“The most dangerous condition for a man or a nation
is when his intellectual side is more developed than his spiritual.”
Arthur Conan Doyle
“The Logical Song” by Supertramp (courtesy of Cruz De Ferro Motoclube Brasil):
“Life is actually a series of encounters
in which one event may change those
that follow in a wholly unpredictable,
even devastating way.”
from Jurassic Park
“Dance of the Knights” from “Romeo and Juliet” by Sergei Prokofiev, performed by Gautier Capuçon, Jérome Ducros, and Orchestre Lamoureux:
SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930
Courtesy of Oxford Digital Media:
Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859 in Edinburgh and educated at Stonyhurst College and Edinburgh University. He qualified as a doctor and had a practice in Southsea, Portsmouth.
Stonyhurst College
Courtesy of BBC Studios:
Edinburgh University
The success of his creation, the detective, Sherlock Holmes, enabled Conan Doyle to abandon his career as a doctor to live by his pen; his ambition to make his literary reputation by writing historical novels rather than tales of detection was, however, rejected by readers as well as publishers, who demanded to read more of the stories about the eccentric detective whose genius has held readers in thrall for more than a century now.
“Discombobulate” by Hans Zimmer (courtesy of kia4465):
Courtesy of TED-Ed:
It would be hard to name another modern literary character who has achieved such international celebrity. Sherlock Holmes’ several intriguing qualities are immediately apparent: the excitable intellect, the passion for scientific inquiry, the preternatural skill at quickly interpreting, in revelatory detail, evidence that is in plain sight but invisible to everyone else.
“Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77: II. Adagio” by Johannes Brahms, performed by Frank Peter Zimmermann and Berliner Philharmoniker:
Conan Doyle’s conception of a scientific, rationally deductive detective was based in part upon Dr Joseph Bell, a professor with whom the author had studied during his medical education at the University of Edinburgh. “He was a very skilful surgeon,” Conan Doyle wrote in his autobiography, “but his strong point was a diagnosis, not only of disease but of occupation and character.”
Dr Joseph Bell
Courtesy of Royal Medical Society:
Combining Bell’s diagnostic gifts with elements drawn from the early detective tales of Edgar Allan Poe and Wilkie Collins, Conan Doyle imagined an investigator who would solve cases “on his own merits and not through the folly of the criminal.”
Edgar Allan Poe
Wilkie Collins
This was one of the reasons that perhaps for the first time in the genre, the detective himself became the focus of the reader’s fascination that was quick to take hold.
The editor of The Strand Magazine asked Dr Conan Doyle to write a few detective stories, and if the author had his way that might have been the end of Sherlock Holmes. When The Strand asked for more Holmes stories, Conan Doyle named an exorbitant price as a deterrent; to his surprise, they readily agreed to his terms. After this second set of cases had run, The Strand requested twelve more, and again the author named a price he was sure would be prohibitive. Once more the magazine happily agreed. Sherlock Holmes proved too popular to be put to rest.
“Frédéric Chopin (Variation) Nocturne in F Minor Op. 55 No. 1 for Piano, Violin, Cello” by Chad Lawson
(courtesy of Classical World • Klasik Dünya):
Indeed, eager to be free of his creation, Conan Doyle completed this additional Strand commission with “The Final Problem,” a story in which he seemed to kill Holmes off in an encounter with his arch-enemy. The outrage among readers was such that the author eventually reopened the Holmes casebook, producing a stream of new stories throughout the rest of his writing career.
Courtesy of Saxon Brack:
THE LOST WORLD
Doyle also wrote historical romances and his scientific novel The Lost World was the first of a series of stories to feature the cantankerous Professor Challenger. No one believes controversial scientist Professor Challenger’s story about prehistoric animals still living on a remote plateau in South America, so he takes an expedition back there to prove it.
Among the team is our narrator, the journalist, Edward Malone. What they find in the furthest stretches of the River Amazon is shocking, terrifying, and life-threatening. Will they all survive their trip back in time?
