My comments

Katya Suhorukova and her book "Before I fall"

http://beforeifallkatherine.blogspot.ru/2012/12/vocabulary_4093.html?showComment=1355746252237#c2408203478807408638

Nastya Opanasets and her book "The secret of dreamworld of a shopoholic"

http://nastiaopanasets.blogspot.ru/2012/11/self-assessment-abook-is-only-place-in.html#comment-form

Nesmeyanova Katya and her book "Robinson Crusoe"

http://ekaterinanesmeyanova.blogspot.ru/2012/12/universal-theme-of-robinson-is-man-on.html?showComment=1355748456782#c7756830530465472872

The finale.....

Ok, I've read my book!!!!!! Yippee!!!! You know, I'm a fan of a modern literature. And I thought that this book will be very boring. Before it I read books about Harry Potter and Hobbits and I decided to do some experiment. A book of a classical writer... Why not? And I understood that writers of classical works could reflect about all problems: love, life, death, mysticism, betrayal and friendship, etc. Some things like phones, computers and TV didn't prevent them. We can read in this books their real emotions and feelings. I don't want to say that modern writers write some rubbish. No! Simply I impressed by this book :)

As for the plot of this book, I'm sure that it is VERY interesting. I already said it that in this book you can found from a detective story to mysticism. And I think that don't need more words.

Sherlock Holmes is the most famouse personality in the world. He is only a character of the book but we can see him like a living person who can  breathe, think and act.

That's all. I did it. My collection of books  is replenished. But it isn't a finale. I hope that, Anastasia Genaduevna, you will give us the same task again and I'll create my next blog with the book "Sherlock Holmes and The Valley of Fear". See you soon!!!!!

Aspects of the culture in the book...

 This book, "Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of the Baskervilles", was written in the beginning of the 20th century (1900-1901). In this time a lot of things happened in England. 

Britain in those years has evolved some changes in politics and economics, and in culture. First cars start to go on roads of England in the early 20th century. In this book we can read that Sherlock use a carriage with a horse. But it's only the beginning. Also British started to use the first phones, gramophones, etc. 

 

As for the fashion of The Great Britain in the early 20th century. Formal suits was in fashion in this time. This suits included pants, vest, leather gloves, cane, hat. As for me I imagine that Sherlock Holmes wore this suit. Yes, I think so.

The 20th century was a period of the development in Britain. Some restraint prevailed in an architecture of London. A lot of houses was with two floors.

 Like that:

So, in this book, there are not a lot of aspects of the Britain's culture in early 20th, but this work is this aspect. Conan Doyle lived in this time and his works are a part of the Britain's history. If you want to learn about old London you must read all books by Sur Arthur Conan Doyle.

My opinions about the book...

What I like about the book "Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of the Baskervilles"....

1. A Very interesting plot.

2. Connection with mysticism

3. Some aspects about the culture the time

4. The book was written by an easy linguistic style

5. A realistic description

What I dislike about the book "Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of the Baskervilles"...

1. The only negative (if it can be called so) is that this is a very short work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle even for me (because I don't like read, actually). I've read it about for 3 days.

My ending of this story...

So, this story ended up that Sherlock Holmes understood that this mystery crime was made by Jack Stapleton. He is neighbor of Baskervilles and he is a nephew of Charles Baskerville. But Charles Baskerville left a will to another nephew - Henry Baskerville. And Jack Stapleton came in this country to Charles Baskerville and wanted to ingratiate oneself with his uncle. Charles Baskerville told him a legend about the horrible hound. Jack knew that Charles Baskerville has a heart trouble. And Jack bought a dog and brought her to moors. He Painted her muzzle glowing substance and let her. The heart of the earl was very weak and he died from the fear. jack wanted to kill Henry Baskerville also, but Sherlock stoped him.

Henry Baskerville became a lord of the manor of the Baskervilles. But what if Sherlock didn't stop Jack Stapleton!!! It will be my ending.

