Thursday 31 December 2009

Isn't Blogging Marvellous!


Picture courtesy of pressing digressions

Isn't the internet wonderful? Who would have believed a wee quiz about Scotland would have gained the attention of one of the most prolific biography writers of Sherlock Holmes.

Much has been written about Conan Doyle but I did get question 5 wrong because I had no idea he had Scottish connections. It would seem he had as much connection as a modern day Scotland team footballer by all accounts.

Here is the comment from Jon Lellenberg:

Regarding #5, What connects Sherlock Holmes to Scotland, the correct answer would actually be: d) None of the above. Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, and went to its university, but he was not Scottish, and never thought he was. His father was from an Irish family resident in London so long they had come to think of themselves as English, and his mother came from Ireland. His father was in Edinburgh for a specific job; after Conan Doyle got his first medical degree, he left for England and never lived in Scotland again, which was also true of his brother and five sisters as each of them came of age.

So there we have it, or there I have it, because I'm far more informed so thank you Jon.

But there's more! Jon further contributed:

I used to live in Washington, but now live in Chicago. And it's actually two books about Conan Doyle, a long time ago one entitled THE QUEST FOR SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE about how he's been treated biographically, and two years ago co-authored ARTHR CONAN DOYLE: A LIFE IN LETTERS, an annotated edition of his family correspondence over a 54-year period (1867-1920), prepared with my friend Dan Stashower, author of the best recent Conan Doyle biography, TELLER OF TALES.

In response to other comments, Conan Doyle basec the Sherlock Holmes method on an old professor of his, Dr. Joseph Bell. He at any rate was Scottish.

May I thank you Jon for the information. Many will appreciate it.

I'll still watch the episodes on TV though and read the books because, as I say, I'd no idea he had any connection to Scotland - unless he was a Scotland footballer which I doubt!

17 comments:

cynicalHighlander said...

Age doesn't restriction ones ability or yearning to learn as we all learn something everyday only, or should do otherwise what is the point in carrying on. Been snowing on and off all day 16" plus but we just hope that the Gulf stream keeps flowing and that the union declines.

All the best for 2010 to yourself and readers/posters and lets build a new begining with all its pitfalls/advantages. Slainthe.

Witterings from Witney said...

HNY SR!

Anonymous said...

I did know of his Edinburgh connections, but I thought that he was actually Scottish. Aye the Net's a wonderful palce for learning stuff. How did we manage without it?

Happy New Year to all your readers SR... and of course to you and your family.

Conan the Librarian™ said...

A quote from Arthur Wellesley on being born in Ireland.
"Being born in a stable does not make one a horse"
But it certainly makes the Duke of Wellington to be an English arse.

Trident said...

Happy New year - here's to a better one.

Clara x

subrosa said...

Clara, how delightful to hear from you.

A Happy New Year to you and yours. Good health and prosperity too although both will be difficult in today's political climate.x

subrosa said...

Thank you CH. It hasn't snowed here today so movement hasn't been restricted.

Some friends, who live away from a main road, although they are medics, phoned the council today, only to be told nothing will be done because the council was on holiday until 5 January.

Can you believe it? I suppose you do sadly.

Not so long ago if on-call medics were snowbound the council would have given them top priority. Now hundreds can fall and break limbs yet the people who can help are stuck.

What's this country coming too...

subrosa said...

Happy New Year WfW and many of them. Good health is the most important thing so take care of yourself.

subrosa said...

Happy New Year Tris and better health for this year.

Lang may yer lum reek tae!

subrosa said...

Happy New Year dear Conan to you and yours.

I was born in a nursing home but it never made me a nurse. :)

Political Dissuasion said...

Aaaaaargh! Subrosa, please publish the answers to the quiz. I'm sure I've done embarrassingly badly, but I've just got to know how badly... and it's not the same looking them up (partly as it involves effort).

CBBAAACCBC

Happy New Year to you Subrosa, may all your Dundee-Wifey-wishes come true.

subrosa said...

PD I have published them! You didn't do too badly at all. Well done in fact.

Happy New Year to you and yours and thank you for your good wishes.

subrosa said...

`PD, I'm so sorry I thought I'd published them earlier. They were still on 'draft' so it's completely my error.

Forgive me.

Andrew said...

I think Doyle's Edinburgh birth and upbringing had more influence on him than your correspondent believes. If/when you read his books (mostly set in the South of England) you will be amazed at how many of the characters have SCOTTISH names.
If he believed he was Irish surely he would have used Irish names!

subrosa said...

I've noticed that Andrew. Jon may return and answer you too.

Andrew said...

I've also just remembered that ACD gave the Irish name of Moriarty to the most evil man in the world. Hardly a tribute to his Irish roots!

subrosa said...

Yes indeed Andrew. I must see if Jon knows why that was.

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