Archive for the ‘historical fiction’ Category
Spring is upon us, and you can prepare for both Spring and Summer vacations with plenty of good books! Check out recommendations for all ages, plus DVD’s and teaching too!
No need to wait until the end of February for the complete list. Here it is–plan ahead! Click on the link above, and also follows us on Facebook at Litland Reviews http://facebook.com/Litlandreviews
Here it is! The book of the day challenge, to recommend a new book or related media every day in 2012. January is complete, and attached for handy download–just click on the above link. February is on the way! “Friend” Litland Reviews on Facebook to see daily recommendations as they post. http://facebook.com/Litlandreviews
Grimes, Martha. Fadeaway Girl. Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Books. (February 7, 2012) ISBN-13: 978-0451235640. Written for adults. Litland.com recommends age 16+.
Watch out small town America: Emma Graham is back! Having read both The Belle Ruin and its sequel, Fadeaway Girl, I can understand why its author, Martha Grimes, says it isn’t a mystery. And yet it is, since at the core of the plot is a series of related, unsolved mysteries! However, it is simultaneously a character portrait in a historical fiction setting. Admittedly, at times in the Belle Ruin the irritating & ignorant dialogue with Delbert (the taxi driver), or Will & Mill (brother & friend) would go on longer than needed to build depth in the character. Or maybe it just seemed this to me since I was listening to the audio book version. Regardless, this is cleaned up in Fadeaway Girl. And otherwise both books are great historical fiction (and yes, mysteries too!).
This story has lots of colorful characters richly described and whose behaviors remain consistent with their personas throughout. Wiley and cunning, we see the world through Emma’s 12 year old eyes; sometimes her view is limited while at other times, more attentive than the adults. Added to that, the adults around her are painted with sufficient depth to permit us to imagine the care and concern behind their acts of kindness to Emma, and their affection for her. Ultimately that is a hallmark of good fiction, isn’t it? That the reader, being so able to understand the many characters, can imagine them beyond the pages? It certainly is of Fadeaway Girl.
Not a Catholic yet speaking often of the local parish priest, Fr. Freeman, Emma (with a vague belief in God but little respect for the priest) stops in the church in her moment of crisis. The story is otherwise absent of religious references. Given all other descriptions to set the scene and context of post-WWII small town America (Knee Hi Grape sodas, sprinkle donuts at the diner, drugstore with soda counter serving ice cream sodas, Perry Mason, Bing Crosby and others), the local church would have been part of that community culture and, so, an odd omission to not have one of its numerous characters attending a service in one of these two stories. On the other hand, as with other Martha Grimes novels, attention is paid to new age practices in this series. In Bell Ruine and continued into Fadeaway Girl, Emma is a regular customer for tarot card readings.
All in all, this portrait of Americana, enlarged with a kidnapping and murder, keeps the reader in constant motion with sufficient twists, people and settings to be is very enjoyable to the end! And since the Fadeaway Girl remains a mystery, perhaps we will see a 5th Emma Graham story in the future :>)
This is another example of a book written to adults, even though the protagonist is a 12 year old girl. It will be of interest to adult women. However, older teen girls who enjoy sharing cozy mysteries with their moms will also enjoy Belle Ruin & Fadeaway Girl. Mild profanity and use of God’s name throughout; some occult practices. Otherwise, a fairly clean story of suspense without gore, humourous reference to Emma’s not quite knowing about sex. Litland.com recommends age 16+. Get your copy to share!
The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag
Bradley, Alan. (2010) The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag. (The Flavia de Luce Series) Bantam, division of Random House. ISBN 978-0385343459. Litland recommends ages 14-100!