Henry called for help Sherlock Holmes. The awful hound was opposite Henry. His red eyes looked at Henry and from dog's jaws a white foam  flowed. Sherlock ran very fast but he missed. The hound pounced on Henry and bited to death. Sherlock shoted and the dog was killed. Sherlock and Watson came to the Henry's lifeless body. Sherlock said: "This case is closed, Watson. But you know, the first time in my practice, I didn't save my client." His words were sad. Sherlock called an ambulance. 

After funeral, he set in his chair with his violin and kept silence. After 4 or 5 days he said to Watson:" Watson, how do you think, Henry Baskerville forgives me?" "Yes, - answered Watson. -He forgives you. He was a very good man. Yeah. He forgives." Sherlocke smiled and some improvement was in his face.

Imagine filming the story

I think that everyone from us wants to be an actress or an actor. Or, maybe, someone would like to be a director of some film. I tried to imagine this situation. 

So, I'm a director of the film "Sherlock Holmes. Part I. The hound of the Baskervilles." The plot of my film will be connected with our modern world. But I would not want to deviate far from the original book and the concept of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I'd like that my film will be interesting as for adult as for young people. I want to draw attention of young people to the book, and of course to my film. There will be a lot of special effects in my film. I want that the famous hound of the Baskervilles will be very scary, because I want that my film will be as a horror film as a detective story. I think that it'll be very interestin idea.

                                                        Sherlock Holmes in our time

 

As for the cast of the film, I want that my Sherlock Holmes will be a young men (it will be interesting for young people), which is studying at the University, and who is the fan of  famous Sherlock Holmes. He can determine on the begavior of the person that he is lying. Sometimes he finds lost items and it's very simple for him.  So, his life is very simple and quite.  And after some time in his university the terrible event happened. A young man was killed and some girl saw that it was a big monster!!!! Who can solve this crime??? The police didn't find some evidences of the crime. Who can help? Who knows what the method of the deduction is??? I think that the plot is clear :)

                                                Doctor Watson is a girl and very good medic

 

But Sherlock must have a good friend, who helps him in some situations. Doctor Watson. In my film it will be....his girl friend!!! Unexpected turn, however. But it's my fantasy. His friend dreams that she will be a famous doctor. And she (15 years old!) knows about it a lot. She knows kinds of drugs, how to mix them and to do a poison, she knows a lot about murders, because she reads not some books for young girls but medical reports about murders, etc.

So, If i were a director, I 'd use this plot. I think that it will be interesting (at least for me).

Writing a letter

At first, I'd like to tell you some words about the author of this book, because I want to write my letter to him.

 

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle is a world famous Scottish and English writer, author of detective works about Sherlock Holmes' adventures,  science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, humor stories about the brigadier Gerard. "A Scandal in Bohemia", the first story in the series "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", was published in the magazine "The Strand" in 1891. The prototype of the main character, who soon became a legendary detective and consultant, was Joseph Bell. He is a professor at the University of Edinburgh, famous for the ability to guess the nature of the smallest details and the person's past. Four novels was devoted to the advantures of Sherlock Holmes: "A Study in Scarlet" (1887), "The Sign of the Four" (1890), "The Hound of the Baskervilles," "The Valley of Fear" - and five collections of short stories, the most famous of which - "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" (1892), "Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" (1894) and "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" (1905).

Dear Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,

 I've read your work "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and I'd like to say you that It's a very interesting book ! 

You know I like books with a misticism, but unfortunately today It's very difficult to find a book with a combinatin of the misticism and a very interesting plot. And your book has this combination. From the first pages I found what I was looking for. The mystery dog which terrorizys all residens.. It's very interesting plot. I think It will be interesting after some time. I'm sure!!!

And you know, that your character, Sherlock Holmes, became a very popular person in the world. We have a lot of games, cartoons, books about modern time, where Sherlock is the main character. And your method of a deduction.... Our minds can't think in this way.  If people could think with this method of a deduction, we would live without crimes and criminals. It will be the best world. Sometimes I want that your character, Sherlock Holmes, would be alive, would be a real person.

So, I'd like to say, simply, that you created the ideal character. And, unfortunately, we doesn't have such people as Sherlock Holmes. But we have your books. And with your help we can imagine your period of time and your thoughts which you wrote in this books. Thank you!

