The Hound of the Baskervilles

About the Author

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish physician, author, and one of the most influential literary figures of his era. Born in Edinburgh to an Irish Catholic family, Doyle studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he was influenced by Dr. Joseph Bell, whose remarkable observational skills and deductive reasoning would later inspire the character of Sherlock Holmes. After graduating in 1881, Doyle practiced medicine in various capacities, including as a ship's surgeon on Arctic and West African voyages, before establishing his own practice in Portsmouth. While waiting for patients in his fledgling practice, Doyle began writing stories to supplement his income. His first significant work featuring Sherlock Holmes, 'A Study in Scarlet,' was published in 1887, introducing the world to the consulting detective and his companion, Dr. John Watson. Though initially meeting modest success, the character gained enormous popularity after Doyle began publishing short stories featuring Holmes in The Strand Magazine starting in 1891. Despite Holmes's success, Doyle considered his detective fiction less important than his historical novels and killed off the character in 'The Final Problem' (1893) to focus on other writing. Public demand was so great, however, that he eventually revived Holmes for 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' (1901-02) and numerous subsequent adventures. Beyond his literary achievements, Doyle led a remarkably varied life. He volunteered as a medical doctor during the Boer War, wrote influential pamphlets defending British conduct in the conflict, and was knighted in 1902, not for his literary work but for his war-related services. Following personal tragedies, including the death of his first wife Louise from tuberculosis in 1906 and his son Kingsley from influenza during World War I, Doyle became deeply involved in Spiritualismu2014the belief that the dead can communicate with the living through mediums. He spent much of his later life and fortune advocating for this cause, writing books on the subject and undertaking lecture tours around the world. Throughout his career, Doyle published across a remarkable range of genres. Beyond the sixty Holmes stories, his works include historical novels like 'The White Company' (1891), science fiction featuring Professor Challenger (most notably 'The Lost World,' 1912), and numerous stand-alone novels, short stories, plays, poetry, non-fiction works, and memoirs. Despite his wishes to be remembered for his more 'serious' works and his spiritual advocacy, Doyle's enduring legacy remains his creation of Sherlock Holmesu2014a character whose popularity has transcended literature to become a cultural icon worldwide, embodying the triumph of reason and scientific thinking.