Might I Ask a Question or Two? 3/9/24

“Might I Ask You a Question or Two?”:

A Snapshot of Sherlockiana as Seen Through Interviews with 100 Sherlockians

By Rob Nunn, BSI

Speech Delivered before the Torist International Scion Society, Chicago

March 9, 2024

Thank you for inviting me to speak tonight.  The Chicago Sherlockian scene has always fascinated me, so this is a real honor.  Title of my talk tonight is “Might I Ask You a Question or Two?”: A Snapshot of Sherlockiana as Seen Through Interviews with 100 Sherlockians.  And I have found myself in a singular position of being able to draw some conclusions about Sherlockiana.  But before I jump into that, let me explain how I found myself in this position.

In November of 2017, my first book, The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street, was published by MX Publishing.  They recommended that I start blogging to promote the book.  My blog is titled “Interesting Though Elementary” from a line from the first chapter of The Hound of the Baskervilles. 

But I don’t really find myself all that interesting, definitely not enough to post once a week about myself like I was trying to do back then.  In 2018, I decided to start interviewing other Sherlockians.  Because the other people in this hobby is what I really enjoy.

Image Credit: Max Magee, 2024

My first interviewee was Beth Gallego.  Beth is a librarian in Los Angeles, but she grew up in Chicago.  So you could say that this series has its roots right here in the Windy City. I still use the blog promote my other books and post talks and papers that I present, but by far my most popular blog posts have become the Interesting Interviews.  

From that first interview, this series took off.  I have done one or two interviews every month since then.   I have interviewed more than 100 fellow Sherlockians.  Each interview is made up of 10 questions.  7 questions are the same for each participant and the rest are tailored to the specific person being interviewed.

I didn’t plan this, but by asking the same questions over and over, I realized I’m able to get a pretty good idea of our opinions on certain topics, which is what I’m here to share with everyone tonight.  I’ve been lucky enough to get to know a lot of people throughout this hobby just by being active online and travelling to a few events each year, so finding interesting people to email with has never been a problem.  In fact, there are more people out there to interview than I can get to in a timely manner!

A lot of Sherlockian presentations look at the past.  I like to think that the Interesting Interviews celebrate the present, and the last question in the interview asks each participant to specifically look to the future.  These are the question that everyone is asked:

How did you become a Sherlockian?

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?

What is your favorite canonical story?

Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?

Before we get into the specifics of these answers, I think it’s important for an overview of who we will be hearing from:

100 people were interviewed between March 2018 and December 2023

55% were male, 45% were female

83% of interviewees lived in America, with the other 17 coming from the faraway lands of England, Canada, France, Sweden, India, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and even one person from Wisconsin

While I said that this presentation looks at the present and the future of Sherlockiana, I think it’s important to know where people come from to fully understand where they are now.  Most Sherlockians came into this hobby in one of three ways: The Canon, media adaptations, or another book that led them here.

28 people said they came to Sherlockiana through some type of media adaptation.  Three actors showed up most often when it came to media adaptations.  Any guesses who they are?

Rathbone, Brett, and Cumberbatch.  12 people said Basil Rathbone was their entry point. 6 people were hooked by Jeremy Brett’s version. And 4 cite Benedict Cumberbatch as their gateway.  These were the Sherlock Holmes of specific generations and I think we have those three versions of the great detective to thank for hundreds, if not thousands, of fellow Sherlockians.  Other names popped up such as Robert Downey Jr., Ronald Howard and the movie Young Sherlock Holmes 

Brad Keefauver says that seeing Sherlock Holmes dealing with the Loch Ness Monster in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes was his spark.

“I saw Sherlock Holmes in a rowboat trying to fight the Loch Ness monster. I was in junior high and only saw the preview to The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes without getting to see the actual movie for years. The spark was struck in that moment.”

And Catherine Cooke said it was a combination of Douglas Wilmer and her brother that started her on a path that would eventually lead to her managing Westminster's Sherlock Holmes Collection for over forty years and serving as the chair of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London. 

“My older brother wanted to watch the 1965 BBC series starring Douglas Wilmer as Holmes and Nigel Stock as Watson, and his small sister wasn’t going to go out of the room because he had his choice, so I watched as well and got hooked.  I emphasise that I was extremely young at the time!  I then found some of the early classic British books on the stories in the local library and my interest developed from there.”

