Анжелика Ягудена
По следам детективов: увлекательные истории для изучения английского языка
© Ягудена А., текст, 2024
© Ибрагимова А., иллюстрации, 2024
© ООО «Феникс», оформление, 2024
© В оформлении обложки использованы иллюстрации по лицензии Shutterstock.com
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Introduction
Дорогие читатели, предлагаю вам окунуться в увлекательный мир тайн, загадок и расследований. Перед вами книга, которая познакомит вас с занимательными фактами биографии легендарных писателей детективного жанра и приоткроет завесу тайны над их творческой и личной жизнью. Если вы хотите почувствовать себя настоящим детективом, а заодно эффективно улучшить разговорные навыки английского языка и расширить свой словарный запас, то можно принять участие в расследовании запутанных преступлений. Подобно знаменитым сыщикам, чтобы выйти на след преступника, вы будете искать подозреваемых, проверять их алиби и собирать улики. Эта книга поможет не только узнать много нового о гениях детективного жанра, но также с помощью игровых методов увлекательно и интересно развить внимательность к деталям и логическое мышление. Вам не придется монотонно заучивать материал. Напротив, можно совместить приятное с полезным: прикоснуться к жизни и творчеству гениев, а затем, вдохновившись, с удовольствием приступить к отработке основных навыков владения английским языком. У вас также будет возможность обсудить книги, которые произвели на вас впечатление, и поделиться своими эмоциями.
Книга рассматривает интересные факты из жизни непревзойденных мастеров детективного жанра, таких как Артур Конан Дойл, Агата Кристи, Эдгар Аллан По, Жорж Сименон, Уилки Коллинз и Мэри Робертс Райнхарт. Все биографии сопровождаются актуальной лексикой и заданиями на понимание смысла прочитанного, расширение словарного запаса и развитие коммуникативных навыков. Главной изюминкой книги являются детективные загадки на логику, для решения которых понадобится не просто понять смысл написанного, но также проанализировать все мотивы и факты, чтобы раскрыть запутанное дело. В конце книги есть переводы (не дословные, но полно передающие смысл) текстов и ключи к упражнениям, которые помогут проверить себя без помощи преподавателя. Любители цитат и афоризмов оценят подборку мудрых высказываний великих писателей.
Многие задания этого издания посвящены обсуждению произведений. Чтобы поделиться своими впечатлениями или написать отзыв о прочитанной книге, ознакомьтесь с наиболее популярными и полезными выражениями.
● The book is narrated by… / История ведется от лица…
● The events take place in… / Действие книги происходит в…
● The main characters of the book are… / Главными героями книги являются…
● The book is titled… / Книга носит название…
● This book is a real page-turner! / От этой книги невозможно оторваться!
● This book is exactly what I’ve been looking for! / Это именно та книга, которую я искал!
● This book captured my imagination like nothing before. / Эта книга захватила мое воображение, как ни одна другая до этого.
● It kept me intrigued from start to end. / Эта книга интригует с первых страниц и до самого конца.
● The book is fast-paced. / Повествование в книге развивается стремительно.
● I really loved an unexpected twist in the story. / Мне безумно понравился неожиданный поворот сюжета.
● The book is worth reading. / Эту книгу стоит прочитать.
● The ending was a tear-jerker. / Концовка книги тронула меня до слез.
● The plot of the story is simple. / Сюжет книги незамысловат.
● informative – информативный, содержательный;
● thought-provoking – наводящий на размышления;
● breathtaking – захватывающий дух;
● easy to read – легкий для чтения;
● amusing – забавный;
● exciting – увлекательный;
● boring – скучный;
● predictable – предсказуемый;
● hard to read – сложный для чтения.
Для решения головоломок (brain-teasers) и раскрытия запутанных преступлений понадобятся следующие полезные слова и выражения.
● Motive for the crime – мотив преступления: She has no motive for the crime. У нее нет мотива преступления.
● To commit a crime – совершить преступление: I’ve figured out who committed a crime. Я выяснила, кто совершил преступление.