Sincerely,
your descendants

 

A review

I read a lot of interesting reviews about this work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "The Hound of the Baskervilles". And you know, this book doesn't leave anyone indifferent.

Many people wrote that this book is very easy to understand but has a lot of difficult problems. I completely agree with that opinions. Really, we can see here some relations, processes of inheritance of the time (with the will and heirs), and also we can see some pictures of the culture the time.

Also, we can from some reviews that readers think that Sherlock Holms used his method of deduction to the full especially in this book.  Here we can see how the great detective Sherlock Holmes unravels this complicated case, we can see how the mysticism and some common senses are intertwined together. 

Of course, we must not forget that every talanted work has a lot of phrases which we can call as popular expressions. For example, "Women's eyes speak louder than words..." I think that it's very succinct and clear expression (that's why I'm a girl, may be=)). Also I like this words: "There is nothing better than these cases, where everything seemed to conspire against you. That's when you start to get excited". I agree with this words, too. (Especially, I use these words during a session):) This words are very true: "Truly a monster should be a person unless there is a woman who mourns his death!" 

But you know, some readers write that this book is very simple and the plot is known already. I didn't agree with this opinion. Yes, we have a lot of films and games on this book, but read this book in original and imagine some pictures in your mind are the best thing.

 

And do you know who Dr Watson is? I'll tell you.

The first thing, you need to know, is that Watson dealogues on behalf of the author, or vice versa. He writes his "diary", and we learn about Sherlock's advantures from him. 

Before he works with Sherlock, he was in a war. There he was a surgeon. But after the wound, Watson was depart in London, where he meet with Sherlock and they rent an apartment from Mrs Hudson.

When you will read storyes about Shelock Holmes you can think that Watson is not very important character in this books. But it isn't so!!! Watson is some engine for the mind of Sherlock. Watson helps Sherlock to solve some difficult problems. That's why sometimes Sherlock wait Watson, who went in the Club. By the way, in this interesting moment Sherlock learned without some problems where Watson was. He said:

"-My dear Holmes, but how...

 - There is a delightful freshness about you, Watson, which makes it a pleasure to exercise any small powers which I possess at your expense. A gentleman goes forth on a showery and miry day. he returns immaculate in the evening with the gloss still on his hat and his boots. He has been a fixture therefore all day. He is not a man with intimate friends. Where, then, could he have been? Is it not obvious?

- Well, it is rather obvious."

 We can see hier that Watson became a part of Sherlock's life, and I'll tell you once again without Watson we would not able to know about advantures of Sherlock.

Now, I'd like to ask you some questions, but actually, I will answer them. 

The main question, which I had during reding my book, was "Sherlock, why are you tamper in this troubles?" If I were in his shoes, at first I'd be frightened, at the second I'd not know what to do in this situations. But it's my opinion. And what did Sherlock does? He is a unique man and he find's a way out of any situation. Sherlock said, that everything around us can help in the crime investigation.

 

Also, at first moments of my reading, I didn't understand about relations between Sherlock Holmes and his brother, Mycroft Holmes. I think that their relations have very thin line. Sherlock considers his brother an enemy. But I think that it's only a good play. Yes, we can see some sharp jokes about Mycroft, but It's only a play, no more.

 Sometimes I don't understand about personal life of Sherlock. He is a beautiful man with a poignant wit (and he knows how to play the violin). Probably, he doesn't interested some relations with women, because he lives in his own world where is no plays for woman and love. 

 Unfortunately, I haven't got more questions about this book and plot, of course. Maybe, after some time I'll write down a few words more.

More words...

1. yew hedge -some wall from living plants

"There are two lines of old yew hedge,... "

2. impenitrable - smth what we are not available (syn: impassable, ant: accessible, permeable)

 "...twelve feet high and impenetrable."

3. exceedingly - very strong, extremely (syn: extraordinarly)

"You interest me exceedingly."

4. padlock - lock to lock smth 

"Closed and padlocked."

5. wicket-gate - a little door in the garden, for example (syn: pass)

"And what marks did you see by the wicket-gate?"