Almost half, 48 interviewees joined the cult of Sherlockiana straight through the Canon, itself.  A few of them discovered the enjoyment of these stories later in life, 2 folks in adulthood, and 4 in college or graduate school.  12 people were of high school age when Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories really hooked them.

But overwhelmingly, those of us who discovered Sherlock Holmes through the tried-and-true method of reading the stories did so when they were of elementary or middle school age.  30 people who responded fell into this age range.  

As a fifth-grade teacher myself, this delights me to no end.  Who knows how many ten- or twelve-year-old kids are out there reading for the first time such lines as “Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound!”  See?  Even when we are talking about the past, we can look to the future!

But the Canon isn’t the only book that turns mere mortals into Sherlockians.  

16 people cited other books that led them to this hobby of ours.  William Baring-Gould had the biggest impact in this area.  7 people cited his Annotated Edition of the Canon as their gateway.

Mike McSwiggin - “I read the stories fairly early in school.  I came across Baring-Gould’s Annotated in the public library and I went from being a fan to becoming an addict.”

Johanna Draper Carlson - “I read the Baring-Gould Annotated Sherlock Holmes as a kid. I’ve always been interested not just in stories, but how the stories are made, and the behind-the-scenes. The annotations helped me understand basics, like how much money was worth then compared to now, but also that there were some very devoted fans of this character.”

Other reading material that drew people in:

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes 

Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street

Basil of Baker Street

The Seven-Per-Cent-Solution

Comic books

Popular pastiches

Fan fiction websites

If you’re keeping score, you’ll notice that I haven’t quite hit 100 yet.  2 people said their work led them to Sherlock Holmes and 8 of our fellow Sherlockians were led to the fold by like-minded folks.  Chicago Sherlockians have set the bar for welcoming others to Sherlockiana.

Al Shaw - “In 1971 the Chicago Tribune ran an article stating that Sherlock Holmes’ birthday was being celebrated by Hugo’s Companions and it gave a contact address. (There was no email, kids.)  I wrote and received an invitation to that dinner.  I was warmly greeted by the late John Neiminski, and by the end of the evening, was invited to future meetings”

Janice Weiner – “I had been going to Scotland Yard Books for some time and was intrigued when the store started a scion, obviously the Scotland Yarders.  I attended the organizing meeting and have been involved in the group ever since.  Through the Scotland Yarders I became aware of other scions and the widespread interest in Holmes.”

Up next is the question, How Do You Define the Word “Sherlockian”?  

When these interviews started 6 years ago, there was a debate raging in certain corners over who could call themselves a Sherlockian.  Did it have to be people who read the stories and behaved in the same manner that the founders of the BSI did?  Could they be fans of the BBC Cumberbatch series and cosplayers?  

I wanted to get some opinions out there and see where everyone stood.  But instead of coming to a group definition, these answers showed so much more.

Responses fell into six categories, many interviewees hitting more than one of these responses in their answers:

61 respondents said that to be considered a Sherlockian, people must love Sherlock Holmes.  I think that probably fits most of us in this room tonight!  (And for the ones who don’t fit that description, I’d just like to take a moment to thank all of the Sherlockian spouses with us tonight.)

These answers also cited enjoying the great detective in different forms such as watching movies, shows, reading scholarship or pastiches.  Sherlockians could be active beyond the source material by researching topics, or writing papers or fanfiction.  

Maria Fleischhack - “If there is love and engagement beyond merely “consuming” the stories, I think the term Sherlockian as an identifier is fair use.”

Shana Carter - “I'd say it comes down to the degree of investment. Ultimately, a Sherlockian is someone willing — perhaps ‘compelled’ is a better word — to engage with Sherlock Holmes at a level beyond simple passive consumption.”

A number of respondents specifically mentioned the canonical stories, although not as many as I would have guessed.  29 out of the 100 people asked made an enjoyment of the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle a requirement for this answer.  15 people, including some ones with official titles behind them, said basically, you’re a Sherlockian if you say you are!

Steven Rothman, Editor Emeritus of The Baker Street Journal – “I would insist that all who define themselves as Sherlockian are. […] Really, there are probably as many ways to be a Sherlockian as there are Sherlockians. And I approve of all of them because, deep down, they all love the stories about the detective who lives in Baker Street.”