The tension in Conan Doyle’s fascinating adventure builds slowly, and he describes in detail the flora and fauna the team encounters along the way. His basic idea has inspired many other novels and films over the years, including Michael Crichton’s The Lost World and Steven Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park.
After Doyle’s son died in World War I, he devoted most of the rest of his life to the study of spiritualism and wrote several books on the subject. He died in 1930.
“Sir Arthur” by David Hicken:
An extract from The Lost World:
“Early next morning we were again afoot and found that the character of the country had changed once again. Behind us was the wall of bamboo, as definite as if marked the course of the river. In front was an open plain, sloping slightly upwards and dotted with clumps of tree-ferns, the whole curving before us until it ended in a long, whale-backed ridge. This we reached about midday, only to find a shallow valley beyond, rising once again into a gentle incline which led to a low, rounded sky-line. It was here, while we crossed the first of these hills, that an incident occurred which may or may not have been important.
Professor Challenger, who with two locals was in the van of the party, stopped suddenly and pointed excitedly to the right. As he did so we saw, at the distance of a mile or so, something which appeared to be a huge grey bird flap slowly up from the ground and skim smoothly off, flying very low and straight, until it was lost among the tree-ferns.
‘Did you see it? cried Challenger, in exultation. “Summerlee, did you see it?’
His colleague was staring at the spot where the creature had disappeared.
‘What do you claim that it was?’ he asked.
‘To the best of my belief, a pterodactyl.’
Summerlee burst into derisive laughter ‘A pter-fiddlestick!’ said he. ‘It was a stork, if ever I saw one.’
Theme from “Jurassic Park” by John Williams, conducted by John Williams and Vienna Philharmonic (courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon):
naturetails 
WOW Joanna, you certainly have an impressive list of authors and their fabulous books. You did quite a bit of research for this piece. Bravo my friend. Great job!!! 👏🏼🥰👏🏼
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Sherlock Holmes is still inspiring authors today, Including one by Isabelle Allende.
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Another great piece Joanna. I never read any of Conan Doyle’s work and really did not know much about him. I think Dr Bell must have been an interesting character. For me Holmes always looks like Basil Rathbone. Those old black and white films seem dated and corny perhaps but such fun. Loved your musical choices as always. Many thanks. Now I can start the weekend!
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Joanna,
What an enjoyable mix of music, video and text as you paint this picture of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for us to immerse ourselves in.
Riding that British motorcycle off into the sunset was a first for me and the “The Logical Song” music was a perfect match. Go Pro cameras put you right in the action. I didn’t know Doyle was a biker until I looked it up! I can imagine Sir Arthur listening to the “Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77: II. Adagio” by Johannes Brahms (1879), while solving a case in his mind.
Having a medical background, I can just imagine Doyle’s remarkable surprise at the deductive reasoning of his mentor, Dr Joseph Bell. Upon a casual meeting on the street, Bell can determine the education, place of origin, military career and recent vacation destination by this stranger’s language and appearance. When reading “The Beekeeper’s Apprentice” by Laurie King, I was introduced to this same style of deduction observed by Molly Russell the younger female in this engaging book.
Not only did he borrow his elements of style from other writers (Poe and Collins), I think Alfred Hitchcock used some of Doyle’s techniques in his movie making. The shadows, music, facial expressions and lurking personalities all seem familiar. Nor did I previously make the connection between his “The Lost World” and the more current movies which are similar. As I have heard said, “Mimicry is the most sincere form of flattery.” Stewart
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Extensive compilation and research, Joanna. A literature course! Arthur Conan Doyle – excellent choice.
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Thank you, Michele, for your kind comments! Greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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Thank you, Stewart, for your wonderful comments!
Your analytical thoughts and additional information made me want to find out more, thank you.
I deeply appreciate Stewart, your reading and commenting on my post.
Joanna
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Thank you, Carolyn, for your kind and honest comments. Greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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Thank you, Pat, for your kind comment. Greatly appreciated.
