Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle

More than a hundred years have passed since the creation of Sherlock Holmes, perhaps the most famous fictional character of all time. But while the legendary detective lives on in the popular imagination, the man who created him is often overlooked and frequently misunderstood. This fresh and compelling biography examines the extraordinary life and strange contrasts of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the struggling provincial doctor who became the most popular storyteller of his age. From his youthful exploits aboard a whaling ship to his often stormy friendships with such figures as Harry Houdini and George Bernard Shaw, Arthur Conan Doyle lived a life as gripping as one of his own adventures. Exhaustively researched and elegantly written, "Teller of Tales" sets aside many myths and misconceptions to present a vivid portrait of the man behind the legend of Baker Street, with a particular emphasis on the psychic crusade that dominated his final years - the work that Conan Doyle himself felt to be "the most important thing in the world". I have had a life which, for variety and romance, could, I think, hardly be exceeded, Conan Doyle once wrote. "Teller of Tales" presents that story with rare panache.