Book 10 for 2005

The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume I by Arthur Conan Doyle; © 1930, 480 p., Doubleday.

The first volume in this collection contained the following novels: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. This was my first experience reading any Sherlock Holmes stories, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed them. Holmes is a flawed hero, which I found to be a bit surprising. He gets ill and has a few very nasty habits. Of the stories presented in this volume, I was particularly intrigued by those in which America or Americans were portrayed. A Study in Scarlet involves an intricate story that takes place among the Mormons of Utah; "The Five Orange Pips" is a short story involving the KKK. The artistic range of the Holmes stories is not limited, but rather quite diverse. Much more diverse that I expected. I look forward to the day when I will read the second volume.