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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at 150: Sesquicentennial News
Conan Doyle was born on 22 May 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Sherlockians, scholars and reporters marked the 150th anniversary of Doyle's birth with special events, new books, and reports in the media.
Conan Doyle wrote the first Sherlock Holmes story in 1886 and saw it published a year later in Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887, which is now the most expensive magazine in the world. Holmes is the world's most famous detective and is arguably one of the most famous and enduring literary characters of all time. He appears in 56 short stories and 4 novels by Conan Doyle that were published over a period of 40 years.
Although best-known for Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur was also a pioneer in science-fiction, and his book The Lost World inspired later works like King Kong and Jurassic Park. He wrote tales of the supernatural, including predecessors to The Mummy, as well as historical works like The White Company and his Brigadier Gerard short stories.
Harvard Conan Doyle Symposium
Harvard's Houghton Library hosted a symposium and exhibition to honor Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 2009. The symposium, entitled "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: A Sesquicentennial Assessment," took place on May 7 – 9 and included 14 speakers on a wide range of topics.
Symposium Proceedings
Papers at an Exhibition, Arthur Conan Doyle: A Sesquicentennial Assessment edited by Peter X. Accardo, John Bergquist, and Dan Posnansky
This book includes the 14 papers presented at the symposium.
http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/acdpapers.html
The Baker Street Blog, May 22, 2009
"A Man of Excellent Birth and Education" [SILV] by Scott Monty
Summarizes each of the presentations at the symposium and provides links to many excellent resources
http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2009/05/man-of-excellent-birth-and-education.html
Harvard College Library News, May 11, 2009
Symposium Studies Doyle's Contributions to Literature
Reports on the symposium, quotes several speakers, and includes two photos
http://hcl.harvard.edu/news/articles/2009/doyle_symposium.cfm
The Harvard Gazette, May 14, 2009
Not so elementary, my dear Watson by Peter Reuell
Similar to the HCL article, with some other information and a photo of an exhibit item
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/05/not-so-elementary-my-dear-watson/
Symposium Program and Details
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: A Sesquicentennial Assessment
Advance description which includes a full list of speakers and topics
http://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/houghton/events/doyle_symposium.cfm
Conan Doyle Exhibit at Harvard
Harvard's Conan Doyle exhibition opened at the Houghton Library on May 5 and continued through August 8, 2009. It included rare books, manuscripts and ephemera from Houghton, the H.W. Bell / Speckled Band of Boston Collection, the Baker Street Irregulars archive, and private collectors.
The main exhibit area is on the entrance level of Houghton Library and is open during library hours. Another part of the exhibit, which includes the original manuscript of the Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the Three Students," is in a room on the second floor. That room might not always be open, so consider calling ahead to confirm. There is no charge to view the exhibit.
Harvard College Library News, April 24, 2009
Doyle's Literary Legacy Explored,
Brief description of Harvard Conan Doyle Exhibition with photo of the Harvard Beeton's
http://hcl.harvard.edu/news/articles/2009/doyle_exhibition.cfm
Exhibition Details
"Ever Westward": Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in American Culture
http://www.hcl.harvard.edu/info/exhibitions/index.html#ever_westward
Exhibition Catalog
A printed catalog of the exhibition by Peter X. Accardo was distributed at the symposium, and a revised hardcover version was part of a Limited Edition Boxed Set.
Manuscript Facsimile
See my page on the facsimile of "The Three Students" manuscript, edited and introduced by John Bergquist for more details on this new book.
RCSE 150th Anniversary Celebration
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh held a two-day event on May 22 – 23 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Conan Doyle's birth. Doyle attended medical school in Edinburgh, and he took his anatomy exams at the RCSE. Their museum holds some original Conan Doyle material. Speakers included Owen Dudley Edwards, Andrew Lycett, and Professor Alistair Fowler.
Events at Surgeons' Hall Museums
150th Anniversary Celebration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Advance description of the event
http://www.rcsed.ac.uk/site/1042/default.aspx
Edinburgh Blog, May 19, 2009
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 150 years celebration
Similar advance details plus a photo of a Holmes statue
http://www.edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com/about/blog/sir_arthur_conan_doyle_150_yrs.aspx
In the News - Conan Doyle at 150
While hundreds of brief announcements reported the 150th anniversary of Conan Doyle's birth, the following articles provided the most useful information.