● Crime scene – место преступления: The police arrived at the crime scene. Полиция прибыла на место преступления.
● To solve the crime – раскрыть преступление: We have half an hour to solve the crime. У нас есть полчаса, чтобы раскрыть преступление.
● To have an alibi – иметь алиби: Each of them has an alibi. У каждого из них есть алиби.
● To search for clues/evidence – искать улики: I searched far and wide for clues. Я искала улики повсюду.
● To interrogate – проводить допрос, опрашивать: Detective Williams interrogated the suspects. Мистер Уильямс опросил всех подозреваемых.
● The main suspect – главный подозреваемый: Mr. Johnson is our main suspect. Мистер Джонсон – наш главный подозреваемый.
● Disinterested party – незаинтересованная сторона: Mr. Smith is a disinterested party. Мистер Смит – незаинтересованная сторона.
● To be guilty/innocent – быть виновным/невиновным: He is guilty. Он виновен.
Agatha Christie
(September 15, 1890 – January 12, 1976)
“Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard,” as the English say. This famous proverb means that everyone has their own secrets, hidden away from view. The unknown is always intriguing and beckoning. Anyway, we are eager to know the truth that others want to hide. That is how the world really works. Obviously, the secret lives of legendary people seem even more exciting and interesting. As for Agatha Christie, her life itself looked more like an action-packed detective story with an unpredictable ending.
Every school kid can tell you who Agatha Christie was, but not everyone knows her secrets. In fact, her life was filled with mysteries. Admirers of Christie’s talent are still puzzling over her mysterious disappearance that shocked the world. Just imagine: police are desperately searching for a missing woman who left her daughter with her nanny and vanished in suspicious circumstances. The next day, her car is found abandoned, about an hour’s drive from home. And what about the main character? She seems to have vanished into thin air, and nobody knows where to find her. Meanwhile, the missing woman is enjoying her stay at the hotel in Yorkshire. Does this episode ring a bell to you? It sounds like a plot of a mystery story, right? Yet, this is the real-life story of the iconic writer Agatha Christie. So, what happened back then? This chapter tells a fascinating story of a woman who became one of the greatest writers of all time, while also lifting the veil on her extremely private life. You’ll find out some lesser-known facts that will probably surprise you.
Agatha Christie is the unsurpassed “Queen of Crime” and one of the world’s best-selling novelists. Her books are outsold only by the Bible and the works of Shakespeare. In her career, Agatha Christie wrote sixty-six mystery novels under her own name and another six under the pen name Mary Westmacott. She also published a number of short story collections, numerous plays, and an autobiography. Among her most famous books are Murder on the Orient Express, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The ABC Murders, Death on the Nile, and many others. And it’s no secret that Agatha created iconic characters – Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born on September 15, 1890, in Torquay, a seaside town in south-western England. She was the youngest of three children born to Frederick and Clarissa Miller. Agatha had two older siblings named Margaret and Louis. Curiously, little Agatha never went to school and was educated at home. Since early childhood, she loved books, and by the age of five, she taught herself to read. Little Agatha had a rich imagination. As a child she invented imaginary friends and began writing poems. When she was eleven, her beloved father died of a heart attack. This terrible misfortune came out of the blue. In addition to financial hardships, Agatha had to become a support for her mom, who grieved the loss of her loved one. They managed to overcome all life’s challenges, and over time Agatha took piano and singing lessons. She could have become a great pianist, but her natural shyness and stage fright prevented her from pursuing a career in music.
It was in 1912, when Agatha met her first husband Archibald Christie, a military officer in the Royal Flying Corps. They got married two years later, on Christmas Eve 1914. With the outbreak of the First World War, the married couple was forced to live apart: Agatha remained in her hometown Torquay and worked as a nurse in a Red Cross hospital, while Archie went to France. Over time, Agatha became an assistant pharmacist in a hospital, where she learned much about poisons. It was precisely this fact that left an imprint on her work: poison is among fiction’s most popular murder weapons.
