Sherlock Holmes - The Best Teacher I Ever Had

Sherlock Holmes was a big influence on my early years. Miss Butler was encouraging with her English lessons and Miss Ellsworthy taught me history with enthusiasm. But, to be honest, I paid more attention to Sherlock Holmes.

The Sherlock Holmes adventures were the first books I read and enjoyed. Before that, reading was something I had to do at school. Learning my letters and discovering words via flash cards brought no great joy. It was a chore. Until I started reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books. Then it all made sense. This reading lark could be fun.

I would lie on the bed all day devouring the stories, even turning down trips to the beach when on holiday. And I loved the beach.

Growing up, I remember a TV series began, starring Jeremy Brett as Sherlock. He was mean, moody, intractable. I loved it.

It was a seminal time for me. I was at an impressionable age, discovering girls. Unsure of myself. Although Sherlock didn't seem to have much success with women, for some reason I thought his demeanour would go down well with the fairer sex.

So I spent far too many of my formative years staring into the distance, trying to look mysterious (not realising that look was usually the result of Holmes being high on morphine).

It didn't work.

Women thought I was strange and backed right off. Can't blame them. But I couldn't understand it at the time.

It was only in later years that I realised that Sherlock Holmes probably wasn't a good role model. At the very least he was a manic depressive and, more likely than not, had Asperger's Syndrome.

So, instead, I became John Malkovich. This was a much more popular move. Women didn't flock but they didn't run away. I was John Malkovich for a good five years, until I discovered myself.

I forgot about poor Sherlock Holmes, going on to read what I thought were more 'grown up' novels.

Curiosity brought me back. Something of which Holmes would approve.

I re-read a couple of the stories and was stuck by how modern they are. I think it was because detective stories were still in their infancy when Conan Doyle was writing.  The first novel truly using the techniques of modern, detective fiction was called 'The Notting Hill Mystery' and saw the light of day in 1862. The first Sherlock Holmes story appeared in 1887. So the modern detective novel was only twenty-five-years-old when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle put Dr Watson's thoughts on paper.

And I think that's why I think they feel up-to-date.

They have the feel of somebody venturing through a forest, not knowing what will jump out at him next. Conan Doyle hadn't read hundred of detective novels. He hadn't heard that there's a formula to follow in creating these kinds of mysteries. It made me realise that formulas are wrong. They're a creative dead end. Stay fresh, like Sherlock Holmes.

Years later and Sherlock Holmes is still teaching me things. Thank you, sir.