July Meeting: The Yellow Face

Summer meetings tend to have low turnouts.  People are on vacation, family time is at a premium, and the weather was beautiful on Saturday, so when we had 13 folks show up for our meeting on The Yellow Face, it was a nice turnout!  Rob, Pris, Elaine, Ed, Adam, Paul, Ann and Bob were there, as well as Margie and Karl coming back after an absence.  They also brought their son Matt and granddaughter Ella with them, and we were also joined new member Kristen.  And man, did we have a lot to talk about!

We started off with a roundup of Sherlockian news.

Ed made it out to Baltimore for Scintillation of Scions and gave us a recap of the event.  It sounded like a great time!

From Gillette to Brett V is coming up in October. 

Elementary has started filming its seventh season.

The Baker Street Irregulars now have a website where people can find information about their events and publications.

A new book, Conan Doyle for the Defense, looks at how ACD used his intelligence to help out wrongfully convicted people in his day.

Kristen brought up From Holmes to Sherlock, a great book for anyone who is interested in the history of Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Adam told us about an old episode of The Incredible Hulk where Jeremy Brett played the villain.  It was jarring to see Sherlock Holmes be the bad guy!

Karl shared a picture that Matt had made years ago depicting a familiar Victorian street.  Can you find the crime being committed in it?

And, last but definitely not least, Holmes in the Heartland is next month!  We already have over forty people signed up for the weekend August 10-12, and if you haven't signed up yet, you only have a few more days.  Registration ends on July 31.

Our story starts off with Watson telling readers that "It is only natural that I should dwell rather upon his successes than upon his failures."  We then noticed a discrepancy that some editions cite The Musgrave Ritual as a failure, while others cited The Second Stain.  This was a difference between the English and American versions of the story.  There are plenty of other changes in this story other than this, depending on which side of the pond your version came from.

If "Sherlock Holmes was a man who seldom took exercise for exercise’s sake" how did he stay in such good shape?

We discussed Holmes' deductions about Grant Munro.  When Munro fails to acknowledge Holmes' powers on the first try, Holmes shocks him by announcing the man's name to him.  You WILL notice how smart Sherlock Holmes is!

We get a very long exposition of the case from Grant Munro, and we all found it curious that Effie called her husband Jack when his name was Grant.

After Munro has finished his story (which took up to nine pages in some books!), Holmes is very interested in Effie's time in America and her reticence to talk about it.

Munro is then sent off to let Holmes know if anyone is in the mysterious cottage, Holmes tells Watson that he has a provisional theory and expects the case to be one of blackmail.  This flies in the face of Holmes' own axiom: "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data" from another story.

A telegram arrives calling Holmes and Watson to Norbury, as there are still people in the cottage.  Our heroes take off and are met by Munro.  He plans to force his way into the cottage and see what's going on for himself, to which Holmes agrees to follow.

Here we had quite a conversation about the lack of Sherlock-iness of this story.  Has Holmes really done anything yet?  He's listened to Munro tell his story and then agreed to the man's plan of action.  Hardly the typical course of action for one of these stories.

When the three arrive at the cottage, Munro's wife tries to stop them, but Munro announces that "My friends and I are going to settle this matter once and forever."  We found this interesting, because just a few hours before, Munro had said "One does not like to speak of one's domestic affairs to strangers," and "It seems dreadful to discuss the conduct of one's wife with two men whom I have never seen before."  And now they're all "friends."

When the girl in the room is discovered, Watson cries out in surprise.  This from a man who has served in a war?

We then bantered about Effie's decision to leave America.  We discussed her choice as a parent, a widow, a woman with money, someone who's marriage was frowned up, and other factors.  We didn't come to a consensus on her choices, but some very well thought out points were made.

The story has a nice ending, even if Holmes didn't do much in it.  But the ending definitely led to a thoughtful discussion about the racial issues in this story.  Elaine pointed out that Doyle was progressive in his racial attitudes in this story, but not so much in WIST, SIGN and 3GAB.  And it can be difficult to read this story and not see it through today's culture.

We also talked about Doyle's lack of research in his tales.  There were no successful black lawyers in Atlanta during this time and interracial marriage was illegal in Georgia.  Could Hebron and Effie have lived in a town in the northern states named Atlanta?

A handful of group members had their copies of About Sixty, so we talked about the essay on The Yellow Face from there.  That essay argues that YELL is a southern Gothic story that turns the themes on their head.  It's also posited that Holmes failed in this case because it is ultimately a love story about Grant and Effie Munro.

We agreed that YELL isn't the best Sherlock Holmes story, but we all did think that it led to some great discussion! 

It was a fun meeting and great to see old friends and new members.  Our next meeting will be on September 8, when we meet to discuss The Stockbroker's Clerk.  And don't forget to join us for Holmes in the Heartland. 

Come at once if convenient!