Her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Agatha wrote in 1916 and dedicated it to her mother Clarissa. It introduced Hercule Poirot, the eccentric and brilliant detective. However, the journey to publishing this book was a long one. After being turned down by numerous publishers, Agatha Christie published her debut novel only in 1920.
As the years went on, the relationship between Agatha and her husband hit a dead end. Shortly after the birth of their daughter Rosalind, the couple grew significantly apart. One day, on return from his business trip, her husband Archie announced that he had fallen in love with another girl named Nancy Neele. As it turned out, Nancy, unlike Agatha, shared his passion for golf. This news was a terrible blow for the writer. In fact, she loved her husband all those years and waited for him to come back from the war. Her whole world collapsed overnight, and she felt totally devastated. For a while, they tried to save their marriage, especially for their daughter’s sake. However, as the saying goes, “A cracked bell can never sound well.” One day, after a fierce argument, Archie left their house. The harsh reality was that he was going to divorce her. Later she would write in her memoirs, “I suppose, with those words, that part of my life – my happy, successful, confident life – ended.” Actually, separation is always a painful and heartbreaking experience, and everyone reacts differently to breaking up. As it turned out, Agatha Christie was vulnerable and sensitive, yet very strong. So, what do you think happened next? Fiction suddenly became reality: Agatha vanished without a trace.
The mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie haunts our minds and imagination to this very day. This intrigue deserves an Oscar. So, what happened that night? According to her biographer, before disappearance Agatha Christie wrote a letter to her secretary Carlo Fisher, asking to cancel the hotel reservation in Yorkshire. She also sent letters to her husband Archie and his brother Campbell. Naturally, the question arises: was it all made up? Perhaps, the “Queen of Crime” was preparing her escape plan. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Agatha kissed her little daughter goodnight and drove off.
The next morning, her car and personal belongings were found abandoned. Agatha Christie’s disappearance caused a great public outcry. There was huge speculation over the causes of this mysterious disappearance. Many predicted the worst-case scenario. The media suspected that Agatha Christie had been kidnapped. Some suggested that her husband Archie was involved in this disappearance, others suggested that she drowned herself. There was also speculation that Agatha took revenge on her husband. According to another version, it was a cunning ploy: she staged the entire disappearance to attract more audience to her new book.
This was one of the biggest country’s manhunts: more than a thousand police officers, up to 15,000 volunteers, and even her beloved dog searched for the missing writer. On top of that, two other famous writers – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dorothy Sayers – joined in the search.
Agatha Christie had been missing for eleven days. She was found, safe and well, in Harrogate, Yorkshire. It turned out that she had checked into the hotel under the surname of “Neele,” the last name of Archie’s lady friend,which complicated the search. Agatha Christie didn’t comment on what had happened, claiming loss of memory. Doctors suggested she suffered a nervous breakdown. It’s still unclear whether her loss of memory was staged or caused by stress. Curiously, she didn’t recognize her husband Archie when he came to visit her. Agatha Christie never discussed the circumstances of her disappearance in detail, even with family or friends.
Anyway, the investigation came to a dead end. Amazingly, the mystery still remains unsolved, and we are left with more questions than answers. Who knows, maybe Agatha Christie wanted to let people finish the story for her.
Agatha and Archie split up. The divorce was tough on her. It took a while to cope with painful emotions and move on. Two years after divorcing Archie, Agatha married the archeologist Max Mallowan and joined him for regular expeditions to Iraq and Syria. I guess they bonded over the passion for traveling. Despite the difference in age – Agatha was fourteen years older than her husband – it was a happy marriage.
Agatha Christie was a very private person. And the more famous the writer became, the more she shunned publicity. Even so, she was full of life! Agatha would say, “I have sometimes been wildly despairing, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.” As I see it, Agatha Christie was a true adventure seeker. Her wanderlust and spirit of adventure encouraged Agatha and her husband to go on a round-the-world trip for ten months.