Publisher’s description: Flavia de Luce, a dangerously smart eleven-year-old with a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders, thinks that her days of crime-solving in the bucolic English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey are over—until beloved puppeteer Rupert Porson has his own strings sizzled in an unfortunate rendezvous with electricity. But who’d do such a thing, and why? Does the madwoman who lives in Gibbet Wood know more than she’s letting on? What about Porson’s charming but erratic assistant? All clues point toward a suspicious death years earlier and a case the local constables can’t solve—without Flavia’s help. But in getting so close to who’s secretly pulling the strings of this dance of death, has our precocious heroine finally gotten in way over her head? (Bantam Books)
Our thoughts:
Flavia De Luce is back and in full force! Still precocious. Still brilliant. Still holding an unfortunate fascination with poisons…
As with the first book of the series, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, we begin with a seemingly urgent, if not sheer emergency, situation that once again turns out to be Flavia’s form of play. We also see the depth of her sister’s cruelty as they emotionally badger their little sister, and Flavia’s immediate plan for the most cruel of poisoned deaths as revenge. Readers will find themselves chuckling throughout the book!
And while the family does not present the best of role models (smile), our little heroine does demonstrate good character here and there as she progresses through this adventure. As explained in my first review on this series, the protagonist may be 11 but that doesn’t mean the book was written for 11-year olds :>) For readers who are parents, however (myself included), we shudder to wonder what might have happened if we had bought that chemistry kit for our own kids!
Alas, the story has much more to it than mere chemistry. The author’s writing style is incredibly rich and entertaining, with too many amusing moments to even give example of here. From page 1 the reader is engaged and intrigued, and our imagination is easily transported into the 1950’s Post WWII England village. In this edition of the series, we have more perspective of Flavia as filled in by what the neighbors know and think of her. Quite the manipulative character as she flits around Bishop’s Lacy on her mother’s old bike, Flavia may think she goes unnoticed but begins to learn not all are fooled…
The interesting treatment of perceptions around German prisoners of war from WWII add historical perspective, and Flavia’s critical view of villagers, such as the Vicar’s mean wife and their sad relationship, fill in character profiles with deep colors. Coupled with her attention to detail that helps her unveil the little white lies told by antagonists, not a word is wasted in this story.
I admit to being envious of the author’s creative writing talent and assume he must be a killer competitor in Scrabble!
If this were a movie (and I wish it were!), it would likely be PG. We have a tasteful treatment of unwed traveling companions and their pregnancy. Rather than being addressed in direct and vulgar manner, the author has Flavia make a correlation of their relationship to one in Oliver Twist. Her attempt to learn about the birds and the bees is thwarted by the well-meaning adults in her life. Very few instances of slang profanity. See our review against character education guidelines for the first book in the series for more detail http://www.litland.com/reviews_15up/Sweetnessbottomofpie.html
Ultimately, the reader is left with a smile on her face, and moving the next story in the series (A Red Herring Without Mustard) to the top of her reading to-do list. Excellent read! Grab your copy at the Litland.com bookstore.
The Sweetness at the bottom of the pie.
Bradley, Alan. (2009) The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. New York, NY: Bantam Books, a division of Random House. ISBN 0385343493. Litland recommends readers age teen and adult.
Publishers description: It is the summer of 1950–and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”
Our thoughts:
When is a book a child’s book? When is it adult fiction? And when does it fall into that nebulous in-between category of teen/young adult? In times long past, the age of the character hinted at the story’s audience. But this book, written for adults, has an 11 year old protagonist. Hmm…
One way to determine the reader’s age is to look at the problems or issues dealt with in the story, and how these are portrayed. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is exquisitely detailed in its description, whether it be Flavia’s ongoing dialogue narrating the story (and she is certainly quite a talkative character!) or the description of surroundings and experiences. The deep level of detail paints a realistic picture of the murderous death of one antagonist which is a bit much for elementary and middle school readers. We also have Flavia’s reaction to the death, which is an academic curiosity and intriguant rather than a reaction of humane concern. The reader should already have developed a solid concern for humanity in order to distinguish this character flaw, or uniqueness, about the protagonist. Similarly, other descriptions such as that of the dead bird are intense.
Another way determine reader age is, of course, to look at the difficulty level of the composition; its vocabulary and sentence structure. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie certainly has a doozy of a vocabulary. Flavia has a library available to her with centuries-old texts including dictionaries! So you can expect not just a complex but a very colourful, intriguing dialogue.
