, explore a series of mysterious and crimes that all at first appear perplexing. Not to Holmes of course, whose incredible deductions from the smallest of clues, continue to amaze all those about him. He tackles cases of missing thumbs and of missing indentities, disappearing people and people who just wish they could disappear, by the time Holmes is through with them. In all but one case he is in a league of his own. 'A Scandal In Bohemia' shows us the story of the woman Miss Irene Adler, an even more intriguing character who by all accounts is someone in who Sherlock Holmes has met his match. All in all then a great collection of stories, amusingly witty and clever, of which 'A Scandal In Bohemia', 'The Adventure of the Red-Headed League', 'The Adventure of the Speckled Bard', and 'The Five Orange Pips' were my favourites. I'll be definitely looking out for Holmes adventures soon.

 

5/5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Definitely going to get onto this one soon.

 

Anyway, I just finished The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which has taken me much longer to read than I thought, although certainly not through lack of enjoyment. I'll just copy and paste my thoughts from my reading blog as they sum up my thoughts nicely.

 

Thoughts:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's first set of Sherlock Holmes stories, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a great selection of twelve cases where the genius detective and his friend John Watson, explore a series of mysterious and crimes that all at first appear perplexing. Not to Holmes of course, whose incredible deductions from the smallest of clues, continue to amaze all those about him. He tackles cases of missing thumbs and of missing indentities, disappearing people and people who just wish they could disappear, by the time Holmes is through with them. In all but one case he is in a league of his own. 'A Scandal In Bohemia' shows us the story of the woman Miss Irene Adler, an even more intriguing character who by all accounts is someone in who Sherlock Holmes has met his match. All in all then a great collection of stories, amusingly witty and clever, of which 'A Scandal In Bohemia', 'The Adventure of the Red-Headed League', 'The Adventure of the Speckled Bard', and 'The Five Orange Pips' were my favourites. I'll be definitely looking out for Holmes adventures soon.

 

5/5.

 

I finished The Sign of the Four this morning and I enjoyed it a lot. Started The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes now. Good review.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finished The Sign of the Four this morning and I enjoyed it a lot. Started The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes now. Good review.

Thanks, looking forward to hearing how you get on with them, I really enjoyed them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...