Almost every schoolchild knows Arthur Conan Doyle.
Iedinburgh tells you more.
This British writer became truly famous thanks to the characters in his Sherlock Holmes stories. However, Conan Doyle’s own life was no less fascinating than the adventures of his legendary detective.
Early Years
Doyle was born in Edinburgh on May 22, 1859.
The family of the future writer faced significant financial hardships, mainly caused by his father’s alcoholism and severe psychological issues.
School Years
Arthur’s schooling began at the preparatory institution of Hodder Place.
When he turned nine, wealthy relatives offered to finance his education at the prestigious Jesuit boarding school, Stonyhurst College. It was there that the young future author developed a deep distaste for religious dogma and class prejudice.
Returning Home
After finishing college, Doyle returned home and decided to pursue a career in medicine. Having already begun his medical practice, he enrolled in and graduated from the University of Edinburgh’s medical faculty.
Subsequently, he joined a private clinic and dedicated himself to studying psychology.
First Literary Steps
Doyle’s literary career began during his third year at university. His debut short story was titled The Mystery of Sasassa Valley.
In February 1880, he became the ship’s doctor aboard the whaling ship “Hope.” He spent seven months working there amidst the harsh conditions of Arctic waters. Later, the experiences from these travels inspired him to write The Captain of the Pole-Star.
Settling on a Profession
In 1881, after receiving his Bachelor of Medicine degree, Doyle began practising medicine.
However, he soon realized that literature was his true calling.
Thus, in January 1884, the magazine Cornhill published his story J. Habakuk Jephson’s Statement.
Also in 1884, Arthur started writing a novel blending social themes with a criminal-detective storyline titled The Firm of Girdlestone.
Growth as a Writer
March 1886 marked the beginning of Doyle’s famous novel A Study in Scarlet, initially called A Tangled Skein.
Then, in 1889, he released his third significant work, The Mystery of Cloomber. The novel described the fate awaiting three vengeful Buddhist monks after death.
A New Period
Following this, Doyle’s work entered a historical phase.
He published novels such as Micah Clarke, The White Company, and The Refugees.
The Character That Defined His Fate
However, the Sherlock Holmes stories undoubtedly hold the most significant place in Arthur Conan Doyle’s literary legacy.
The first Sherlock Holmes short story, A Scandal in Bohemia, appeared in 1891. Within just two years, Doyle produced numerous short stories featuring Holmes, to the point that he began feeling burdened by his own creation.
Yet, every attempt to “get rid of” Sherlock Holmes ended in failure. The public loved the detective too much, compelling the author to repeatedly bring Holmes back to life.
In total, Conan Doyle wrote four novels and five collections of short stories about Sherlock Holmes.
Interestingly, by the time The Hound of the Baskervilles was published in 1900, Conan Doyle had become the highest-paid writer in the world.
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