And don’t forget the choice of vocabulary for slang! Once it elevates to mild cussing, it elevates to teen level reading. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie does engage occasional profanity common to British slang but which may be totally unknown to American readers: damn (ok, we know that one!), bloody and sod. Even bugger can be considered a “bad” word depending upon its use (but it is used affectionately here so no worries).
And finally, the behaviour of the characters…The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie entails rich descriptions of Flavia’s every move, sensation and vision. It is due to this rich description that the book is better set for older readers. Usually providing a more mature view of the situation, we also see Flavia’s strengths of ingenuity and innovation used in ways that child/tween reader’s mind is not yet developed to properly take in. An example would be Flavia’s poisoning of her older sister’s lipstick via chemical experimentation (which is described as curiously similar to a 45 caliber bullet), and then waiting endlessly for the effects to take root. Humourous to its intended adult market and to teens; not an idea to put into the head of those younger as their stories should maintain context from a child’s innocent perspective.
While teens and adults have sufficient cognition to pick up on the nuances in the story’s dialogue that demonstrate Flavia’s real nature vs. the ‘bratty” attitude exhibited early in the story (and which occasionally flairs up throughout), younger readers may not pick up on these elements. If your younger advanced readers are interested in the book, it would be recommended families read it together, creating opportunity to show kids how to identify these cues (improving their discernment skills, which are important to their own maturation of wisdom). Remember, there are other books for younger advanced readers intended to be for kids, full of fantasy and stimulating their imagination. Let them read kids books while they are still a kid :>)
Now, having expressed in the past that cozy mysteries are my favorite genre, I thoroughly loved this story! The intelligent, precocious Flavia is delightful and by her nature keeps the story moving quickly along yet still rich in detail. An excellent example of story telling, we are fed bits and pieces of the people until we finally have a picture of who these characters really are, and the time in history (1950). As in the best of mystery writing, the clues are covertly hidden in description waiting for us to put it all together. And mixed throughout is the humour, like when describing the age and demeanor of Miss Mountjoy, the retired librarian, as the palace of malice who is so old Noah was still a sailor in her youth.
The import of religion in this character’s life is realistic of the time period and multifaceted. We see the humour, such as the explanation of why, as having been Roman Catholics for hundreds of years, they are attending an Anglican church! It is also used to demonstrate that, in spite of her precociousness, Flavia is well-meaning in intent, continuously judges right vs. wrong, and shows contrition for bad choices. It is a story with clear demarcation of good and bad, while being aesthetically rich in beauty, history, humour and adventure. Great for book clubs, classroom lit analysis, the publisher does have a reader’s guide available too. An excellent, uplifting read and highly recommended! Be sure to read our review against character education criteria at Litland.com too!
12 days of sci-fi, day 1:
On this Easter Sunday, celebrating the resurrection and embracing the Hope it brings, it is perhaps ironic that the first story to introduce is one of compassion in a time of Christian persecution.
Carefully selected, inclusion in this anthology required the that “Faith had to be shown as a positive force, and science as a process rather than a threat.” In a genre normally riddled with dark, hopeless societies of dystopia, we are dished up rays of hope. I’ll try to identify the common virtues I see in each story as I move along. So let’s begin our 12 days of sci-fi with: The Ghosts of Kourion by Andrew Seddon, collected in Infinite Space, Infinite God II:
Ghosts of Kourion by Andrew Seddon: COMPASSION, CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
Editor’s comment: “In the end, he realizes that sometimes, it’s not a sweeping change, or even a major action, that we are called to do. Sometimes the smallest actions made in compassion can light the darkness.”
I love the self-consistency principle: “events in the chronological past are still in your personal future”. Robert, a/k/a Cassius in his 365 A.D. alias, is a “temporal historico-archeologist”. He experiences history first hand for the purpose of archaeological study. His wife and daughter died tragically but remain ever in the forefront of his mind. Told he cannot change the future of the past, his desire to help those around him is strong. Perhaps beginning as a passion to somehow change the tragic events of his present life, passion is transformed into compassion founded in his respect for others at all stages of existence.