Agatha Christie died on January 12, 1976, at age 85, but she will forever remain in the hearts of her devoted readers.
Vocabulary
every family has a skeleton in the cupboard [ˈevrɪ ˈfæm(ə)lɪ hæz ə ˈskelɪtn ɪn ðiː ˈkʌbəd] – в каждой семье есть свои скелеты в шкафу
be eager [bi ˈiːgə] – жаждать, очень хотеть, стремиться что-либо сделать
action-packed [ˈækʃn pækt] – остросюжетный
puzzle over [pʌzl ˈəʊvə] – ломать голову над чем-то
go missing [gəʊ ˈmɪsɪŋ] – пропасть без вести
missing person [ˈmɪsɪŋ pɜːsn] – пропавший без вести
suspicious [səˈspɪʃəs] – подозрительный, сомнительный
ring a bell [rɪŋ ə bel] – быть знакомым, напоминать о чем-то/ком-то (идиома)
vanish/disappear [ˈvænɪʃ ˌdɪsəˈpɪə] – исчезнуть
without a trace [wɪˈðaʊt ə treɪs] – бесследно
lift the veil [lɪft ðiː veɪl] – приоткрыть завесу
unsurpassed [ˌʌnsərˈpæst] – непревзойденный
be outsold (by) [bi autˈsəuld bai] – иметь меньший спрос, чем что-либо другое
best-selling novelist [ˌbestˈselɪŋ ˈnɑːvəlɪst] – автор бестселлеров, самый продаваемый писатель
novelist [ˈnɑːvəlɪst] – романист, писатель
novel [ˈnɑːvl] – роман
mystery novel [ˈmɪstərɪ ˈnɑːvl] – детектив, детективный роман
detective story [dɪˈtektɪv ˈstɔːrɪ] – детектив, детективный роман
play [pleɪ] – спектакль, пьеса
autobiography [ˌɔːtəbaɪˈɑːɡrəfi] – автобиография
short story collection [ʃɔːt ˈstɔːrɪ kəˈlekʃn] – сборник коротких рассказов
pen name [pen neɪm] – литературный псевдоним
maiden name [meɪdn neɪm] – девичья фамилия
publish [ˈpʌblɪʃ] – публиковать
thrilling [ˈθrɪlɪŋ] – захватывающий, остросюжетный, увлекательный
iconic character [aɪˈkɑːnɪk ˈkærəktə] – культовый, легендарный персонаж
interestingly [ˈɪntrestɪŋli] – любопытно, примечательно
curiously [ˈkjʊərɪəslɪ] – любопытно, как ни странно
obviously [ˈɑːbviəsli] – очевидно, по-видимому
misfortune [mɪsˈfɔːʧən] – несчастье, беда, горе
out of the blue [aʊt əv ðiː bluː] – совершенно неожиданно, как гром среди ясного неба
financial hardship [fæɪˈnænʃ(ə)l ˈhɑːdʃɪp] – финансовые трудности
grieve the loss [griːv ðiː lɔːs] – переживать утрату
overcome challenges [əʊvəˈkʌm ˈʧælənʤɪz] – преодолевать трудности
stage fright [steɪʤ fraɪt] – боязнь сцены
pursue a career [pəˈsjuː ə kəˈrɪə] – построить карьеру
live apart [lɪv əˈpɑːt] – жить раздельно
remain [rɪˈmeɪn] – оставаться
poison [ˈpɔɪzn] – яд
leave an imprint (on) [liːv æn ɪmˈprɪnt ɑːn] – оставить след, отпечаток
dedicate [ˈdedɪkeɪt] – посвящать, предназначать
hit a dead end [hɪt ə ded end] – заходить в тупик
grow apart [grəʊ əˈpɑːt] – отдаляться друг от друга
as it turned out [æz ɪt tɜːnd aʊt] – как оказалось, выяснилось
overnight [ˌəʊvəˈnaɪt] – в одночасье, неожиданно, мгновенно
devastated [ˈdevəsteɪtɪd] – опустошенный, подавленный
separation [ˌsepəˈreɪʃn] – разлука, расставание
breaking up [ˈbreɪkɪŋ ʌp] – расставание, разрыв
split up [splɪt ʌp] – расставаться, расходиться
divorce [dɪˈvɔːs] – развестись
vulnerable [ˈvʌlnərəbl] – уязвимый, беззащитный
kiss goodnight [kɪs ˌɡʊdˈnaɪt] – поцеловать кого-то на ночь, перед сном
personal belongings [ˈpɜːsənl bɪˈlɔːŋɪŋz] – личные вещи
speculation [spekjʊˈleɪʃn] – предположение, домысел, догадка
worst-case scenario [wɜːst keɪs səˈnæriəʊ] – наихудший сценарий
kidnap [ˈkɪdnæp] – похищать
take revenge (on) [teɪk rɪˈvenʤ ɑːn] – отомстить, взять реванш
cunning ploy [ˈkʌnɪŋ plɔɪ] – хитрый ход
stage [steɪʤ] – инсценировать
manhunt [ˈmænhʌnt] – преследование, розыск
cause a public outcry [kɔːz ə ˈpʌblɪk ˈaʊtkraɪ] – вызывать общественный резонанс
nervous breakdown [ˈnɜːvəs ˈbreɪkdaʊn] – нервный срыв
loss of memory [lɔːs əv ˈmemərɪ] – потеря памяти