Dan Andriacco, Editor of The Baker Street Journal – “Anyone who adopts the label!”

Michael Kean, Wiggins of The Baker Street Irregulars – “There are no set criteria as to who is a Sherlockian. If a person considers himself a Sherlockian, then in his eyes he is one. Who are we to judge?”

There were folks wouldn’t even try to define the label:

Leslie Klinger - “There’s no litmus test for Sherlockians. If you say you’re one, you are! It’s an attitude, not a skill set.”

Mattias Bostrom - “I prefer not to do that. Defining it may remove all the magic and atmosphere that surrounds it. The closest I have come to a definition of the word is in From Holmes to Sherlock – and I literally mean the whole more-than-500-page book. I just can't define it in fewer words. And what's interesting is really not the definition, but what you put into the word.  Nothing in the definition of the adjective or the noun "Sherlockian" tells about the feelings connected with the word. It's like the iceberg – you can only define 10% of the word, the rest is hidden in your own emotions. Those emotions differ, depending on who you are and when and why you think about it, but those emotions are the true meaning of the word, not any static definition.”

Ray Betzner - “I once knew how to define a Sherlockian, but the field has become so diverse in recent years that it’s not easy. It’s certainly an expanded universe today, and that is for the best.”

Others echoed Ray’s sentiment that the term has changed over time.  10% of people who answered this question noted that the term is elastic and is evolving.  So, did I get the definition I was looking for? No.  But what I got instead were thoughtful responses on what people think, and by extension how they enjoy this hobby of ours.

And that leads me into the response that I didn’t expect.  Over one-third of the answers, 39 people specifically noted the social atmosphere that is a part of being a Sherlockian.  While I was looking for and black-and-white definition, it was pointed out that Sherlockians need other Sherlockians!

Peggy Perdue MacFarlane - “I'd say a Sherlockian is someone who has a strong need to share their appreciation for Sherlock Holmes with other people. It doesn't matter whether the person is by nature an introvert or an extrovert, clubbable or unclubbable, scholarly or inexperienced; such a person will not consider their time with Holmes complete until they have engaged with others about it in some form. Anyone can be a devoted fan all by themselves in an armchair, but I think it takes other people to make someone a Sherlockian.”

Jim Hawkins – “A Sherlockian has joined a local scion society and made friends with other like-minded people. Being a Sherlockian is not a solitary kind of endeavor. At the least you have reached out to others to share what you have learned and learn what others want to share.”

Mary Alcaro - “There’s a certain social element, I think, to being a Sherlockian that separates it from loving Sherlock Holmes– but you don’t have to belong to a scion or a group to be a Sherlockian. You might be a shy Sherlockian who just hasn’t found their people yet!”

Our next question is, what is your favorite canonical story?  This part could turn into a statistical analysis, so I am going to avoid spending too much time with the answers to this.  I have a packet up here that will show everyone’s favorites along with some other responses if you’d like to pore over them.

Over a third of the interviewees couldn’t give me just one answer, and I can’t say I blame them.  41 out of the 60 stories got at least one mention. Every novel and each collection of short stories got votes. That goes to show that the Canon has brilliance spread all across it.   Here are some of the top vote-getters.  

No surprise, The Hound of the Baskervilles was at the top with 21 votes.  “The Red-Headed League” was the only other double-digit recipient with 10 votes.  

I like to ask, who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?  In 100 interviews, I received 176 different names in response to this question!

The complete list is in the handout for everyone here today, and you’ll be able to see that it is a far-ranging list.  Some people chose historic Sherlockians that they never met, but are important to our hobby.  Others chose their friends and collaborators, while some named people they don’t know very well, but feel they contribute something important.  Is one way better than the others?  I don’t think so.  

Don Hobbs summed it up very nicely when he answered this question:  “I think most people will find all Sherlockians interesting in their own individual ways.”

We are a literary bunch, so the next question is: What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?  It’s no surprise that there are a lot of book recommendations.  119 titles got mentioned over the years.  You can see every book recommendation given in the handout.

This was left up to the interviewee to interpret the question, so plenty of different types of books were named – everything from history to popular fiction.  Canonically, scholarship was mentioned most often.  Pastiches and history books would pop up here and there, but there was one clear title that Sherlockians felt was most important to recommend: From Holmes to Sherlock by Mattias Bostrom.  14 percent of all interviewees named this book as one other Sherlockians should read.