Ultimately, the difference a person makes in this world isn’t history-making, it is people-making…making a difference in a moment of time for one person, from one moment to the next. We aren’t here to cause or prevent anything but, rather, to simply be in the moment. Pick up a copy of Infinite Space, Infinite God II yourself at http://ow.ly/4F48e
(About the author: Andrew Seddon is a native of England, Andrew writes both fiction and non-fiction. He has three novels: Red Planet Rising (Crossway Books, 1995),Imperial Legions (Broadman & Holman, 2000), and Iron Scepter (Xlibris, 2001). He has contributed a chapter to Staying Fit After Forty by Don Otis (Harold Shaw, 2001), short stories to the anthologies Sky Songs and Sky Songs II (Skysong Press, 2002 & 2005), and is co-author of the devotional Walking with the Celtic Saints (Crossroad, 2004). His short fiction appearances include Physician Magazine, Hereditas, St. Linus Review, Dreams and Visions, Lost Worlds, Galactic Citizen, Burning Light, Dusk & Dawn, Time Pilot, Show & Tell, Mediphors, and Writers’ International Forum. His non-fiction articles have appeared in numerous medical and non-medical publications. Andrew, a family practice physician in Montana, and his wife Olivia enjoy travel, classical music, marathon running, and hiking with their black German Shepherd, Finzi. http://www.andrewmseddon.com )
Introducing Karina Fabian! 
After being a straight-A student, Karina now cultivates Fs: Family, Faith, Fiction and Fun. From and order of nuns working in space to a down-and-out faerie dragon working off a geas from St. George, her stories surprise with their twists of clichés and incorporation of modern day foibles in an otherworld setting. Her quirky twists and crazy characters have won awards, including the INDIE book award for best fantasy (Magic, Mensa and Mayhem), and a Mensa Owl for best fiction (World Gathering). In May 2010, her writing took a right turn with a devotional, Why God Matters, which she co-wrote with her father. Mrs. Fabian is former President of the Catholic Writer’s Guild and also teaches writing and book marketing seminars online.
Let’s hear what Karina has to say about science fiction writing…
Why Science Fiction?
By Karina Fabian
Rob and I have a confession to make: Neither of us likes literary fiction much. Oh, we can appreciate the classics like Dickens and Twain, and I was impressed by the beauty of the language in the Secret Lives of Bees, but when it comes to angst and personal reflection, we’d like to have that mixed in with some aliens or a rip-roaring space battle.
Too often, however, science fiction gets a bum rap. People see only the aliens or the fantastic battles in space, or they classify science fiction with “Godless” fiction, and doubt it has any redeeming value beyond entertainment.
The truth is, science fiction is often used to examine the big issues in an entertaining and “safe” environment. Star Trek, of course, is well known for this, but it’s not unique. Aldous Huxley’s 1984 is a classic example–an examination of a future world where comfort and security have taken supreme precedence over individuality. This book, written in 1931, still informs our political decisions, as we balance our own needs for security against letting our government become a “Big Brother.”
Another great example, made into a movie not so long ago, was Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot. The crux of the story (and of many of Asimov’s other robot stories) were the Three Laws of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
At the heart of the stories lie the questions: Can you legislate morality? Is Right more than a set of rules to follow?
Science fiction tackles other big issues, too–prejudice (against aliens rather than a particular race–check out the TV show Alien Nation); conflict of cultures and the origin of ethics (Patchwork Girl by Larry Niven); Little Brother by Cory Doctorow looks at the opposite side of 1984–people banding together in reaction to the “Big Brother” state. Naturally, it also looks at the impact technology has on our lives–a good one for that is Rainbow’s End by Vernor Vinge, where Alzheimer’s patients are cured and must reintegrate into a radically different society from the one they remember.
