The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (book)

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is a book by Vincent Starrett originally published in 1933. It is considered the first book on Sherlock Holmes scholarship and a cornerstone of the study of Sherlockiana. It has been credited with jumpstarting the creation of Sherlockian Societies  It has been used as an inspiration and a reference for "biographies" of Sherlock Holmes such as Nick Rennison's 2005 Sherlock Holmes: The Unauthorized Biography.
The book was dedicated to William Gillette, Frederic Dorr Steele, and Gray Chandler Briggs.
The book was revised and expanded in 1960 and republished by The University of Chicago Press and again in 1993 by Otto Penzler Books. A paperback edition of the University of Chicago edition, with a new introduction and epilogue, was published by Pinnacle Books in 1975. In 2008, a 75th Anniversary Edition of the book was published with a new introduction by author and Sherlockian expert Ray Betzner. In the 2008 edition's introduction, Betzner writes: 
"The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes gave a permanent profile to the playful examination of the Holmes stories by blending literary criticism, historical analysis and childlike imagination with adult wish fulfillment. More than that, Private Life became a rallying point for those who dabbled in this playful criticism, encouraging others to make their Holmes devotion public. Over the years, it remained a beloved favorite and cornerstone work in any Holmes collection. Much of what has been written about Sherlock Holmes in the intervening 75 years can trace its roots back to this one book." 
== Book Covers ==
PriviteLifeSH1933.jpg|Dust Jacket Cover 1933 Edition
TPLOSH+Cover+and+spine.jpg|Blue Cover Edition
TPLOSH+opening+page.jpg|1934 Edition
Starrettprivate4014.jpg|1934 UK Edition
4221.jpg|1960 Edition
Starrettprivate3676.jpg|1961 UK Edition
99398393285dcb6894d54c4cab70c068.jpg|1975 Edition
TPLOSH+Mysterious+Library+Cover.jpeg|link=http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/2/9/the-private-life-of-sherlock-holmes-a-consideration|1988 Edition
81ngYrh7rHL.jpg|Otto Penzler 1993 Edition
71PB1nEnfkL.jpg|75th Anniversary Edition
JapaneseEditionDJCover001.jpeg|Japanese Edition
Paper+cover+with+band.jpeg|Japanese Edition
== Link ==
Studies in Starrett: A blog dedicated to the works of Vincent Starrett with detailed articles on his Sherlockian works curated by Ray Betzner
The Complete Publication History Of "The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes": A 17 Chapter blog article by Ray Betzner on the history of the book's publication (Click New at the bottom of the article for next chapter)
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes at Wikipedia
Category:Sherlockian Studies
Category:Books
Category:Non-Fiction
Category:Culture