Joanna
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Thank you, Kym, for your wonderful comments! I do greatly appreciate all your exclamation marks! Big Thank you!
Joanna
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I’m so glad that you’ve included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Joanna. He was another author who captured my imagination when I was younger – and there are no prizes for guessing which one of his books was my favourite.
Once again, you’ve put together some great information about the author and his books, not to mention a superb collection of music. I especially enjoyed Hans Zimmer’s ‘Discombobulate’. Where do you find all this stuff? 😊
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Thank you, Malc, for your lovely comment! How could I not write about Sherlock’s author when I even lived for a few years opposite the Selfridges, in Baker Street. How I find things? It is easy when you know how!
By the way, you have probably made arrangements to walk on the ancient mosaic floor where the king is going to be crowned, but a few days after the event and just in socks as the mosaic is precious, you wrote about in your excellent tour of the Westminster Abbey.
Joanna
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You’re welcome Joanna – and what a coincidence that visitors are now going to be able to walk on the Cosmati Pavement. Hope I’m able to make Christ Church on Monday.
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Conan Doyle’s writing is impressive and your review of his life and work reads so well! Surely, no one has missed at least some of his stories whether in books, dramas or films! He is surely one of the most acclaimed writers touching us all. Thank you Joanna for another enlightening post! I hope you will be having a restful weekend, perhaps in the garden doing some early work there. 💌🌹💓💐🤗xx
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Thank you, good news.
Joanna
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Thank you, Joanna, for bringing this post to this world of blogs. We learn many things from this world. Your work is always excellent and highly appreciated.
//“The most dangerous condition for a man or a nation is when his intellectual side is more developed than his spiritual.”//
This quote suggests that if an individual or a nation prioritizes intellectual development at the expense of spiritual growth, it can lead to dangerous consequences. While intellectual growth can lead to advancements in technology and science, it’s essential to balance it with spiritual development to ensure ethical and moral considerations are taken into account.
Similar statements can be seen in Vedantic Texts. hat is why Vedanta Philosophy focuses on the development of SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
Spiritual growth can involve cultivating a sense of purpose, empathy, and connection to something greater than oneself. It can also involve developing a moral compass and a sense of compassion towards others. When individuals or nations prioritize intellectual development without considering the spiritual implications, they may become disconnected from their sense of purpose and ethical responsibility. This can lead to harmful actions, such as exploitation, oppression, and destruction of the environment.
Joanna,
I want to take a moment to praise you for the exceptional quality of your work in each posts. Your writing is clear and concise, and composition is masterful. The pictures are stunning, and they perfectly capture the essence of the topics you write about. Always collection of information is impressive, and references to history are spot on. I always look forward to reading your posts, and I am constantly impressed by the depth of your knowledge and the skill.
YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON INDIAN CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY IS BEYOND MY UNDERSTANDING.
Best wishes and regards.
Arun.🙏🙏
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Thank you, Ashley, for your lovely comment! It is very fulfilling to hear that the readers enjoyed the post. In my garden quite a few plant are flowering but I cannot do much work because I don’t want to disturb the nest building going on in earnest.
Joanna
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Thank you, Arun, for your eloquent comments, and your views resonate closely with mine, that is why I read your posts with interest, and India is my favourite country.
Thank you, Arun, again, your praise is greatly appreciated.
Joanna
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🙏😊🙏🤝
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A wonderful post, as always.
Sherlock Holmes has become so much a part of our lives that he almost seems to have a life of his own.
Unfortunately I must admit that I still haven’t read the other novel you are talking about: “The Lost World”
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Thank you, Luisa, for your lovely comments! There is plenty of time to catch up in the future.
Your reading and commenting are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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Fantastic list, Joanna! I’m currently reading ‘The White Company’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – it felt fascinating to get to know him more here! Edgar Allan Poe is yet another favourite writer of mine. I had no idea about the inspiration behind Sherlock Holmes, it’s beautiful learning about connections that have defined generations of literature.
