The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle by Russell Miller

For a number of years now I have been wanting to read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories, something I recently began to do.

And as part of that same project I've read this biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in an effort to better understand the man, the time and the stories.

I always love reading about writers; they always seem to live such interesting lives.  Doyle didn't disappoint, with a life that reached far beyond Holmes.

Doyle was the reluctant creator of Holmes, whom he felt placed limits on his acceptance as a writer of more serious works.

The first 3/4 of the book was quite interesting; I skimmed through the last 1/4, covering Doyle's foray into the world of spiritualism, a belief that consumed the last decades of his life.  If anything was to diminish his legacy, it would not be Holmes, but his prominent leadership of this spiritualist movement.

Nonetheless, the book helped create context for better understanding and a deeper appreciation of the Holmes stories, something I hope to enjoy for a long time to come.