CONTEST: My favorite writer ✍️ - Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle

damithudaya (74)in Writing & Reviews • 3 years ago

“The game is afoot, Watson. The game is afoot.”

Hello Everyone, I'm Damith from Sri Lanka.

Another nice contest in the community. It's all about the favorite author. Thank you @belenguerra, @writingnreviews & @fendit for this.

Well, I can't remember how many books I have read in my life starting from very early stage of life. From fairies to international top-rated books I have referred. The family background is the main reasonfor this. My three big sisters used to carry books from the libraries and now we have our own collection.

From all the native and foreign writers, there is one guy who always inspired me to read. Well, most of you should have tasted his magical wine of Sherlock Holmes frictional detective story series.

221B Baker Street, London, England

For me reading this book with a coffee mug was just like a heaven in my childhood. If there's a rain. Mmm. No words to that feeling. I live in the 221B, Baker Street, his residence.

So, my favorite author is Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Let's see about him.

Early Life

Doyle was born on 22 May 1859 at 11 Picardy Place, Edinburgh, Scotland. His father was a little bit in to art, but for Doyle the passion of writing was basically come from his mother. She had a for books and used to tell stories for him. But due to poor family background he was moved to England with the help of his relatives for studies.

He was so much in to sports. Played football, golf, boxing and even played cricket for MCC. In 1881, graduated with Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (M.B. C.M.) degrees from the University of Edinburgh , and later completed his Doctor of Medicine. In August of 1885, he married Louisa Hawkins and he has 5 children.

Arthur Conan Doyle with his family on Waterloo station in 1923

Carrier as an author

During his studies he identified his passion as a writer when he made stories and told to his friends.

In October 1879 he published his first creation, "The Mystery of Sasassa Valley". It was short story. The journey begins from that, ended up creating over 200 stories and articles, both fictional and non-fictional.

In July 1891 Doyle published the short story, named "A Scandal in Bohemia" in the Strand Magazine. That's the turnaround of his life.

“A Study in Scarlet”

There he introduced Holmes and Watson. Well, Holmes is a detective and dr. Watson is his partner. Thes stories are still popular around the world. It's a known fact that, they were influenced from his mentor, Dr. Joseph Bell.

In 1887, He published his first Holme novel, A Study in Scarlet. Altogether there are four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson.

I first read his one novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles. And ironically still it's my favorite. I can still remember it's scenes, picture, maps, etc. Mr. Chandana Mendis is the best translator in our native language, Sinhala.

Some of his Shirlock Holmes works

The Sign of the Four, The Valley of Fear, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes,The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes are some of his prolific creations.

In 1893, he decided to end the series by falling down Holmes with his rival Moriaty, from Reichenbach Falls in the story "The Final Problem". But he even got death threats from the public. So, had to continues for more than 10 years more. That's how these books had been influenced in that time. And it's reported that letters are coming to his address still.

Doyle and Holmes in a single frame

Some of my books

Well, I have read all of his books. There were some other books within me. But couldn't find them.

Other than Detective fictions, he has made fantasy, science fiction, historical novels, romances, poetry as well. The mystery of the Mary Celeste, The Lost World, The White Company, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, stories about Professor Challenger aND stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard are some of them. You can see the full list from here, Arthur Conan Doyle bibliography.

Doyle died on July 7, 1930 in his garden, clutching his heart with one hand and holding a flower in the other.

Well, the reason for chosen Doyle as the favorite author is his influence on me to be a book worm. His writing skill is brilliant. He has just developed characters, seems like they are existed. That's why still letters are coming to Holmes' address. His very creative imagination is the main reason. And when I read about stories of this man, I got more impressed with his life style. Once he was a doctor, cricketer, a soldier, a spiritualist, a journalist. An a knight too. A complete package.

So, that's it. I'll wrap up the article with some of his popular quotes.

“But it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.” - The man with the tisetd lips.
“You have a grand gift for silence, Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.” - The Complete Sherlock Holmes
“Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons, with the greatest for the last.” - His Last Bow
“To a great mind, nothing is little,' remarked Holmes, sententiously.” - Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet
“No man burdens his mind with small matters unless he has some very good reason for doing so.” - Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet