Who’d Be Invited to His Party?

Although Arthur Conan Doyle never announced Sherlock Holmes’ birthdate in his stories about him, scholars have since reasoned—not without dispute—that he was born on January 6, 1854. Were he still alive (presuming he ever actually existed), he would be blowing out 165 birthday candles today—perhaps too challenging an endeavor, even for a consulting detective so durable and distinguished.