It is true that religion does not often play a large role in science fiction, but often, the spirituality lies behind the scenes. However, religion in speculative fiction, even science fiction, is becoming more prevalent. When Rob and I wrote our first anthology of Christian SF, Leaps of Faith (www.leapsoffaithsf.com), we were in a small pool of writers. Now, the presence is growing, not only with publishers (like Splashdown and Marcher Lord) that are focusing on religious speculative fiction, but also with secular publishers willing to take a shot at well written books of any kind. We’re proud to be part of it with our Catholic science fiction anthologies, Infinite Space, Infinite God and Infinite Space, Infinite God II (www.isigsf.com). These last two anthologies look specifically at our faith in the future and how science and faith interact, inspire and guide humankind. (And the stories feature fantastic conflicts in time and space!) So for those looking for a more specific religious interaction, take heart! It’s out there.
Science fiction is a lot of fun. It’s exciting and escapist and fully fantastic. However, it’s also a great way to examine the big issues of our time in an environment that is removed from our day and age.
(Litland’s Note: Spot on Karina! Sci fi is fun while teasing the intellect too. Thanks for your wonderful views on this!
Tomorrow I’ll begin to post a few thoughts about each story in the anthology, so keep coming back folks. Also, today is the last day for discounted books & Kindle on Amazon for both the original ISIG and the new ISIG II…don’t miss out! http://ow.ly/4F48e )
Born and raised in Waterford, Michigan, Ann Margaret Lewis attended Michigan State University, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. She began her writing career writing tie-in children’s books and short stories for DC Comics. Before Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes, she published a second edition of her book, Star Wars: The New Essential Guide to Alien Species, for Random House.
Ann is a classically trained soprano, and has performed around the New York City area. She has many interests from music to art history, to theology and all forms of literature. She is the President of the Catholic Writers Guild, an international organization for Catholic Writers and the coordinator of the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE. After living in New York City for fifteen years, Ann moved to Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband Joseph Lewis and their son, Raymond. Together they enjoy their life in the heartland.
Now for some questions for this author!
Interview with the Ann Lewis
First, tell us a bit about Murder in the Vatican!
Ann: I have a tagline I like to use that also appears in the trailer: “A sudden death in the Vatican. An international incident over stolen artifacts. A priest’s wrongful imprisonment for murder.” But really, Murder in the Vatican is a collection of three stories (novellas) that tell “untold tales” from the Sherlock Holmes canon. “Untold tales” are stories that Watson mentions, but never gives us the details. With this book, Watson alluded to three Church-related cases, two of which deal directly with the Pope of his time, Pope Leo XIII. “The Vatican Cameos” is mentioned in The Hound of the Baskervilles, “The Case of Cardinal Tosca” is mentioned in “The Adventure of Black Peter,” and “The Second Coptic Patriarch” is mentioned in “The Retired Colourman.” So fans of the original stories can go back and find those references if they are so inclined.
Has anyone ever tried this sort of story before?
A: “Pastiche” writing, or writing Holmes stories in imitation of Conan Doyle’s style, has been done by many authors. Nicholas Meyer, Isaac Asimov and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s own son Adrian have given it a try. There are literally thousands of these kinds of stories published. (Curious folks and find an exhaustive database of Holmes-related fiction here: http://www.michael-procter.com/holmes/_index.html .) Many of these are takes on “untold tales” and all three of these very church mysteries have been tackled by other authors independently. But no one has written all three of the church mysteries mentioned in the original stories and collected them together in one volume.
It’s obvious that you imitate Doyle’s voice in this book (it wouldn’t be a Holmes story otherwise), but you also write in the voice of the Pope. What did you do to create a “voice” for someone who really existed?
A: You mean Holmes isn’t real? {Big cheesy grin} Seriously, though, Pope Leo was a writer himself, in fact one of the most prolific popes in history. So I read his writing—encyclicals mainly. He wrote about 85 of them. And I discovered that in the topics he covered, and how he addressed those topics, he was a man who was regal (he was nobility), extremely devoted to his faith (one would hope), and definitely loving and fatherly. This was confirmed when I discovered primary source material about him. I came across a great article by a contemporary journalist named James Creelman who personally met and interviewed Pope Leo—the first journalist to interview a pope. Creelman was an Agnostic/Protestant, but he was impressed by Leo’s brilliance as well his as soft-spoken, kindly nature. I also read a period biography that covered him quite well. Using works from that time helped me get a good picture of the type of man he was, and gave me good insight into his voice.
