Books

The Coming of the Fairies. By Arthur Conan Doyle. Author of The New Revelation, The Vital Message, Wanderings of a Spiritualist. Illustrated from Photographs. New York: George H. Doran Company. 1922. First American Edition. All photos (15)/plates (12) intact (a complete work), 196 pp, 8.5 x 5.5 , 8vo. In good condition. Brown/tan cloth boards normally scuffed at edges and corners. Head and tail of spine bumped. Black lettering clean, photo on front board attractive. Very light foxing or age-staining to front board. Book-seller's ticket found on bottom edge of front end-page: "The Old Corner Book Store, Inc., Boston, MA." Normal age-related toning throughout text-block; mostly at edges of leaves. Fore-edge of text-block deckled. Binding intact. Please see photos and ask questions, if any, before purchasing. Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (1859 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction. Doyle in his later years became attracted to spiritualism and occult topics. This was after the death of his son Raymond during World War I. While researching the topic of fairies, some photographs from a working-class family in rural Yorkshire were brought to Doyle's attention by a Theosophist friend. These photographs appeared to show diminutive fairies cavorting in the presence of humans, specifically two teenage girls, the young Elsie Wright (1901 1988, aka Iris Carpenter) and her cousin Frances Griffiths (1907 1986, aka Alice). They had taken the photographs by themselves, and there were no overt signs that the negatives had been tampered with. Doyle championed the photographs, and in the process destroyed his reputation. The Coming of the Fairies was possibly a bigger disappointment for Doyle fans than when he killed off Sherlock Holmes. These photographs, which caused a sensation at the time, are easily recognizable as blatant fakes by modern eyes, sensitized to seeing much more photorealistic computer-generated elves and fairies. The fairies are statically posed, and are neatly coiffed and dressed in period clothing, hardly what one would expect from wild nature-elementals. Elsie Wright finally confessed the hoax in 1983, although her cousin Frances maintained to her death that the fifth and final photograph showed genuine fairies. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION! GIFT QUALITY! RAREA1922APQF 09/24 - HK2122.

"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is a collection of twelve short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, first published in 1892. The stories feature Sherlock Holmes, a brilliant consulting detective, and his friend and chronicler, Dr. John H. Watson. Set in Victorian London, each narrative presents a unique mystery for Holmes to solve, showcasing his remarkable deductive reasoning skills and attention to detail. The collection begins with "A Scandal in Bohemia," where Holmes is tasked with recovering compromising photographs of the King of Bohemia and his former lover, Irene Adler. The subsequent stories include mysteries ranging from stolen jewels ("The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle") to mysterious disappearances ("The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb") and perplexing coded messages ("The Adventure of the Dancing Men"). In "The Adventure of the Speckled Band," Holmes investigates the death of a young woman and uncovers a venomous snake used as a murder weapon. "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League" involves a bizarre scheme to distract a pawnbroker. Meanwhile, in "The Adventure of the Final Problem," Holmes faces his arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty, in a deadly confrontation at the Reichenbach Falls. Throughout these stories, Watson narrates the tales, highlighting Holmes' brilliant deductions, logical reasoning, and mastery of disguise. Each mystery is intricately woven, providing readers with a thrilling blend of suspense, intelligence, and unexpected twists. Conan Doyle's vivid portrayal of Victorian London, along with the dynamic between Holmes and Watson, captivates readers as they navigate the criminal underworld, encountering various characters and engaging in thrilling adventures. "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" remains a cornerstone of detective fiction, laying the foundation for the archetype of the astute detective. Doyle's ingenious storytelling and the enduring appeal of Holmes' intellect continue to resonate with readers, solidifying the collection's place in literary history as a timeless classic.