Overview
Reframes our understanding of Conan Doyle’s narrative structures
Connects Kuhn and theories used in the study of the history of science with detective fiction
Provides a readable and engaging new contribution to Sherlock Holmes studies
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Table of contents (8 chapters)
Keywords
About this book
This book analyzes the four novels and fifty-six stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describing the adventures and discoveries of Sherlock Holmes. Michael J. Crowe suggests that nearly all the Holmes stories exhibit the pattern known as a Gestalt shift, in which suddenly Holmes’s efforts reveal a new perspective on the case, typically identifying the culprit(s) and resolving the case. Drawing on ideas presented by Thomas S. Kuhn in his famous Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962), Crowe argues that similar to the way that Kuhn applied the idea of a Gestalt shift to the history of science, this approach can be used to reveal the structure of the Holmes stories and possibly be applied to some other areas of fiction.
Reviews
“The Gestalt Shift in Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes Stories should appeal to multiple audiences. Sherlock Holmes scholars and members of the general reading public who are Holmes fans may be the primary audience, but those working on science and literature, and historians of science, will also find the book to be of interest. … There is much to learn from Crowe’s book about the role of scientific thinking in the making of one of the most iconic literary figures of the modern world.” (Bernard Lightman, Isis, Vol. 110 (4), 2019)
“Wow, Michael Crowe’s book is a great rarity, something new under the Sherlockian Sun. Critically, his thesis is convincing and far-reaching. It provides a structure for most of the plots, and it explains why the ‘literary agent’ (Doyle) was able to write so much better than almost all other imitators. It also provides a structure for understanding many of the better books and movies in the mystery genre.” (Bradley Schaefer, Distinguished Professor and Alumni Professor of Astronomy at Louisiana State University, USA)“The ‘Aha!’ moment when Sherlock Holmes finally puts it all together and the solution clicks into place with perfect clarity. In this fascinating and accessible read, Professor Crowe provides his own ‘Aha!’ presenting Sherlockians a new prism through which to understand Holmes’s genius, case by case. A must-read for fans!” (Barbara Barnett, author of Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. (2010) and The Apothecary’s Curse (2016))
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Michael J. Crowe is the Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, C.S.C. Professor Emeritus in the Program of Liberal Studies and Graduate Program in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Notre Dame, USA. This is the eleventh book he has published and his second book on Sherlock Holmes.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Gestalt Shift in Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes Stories
Authors: Michael J. Crowe
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98291-5
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media Studies, Literature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2018
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-98290-8Published: 20 October 2018
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-07478-4Published: 21 December 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-98291-5Published: 10 October 2018
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XII, 229
Number of Illustrations: 21 b/w illustrations
Topics: Nineteenth-Century Literature, Contemporary Literature, Literary Theory