Sherlock Holmes

Fun facts

The “Baker Street Irregulars”

E

F

rom as early as the first publications, readers of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his loyal Watson showed a difficulty in telling reality from fiction.

They used to write letters to 221B Baker Street (which at the time didn’t even exist, while today it is home to the Sherlock Holmes Museum), asking the detective for advice in solving their problems with the law, or begging Doyle to get them Holmes’s autograph. The author found him­ self more than once involved in criminal cases in the role of an improbable detective—often by request of the police themselves, as in the case of the sudden disappearance of Agatha Christie.

O

A

nd it was based on this fascinating confusion between reality and fiction that “The Baker Street Irregu­ lars” society was born: a group of avid fans of the English de­ tective who embraced the idea of a pseudo-reality in which Holmes and Dr. Watson ac­ tually existed and Doyle was their literary agent.

6

fficially established in 1934, “The Baker Street Irregulars” can gen­ uinely be considered the first-ever literary fandom in history. Members would meet regularly to celebrate and preserve Holmes’s legacy through conventions, publi­ cations, and events dedicat­ ed to the detective and his ­creator.

very member of “The Baker Street Irregulars” has their own Sherlock-inspired name. To find out what yours would be, take the name (boy’s or girl’s) from the first two lists based on your date of birth. The initial of your middle name—still using your date of birth—comes from the list of names that you didn’t use at the beginning.

B oy s

1.

Mycroft Tobias Enoch 4 . Jefferson 5 . Hugo 6 . Selden 7. Athelney 8 . Thaddeus 9 . Bartholomew 10. James 1 1 . Augustus 12. Stanley 1 3 . Ronald 1 4 . Sebastian 1 5 . Eustace 16 . Fritz 17. Leslie 1 8 . John 1 9 . Grimesby 2 0. Jephro 2 1 . A loysius 2 2 . Nev ille 2 3 . Adelbert 2 4 . Fitzroy 2 5 . Langdale 2 6 . Codogan 2 7. Moore 2 8 . Mortimer 2 9 . Culverton 3 0. Godfrey 3 1 . Grant

2.

3.

E

veryone would partici­ pate in The Game, which consisted of launching into speculation (often reckless) and analyses trying to explain apparent contradictions or gaps in the Sherlock canon.

How did they join?

I

Sherlock-Era Names

Games

n the beginning, potential members had to complete a Sher­ lock-based crossword to test their knowledge on the matter.

Now, membership is gained exclusively through choice or invi­ tation for merit. It is sad to say that the first woman was only al­ lowed to join in 1991.

The most famous members include Franklin Delano Roos­ evelt, Harry S Truman, Rex Stout, Isaac Asimov, and Neil Gaiman.

G i rl s

1.

2.

3.

4.

Ber yl Eliza Mar y Ettie 5. Irene 6 . Eva 7. Hilda 8 . Edith 9 . Effie 10. Sarah 1 1 . V iolet 1 2 . Helen 1 3 . Hatt y 1 4 . Clotilde 1 5 . Honoria 16 . Isa 17. Grace 18. Kitt y 1 9 . Isadora 2 0. Dolores 2 1 . Emilia 2 2 . Nancy 2 3 . Susan 2 4 . A nna 2 5 . Laura 2 6 . V ictoria 2 7. A nnie 2 8 . A gatha 2 9 . Ettie 3 0. Irene 3 1 . Honoria

S u r n a me s

1 . Holmes 2 . Watson 3 . Hudson 4 . Moriart y 5 . Gregson 6 . Lestrade 7. Adler 8 . Moran 9 . Basker v ille 10. Wiggins 1 1 . Jones 1 2 . Morstan

7

Fun facts

The “Baker Street Irregulars”

E

F

rom as early as the first publications, readers of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his loyal Watson showed a difficulty in telling reality from fiction.

They used to write letters to 221B Baker Street (which at the time didn’t even exist, while today it is home to the Sherlock Holmes Museum), asking the detective for advice in solving their problems with the law, or begging Doyle to get them Holmes’s autograph. The author found him­ self more than once involved in criminal cases in the role of an improbable detective—often by request of the police themselves, as in the case of the sudden disappearance of Agatha Christie.

O

A

nd it was based on this fascinating confusion between reality and fiction that “The Baker Street Irregu­ lars” society was born: a group of avid fans of the English de­ tective who embraced the idea of a pseudo-reality in which Holmes and Dr. Watson ac­ tually existed and Doyle was their literary agent.

6

fficially established in 1934, “The Baker Street Irregulars” can gen­ uinely be considered the first-ever literary fandom in history. Members would meet regularly to celebrate and preserve Holmes’s legacy through conventions, publi­ cations, and events dedicat­ ed to the detective and his ­creator.

very member of “The Baker Street Irregulars” has their own Sherlock-inspired name. To find out what yours would be, take the name (boy’s or girl’s) from the first two lists based on your date of birth. The initial of your middle name—still using your date of birth—comes from the list of names that you didn’t use at the beginning.