Interview with Bill Cochran

Our final Holmes in the Heartland speaker interview is with perennial Sherlockian, William Cochran.  Bill is the head of the long running Occupants of the Empty House scion in Southern Illinois who meet every month and always have a delightful turnout from many towns in the surrounding area.  A former editor of The Baker Street Journal, Bill is always ready with a well thought out argument for or against any canonical topic and can definitely back up his thoughts with research. 

When the St. Louis Sherlockian Research Library was being formed, Bill graciously donated boxes and boxes of material to the collection from his personal library, including a complete run of The Baker Street Journal.  His talk at Holmes in the Heartland will definitely bring a smile to the face of any Sherlockian who enjoys reading and/or collecting.

Speaking of Holmes in the Heartland, this is the last week to register for Holmes in the Heartland!  Registration closes this Saturday, July 21st, so if you haven't registered yet, hurry up!

How did you become interested in Sherlock Holmes?

When I was about 4 years old, my cousin Maryjane was stuck babysitting with me.  She would read the stories to me and it taught me how to read.  To be honest, my first collection of books was a series featuring Bomba the Jungle Boy.  A few years later, I bought a 1920 A.L. Burt edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  I read it over and over.  Growing up in Southern Illinois, I was unaware that there were more books for a few years.  I still have that book nestled in a special place next to a 1922 A.L. Burt edition of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes presented to me by Michael Harrison.  The Memoirs was his first Sherlock Holmes book.  The fact that Holmes materials were hard to find when growing up prompted me to donate to the Sherlock Holmes collection at the St. Louis Library.

What is your current involvement with Sherlock Holmes and Sherlockians?

After 41 years of active Sherlockian pursuits, and the loss of my dear friend Gordon Speck who encouraged me to go to many Sherlockian functions throughout the United States, I realized I have become a dinosaur among Sherlockians.  I remain active as "Master of the Empty House," president of The Occupants of the Empty House who still study and discuss the original Canon.  I prefer the original narratives of Watson.  There is great power in his writings.

Do you have a particular subset of the Sherlockian hobby that really interests you?

No.  I am old and set in my ways.  The original 60 narratives can still offer much to a world that has gone awry.  His words can still teach children to achieve and excel.

What is your favorite canonical story and why?

I believe it is and shall always be "The Final Problem"/""The Adventure of the Empty House" which are one complete story.  Niehter narrative is complete without the other, but together they are the Holmes and Watson of the Canon.

Is there anything you would like to promote?

Reading and studying the original 60 narratives.  It has occupied a major portion of my lifetime.  My life has been immensely enriched by those of like mind with whom I have become acquainted.

Interview with Don Hobbs

The theme of the inaugural Holmes in the Heartland speaker series is "A Curious Collection" and the word "collection" often makes Sherlockians think about Don Hobbs.  Don will be speaking at Holmes in the Heartland one month from now about his own Sherlockian collection.  

And you have just a little over a week to register!  If you haven't, time is running out to hear Don and a bunch of other great Sherlockians speak.  So get over to the Holmes in the Heartland registration page and sign up!

How did you become interested in Sherlock Holmes? 

I became interested in Holmes early on but moved on to other interest. I became a true Sherlockian in the mid 1980’s when I began collecting seriously.

What is your current involvement with Sherlock Holmes and Sherlockians? 

In Oct. 2017, I donated my entire collection (12,000+ volumes) to Southern Methodist University (SMU) and have been involved with the cataloging the collection. I still attend the annual BSI Dinner and visit Sherlockians around the world

Do you have a particular subset of the Sherlockian hobby that really interests you? 

The other Sherlockian and non-Sherlockians are always an interesting lot of people.

What is your favorite Canon story and why? 

Silver Blaze. I like it because it shows Holmes’ ratiocination at its best.

 Is there anything you would like to promote? 

Just for everyone to keep on keeping the memory green

Interview with Mary Schroeder

It's time for an interview with the founder of the St. Louis Sherlockian Research Collection and spark plug for the Holmes in the Heartland weekend, Mary Schroeder!  A long time member of The Parallel Case of St. Louis and The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, Mary is known to many of us in the St. Louis area and the wider Sherlockian world.  Her presentation on the Research Collection next month is sure to spark interest in the jewel we have at the St. Louis Public Library!

Registration ends for Holmes in the Heartland on July 21.  If you haven't signed up yet, time is running out!   

How did you become interested in Sherlock Holmes?

I have my father to thank for many hours of reading pleasure from several authors such as P. G. Wodehouse and Mary Roberts Rinehart whom I first met at home in his books.  He also introduced me to Sherlock Homes by calling me in to the television one Saturday night to watch an airing of Rathbone's "Hound."  The film's dark scenes impacted my youthful psyche and I carry the impressions into my golden years.  For me there is no "Hound" like Rathbone's "Hound" and because I've lived with it so long

What is your current involvement with Sherlock Holmes and Sherlockians?

