Quotable Sherlock

In Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created two of the most memorable -- and recognizable -- characters ever invented in English literature. The 56 short stories and four novels that make up the Sherlockian canon have delighted and intrigued readers all over the world for more than a century, ever since their first publication, in Victorian London. The great consulting detective and his faithful narrator and sidekick were later immortalized on stage and screen by a wide variety of actors. Although the Great Detective was a serious fellow, the stories have both a droll sense of humor and, at times, a profound insight into the human condition. Many of their phrases and expressions -- Elementary, Watson, The game's afoot and others -- have entered the lexicon of everyday speech.

In Quotable Sherlock, David W. Barber brings together the best and most memorable of Conan Doyle's expressions from the Sherlock Holmes stories. There is also a selection of the famous illustrations Sidney Paget and others created for the original editions.