B oy s

1.

Mycroft Tobias Enoch 4 . Jefferson 5 . Hugo 6 . Selden 7. Athelney 8 . Thaddeus 9 . Bartholomew 10. James 1 1 . Augustus 12. Stanley 1 3 . Ronald 1 4 . Sebastian 1 5 . Eustace 16 . Fritz 17. Leslie 1 8 . John 1 9 . Grimesby 2 0. Jephro 2 1 . A loysius 2 2 . Nev ille 2 3 . Adelbert 2 4 . Fitzroy 2 5 . Langdale 2 6 . Codogan 2 7. Moore 2 8 . Mortimer 2 9 . Culverton 3 0. Godfrey 3 1 . Grant

2.

3.

E

veryone would partici­ pate in The Game, which consisted of launching into speculation (often reckless) and analyses trying to explain apparent contradictions or gaps in the Sherlock canon.

How did they join?

I

Sherlock-Era Names

Games

n the beginning, potential members had to complete a Sher­ lock-based crossword to test their knowledge on the matter.

Now, membership is gained exclusively through choice or invi­ tation for merit. It is sad to say that the first woman was only al­ lowed to join in 1991.

The most famous members include Franklin Delano Roos­ evelt, Harry S Truman, Rex Stout, Isaac Asimov, and Neil Gaiman.

G i rl s

1.

2.

3.

4.

Ber yl Eliza Mar y Ettie 5. Irene 6 . Eva 7. Hilda 8 . Edith 9 . Effie 10. Sarah 1 1 . V iolet 1 2 . Helen 1 3 . Hatt y 1 4 . Clotilde 1 5 . Honoria 16 . Isa 17. Grace 18. Kitt y 1 9 . Isadora 2 0. Dolores 2 1 . Emilia 2 2 . Nancy 2 3 . Susan 2 4 . A nna 2 5 . Laura 2 6 . V ictoria 2 7. A nnie 2 8 . A gatha 2 9 . Ettie 3 0. Irene 3 1 . Honoria

S u r n a me s

1 . Holmes 2 . Watson 3 . Hudson 4 . Moriart y 5 . Gregson 6 . Lestrade 7. Adler 8 . Moran 9 . Basker v ille 10. Wiggins 1 1 . Jones 1 2 . Morstan

7

What do you know about Sherlock Holmes?

N

ow is the time to get down to business and set you face to face with the man who is possibly the most renowned literary character in the world. Are you ready to test your knowledge on the infallible private detec­ tive? Find out which of the statements below are true and which are false.

T F 1.

Sherlock is a gifted boxer.

2.

His favorite drug is opium.

3.

He is a heavy drinker.

4.

He has a university friend named Trevor.

5.

He is a very tidy person.

6.

He loves getting up early in the morning.

7.

He is an expert fencer.

8.

He knows everything about astronomy.

9.

He is well versed in philosophy.

10. He spent a few days with the Dalai Lama.

11.

He faked his own death for three years.

1 2 . He knows jiujitsu.

1 3 . He was once married.

14 . In the story His Last Bow, Sherlock was 60 years old.

1 5 . He was once given a case by the Pope.

12

What do you know about Sherlock Holmes?

N

ow is the time to get down to business and set you face to face with the man who is possibly the most renowned literary character in the world. Are you ready to test your knowledge on the infallible private detec­ tive? Find out which of the statements below are true and which are false.

T F 1.

Sherlock is a gifted boxer.

2.

His favorite drug is opium.

3.

He is a heavy drinker.

4.

He has a university friend named Trevor.

5.

He is a very tidy person.

6.

He loves getting up early in the morning.

7.

He is an expert fencer.

8.

He knows everything about astronomy.

9.

He is well versed in philosophy.

10. He spent a few days with the Dalai Lama.

11.

He faked his own death for three years.

1 2 . He knows jiujitsu.

1 3 . He was once married.

14 . In the story His Last Bow, Sherlock was 60 years old.

1 5 . He was once given a case by the Pope.

12

Rules of a séance

Fun facts

Ten things to know about

SPIRITUALISM

I

n case you ever find yourself participating in (or hosting) a séance just like Arthur Conan Doyle, here is a series of rules to follow. But be careful: one is wrong. Do you know which one?

Partic ipants in a séance sit around a round woode n table with their hands open and their palms resting on the surfac e (they can also hold hands).

As you read, look out for the incorrect fact or statement

1

Spiritualism is the belief that a person’s spirit survives death and is able to com­ municate with the living.

2

Modern spiritualism spread first in the U.S. and then in Europe, thanks to the two sisters Kate and Margaret Fox. The two claimed that spirits communicated with them in their home through inexplicable sounds and noises. Over the years, the two girls became famous mediums.

