tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16749171.post2820876134896778351..comments2024-03-28T11:13:05.893-07:00Comments on The Rap Sheet: The Complex Art of the ElementaryJ. Kingston Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17073921191624535912noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16749171.post-50854183838760581792012-01-14T04:34:08.468-08:002012-01-14T04:34:08.468-08:00Sherlock Holmes is amazing!Sherlock Holmes is amazing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16749171.post-59178256018151967382011-12-29T12:55:59.222-08:002011-12-29T12:55:59.222-08:00One of Holmes' deductions from the hat examina...One of Holmes' deductions from the hat examination in "Blue Carbuncle" is that the man's wife doesn't love him! This is delightful writing, but it's what I mean by Holmes being a showman first. It's brilliant improv (and he knows the stage manager--i.e., author--will be there to back him up), but, like I said, if you want really scientifically sound deduction from a hat, read Austin Freeman. He's not as showy, but you can be sure the science is sound.<br /><br />Still, I love Doyle's stories, wouldn't have missed them for the world growing up. Whatever logical flaws there my be in The Red-Headed League, for example, it's a fantastically memorable story.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16749171.post-29888295888485883202011-12-29T04:43:35.085-08:002011-12-29T04:43:35.085-08:00I think you're too hard on Sherlock and Doyle....I think you're too hard on Sherlock and Doyle. Your examples raise skepticism. For instance, I've smoked a few thousand cigars, been in the company of hundreds of cigar smokers, and not one of them trimmed a cigar with his or her fingernail. And while other criticisms ring truer, I have to wonder how any writer would ever want to criticize one of the greatest literary creations of all time. Sherlock Holmes is immortal. And his contributions to solving real crimes are well known and acknowledged.Jack Getzehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09516237388744739669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16749171.post-15304848850654522992011-12-28T14:01:52.526-08:002011-12-28T14:01:52.526-08:00Sheerluck could identify 150 different perfumes .....Sheerluck could identify 150 different perfumes ... and he was a chain-smoker. Uh-huh.Fred Zackelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16749171.post-76697842995280599972011-12-28T12:16:50.690-08:002011-12-28T12:16:50.690-08:00Interesting piece. Sherlock Holmes is a showman. ...Interesting piece. Sherlock Holmes is a showman. Arthur Conan Doyle's contemporary, R. Austin Freemna, wrote his Dr. Thorndyke tales to show what true scientific detection and deduction was like. If you want sound deductions made from observation of a man's hat, read Freeman. <br /><br />Still, Sherlock Holmes is a lot of fun and he captured the public imagination as only the very greatest literary characters have.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.com