6. gravel - small stones, pebbles

" He had left his own marks all over that small patch of gravel."

7. immense - smth very large, great (syn:massive, huge, enormous)

"...,and one which presented immense opportunities to the scientific expert."

8. hesitate - doubt smth (syn: falter, flounder, waver; ant: ascertain, choose, continue, decide)

"Why do you hesitate?"

9. acute - sharp or pointed (for example: acute eyesight)

"There is a realm in which the most acute and most experienced of detectives is helpless."

10. reconcile - make friends (syn: adjust, settle)

"Since the tragedy, Mr Holmes, there have come to my ears several incidents which are hard to reconcile with the settled order of Nature."

11. hitherto - before it, before the present time

"I have hitherto confined my investigations to this world."

12. diabolical - wicked, cruel, devilish (syn. damnable)

"..., and yet he was diabolical as well."

13. tug - drag or pull with a force

 " The original hound was material enough to tug a man's throat out."

14. trustee -  person who controls the property on trust

"I speak now not as a medical man but as a trustee and executor of Sir Charles's will"

I'd like to reflet about the famouse "method of the deduction of Sherlock Holmes". Maybe in some other books mentioned about this method, but in "The hound of the Baskervilles" says about it only few words. And what is this famous method of the deduction?
I think that the main idea of this method is the logic. Yes. Sherlock Holmes is a very clever man. And I think that his deductive method is based on two principles:
1. We have a lot of facts and evidences, and based on this, the picture of a crime is based.
2. Sherlock is looking for a person who complies with this picture.
I'll say it againe that Sherlock is very clever man. Anyone can't find offender on this method. I'm sure, that we haven't so mind and resourcefullnes. And Sherlock can link all minor facts and build the picture of a crime.
If you want to have this method you should know everythig about criminalistics, you should determine the character of man in his headwriting. Your brain should be as a computer. Sharlock can "download" some information in his brain and "delete, format" some information.
I think that you, as me, understood what method of the deduction is. Maybe there is a person with this method somewhere, but today I don't know him.

I found in my book a lot of interesting words and expressions. This is some from them.

1) bulbous-headed - knob ("...it was a fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous-headed,...)

2) That no ban is so heavy but that by prayer and repentance it may be removed,... (very interesting statement=)

3) to be circumspect - go slow (syn: cautious)

4) wild, profane, and godless man - profane = unhole

5) God forbid should ever be at my heels

6) blаck mare - chestnut mare (syn: black horse)

7) dabbled with white froth - sprinkle with white foam (syn: paddle, splash)

8) a great, black beast, shaped like a hound,... - about BIG BLACK THE BASKERVILLES' HOUND

9) and even as they looked the thing tore the throat out

10) blazing eyes - sparkling eyes (syn: flaming, glaring)

11) dripping jaws - bloody jaws

12) superstition - суеверие

13) gipsy horse-dealer - gypsy who outbid products and selling it at the new price

14) the moor - swamp (syn: peat bog)

15) a gig - cabriolet

What is this book about?

I want to be honest, I didn't watch the russian film based on this book, but I watched the modern film from BBC. This film is about our time, and it has common things with Arthur Conan Doyle, just a little. He wrote in his century and he had his values not as in our time. So, actually, I don't know what this book is about. But I think, that Sherlock Holmes will investigate a misterious murder, which was made by a terrible dog!!! And, of course, all murders are always accompanied with mysteries. And I think that a killer will not a dog, but someone very inconspicuous. I want to read this book!!!!!!!See you soon=)

What am I going to read???

Okey!!!! I would like to tell you about my choice. It was VERY difficult, because I couldn't decide what I want to read. At first, I didn't know what genre of the book will be interesting for me. I wanted to read something very interesting. I sorted out a lot of options, but something was very difficult for reading, and something was very difficult for understanding. At the start of this semester I chose the book. It was a horro storyr. But after 20 pages I understood that it's very boring. And now, I'm reading a very interesting book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "Sherlock Holmes and The hound of the Baskervilles". I like detective stories and I think that this book is not an exception.
P.S. Good luck to me and let's go to solve the secret of the mystery Hound!!!!!