3

Ectoplasm is described as a viscous or misty substance that is supposed to es­ cape from the bodies of mediums during a séance and which allows spirits to manifest physically.

4

Spiritualism, often considered a wom­ en’s thing, allowed mediums to carve out an important role in Victorian society that they otherwise would not have.

5

A medium published a novel in 1917 that was dictated to her entirely by the late James Joyce through a Ouija board.

6

Daniel Dunglas Home is one of the most famous and admired spiritual­

ists. At his sessions you can witness the classic movements of the table, the appear­ ance of “spirit hands” and musical instru­ ments that play by themselves. The medi­ um is seen handling hot coals, stretching his body, shaking the room, and levitating.

7

In response to the large number of re­ ported cases of alleged spiritual activ­ ity, as well as the increase in mediums, the Society for Psychical Research was found­ ed in 1882 to investigate supernatural events with scientific rigor.

8

The ideomotor effect, the idea that thinking about an action can trigger its motor execution even without conscious in­ tention, is used to explain rotating and wob­ bly tables and automatic writing.

9

Even inventors such as Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison wondered about the possibility of spirit radios and telephones, surprised by some of the disembodied voic­ es heard during their experiments.

10

Some mediums claim to be able to capture the images of spirits through photography.

The room must be draped in red to facilitate communicat ion with the afterli fe.

The lights must be dimm ed.

The mediu m must keep her feet immer sed in a basin of cold water to facilita te contac t. ly men) Accord ing to spiritu alists, people are divide d into positive (usual and negati ve (usual ly women). Positive and negati ve people should altern ate around the table to create a balanc e.

To begin the session , a candle is lit, and invocations or prayer s are recited .

The medium retreats into a room, or into a cabinet, and then re-emerges “possess ed” by the spirit of the deceased in ectoplas mic form.

When the mediu m is in this state, no one should turn on lights or touch her. The shock could kill her.

Spirits can also manifest by writin g a messa ge (with a pencil moved togeth er by the partic ipants), makin g noises , or levitat ing object s such as, for example, the table.

At the end of the session , the candle is blown out.

21

Rules of a séance

Fun facts

Ten things to know about

SPIRITUALISM

I

n case you ever find yourself participating in (or hosting) a séance just like Arthur Conan Doyle, here is a series of rules to follow. But be careful: one is wrong. Do you know which one?

Partic ipants in a séance sit around a round woode n table with their hands open and their palms resting on the surfac e (they can also hold hands).

As you read, look out for the incorrect fact or statement

1

Spiritualism is the belief that a person’s spirit survives death and is able to com­ municate with the living.

2

Modern spiritualism spread first in the U.S. and then in Europe, thanks to the two sisters Kate and Margaret Fox. The two claimed that spirits communicated with them in their home through inexplicable sounds and noises. Over the years, the two girls became famous mediums.

3

Ectoplasm is described as a viscous or misty substance that is supposed to es­ cape from the bodies of mediums during a séance and which allows spirits to manifest physically.

4

Spiritualism, often considered a wom­ en’s thing, allowed mediums to carve out an important role in Victorian society that they otherwise would not have.

5

A medium published a novel in 1917 that was dictated to her entirely by the late James Joyce through a Ouija board.

6

Daniel Dunglas Home is one of the most famous and admired spiritual­

ists. At his sessions you can witness the classic movements of the table, the appear­ ance of “spirit hands” and musical instru­ ments that play by themselves. The medi­ um is seen handling hot coals, stretching his body, shaking the room, and levitating.

7

In response to the large number of re­ ported cases of alleged spiritual activ­ ity, as well as the increase in mediums, the Society for Psychical Research was found­ ed in 1882 to investigate supernatural events with scientific rigor.

8

The ideomotor effect, the idea that thinking about an action can trigger its motor execution even without conscious in­ tention, is used to explain rotating and wob­ bly tables and automatic writing.

9

Even inventors such as Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison wondered about the possibility of spirit radios and telephones, surprised by some of the disembodied voic­ es heard during their experiments.

10

Some mediums claim to be able to capture the images of spirits through photography.

The room must be draped in red to facilitate communicat ion with the afterli fe.

The lights must be dimm ed.

The mediu m must keep her feet immer sed in a basin of cold water to facilita te contac t. ly men) Accord ing to spiritu alists, people are divide d into positive (usual and negati ve (usual ly women). Positive and negati ve people should altern ate around the table to create a balanc e.

To begin the session , a candle is lit, and invocations or prayer s are recited .

The medium retreats into a room, or into a cabinet, and then re-emerges “possess ed” by the spirit of the deceased in ectoplas mic form.

When the mediu m is in this state, no one should turn on lights or touch her. The shock could kill her.

Spirits can also manifest by writin g a messa ge (with a pencil moved togeth er by the partic ipants), makin g noises , or levitat ing object s such as, for example, the table.

At the end of the session , the candle is blown out.