My current Sherlockian interests and involvements focus on the collection recently installed at the St. Louis Public Library.  I am fascinated by the power it offers to keep the Master alive and relish being part of the enterprise.

What is your favorite Canon story and why?

I must count it as my favorite of Watson's recollections, though "Silver Blaze" runs a close second.  He did much better in the story. 

Interview with Brad Keefauver

Brad Keefauver has been giving talks at Sherlockian events since 1978.  And he can always be counted on for an interesting, and sometimes provocative, take on a Sherlockian topic.  His blog, Sherlock Peoria, is a treasure trove for fascinating thoughts and ramblings.  And if you like your Sherlockiana a with a little more twists and turns, he is involved with the podcast, Sherlock Holmes is Real, which is currently in its second season.  

Brad has written a handful of books in his years as a Sherlockian, and been at the editor's desk of a few journals as well.  He was a key member in The Hansoms of John Clayton scion in Peoria, Illinois for years and then took his welcoming and gregarious nature to social media, where he has engaged with Sherlockians of all stripes over the years.

Brad is one of the guest speakers at Holmes in the Heartland this August, and is sure to get us all thinking with his talk.  Make sure you register HERE to see just what he's going to say next!

How did you become interested in Sherlock Holmes?

I saw him fight the Loch Ness monster in the Strand Theater in a movie preview, and then didn't get to see the movie for about six years. 

What is your current involvement with Sherlock Holmes and Sherlockians?

I write a blog about all things Sherlock under the heading of "Sherlock Peoria." Sometimes I've involved in the production of a podcast called "Sherlock Holmes is Real." And I also help lead Peoria's north branch library's monthly Sherlock Holmes discussion group. 

Do you have a particular subset of the Sherlockian hobby that really interests you?

Considering what we weren't told about the lives of Sherlock Holmes and John H. Watson. Connecting the Watsonian dots in ways that we weren't exactly meant to connect them.

What is your favorite canonical story and why?

A Study in Scarlet, because it's the place we first get to discover Sherlock Holmes as Dr. Watson does.

Is there anything you would like to promote?

Sherlock Holmes. Do more Sherlock Holmes, however you do Sherlock Holmes.

Interview with Tassy Hayden

The Parallel Case of St. Louis's very own Tassy Hayden will be speaking at Holmes in the Heartland this August!  Tassy is a thoughtful and energetic doctor right here in St. Louis and was a co-host of The Three Patch Podcast for a two years.  Her Sherlockian interests range from fan fiction to Jeremy Brett and you can always count on her for an intelligent take on any type of media representation of The Great Detective.

Holmes in the Heartland will be Tassy's first solo talk at a major Sherlockian event and you will definitely want to be there!  Register HERE to spend the weekend with Tassy Hayden and a whole bunch of other great Sherlockians!

How did you become interested in Sherlock Holmes?

The re-release of Disney's The Great MouseDetective occurred when I was in the second grade. By that time, I was already reading detective fiction (Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew most prominently), so I was primed to fall for the Great Detective. I read some children's adaptations of the ACD stories and kept on reading other fictional detectives but didn't revisit Canon until The Hound of the Baskervilles on a lazy college weekend. Since then, when not busy with school, residency, and establishing my medical practice, I've enjoyed consuming and considering the wealth of new adaptations as well as looking for archetypal Holmes and Watson pairs in popular media.

What is your current involvement with Sherlock Holmes and Sherlockians?

I'm a member in good standing (I think...) of The Parallel Case of Saint Louis [Editor's Note: The BEST Standing!], and I'm working my way through both the Granada series and Elementary. And there are ten or so Sherlockian books on my bookshelf awaiting perusal. I'm actually *really* excited for the Will Ferrell adaptation. I've got an idea for a pastiche in my mind, but it seems like the type of thing that will have to percolate for about a decade.

Do you have a particular subset of the Sherlockian hobby that really interests you?

As intriguing and wonderful as I find the Game, as a physician I am fascinated by Conan Doyle himself, particularly his medical education, interaction with Dr. Joseph Bell, and the impact this had on Holmes. I've long felt that about 85% of the medical information I get from a patient comes from the interview, 10% from the physical examination, and 5% from lab testing or imaging studies. The process of medical history-taking hasn't been exempt from my analysis and critique, and glimpses of great practitioners of the past help me see the good bones in our seemingly idiosyncratic method.

What is your favorite Canon story and why?

The Speckled Band because there are so many iconic elements-- the fireplace poker, the stakeout, the dark lantern, Holmes fighting a snake... I also feel that the criminal is particularly clever in this story.

Is there anything you would like to promote?

