Customer Reviews

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: All 4 Novels and 56 Short Stories

5 star:		(82)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is easily the best collection of UNABRIDGED Sherlock Holmes stories I've ever encountered. The cover is tastefully designed and has the feel of a "good old book" often lacking in today's modern printed works.

I've read in other reviews that "the print is too small"... I however, find that the print is no smaller than any other book more than two or three hundred pages long, and is clear and well spaced on the pages, which are light-wight to accomodate the weight of such a large volume.

The one and only thing I could say against it would be that it IS a large book, so anyone looking to read it on the bus is likely to have trouble, but then again, it's all of Doyle's works concerning our favorite detective, and that must be taken into concideration.

Now, the stories of Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the greatest collection of exploits about a man that has ever been written. The good thing about this collection that is that it brings together a wide array of the stories---long and short. Answers to mysteries are brought to a conclusion to the reader in a cryptic manner that leaves the reader awed at the end. It is a style employed in Triple Agent Double Cross. The solutions are breath-taking and the descriptions and settings are very real to life. This is a great book.

This collection of stories about the famed detective Sherlock Holmes and his faithful "sidekick" Watson is truly a timeless classic. It is filled with intrigue, mystery, romance, vengeance and ,ultimately, murder. Its beautifully constructed plot and the whole motive of the murder, the clues and the amazing deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes will hardly fail to entertain you and keep you craving for more. Not only will you find crime and punishment on these pages, but also the unique world (the 19th century England) and personalities (cold-blooded Holmes and always left behind Watson) which Doyle has created.
There is one downside to this marvellous classic. When you are done reading the book and there are no more adventures to consume you will feel nostalgic. One could only wish to relax in the comfort of an armchair in front of a fireplace while a rainstorm rages outside and Sherlock Holmes is patiently absorbing the details of another case, on No. 221B Baker Street

This book was everything I hoped for, well bound and they come in a nice small size. very portable..

Classic stories are all there and its a reasonable price. well worth it

Full compilation of Stories- a must for Sherlock Fans. Best for readers who just want the content, not all the e

After watching the new Sherlock Holmes movie, I finally decided to start reading the Sherlock Holmes stories. There was one problem: I did not know where to start. I knew that there were quite a few stories and I wanted to read them all in the order that they were written. I searched my local library catalog and found either only some of the stories or large books containing all the Holmes stories. Instead of borrowing the large book from the library and rushing through the whole thing before the return date, I decided to buy my own copy. I searched a few websites and finally settled on this edition. The vintage-looking cover is what convinced me; it was neat and tastefully done. When I received the book I was quite satisfied, although there was one problem: the paper is very thin compared to other higher-quality books and is very white (I would have preferred a paper that was not so bleached). Nonetheless, this is a wonderful edition of the Sherlock Holmes stories and it makes for some great bed-time reading.

I've only read the first two novels so far (more like novellas really) and have enjoyed them very much (perhaps with the exception of Mary - the movie version of her was so much better. I hate the weak, faint at the mere thought of blood type of female character and I have to say, ACD certainly has romance novelists beat in the love at first sight thing *laughs* Watson meets Mary and the next night asks her to marry him!).

My one complaint is with the books themselves. Yes, books, not book. I had wanted a complete collection in ONE book and the description here, as well as some of the reviews, said this was all in ONE but it's really two books in a box. The covers are like any typical paperback, they will come apart with rough usage. The print is also fairly typical, not overly small at all (this coming from someone with bad eyesight).

I do wish amazon.ca was selling the GORGEOUS Barnes and Noble leather bound complete collection (in ONE book) as the Barnes and Nobel site is refusing to let me actually order it. I really just bought this collection to read the stories/novels for the first time with the intention of getting a very good copy (cover wise) elsewhere. Definitely worth getting these books as a first time reader for such a low price, but if you're an avid fan of Holmes and are looking for a complete collection that will last a lifetime, I'd suggest checking out one of the leather bound editions.

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.

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.

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.