21

Wordsearch

Join the Dots

H

ere is another game to help you relax for a moment throughout your studies. Join the dots from 1 to 201 to reveal the mystery person.

85 87 86

84 83

88 89

80 81

91 90

T C O F X Q N E P M I R G N O E O A D E V O N S H I R E B D G S B Q U H R E G D O R O A A E T U O A D C Q N T M S R R G H A C A I M F A D N T T C R S I R C H A R L E S A S I R Y T K I Z P P K V O P E A Y M M P D C C O N O Y L L H O C H O N N A Z A N R E Z O W S N Y R D E T R L N T R H U G O D P E F D F Y E O L A U R A L Y O N S L R H N E S U O H T I P I R R E M Z S E L L I V R E K S A B S V R E M I T R O M S E M A J

93 94

201 138 137 144

136 135 134

125

120 28 119 27

141

195 193 192

145 146

52 105

191 106 190 177 107 189 187 188 176 108 109 186 179178 175 110 185 180 147 174 148 149 184 181 173 172 111 183 182 150 171 124 112 123 153 170 122 151 169 154 113 152 168 155 156 166 167 114 157 165 158 164 159

30

194

161

51

50 115

163 162

118

44

116

45

42

40

117

34

29

104

196

142

160 32

26

103

139 140 143

133 132 131 130 129 128 127 126

121

53

197

200

46

38

36

47 43

25

31

24

17

23

2

49 48

39

35 19

1

9

41 33 37

3

18

8

10 16 12

20 22

40

21

15

ind all the words listed below among the letters in the grid. They may be written in all directions, including diagonally, and may cross or overlap each other.

82

79 78 71 77 66 65 72 67 70 64 76 63 68 69 75 95 73 96 58 74 59 62 97 60 61 98 57 56 99 101 55 54 100 102 198 199 92

F

Games

14

13

5

6

11

7 4

DARTMOOR BASKERVILLE SIRCHARLES BARRYMORE FRANKLAND

STAPLETON BERYL MERRIPITHOUSE SELDEN LESTRADE

HUGO RODGER LAURALYONS HENRY GRIMPEN

DEVONSHIRE COSTARICA DEVON GARCIA

41

Wordsearch

Join the Dots

H

ere is another game to help you relax for a moment throughout your studies. Join the dots from 1 to 201 to reveal the mystery person.

85 87 86

84 83

88 89

80 81

91 90

T C O F X Q N E P M I R G N O E O A D E V O N S H I R E B D G S B Q U H R E G D O R O A A E T U O A D C Q N T M S R R G H A C A I M F A D N T T C R S I R C H A R L E S A S I R Y T K I Z P P K V O P E A Y M M P D C C O N O Y L L H O C H O N N A Z A N R E Z O W S N Y R D E T R L N T R H U G O D P E F D F Y E O L A U R A L Y O N S L R H N E S U O H T I P I R R E M Z S E L L I V R E K S A B S V R E M I T R O M S E M A J

93 94

201 138 137 144

136 135 134

125

120 28 119 27

141

195 193 192

145 146

52 105

191 106 190 177 107 189 187 188 176 108 109 186 179178 175 110 185 180 147 174 148 149 184 181 173 172 111 183 182 150 171 124 112 123 153 170 122 151 169 154 113 152 168 155 156 166 167 114 157 165 158 164 159

30

194

161

51

50 115

163 162

118

44

116

45

42

40

117

34

29

104

196

142

160 32

26

103

139 140 143

133 132 131 130 129 128 127 126

121

53

197

200

46

38

36

47 43

25

31

24

17

23

2

49 48

39

35 19

1

9

41 33 37

3

18

8

10 16 12

20 22

40

21

15

ind all the words listed below among the letters in the grid. They may be written in all directions, including diagonally, and may cross or overlap each other.

82

79 78 71 77 66 65 72 67 70 64 76 63 68 69 75 95 73 96 58 74 59 62 97 60 61 98 57 56 99 101 55 54 100 102 198 199 92

F

Games

14

13

5

6

11

7 4

DARTMOOR BASKERVILLE SIRCHARLES BARRYMORE FRANKLAND

STAPLETON BERYL MERRIPITHOUSE SELDEN LESTRADE

HUGO RODGER LAURALYONS HENRY GRIMPEN

DEVONSHIRE COSTARICA DEVON GARCIA

41

Odd One Out

E

Where?

ach of these groups of words and names includes one that doesn’t match with the rest.

Following your logic skills and knowledge, try to find out which one.

Gr i me sby Roy lot t , C apt . C a l hou n, L a ngd a le P i ke , Mor t i mer Trege n n i s , Jack St aple ton

W

ho married in the church of St. Monica? What happened in Saxe-Cobourg Square?

Match each place from the first list to the corresponding novel or story.