BBC News, May 23, 2009
Sherlock Holmes' enduring popularity by Vincent Dowd
A short examination of why Holmes remains popular (700 words)
Listen to the audio version for more details.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8063739.stm
The Baker Street Blog, May 22, 2009
"A Man of Excellent Birth and Education" [SILV] by Scott Monty
Monty highlights many sesquicentennial reports and offers details the Harvard Symposium.
http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2009/05/man-of-excellent-birth-and-education.html
The Times, May 22, 2009
Sherlaw Kombs and the Odd Impersonators by Andrew Lycett
About literary fan-dom, Holmes pastiches and parodies (800 words)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6337434.ece
The Telegraph, May 22, 2009
We still believe in Sherlock Holmes, even in the age of DNA by Melanie McDonagh
On Doyle, Holmes, and modern detection (600 words)
The Christian Science Monitor, May 19, 2009
The curious incident of Conan Doyle's 150th by Lyn Shepard
About Sherlock Holmes and Meiringen, Switzerland (800 words)
http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Arts/2009/0519/p17s04-algn.html
The Times, May 19, 2009
Made from Conan Doyle tree: a violin fit for Sherlock Holmes by Lindsay McIntosh
A violin is made from a tree at Doyle's childhood home (600 words)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6315442.ece
The Scotsman, May 18, 2009
Elementary, my dear Edinburgh by Jim Gilchrist
Feature article focusing on Doyle's early days, especially as they relate to Edinburgh, quoting Owen Dudley Edwards and Andrew Lycett (1,900 words)
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/-Elementary-my-dear-Edinburgh.5275147.jp
Radio Reports Online
BBC Radio, October 22, 2008
Conan Doyle speaks about creating Sherlock Holmes
Listen to an actual recording of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle speaking about Sherlock Holmes.
One-minute excerpt from the BBC
A two-minute excerpt is streamed free online from The British Library Sound Archive
(search for CKEY6933120 at their Sound Archive Catalogue website)
BBC Radio, May 22, 2009
Sherlock Holmes' enduring popularity (Why Sherlock Holmes has remained so popular)
By Vincent Dowd, includes interviews with Andrew Lycett and Dan Stashower
Streaming Audio (8 minutes)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/video_and_audio/8064299.stm
Or see the shorter, written summary
BBC World Service, May 22, 2009
The Strand, BBC's global arts and entertainment program with Harriett Gilbert
The curious case of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's success and Sherlock Holmes' enduring popularity
Includes comments about Doyle and Holmes by John Sutherland, Andrew Lycett, Catherine Cook, Guy Marriott, Ruth Armstrong, Roger Llewellyn and others
Streaming Audio (26 minutes, limited-time availability)
Holmes material in first minute, and from minute 10 to 20 in the program
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0032t0m
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/audioconsole/?stream=thestrand_fri
BBC Radio Scotland, May 22, 2009
Vote for Conan Doyle! by Bert Coules
A dramatized version of Conan Doyle's run for parliament in Central Edinburgh in 1900.
Doyle is played by John Sessions
Streaming Audio (30 minutes, limited-time availability)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kj0hy
Readers' Review, The Diane Rehm Show, aired at 11am Eastern on 20 May 2009.
Discussing The Hound of the Baskervilles
It was produced at WAMU 88.5FM and distributed by NPR, NPR Worldwide, and SIRIUS satellite radio.
This interview with Peter Blau, Dan Stashower, and Carla Coupe includes questions from callers to the show.
Listen to the 51-minutes show in Windows Media streaming audio or in Real Audio for RealPlayer format
For a CD, transcript, and other program details see
http://wamu.org/programs/dr/09/05/20.php
BBC Radio Scotland, May 18, 2009
In the Footsteps...of Conan Doyle
Scottish crime writer Val McDermid explores Conan Doyle's Edinburgh
Streaming Audio (30 minutes, limited-time availability)
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