Thank you for the informative share as always, Joanna! Wishing you a great weekend!❤️
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Thank you, Deepthy, for your generous comments! You are as always very well read and informed.
I deeply appreciate your words, thank you!
Joanna
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A pleasure as always, Joanna!
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My praise is always deserved❣️
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You are welcome! 🌻
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Thank you, Joanna, for this post on a great book, great character and great author. Although I have not read much detective stories, but Arthur Conan Doyle was an exception. A senior colleague of mine was very much perturbed, when his only son after passing Engineering course and getting a job in a multinational company, decided to travel across India before taking up writing as a career.
Then I reminded him of this author, a qualified physician who had given up his medical practice to create the immortal character of Sherlock Holmes. It’s in the blood I guess how and why one chooses a particular profession. I love that you quoted him that his strong point was diagnosis, not only of disease, but also of occupation and character.
Although The Lost World was a change from Sherlock Holmes to Prof. Challenger, the essence of the intellectual genius remained intact. As a student of geology (paleontology included), I loved the expedition to the plateau of prehistoric animals.
I liked the quote given in the beginning of the post about importance of spirituality over intellect, probably because he turned to spirituality after his son’s demise. Thanks again, Joanna for another interesting and informative post this Saturday evening with entertaining music and videos!
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Ah, the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes! I love how strong his character feels and how it endures through every adaption stemming from the creation of Arthur Conan Doyle. 🙂
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Thank you, Kaushal, for your wonderful comments! I cannot tell you how good it feels to have you back and your wise views on so many issues! We have once discussed where the exceptional talent of an individual comes from, when the parents are not gifted in any sense, and we still don’t know for sure; perhaps some higher power is doing the choosing…
Thank you again, Kaushal, your words are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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Thank you, Layla, for your kind comment! Greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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Everyone always thinks of Sherlock Holmes when hearing Conan Doyle’s name but, of course, he wrote great deal more. My first experience of his work was The White Company, a book I had to read for a “Holiday Task” during Summer holidays from school. An engaging post again Joanna, full of interesting information and musical interludes. Thank you so much!
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Thank you, Peter, for your interesting comment! It is good to know that you read other work of his. All greatly appreciated. And thank you for not making me laugh as I do care how I look, and wrinkled face would not suit me, I think…
Joanna
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Thank you!
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Oh my dear Joanna, I appreciate you my dear. 🙏🏼 All of those exclamation marks are due to my excitement from your thorough research and reporting on these magnificent books. I thank you my friend!!! 😜 Enjoy your weekend.
Kym
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Thank you, dear Kym!
Joanna xxx
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It’s my pleasure too, Joanna! Today I read so many posts and commented too. Thank you for your kind words! You’re welcome, always!
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You are more than welcome!
Joanna
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💖🙏🏼💞
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Your posts are always so stimulating that I am propelled into a search for more detail. They often trigger tangential thoughts, such that I am led to related experiences and events as a result.
Your talents in creative blogging is to be admired and envied. Keeping your readers inspired, Joanna, is what you do best. Thanks. Stewart
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Thank you, Stewart, you are gracious and very kind.
Joanna
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Thank you for sharing Joanna, so informative. It is really great to read about this great author Conan Doyle. The music is lovely too.
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Thank you, Henrietta, for your kind comment! Greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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An excellent and a very comprehensive write, Joanna! Your choice of music for this post is so perfect! I must commend you for your thorough research.
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Thank you, Punam, for your generous comments! Greatly appreciated! I am glad that you enjoyed the post.
Joanna
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Among these authors I found some who, in one way or another, were part of the university classrooms. There are also many that I have yet to meet and that I would like to read.
Excellent blog you share with us, friend Joanna.
Hugs.
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Thank you, Lincol, for your wonderful comments. Greatly appreciated.
Joanna
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Another great article! 👏🏻👏🏻❤️❤️ Thank you, Joanna!
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