P L AC E Gr i mp en

Cu r a re , St r ych n i ne , A rs en ic , Hem lock, R ic i n A u s t r a l i a , V ic tor i a P en a l C olon y

P ic c ad i l ly, Wate rloo, Padd i ng ton, St . Pa nc r a s , Vic tor ia

C hu r ch o f St . Mon ic a

Jone s , L e st r ade , St ut ton, Gregs on, Hopk i ns

Ver m i s s a

Cullin an, Gran Mogo l, The Hope , Koh-I-Noor, The India n Star A mel ia E l i z abe t h D yer, Jack T he R ipper, T homa s Nei l l Cre a m, Ma r y A n n C ot ton, B el le Gu n ne s s

Tiger sna ke , Red r at sna ke , Black ma mba , Ta ipa n, Ba nded k T he L ost Worl d , T he Med a l of Br igad ier G ér a rd , T he Gre at B oer Wa r, M ic a h C la rke , M ichele St rogof f

52

A nd a m a n I s l a nd s

S w itzerl a nd

r a it

Games

Saxe-Cobourg Square

Utah

ST OR I E S The Adventure of the Red-Headed League A Sc a nd a l i n Bohem i a T he Hou nd o f the Ba s k er v i l le s T he Si g n o f the Fou r

A St ud y i n Sc a rlet

T he Bo s c omb e Va l le y M y s ter y T he F i n a l P r oblem

The Valley of Fear

53

Odd One Out

E

Where?

ach of these groups of words and names includes one that doesn’t match with the rest.

Following your logic skills and knowledge, try to find out which one.

Gr i me sby Roy lot t , C apt . C a l hou n, L a ngd a le P i ke , Mor t i mer Trege n n i s , Jack St aple ton

W

ho married in the church of St. Monica? What happened in Saxe-Cobourg Square?

Match each place from the first list to the corresponding novel or story.

P L AC E Gr i mp en

Cu r a re , St r ych n i ne , A rs en ic , Hem lock, R ic i n A u s t r a l i a , V ic tor i a P en a l C olon y

P ic c ad i l ly, Wate rloo, Padd i ng ton, St . Pa nc r a s , Vic tor ia

C hu r ch o f St . Mon ic a

Jone s , L e st r ade , St ut ton, Gregs on, Hopk i ns

Ver m i s s a

Cullin an, Gran Mogo l, The Hope , Koh-I-Noor, The India n Star A mel ia E l i z abe t h D yer, Jack T he R ipper, T homa s Nei l l Cre a m, Ma r y A n n C ot ton, B el le Gu n ne s s

Tiger sna ke , Red r at sna ke , Black ma mba , Ta ipa n, Ba nded k T he L ost Worl d , T he Med a l of Br igad ier G ér a rd , T he Gre at B oer Wa r, M ic a h C la rke , M ichele St rogof f

52

A nd a m a n I s l a nd s

S w itzerl a nd

r a it

Games

Saxe-Cobourg Square

Utah

ST OR I E S The Adventure of the Red-Headed League A Sc a nd a l i n Bohem i a T he Hou nd o f the Ba s k er v i l le s T he Si g n o f the Fou r

A St ud y i n Sc a rlet

T he Bo s c omb e Va l le y M y s ter y T he F i n a l P r oblem

The Valley of Fear

53

Games

The Measurements of Crime

A

lphonse Bertillon is one of the key figures in forensic criminology and one of the few people to gain the admiration of Sherlock Holmes himself.

T

he French policeman is in fact famous for having spread the use of mug shots in 1880 and for having created one of the first identification systems based on an­ thropometry: the measurement and description of a per­ son’s physical characteristics.

B

ertillon’s identification method involves the mea­ surement of some physical characteristics of the individual, a written description of their appearance, the identification of particular marks, and photos of the face from the front and in profile.

Name and surname _________________________________ Nicknames and pseudonyms _________________________________ Born in _____________________ on ______________________ Son/daughter of ______________________ and ___________________________ Profession _________________________________ Criminal record _______________________ Reason for detention ______________________

Front photo

T H

Profile photo

his greatly facilitated the work of the police, making it finally possible to identify repeat criminals.

is cataloguing work using the filing method that we know today also gave rise to a system of widespread connections between the various police institutes, pro­ moting their collaboration.

A

nthropometry is, however, to be considered a pseudo­ science, which, at its extreme, also led to problemat­ ic racial stereotyping and was replaced, a few years later, by the more reliable fingerprint identification.

P

ractice identifying criminals by filing friends and relatives using the Bertillon card on the next page.

Distinguishing marks and scars

Height __________ Weight __________ Build __________ Open arms, length __________ Sitting height __________ Complexion __________

Head, width __________ Head, length __________ Cheeks, width __________ Hair __________ Iris color __________ Mustache/beard __________

Right ear, edge and lobe __________ Chin __________ Nose, length and width __________ Forehead __________

Little finger, length __________ Middle finger, length __________ Left foot, length __________ Left forearm, length __________

Date ______________ Measured by ___________________

58

59

Games

The Measurements of Crime

A

lphonse Bertillon is one of the key figures in forensic criminology and one of the few people to gain the admiration of Sherlock Holmes himself.

