Overview

"One of the most popular and widely known characters in all of fiction, Sherlock Holmes has an enduring appeal based largely on his uncanny ability to make the most remarkable deductions from the most mundane facts. The very first words that Sherlock Holmes ever says to Dr. Watson are, ""How are you? You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive."" Watson responds, ""How on earth did you know that?"" And so a crime-solving legend is born.In The Scientific Sherlock Holmes, James O'Brien provides an in-depth look at Holmes's use of science in his investigations. Indeed, one reason for Holmes's appeal is his frequent use of the scientific method and the vast scientific knowledge which he drew upon to solve mysteries. For instance, in heart of the book, the author reveals that Holmes was a pioneer of forensic science, making use of fingerprinting well before Scotland Yard itself had adopted the method. One of the more appealing aspects of the book is how the author includes real-world background on topics such as handwriting analysis, describing how it was used to capture the New York Zodiac killer and to clinch the case against the Lindbergh baby kidnapper.Sherlock Holmes was knowledgeable about several sciences, most notably chemistry. Therefore the book takes a close look at Holmes the chemist and discusses, for example, chemical poisons such as carbon monoxide, chloroform, and Prussic acid (the historical name for hydrogen cyanide). The author also debunks Isaac Asimov's famous assertion that Holmes was a blundering chemist. In addition, the book discusses mathematics, physics, biology, astronomy, meteorology, and geology, always in the context of Holmes's exploits.Sherlock Holmes continues to fascinate millions of readers and movie goers alike. The Scientific Sherlock Holmes is a must-read for the legion of fans of this most beloved of all fictional detectives. The paperback version will continue to interest two primary groups: the community of avid Holmes fans who meet regularly to celebrate and discuss the stories, and the scientific community. What scientist would not wish to be ""the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen""? Sherlock Holmes, Watson assures us, was precisely that. Scientists admire Holmes's devotion to fact, his intellectual brilliance, and the way he separates emotion from his work, and will be especially attracted by a book that explicitly discusses Holmes from a scientific perspective."

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9780190670917

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Reviews

This book is highly recommended as a valuable addition to the library of Holmesians and Sherlockians everywhere. * Stephen Wade, Times Higher Education * One need not be a scientist or a previous Holmes fan to enjoy this book. * R. E. Buntrock, CHOICE * Engaging and enlightening, this book will probably be most appreciated by those who are new to the Sherlock Holmes stories or to the history of forensics, by fans of Cumberbatch's Sherlock who are seeking a deeper understanding of the stories, and also by Sherlockians who devoutly read everything ever published about their fictional hero. * GrrlScientist, The Guardian * Essentially a pocket guide to the science in Holmes's adventures - short enough to read quickly but packed full of facts and quotations from Conan Doyle's 60 stories about the maverick detective. * Christine Sutton, CERN Courier * ...highly recommended as a valuable addition to the library of Holmesians and Sherlockians everywhere. * Times (London) Higher Education Section * O'Brien is persuasive when he says that science gives the stories a sense of plausibility and an authenticity that prior detective fiction lacked. Conan Doyle's fiction appropriates the authority of Victorian science; Holmes's forensic investigations allow readers to vicariously experience his scientific achievements in a setting more thrilling than a university laboratory. * Jonathon Keats, New Scientist * The Scientific Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case with Science and Forensics presents a wonderful, fresh approach to the greatest fictional detective of all time. This book is ideal for anyone who has an interest in either Sherlock Homes, science in general, or forensic science in particular. A compelling cornucopia of forensic science applications is provided in the context of the specialized knowledge of Holmes in chemistry, mathematics, biology, and physics, and much more. O'Brien's book provides a window into the mind of Sherlock Holmes and the practice of deductive science reasoning. * Tom Rybolt, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and coauthor of The Chemical Adventures of Sherlock Holmes * The game is afoot with this welcome addition to the large and ever-growing body of literature about the only unofficial consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes. O'Brien provides a new and stimulating slant on a subject that never seems to grow old. A triumph of deduction! * Joseph G. Pigeon, SOCB, Professor, Villanova University *

The game is afoot with this welcome addition to the large and ever-growing body of literature about the only unofficial consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes. O'Brien provides a new and stimulating slant on a subject that never seems to grow old. A triumph of deduction! -- Joseph G. Pigeon, SOCB, Professor, Villanova University The Scientific Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case with Science and Forensics presents a wonderful, fresh approach to the greatest fictional detective of all time. This book is ideal for anyone who has an interest in either Sherlock Homes, science in general, or forensic science in particular. A compelling cornucopia of forensic science applications is provided in the context of the specialized knowledge of Holmes in chemistry, mathematics, biology, and physics, and much more. O'Brien's book provides a window into the mind of Sherlock Holmes and the practice of deductive science reasoning. -- Tom Rybolt, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and coauthor of The Chemical Adventures of Sherlock Holmes O'Brien is persuasive when he says that science gives the stories a sense of plausibility and an authenticity that prior detective fiction lacked. Conan Doyle's fiction appropriates the authority of Victorian science; Holmes's forensic investigations allow readers to vicariously experience his scientific achievements in a setting more thrilling than a university laboratory. -- Jonathon Keats, New Scientist ...highly recommended as a valuable addition to the library of Holmesians and Sherlockians everywhere. -- Times (London) Higher Education Section Essentially a pocket guide to the science in Holmes's adventures - short enough to read quickly but packed full of facts and quotations from Conan Doyle's 60 stories about the maverick detective. -- Christine Sutton, CERN Courier Engaging and enlightening, this book will probably be most appreciated by those who are new to the Sherlock Holmes stories or to the history of forensics, by fans of Cumberbatch's Sherlock who are seeking a deeper understanding of the stories, and also by Sherlockians who devoutly read everything ever published about their fictional hero. -- GrrlScientist, The Guardian One need not be a scientist or a previous Holmes fan to enjoy this book. -- R. E. Buntrock, CHOICE This book is highly recommended as a valuable addition to the library of Holmesians and Sherlockians everywhere. -- Stephen Wade, Times Higher Education

Author Information

"Jim O'Brien is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Missouri State University. A lifelong fan of Holmes, O'Brien presented his paper ""What Kind of Chemist Was Sherlock Holmes"" at the 1992 national American Chemical Society meeting, which resulted in an invitation to write a chapter on Holmes the chemist in the book Chemistry and Science Fiction. O'Brien has since given over 120 lectures on Holmes and science."

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