Tuesday 3 March 2009

A Ripping Yarn

Sped through The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle.

A Sherlock Holmes classic... Conan Doyle had killed off Holmes after over twenty-five adventures, but brought him back to life for this tale. It was fun to read - one of those I didn't want to put down!

Lots of parallels with this novel and my favourite book of all time, The Alienist by Caleb Carr (which, travesty of travesties, is not part of the 1000). Dr Kreizler is very much like Holmes, and the narrator, John Moore, is a doppelganger for Dr Watson - Kreizler being the enigmatic, intellectual, methodical sleuth; Moore being the fact-gatherer and public face of the case.

A joy all around. I look forward to reading the other two Conan Doyle books on the list.

Next up....Empire of the Sun by JG Ballard.

2 comments:

  1. Oh yeah, I remember you reading the Alienist. I think I must have read it too. That and A Suitable Boy, right? Good times--Madison--books. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I found a copy of A Suitable Boy at the microfilm library where I worked briefly...most boring job EVER.

    It's on the Guardian list, along with Gone With The Wind...of course! :)

    ReplyDelete