T

he French policeman is in fact famous for having spread the use of mug shots in 1880 and for having created one of the first identification systems based on an­ thropometry: the measurement and description of a per­ son’s physical characteristics.

B

ertillon’s identification method involves the mea­ surement of some physical characteristics of the individual, a written description of their appearance, the identification of particular marks, and photos of the face from the front and in profile.

Name and surname _________________________________ Nicknames and pseudonyms _________________________________ Born in _____________________ on ______________________ Son/daughter of ______________________ and ___________________________ Profession _________________________________ Criminal record _______________________ Reason for detention ______________________

Front photo

T H

Profile photo

his greatly facilitated the work of the police, making it finally possible to identify repeat criminals.

is cataloguing work using the filing method that we know today also gave rise to a system of widespread connections between the various police institutes, pro­ moting their collaboration.

A

nthropometry is, however, to be considered a pseudo­ science, which, at its extreme, also led to problemat­ ic racial stereotyping and was replaced, a few years later, by the more reliable fingerprint identification.

P

ractice identifying criminals by filing friends and relatives using the Bertillon card on the next page.

Distinguishing marks and scars

Height __________ Weight __________ Build __________ Open arms, length __________ Sitting height __________ Complexion __________

Head, width __________ Head, length __________ Cheeks, width __________ Hair __________ Iris color __________ Mustache/beard __________

Right ear, edge and lobe __________ Chin __________ Nose, length and width __________ Forehead __________

Little finger, length __________ Middle finger, length __________ Left foot, length __________ Left forearm, length __________

Date ______________ Measured by ___________________

58

59

Fun facts

Wandering Through Time

ARTHUR C. DOYLE 1880

1876 1859 Born in Edinburgh on May 22

Attends the Faculty of Medicine

Spends 6 months onboard the whaling ship Hope, headed toward the Arctic

1887

1879

Studies ophthalmology in Vienna

1887

A Study in Scarlet is published

He becomes a spiritualist

First story published: The Mystery of Sasassa Valley

The British biologist Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of the Species Abraham Lincoln abolishes slavery

The American Civil War breaks out

1861

1865

Thomas Edison invents the lightbulb Opening of the Suez Canal

1869

1880

1887

1 9 17

1901

He writes of the death of Sherlock Holmes in The Final Problem

The Hound of the Basker­villes is published

The Lost World is published

1903 He partici­ pates in the Boer War as a doctor and meets a young Churchill

He brings Sherlock Holmes back to life in the story The Adventure of the Empty House

Women vote for the first time in England

1912

Oscar Wilde’s The Portrait of Dorian Gray is published

1890

Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is launched

1930 Dies of a heart attack at home

The Great Depression begins

1929

Start of World War 1

1914 1901

1925

He opens a psychic bookshop in London

The Titanic sinks on April 15

The end of Queen Victoria’s reign

He publishes His Last Bow, Sherlock Holmes’s final appearance in chronological order

1912

1900

Karl Benz patents the motor for the very first automobile

1859

62

1891

1893

1918 1925

HISTORIC EVENTS 63

Fun facts

Wandering Through Time

ARTHUR C. DOYLE 1880

1876 1859 Born in Edinburgh on May 22

Attends the Faculty of Medicine

Spends 6 months onboard the whaling ship Hope, headed toward the Arctic

1887

1879

Studies ophthalmology in Vienna

1887

A Study in Scarlet is published

He becomes a spiritualist

First story published: The Mystery of Sasassa Valley

The British biologist Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of the Species Abraham Lincoln abolishes slavery

The American Civil War breaks out

1861

1865

Thomas Edison invents the lightbulb Opening of the Suez Canal

1869

1880

1887

1 9 17

1901

He writes of the death of Sherlock Holmes in The Final Problem

The Hound of the Basker­villes is published

The Lost World is published

1903 He partici­ pates in the Boer War as a doctor and meets a young Churchill

He brings Sherlock Holmes back to life in the story The Adventure of the Empty House

Women vote for the first time in England

1912

Oscar Wilde’s The Portrait of Dorian Gray is published

1890

Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is launched

1930 Dies of a heart attack at home

The Great Depression begins

1929

Start of World War 1

1914 1901

1925

He opens a psychic bookshop in London

The Titanic sinks on April 15

The end of Queen Victoria’s reign

He publishes His Last Bow, Sherlock Holmes’s final appearance in chronological order

1912

1900

Karl Benz patents the motor for the very first automobile

1859

62

1891

1893

1918 1925

HISTORIC EVENTS 63

The Fairies

T

he year is 1917. Elsie Wright, 16 years old, and her cousin Frances Griffiths, 9, run to play every day on the bank of a stream surround­ ed by the green English countryside of Cottingley, England. When asked by their parents about what they do there all day, the two claim to have made friends with fairies.