And as you can imagine, the annotated versions of the Canon were also hits, with 10 people each recommending William Baring-Gould's Annotated and Les Klinger’s New Annotated.  And who can argue with these three titles being the most named?  I know I can’t!

So now let’s look to the future!  Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?

This is my favorite question in every interview, and getting to look at 100 answers to this question all together has been fascinating.  There were too many mentions to count about the unknown nature of the future and many predictions that something completely unknown to us now will impact the future of Sherlockiana.  But 14 people did note that this hobby has a cyclical nature and its popularity ebbs and flows.

So what is the general overview of where people see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years?

6 people wouldn’t venture to make a prediction and said they didn’t know.

2 expected our hobby to be about the same as it is today.

3 people said we would be experiencing a downturn.

And the rest of the respondents, 89 people expected the future to be positive for Sherlockiana.

I’m just going to repeat the number one more time, 89% of respondents said the future is bright for our hobby.  I can’t think of a time when 89% of people agreed on anything!

But more trends showed up in these answers that I find interesting.  A continuing trend in a lot of answers was that what has been important in the past will continue to be important in the future.

32 people said the Canon and our traditions will be a constant.

24 interviewees cited the social nature of Sherlockiana as carrying on.

And 20 people said that societies and local scions will carry us into the future.

Writing was another trend that will continue, according to many people.  20 people expected research and scholarly writings to hold an important role.  And 17 people said pastiches and fan fiction would keep being important creative outlets for Sherlockians

And as we saw with so many people’s entries to Sherlock Holmes, movies, TV, and other adaptations will be important, according to 34 people.

7 respondents specifically cited the entire Canon coming out of copyright protection as a way to increase media adaptations of Sherlock Holmes

So what will be new that the future will hold for Sherlockiana?  An online presence, including Zoom and social media will be a large part of Sherlockiana according to 34 people

Anastasia Klimchynskaya – “I do think one thing the pandemic has done is sped up a transformation that was already happening and which will continue happening, which is Sherlockiana gaining a steadier online presence.”

14 people noted that the internet and Zoom have allowed for more international connections between Sherlockians and hoped to see that continue.  And as if international connections weren’t enough, 3 respondents also said they expected Sherlockiana to exist on Mars someday soon!

Closer to home, 4 interviewees thought that Virtual Reality could have an influence on Sherlockiana

Carlina De La Cova – “Oh wouldn’t it be neat if it moved into the virtual world, like virtual reality?  I could wrap my head around that… a VR landscape of The Hound of the Baskervilles!”

But what about the people who will be sitting at meetings like this one in 5 to 10 years?  Who will make up the next group of active Sherlockians?

A recent trend in answers was 7 respondents noting the prohibitive costs that can keep people out of this hobby.  Whether it be pricey dinners, travel costs, or expensive books, this could be something worth paying attention to as time goes on.

Many interviewees hope and expect to see a more diverse group of Sherlockians in the future, 24 people noting that idea.  9 respondents specifically noted the increased leadership roles of women in Sherlockiana.  And 29 people said they wanted and planned on younger people joining this hobby of ours.

And as you can see, we Sherlockians have a lot to say!  I could do a whole presentation just on the responses to this last question, I find these responses fascinating!

On a personal note, I have gotten to know so many people through these interviews, and I feel very blessed to have made and strengthened connections this way.  These interviews have also led me to be able to edit three anthologies.  The Finest Assorted Collection is a compendium of 27 Sherlockians talking about their specific areas of interest that they like to collect in this hobby.  In The Monstrum Opus of Sherlock Holmes we had 17 people reimagine canonical stories as if they were cover ups for something more fantastical that the public was not prepared for.  And Canonical Cornerstones contains 17 essays by different authors on books that they think should be included in every Sherlockian library.

Although the blog and interviews has allowed me to work with the amazing folks in these books, the inverse is also true.  A lot of the participants in these anthologies end up being interviewed on the blog as well.  It’s a cycle that just keeps perpetuating.

The more Sherlockians you meet, you realize just how interesting people are.  And the more you realize how interesting people are, the more you want to meet.  Sounds like a good problem to have!

We Sherlockians are a singular set of people, but I hope tonight I’ve been able to show that we’re not just singular, but interesting as well.  And the future of this hobby of ours looks very bright!  Thank you.