bond over [bɑːnd ˈəʊvə] – сходиться, сближаться на почве
passion for traveling [pæʃn fɔː ˈtrævəlɪŋ] – страсть к путешествиям
wanderlust [ˈwɑːndəlʌst] – страсть к путешествиям
adventure seeker [ədˈvenʧə ˈsiːkə] – искатель приключений
Exercises
Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the English proverb “Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard” mean?
2) When and where was Agatha Christie born?
3) What was her maiden name?
4) Did Agatha have any siblings?
5) How many books did Agatha Christie write?
6) What famous fictional characters did Agatha Christie create?
7) What kind of education did she get?
8) At what age did Agatha Christie learn to read?
9) What did she like doing in her free time as a child?
10) What prevented Agatha from pursuing a career in music?
11) What was her first husband’s name?
12) What did Agatha Christie do during World War I?
13) When was her debut novel published? How much time did it take her to find a publisher?
14) Who did Agatha Christie dedicate her first book to?
15) Did Agatha have any children?
16) What caused her mysterious disappearance?
17) Were there any versions of what had happened?
18) How long had Agatha been missing before she was found?
19) Where was she found?
20) What name was the reservation under?
21) Did she give an explanation of her disappearance?
22) What did doctors say about her condition?
23) In your opinion, what was the main reason for her disappearance?
24) How long did it take her to get over a divorce?
25) What was her second husband’s name?
26) What was his profession?
27) In your opinion, what kind of person was Agatha Christie?
28) Have you ever read any books by Agatha Christie? What is your opinion on it?
29) What book have you recently read that really impressed you?
30) What kind of books do you like to read?
Exercise 2. Find the equivalents of the following words and phrases in the text:
остросюжетный детектив с непредсказуемой развязкой; инсценировать собственное исчезновение; непревзойденная королева детективного жанра; сборник коротких рассказов; культовый персонаж; горячо любимый отец; воображаемые друзья; переживать утрату; как гром среди ясного неба; жить в разлуке; отношения зашли в тупик; таинственное исчезновение; целая и невредимая; справиться с болезненными эмоциями; страсть к путешествиям; исчезновение вызвало большой общественный резонанс; так устроен мир; они отдалились друг от друга; брать уроки фортепиано и пения; менее известные факты; ломать голову; ходили слухи; отомстить мужу; зарегистрироваться в гостинице
Exercise 3. Give the Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases:
the world’s best-selling novelist; a cunning ploy; to go on a round-the-world trip; a true adventure seeker; to overcome all life’s challenges; over time; to vanish without a trace in suspicious circumstances; an hour’s ride from home; financial hardships; to pursue a career in music; a private person; to move on; siblings; to leave an imprint (on); a fierce argument; to be home schooled; to check into a hotel; military officer; natural shyness; to have a rich imagination; the world collapsed overnight; to prepare an escape plan; to come to a dead end; personal belongings
Exercise 4. Match the words with their definitions:
Detective Riddle No. 1
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a detective? If so, let’s see if you have the ability to be one. Read the story carefully and collect all the clues that lead to the suspect. Find all the information needed to solve the mystery.