T

o support this extraordinary statement, Elsie one day takes her fa­ ther’s camera with her and, when home, shows a photo of Frances in the company of diaphanous fairies dancing among the blades of grass.

A

lthough Elsie’s father isn’t convinced, Frances’s mother brings this and other photos to a meeting of the Theosophical Society, to show that great metaphysical changes are taking place in the world.

T

he Cottingley photos started to spread and, having appeared in a spiritualism magazine, even reached Arthur Conan Doyle. The ­author was a great believer in paranormal phenomena, so much so that he asked if he could use them alongside an article on fairies that he was writing for Christmas.

D

ue to the very dark and dramatic historical moment, interest in fair­ ies and elves was high in England at the time, and Cottingley be­ came a magical and mysterious place where, hidden from view, fabulous, fantastic creatures were leading secret lives.

A

lthough the veracity of the photos was questioned numerous times, it wasn’t until the 1980s that Elsie and Frances, still alive, confessed to having created them using hand-painted paper shapes held up by pins.

I

f you want to try your hand at recreating a fake photograph like Fran­ ces and Elsie, on pages 90 and 91 you will find fairies to cut out and color.

68

Games

Fun facts

What Do You Know About A Study in Scarlet?

L

et’s take a closer look at what you know about the first novel that brought such fame to Holmes and Watson. Choose the cor­ rect answer for each question below.

1.

When Watson and Sherlock meet for the first time, what is Holmes doing an experiment on?

5 . What was the murder weapon?

A . a dagger B . a candlestick C . a box with some pills

A . the bruises on a corpse B . hemoglobin C . the length of a mustache 2 . What do they find at the scene of

6 . Who does Sherlock test the

poison on?

the crime?

A . a dog B . Watson C . Mrs. Hudson

A . a wedding ring B . a necklace C . an earring 3 . What is written on a wall at the

scene of the crime?

A . JUST B . RACHE C . CATHE

4 . How does the murderer die?

A . hanged B . an aortic aneurism C . suicide

7.

Who was the murderer?

A . former soldier B . police officer C . cabman

8 . In the flashbacks we see a

community of. . . .

A . Amish B . Mormons C . Freemasons

69

The Fairies

T

he year is 1917. Elsie Wright, 16 years old, and her cousin Frances Griffiths, 9, run to play every day on the bank of a stream surround­ ed by the green English countryside of Cottingley, England. When asked by their parents about what they do there all day, the two claim to have made friends with fairies.

T

o support this extraordinary statement, Elsie one day takes her fa­ ther’s camera with her and, when home, shows a photo of Frances in the company of diaphanous fairies dancing among the blades of grass.

A

lthough Elsie’s father isn’t convinced, Frances’s mother brings this and other photos to a meeting of the Theosophical Society, to show that great metaphysical changes are taking place in the world.

T

he Cottingley photos started to spread and, having appeared in a spiritualism magazine, even reached Arthur Conan Doyle. The ­author was a great believer in paranormal phenomena, so much so that he asked if he could use them alongside an article on fairies that he was writing for Christmas.

D

ue to the very dark and dramatic historical moment, interest in fair­ ies and elves was high in England at the time, and Cottingley be­ came a magical and mysterious place where, hidden from view, fabulous, fantastic creatures were leading secret lives.

A

lthough the veracity of the photos was questioned numerous times, it wasn’t until the 1980s that Elsie and Frances, still alive, confessed to having created them using hand-painted paper shapes held up by pins.

I

f you want to try your hand at recreating a fake photograph like Fran­ ces and Elsie, on pages 90 and 91 you will find fairies to cut out and color.

68

Games

Fun facts

What Do You Know About A Study in Scarlet?

L

et’s take a closer look at what you know about the first novel that brought such fame to Holmes and Watson. Choose the cor­ rect answer for each question below.

1.

When Watson and Sherlock meet for the first time, what is Holmes doing an experiment on?

5 . What was the murder weapon?

A . a dagger B . a candlestick C . a box with some pills

A . the bruises on a corpse B . hemoglobin C . the length of a mustache 2 . What do they find at the scene of

6 . Who does Sherlock test the

poison on?

the crime?

A . a dog B . Watson C . Mrs. Hudson

A . a wedding ring B . a necklace C . an earring 3 . What is written on a wall at the

scene of the crime?

A . JUST B . RACHE C . CATHE

4 . How does the murderer die?

A . hanged B . an aortic aneurism C . suicide

7.

Who was the murderer?

A . former soldier B . police officer C . cabman

8 . In the flashbacks we see a

community of. . . .

A . Amish B . Mormons C . Freemasons

69

Giochi

What Do You Know About Doyle?

L

9 . Joseph Bell, who inspired his

et’s immerse ourselves once more in the life of our author who, despite discovering fame thanks to his extremely logical detective, dedicated a large part of his life to supporting and spreading spiritualism. Answer this quiz.

