The Notorious Canary-Trainers
A Scion of the Baker Street Irregulars
for friends and fans of Sherlock Holmes
-- celebrating our 40th year!

Just getting introduced to Sherlock Holmes and looking to get better grounded?

Sherlockian Russ Mann says that "readers drawn to the Sherlock Holmes stories may increase their enjoyment and understanding of the tales by supplementing them with a selection of books that deal with the stories and-or with the Victorian and Edwardian periods in which the stories are set."

Here are his suggestions from Oct. 25, 2003, in his own words:

For the reader just getting started, here is a short list; some five books that I suggest will give hours of pleasure and enlightenment when accompanied by the Canon. They are arranged in order of preference, No. 1 considered the most essential, etc.

Jack Tracy. The Encyclopaedia Sherlockiana or, A Universal Dictionary of the State of Knowledge of Sherlock Holmes and His Biographer John H. Watson M.D. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1977. ISBN 0385030614. 411 pages.

It is tempting to describe this volume as "Everything you want to know about the Sherlock Holmes stories and then some," and that would be close to the fact. At any rate, the book's pages are packed with data arranged dictionary style, plus illustrations, maps and more.

The author compiled it from the standpoint of the knowledge of the time with the material presented as though written during the first decade of the Twentieth Century.

Availability. The book is out of print but is available from abebooks.com at $12 and up. Also, a searchable CD ROM is available at $28 from the Sherlock Holmes Bookstore and Cafe at www.sherlock-holmes.com.

Stephen Clarkson. The Canonical Compendium. Ashcroft, British Columbia: Calabash Press, 1999. ISBN 1899562753. 429 pages, large format hardback, approx. 9 by 12.

If you possess the Tracy book and you are inspired to truly hone your knowledge about persons, places and things appearing in the Canon, this index of all indexes, this list of all lists cannot be matched.

It is separated into two parts. One is a Topical Index that lists places, people, events and items in 80 categories and 144 subcategories. The other major part consists of Story Indexes that list places, people, events and items that appear in a given story. An introduction to each story also is provided at the outset of each story index. The book is cross-referenced to five major editions of the Canon.

Availability. The publisher, Calabash Press, lists the book at $45 at this Web site.

Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888. Moretonhampstead, Devon: Old House Books, n.d. ISBN 1873590040. 310 pages plus adverts.

This is a reprint of the real thing, a Victorian-era guidebook prepared in the original by the son of Charles Dickens for residents and visitors. Holmes and Watson undoubtedly were familiar with the title.

It misses little of interest in the great metropolis of London, including, but certainly not limited to, major and minor attractions, clubs, railway stations, restaurants, banks, policing, postage, dress, even drinking fountains.

Availability. Generally available, though not always in stock at book sellers. But it is offered by the publisher for approximately $22 at www.oldhousebooks.co.uk.