Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life

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Summary: Reveals Doyle's many other accomplishments
Review: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) is best known as the creator of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. This outstanding biography by Hesketh Pearson (and wonderfully narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith) reveals Doyle's many other accomplishments, including how he came to the profession of medicine, his activities as a war correspondent, his eventual interest in spiritualism, as well as his many other writings. Ironically, Doyle felt his Sherlock Holmes stories to be the least of his literary works while prizing his now largely forgotten major historical novels. Here too is the story of Doyle as a husband, including the death of his first wife and the enduring affection of his second marriage. A true "rags to riches" tale, Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life is a technically flawless production with musical interludes and cues that is a "must" for anyone who has ever thrilled at one of his immortal stories.