Arthur Conan Doyle had

1.

and novels of Sherlock Holmes were A . his best work B . literary entertainment C . an obstacle for his career as a real writer

2 . Arthur Conan Doyle promoted the A . skiing as a winter sport B . bartitsu C . golf

6 . He fought for A . universal suffrage B . the abolition of capital punishment C . equal rights for men and women in divorce

3 . He fought in A . the Boer War B . the First World War C . no war 4 . Sherlock and Watson did not

appear in

A . the first draft of The Hound of the Baskervilles B . the first draft of A Study in Scarlet C . the first draft of The Sign of the Four

74

A . a university professor B . the captain of a whaling ship C . a friend of his father’s

5 . He was convinced that the stories

A . 1 wife B . 2 wives C . 3 wives

common use of

Sherlock, was

7.

10. Who was Doyle’s other famous

character who appeared in several books?

A . Professor Challenger B . Inspector MacDonald C . explorer Pinker Jones

1 1 . What is the name of another of his

books?

A . Voyage to the Center of the Earth B . The Lost World C . The Time Machine

1 2 . He was a great sports enthusiast,

but which of the following did he never play?

A . Golf B . Football C . Rugby

1 3 . He convinced the English Navy to A . put a large fork in front of ships to protect against mines B . equip sailors with bullet-proof ­jackets C . equip sailors with lifejackets 1 4 . Phineas was . . .

A . his son B . his spirit guide C . his dog

He was nominated Knight A . for literary merit B . for having written war propaganda C . for having fought in the war

8 . He went to Vienna to study A . ophthalmology B . thoracic surgery C . gynecology

75

Giochi

What Do You Know About Doyle?

L

9 . Joseph Bell, who inspired his

et’s immerse ourselves once more in the life of our author who, despite discovering fame thanks to his extremely logical detective, dedicated a large part of his life to supporting and spreading spiritualism. Answer this quiz.

Arthur Conan Doyle had

1.

and novels of Sherlock Holmes were A . his best work B . literary entertainment C . an obstacle for his career as a real writer

2 . Arthur Conan Doyle promoted the A . skiing as a winter sport B . bartitsu C . golf

6 . He fought for A . universal suffrage B . the abolition of capital punishment C . equal rights for men and women in divorce

3 . He fought in A . the Boer War B . the First World War C . no war 4 . Sherlock and Watson did not

appear in

A . the first draft of The Hound of the Baskervilles B . the first draft of A Study in Scarlet C . the first draft of The Sign of the Four

74

A . a university professor B . the captain of a whaling ship C . a friend of his father’s

5 . He was convinced that the stories

A . 1 wife B . 2 wives C . 3 wives

common use of

Sherlock, was

7.

10. Who was Doyle’s other famous

character who appeared in several books?

A . Professor Challenger B . Inspector MacDonald C . explorer Pinker Jones

1 1 . What is the name of another of his

books?

A . Voyage to the Center of the Earth B . The Lost World C . The Time Machine

1 2 . He was a great sports enthusiast,

but which of the following did he never play?

A . Golf B . Football C . Rugby

1 3 . He convinced the English Navy to A . put a large fork in front of ships to protect against mines B . equip sailors with bullet-proof ­jackets C . equip sailors with lifejackets 1 4 . Phineas was . . .

A . his son B . his spirit guide C . his dog

He was nominated Knight A . for literary merit B . for having written war propaganda C . for having fought in the war

8 . He went to Vienna to study A . ophthalmology B . thoracic surgery C . gynecology

75

Find Sherlock’s Pipes

I

magine your excitement at crossing the threshold of 221b Baker Street and visiting Sherlock and Watson’s apartment. This is what the disorganized living room might look like. By focusing, can you find all ten pipes hidden in the picture? When you have found them all, you can have fun coloring the living room.

Find Sherlock’s Pipes

I

magine your excitement at crossing the threshold of 221b Baker Street and visiting Sherlock and Watson’s apartment. This is what the disorganized living room might look like. By focusing, can you find all ten pipes hidden in the picture? When you have found them all, you can have fun coloring the living room.

Photo Credits The images are from: Getty Images: 25 bottom left, 34, 44, 62 (1880 and 1890) 63 (1901, 1912, 1925), 65, 78 Shutterstock.com: 6, 12, 21, 24, 25 top left, center and right, 28, 32, 39, 41, 58, 60, 62 (all except 1880 and 1890), 63 (1893, 1925), 74, 79 Conception and creation: Il Cartavolante (Elisabetta Stoinich+Pemberley Pond) WS whitestarTM is a trademark property of White Star s.r.l. © 2024 White Star s.r.l.

Piazzale Luigi Cadorna, 6 20123 Milan, Italy www.whitestar.it Translation: Qontent Editing: Phillip Gaskill All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-88-544-2044-1 1 2 3 4 5 28 27 26 25 24 Printed in Serbia