Tag: #sherlock holmes

Books

Ho Ho Holmes: The Perfect Bookish Gifts for Literary Characters

Aubrey Leaman

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It’s that time of year! The time of year, that is, when you feel the guilt of asking how can I know him/her so well and yet can’t think of a single thing to give them as a gift???

While I can’t really help you there, I do know that books tend to be great gifts for all kinds of people — literary people included. Here are some books that you might give back to your favorite literary characters, then, to thank them for the gift of their existence! Continue reading “Ho Ho Holmes: The Perfect Bookish Gifts for Literary Characters” →

Books

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Most “Lit” Halloween Costume Party (Rochester vs. Holmes)

Aubrey Leaman

A genie shows up to your Halloween party and grants you a wish to attend any *lit* Halloween costume party of your choosing. (And by lit of course I mean literary.)

But which party should you choose?

For the first time in the history of the entire universe, this post outlines the key information you will need to make this incredibly difficult decision. It will not be easy choosing between the parties of Mr. Rochester and Sherlock Holmes (since after multiple years of extensive and careful research it is clear that the best Halloween costume party must be hosted by one of them), but we are now ready to present our preliminary findings. Without further ado, here is what our highest-level academic researchers have brought to the table:  Continue reading “The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Most “Lit” Halloween Costume Party (Rochester vs. Holmes)” →

Music

Why Do the “Bad Guys” Listen to Classical Music?

Aubrey Leaman

sherlock-and-music

Have you ever noticed that in some movies the “bad guy” is really into classical music (particularly from the 18th-19th centuries)? Siegfried in Get Smart, Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows…etc. But why? As Continue reading “Why Do the “Bad Guys” Listen to Classical Music?” →

The Other Stuff

If Sherlock Lived In Cinderella’s World (And Other Book Swaps)

Aubrey Leaman

Sherlock Cinderella

1) If Winston from 1984 lived in the world of Harry Potter, he would be the first to believe Voldemort had returned.  (#paranoid)

2) If The Great Gatsby took place in the world of Anna Karenina, Gatsby Continue reading “If Sherlock Lived In Cinderella’s World (And Other Book Swaps)” →

Books

Who Would Win In a Fight: Gandalf or Sherlock Holmes?

Aubrey Leaman

Sherlock fighting

It’s a tough call.

On the one hand, Gandalf has magic.  On the other hand, Sherlock Holmes is a mastermind who understands situations and people better than anyone else.  He might be able to outsmart Gandalf.

On yet another hand, Gandalf was able to see the big picture and notice the threat Saruman posed as well as Bilbo Baggins’s potential in the dwarves’ party, so perhaps he is Sherlock’s equal or better.

What do you think? Vote and share!

Classical Music Stories

Classical Music Stories: A Study In Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes)

Aubrey Leaman

 

“Classical Music Stories” is a series where classical music is listened to as though it were a movie score to one of your favorite books.  

Alfred Schnittke’s Piano Quartet

Jefferson Hope comes back to the camp after hunting only to Continue reading “Classical Music Stories: A Study In Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes)” →

Classical Music Stories

Classical Music Stories: Sherlock Holmes

Aubrey Leaman

Imagine that Sherlock is playing the violin while pondering a particularly thorny case. Although tantalizingly close to solving it, he knows he’s still missing something important…

His excitement starts to poke through as he gets closer and closer to untangling the mystery, but he tries to remain cautious in case he’s wrong (even though he feels he must be right).

With the final flourishing notes, it is time to find the proof…


What can you hear?

Books

Top 8 Things From Books That I Wish Were Real

Aubrey Leaman

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1) Being able to hire a hero (J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit)

2) Perpetual tea time (Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland)

3) Amateur sleuths choosing you as their companion (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes)

4) Mysterious strangers who have only one name (Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights) Continue reading “Top 8 Things From Books That I Wish Were Real” →

Books

Detective Stories…Without Detectives (My Top 6)

Aubrey Leaman

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The “A Tale of Two Cities” and “A Glimpse of the World With Detectives” blog posts from “Confessions of a Readaholic” have caused me to think lately about what a detective story really is (and since my posts lately been pretty much dominated by the Anna Karenina Classical Music Stories series, I thought I’d take a quick break to talk about something different).

Sure, we generally think of them as containing, well, a detective, and solving a mysterious crime. But I’m starting to think that other stories are like “detective” stories, too.

After all, when you read a book you’re always solving a mystery in a sense. You gradually discover who the characters are, what will happen to them, and/or how Continue reading “Detective Stories…Without Detectives (My Top 6)” →