 风尘（世界末日）
|
|
|
1 楼：
Sir Arthur Conan D...
|
03年12月09日19点56分 |
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Author of the Sherlock Holmes Stories
The Best Sherlock Holmes Stories - according to the author.
In 1927 The Strand Magazine set a competition for its readers to decide the 12 best Sherlock Holmes stories, and the author was invited to make his own selection known.
How I Made My List by A. Conan Doyle
When this competition was first mooted I went into it in a most light-hearted way, thinking that it would be the easist thing in the world to pick out the twelve best of the Holmes stories. In practice I found that I had engaged myself in a serious task. In the first place I had to read the stories myself with some care. "Step, steep, weary work," as the Scottish landlady remarked.
I began by eliminating altogether the last twelve stories, which are scattered through the Strand for the last five or six years. They are about to come out in a volume form under the title The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, but the public could not easily get at them. Had they been available I should have put two of them in my team - namely, 'The Lion's Mane' and 'The Illustrious Client'. The first of these is hampered by being told by Holmes himself, a method which I employed only twice, as it certainly cramps the narrative. On the other hand, the actual plot is among the very best of the whole series, and for that it deserves its place. 'The Illustrious Client', on the other hand, is not remarkable for plot, but it has a certain dramatic quality and moves adequately in lofty circles, so I should also have found a place for it.
However, these being ruled out, I am now faced with some forty odd candidates to be weighed against each other. There are certainly some few an echo of which has come to me from all parts of the world, and I think this is the final proof of merit of some sort. There is the grim story 'The Speckled Band'. That I am sure will be on every list. Next to that in popular favour and in my own esteem I would place 'The Red-Headed League' and 'The Dancing Men', on account in each case of the originality of the plot. Then we could hardly leave out the story which deals with the only foe who ever really extended Holmes, and which deceived the public (and Watson) into the erroneous inference of his death. Also, I think the first story of all should go in, as it opened the path for the others, and it has more female interest than is usual. Finally, I think the story which esssays the difficult task of explaining away the alleged death of Holmes, and which also introduces such a villain as Colonel Sebastian Moran, should also have a place. This puts 'The Final Problem', 'A Scandal in Bohemia', and 'The Empty House' upon our list, and we have got our first half-dozen.
But now comes the crux. There are a number of stories which really are a little hard to separate. On the whole I think I should find a place for 'The Five Orange Pips', for though it is short it has a certain dramatic quality of its own. So now only five places are left. There are two stories which deal with high diplomacy and intrigue. They are both among the very best of the series. The one is 'The Naval Treaty' and the other 'The Second Stain'. There is no room for both of them in the team, and on the whole I regard the latter as the better story. Therefore we will put it down for the eight place.
And now which? 'The Devil's Foot' has points. It is grim and new. We will give it the ninth place. I think also that 'The Priory School' is worth a place if only for the dramatic moment when Holmes points his finger at the Duke. I have only two places left. I hesitate between 'Silver Blaze', 'The Bruce-Partington Plans', 'The Crooked Man', 'The Man with the Twisted Lip', 'The Gloria Scott', 'The Greek Interpreter', 'The Reigate Squires', 'The Musgrave Ritual', and 'The Resident Patient'. On what principle am I to choose two out of those? The racing detail in 'Silver Blaze' is very faulty, so we must disqualify him. There is little to choose between the others. A small thing would turn the scale. 'The Musgrave Ritual' has a historical touch which gives it a little added distinction. It also has a memory from Holmes' early life. So now we come to the very last. I might as well draw the name out of a bag, for I see no reason to put one before the other. Whatever their merit - and I make no claim for that - they are all as good as I could make them. On the whole, Holmes himself show perhaps the most ingenuity in 'The Reigate Squires', and therefore this shall be twelfth in my team.
It is proverbially a mistake for a judge to give his reasons, but I have analysed mine if only to show any competitors that I really have taken some trouble in the matter.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Published in the Strand Magazine August 1892
|
点击复制本贴地址：
|
|
@#@$#%$@#^%&^%&*&(&^&%$#!@#$%^(*&%^$#@@$%^&O(*(*&^%$!$^%UI*
凡是为攻击我而造的武器都必将被摧毁，凡是在审判中诋毁我的言论都必将被定罪。 ——《旧约●以塞亚书》
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
imgsrc="http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/52662770.jpgx=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=663975D10E0C39906C086441889E10A1A9C30E9B9B114CE8" hr img src="http://tribe.booye.com/UploadPic/TribeAlbum/UU_05053108576242.jpg"hr
|
※来源: 【 推理之门 Tuili.Com 】.
|
|
您当前的位置：
推理之门 > 主题版区 > 福尔摩斯
【版主】：跳舞的小人,福尔摩斯
沪公网安备31011502006128号 推理之门 版权所有 2000-2024