Can I say Saint Louis City itself? We've got a lot of hidden gems here, so if you've got some free time this weekend or in the future, think about checking out:

The grown-up playground that is The City Museum

Our premier independent record store in the Delmar Loop, Vintage Vinyl

The large-scale sculpture garden, Laumeier Sculpture Park

Bird-watching and pavilion-peeping in Tower Grove Park

A great collection of mid-century furniture and kitsch, The Future Antiques

A hell of a good brunch at Rooster on South Grand

The many trains (and cars and ships, oh my!) at the Museum of Transportation

One of our many microbreweries, particularly Schlafly or Urban Chestnut

And definitely grab a boozy nitrogen-frozen ice cream treat at Ices Plain and Fancy 

If you're interested in online fandom, the long-running ThreePatch Podcast, which I contributed to from 2016 to early 2018, captures the zeitgeist of that phenomenon. Fandom differs from traditional Sherlockiana in many ways, but the two hobbies are similar in the object and fervor of passion. A few big name fans have contributed to Fandom Studies as an academic field, and even silly online fans occasionally have serious conversations, like those about creator/fan interaction, fat representation in media, translating Sherlock Holmes across societies, bee-keeping, and the accuracy of science, medicine, and drug use in BBC's Sherlock. My personal favorite segment is an audio tour of filming sites in London.

Interview with Bill Mason

This week's featured Holmes in the Heartland speaker is Bill Mason of The Nashville Scholars of the Three Pipe Problem.  Bill is also the founder of the Fresh Rashers of Nashville, a Baker Street Irregular, Master Bootmaker, former Head Light of The Beacon Society, and member of numerous other scions.  Bill's 2010 book Pursuing Sherlock Holmes is a must read for any Sherlockian, and his writings have appeared all over the place, from The Baker Street Journal to a number of journals, and have even been sited by Leslie Klinger in the New Annotated Sherlock Holmes.  He has spoken at previous St. Louis symposiums, and was definitely someone we wanted to have back!

Make sure you register for Holmes in the Heartland HERE to hear what Bill has to say this time.

How did you become interested in Sherlock Holmes?

My mother was a high school English teacher; and I was an avid reader, even as a child.  On my 13^th birthday, she gave me the Whitman Classics edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  I was hooked on Sherlock Holmes from that point onward.  (And that particular volume is still the most treasured item in my collection—even though you could probably get a copy for a quarter at a yard sale.)

For years, I thought I was pretty much alone in my love of Sherlock Holmes, watching the Rathbone movies on television and reading (and re-reading) the Canon. Then, while in college, I came across the two-volume set of The Annotated Sherlock Holmes by Baring-Gould.  The annotations were great of course, but the real excitement for me was reading the dozen or so scholarly essays that opened the book and learning about the existence of scion societies, Sherlockian publications, and the Baker Street Irregulars. 

What is your current involvement with Sherlock Holmes and Sherlockians?

I am a member of the Baker Street Irregulars (“White Mason”), and I make the trip to New York every January.  In my home town, I am a member of the Nashville Scholars of the Three Pipe Problem (“The Hydraulic Press”) as well as the Fresh Rashers of Nashville, where I am the founder and “Breakfast Ringer” (presiding officer). I spent three years as “Head-Light” (president) of the Beacon Society, which gives grants to schools and libraries to teach about Sherlock Holmes.  I am also a member of the Bootmakers of Toronto, in which I am a “Master Bootmaker;” the John H. Watson Society, in which I am a charter member and have the name “Billy;” The Sounds of the Baskerville of Seattle; and The Red Circle of Washington, where I lived for many years.  I attend as many Sherlockian conferences as I can, and I have been honored to be asked to speak on many occasions.

Do you have a particular subset of the Sherlockian hobby that really interests you?

My days of collecting anything and everything pertaining to Sherlock Holmes have ended, mainly because of the sheer volume of material that is available. I focus on the “writings about the writings;” first editions of early Sherlockian literature, both fiction and non-fiction (starting with those books mentioned or excerpted in 1944’s The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes and expanding from there); and Sherlockian comic books (which number about 850 in my collection at this point).

What is your favorite Canon story and why?

My top three, in order: “The Man with the Twisted Lip” has everything a Holmes story should include: the right atmosphere, a good mystery, a glimpse at the lives of both Watson and Holmes, and a solution found in a manner that only Sherlock Holmes would employ.  The Hound of the Baskervilles introduces Holmes to his devotees more than any other tale. The book’s popularity is understandable: it never fails to produce both thrills and pleasure with each reading. Finally, “The Blue Carbuncle” is the quintessential story for studying Holmes’ methods.

Is there anything you would like to promote?

Not for myself, but I encourage Sherlockians to attend not only their local scion meetings, but also any conference, symposium or Sherlockian special event they can manage.  The real value of being a Sherlockian may begin with the Canon, but is found in the people who share the passion.  That cannot be experienced on-line or in any publication, only in person.