What is most difficult in writing a period piece like this?
A: Avoiding anachronism is definitely a biggie, but I think the hardest part for this project was imitating Conan Doyle’s voice. While I am familiar Doyle’s language, so is everyone else who has ever read Sherlock Holmes. I knew I’d have fans scrutinizing the text for mistakes. With Leo, I was imitating his voice as translated into English, so there was bound to be some leeway. In the Doyle’s case, you have his music or you don’t, and the pastiche will sink or swim depending on how well you sell it. It was an intimidating prospect.
And this book has illustrations!
It sure does! That was one of the neat thing we managed to do to give it the flavor of the original stories. When the Holmes tales were first published, they were all illustrated by wonderful artists, Sydney Paget in particular. And it is one thing I think most pastiches are missing. Rikki Niehaus did a fabulous job with her drawings. She even used the right pen and ink technique. Her version of Holmes is just as I imagine him and her Pope Leo is spot on. She’s very talented and I can’t wait to see more work from her.
How did you feel about fictionalizing Pope Leo XIII?
A: Popes are tricky guys to cover. Some people love them; some hate them simply because of who they are. I just wanted do him justice. He was a controversial figure in his own way, but a decent man who reigned at a transitional time for the Church. He was an important figure historically, and yet he is nearly forgotten. It mattered so much to me to get him right. And being Catholic I even asked him to pray for me. I made him, perhaps, a little more active than he really was. He was, after all, pretty old at the time the stories take place. But we’re not talking a Kung Fu action sequence or anything, so it’s all good.
A bit of spookiness in the book—you write that Leo XIII had a reported “vision” of St. Michael battling Satan. Is that a true story?
A: It is something that was documented by those who knew him and who were present when it happened. It is, apparently, the origin for the Prayer of St. Michael that was, prior to Vatican II, said after every daily (low) Mass. This prayer is still said quite a bit, and I remember being told this very story when I was a child. I looked up references to it to make sure it wasn’t urban legend, but something documented. I was amazed to find that it was.
So you’d say being Catholic helped you with writing this book?
A: Absolutely. It gave me a starting point—a perspective and a body of knowledge other people may not have. I still had to do research on the church of the time, of course. I began attending a diocesan-approved Mass in the Extraordinary Form (i.e. the Traditional Latin Mass) so I could learn about the Mass as Leo said it. I was eager to share the church as it truly was and is, as opposed to Dan Brown’s version of it.
What other books do you have in the works?
A: I have written one more Holmes piece called The Watson Chronicles that is more about Watson’s life near the end of his partnership with Holmes. I’m editing that now. Then I hope to jump into a historical novel that tells the true story of a priest in 1840s southern Indiana who was falsely accused of assaulting a woman in a confessional. Hopefully I can tell you more about that another time. J
I understand you’ve worked with other well-known characters—Star Wars and DC Comics?
A: I wrote The Star Wars Essential Guide to Alien Species in 2001 for Del Rey Books (part of Random House) as well as its second edition, The New Essential Guide to Alien Species (2007). The Star Wars gig was a lucky break for me. I was given the opportunity because I was familiar with the universe, but also because I had experience working with licensed properties. My second job out of college was working at DC Comics in their Licensed Publishing Department, so I had learned how to treat characters that belong to someone else. That was a must for Star Wars. The DC Comics stuff that I wrote is out of print, but I believe both editions of the Star Wars books are still available on Amazon.
Where can readers find you if they have more questions?
A: You can reach me by emailing me through my web site: http://www.holmeschurchmysteries.com/. Thanks for having me on your blog! It’s been great meeting you.
Welcome to Ann Lewis! I just reviewed Ann’s latest book against our character education criteria: Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes. Three entertaining novelettes make for a quick yet entertaining read. It also provides opportunity for creative homeschooling, some ideas for which Ann gives us in her guest post below:
Presenting…
Ann Lewis!
Holmes-schooling
When Conan Doyle sat down to write the first Sherlock Holmes stories, his intended audience was teenage boys. Despite what he intended, girls jumped on them as well. Holmes had so many fans, and Doyle wrote him so convincingly, that many readers wrote the detective letters asking for help in solving problems as well as proposing marriage. I, like those the teens of yore, read him first at the age of 16 and have been hooked ever since.
The Sherlock Holmes books can still be read by teenagers, and they fit well into a reading curriculum. The character is a master of observation and deduction, and he solves crimes using the scientific method. Before there ever could have been a CSI, there was Sherlock Holmes. He is a great literary lead-in for learning about logic, clear-thinking, how science now helps solve crime, as well as part of a reading unit on authors from the Victorian period.
Now—most of the short stories are indeed fine for teens (especially as they were, for the most part, the intended audience), though there are a few caveats. With “A Scandal in Bohemia” one may need to explain to their teens what an “adventuress” was. And both “The Adventure of Black Peter” and “The Cardboard Box” deal with marital infidelity. Holmes is also a smoker and a drug user, this latter characteristic being one his friend Watson criticizes repeatedly. The good doctor eventually manages to get his friend off the stuff in later stories. Perhaps parents can use these character flaws as a point of discussion when focusing on developing virtue rather than vice.
Where should one start with reading Holmes? While the first one I read as a teen was the great classic everyone knows, The Hound of the Baskervilles, I recommend starting with the short stories, that way a young person can get a taste before diving into the deep end. You can print the stories out one at a time as they are available online here with the original illustrations: http://www.ignisart.com/camdenhouse/canon/index.html . Some kids might need a little help with vocabulary, especially since it is British literature, but most of it is pretty accessible.
For first-time readers, the stories I recommend the most are: “The Red Headed League,” followed by “The Blue Carbuncle” (especially around Christmas time), “The Speckled Band,” “Silver Blaze,” “The Greek Interpreter,” and “The Dancing Men.” After these, “The Final Problem,” and “The Empty House” can be read as a set. One could then progress to other stories and the novels, of which The Hound of the Baskervilles is the best.
Holmes is most known for the observations he makes of the people around him. He can look at someone and determine much about their life and what they do. For example, after examining a man’s hat in “The Blue Carbuncle,” he deduces that the owner had no gas jets in his house, that he had fallen on hard times, and that his wife had ceased to love him. In “Red Head League,” he can tell, at first meeting his client Mr. Wilson, that he is a Mason, that he was once a laborer, that he had traveled to China, and that he had done a lot of writing in recent days. In each case, after making these declarations, he explains how he knew these things, and his friend Watson is astonished at how simple it all was.
Homeschooling families can use this simple game of observation and learn how important it is in science and in life. Take time to go “people watching” in the park and ask your kids to play Holmes. Pick out a person and see how many things they can observe about that person. Then have them explain why they believe they are right. If they are bold (and very polite) perhaps they can go ask the person if they are correct. However, you do need to pick the right person otherwise you might get some strange responses. Or—perhaps introduce them to someone you know that they have never met and have them try to figure out this person’s occupation, marriage status, etc. However, they must not “guess”—they must observe, say what they think, then explain why they think that way. Holmes never guesses. J
In short, Holmes can teach kids how to reason in a logical, orderly fashion based on what they observe. Then, after reading Holmes, you can pick up the Father Brown mysteries—a character who solves crimes in a way completely different from that of Sherlock Holmes. But perhaps he will be the subject of a later post. For now, say to your kids, “The game is afoot!” and introduce them to Holmes and his Science of Deduction. You and they will never regret it.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Thanks for the great ideas Ann! And Father Brown is a good suggestion to follow-up Holmes with too. Spring break leads into summer vacation, time to stock-up on these stories now!