● Collect the evidence, check out alibis and interrogate each suspect to solve the crime.
● Possible suspects: Mr. Johnson, Ann, Pam, Nick, Cindy.
Ms. Smith, an English teacher, got to school a few minutes before the beginning of the lesson. She came across her colleague Mr. Johnson, in the entrance hall, and they had a small talk. She put her handbag and the classroom key on the table and answered the phone. Three of her students (Ann, Pam, and Nick) were standing nearby. Then Ms. Smith checked her email on her smartphone. There was a message from her student Cindy with a request. The girl explained her reason for not attending school. Then Ms. Smith looked at her watch and hurried to the classroom. The class test was scheduled to start in five minutes.
When Ms. Smith got there, she started feeling that something was wrong. The door was locked, and the students were waiting outside. Ann was helping her classmate with his homework. She was a straight A student and was always ready for school. Pam was playing games on her mobile. She was standing by herself, which was unusual for her. Pam wasn’t too nervous because she had prepared for the test the day before. Nick looked upset or puzzled. He did poorly at school and lagged behind his classmates. Yesterday, his mom got a letter from the headmaster about his poor school attendance.
As it turned out, the key was nowhere to be found. Someone had stolen it. Miss Marple entered the crime scene and immediately solved the case. Who was the thief?
Arthur Conan Doyle
(May 22, 1859 – July 7, 1930)
It is no wonder they say that a talented person is talented in everything. This catchphrase fully reflects the personality of Arthur Conan Doyle, the legendary writer, poet, physician, sportsman, and spiritualist. This list goes on indefinitely. Well, I happen to think that Arthur Conan Doyle was an all-rounder, successful in anything he did. He was a man of great intelligence and boundless energy. However, at the same time, his life was full of contradictions and paradoxes. After all, judge for yourself: how could a skilled physician believe in the existence of fairies and ghosts? Could it be that, somewhere deep in his heart, he was still a child? He was so desperate for the supernatural that strange things started to happen in his life. Did you know that his first book was mysteriously lost in the post? Can it really be true that we attract what we believe? Let’s look for answers to these and other questions and trace the remarkable life of the greatest writer of all time – Arthur Conan Doyle.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the “literary father” of Sherlock Holmes, the most popular fictional character in the history of literature. The legendary writer was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, into a prosperous family. His mother, Mary, was a lively and well-educated woman who had a passion for books. Arthur would often say that he inherited his storytelling talent from her. Doyle’s father, Charles, was an illustrator and a watercolorist; a member of a well-respected artistic family. However, a lot of his talent was wasted because of his health issues. Charles always felt he could do more. As I see it, he was constantly haunted by fears, doubts, and unfulfilled dreams of becoming a prominent artist. Among other things, Charles became more and more depressed and frustrated because he was unable to provide for his family. Unfortunately, he spent his later years in asylums and nursing homes. Certainly, the difficult situation in the family couldn’t but leave a trace on the character of the legendary writer.
The Doyle family struggled financially. Everything rested on the shoulders of Arthur’s mother: running the household, bringing up children, and taking care of the family. She struggled to create a calm home and а peaceful atmosphere and told her children tales of brave knights. As I see it, this circumstance greatly affected the legendary writer’s personality and worldview: Arthur Conan Doyle was guided by high moral principles all his life. When little Arthur turned nine, his wealthy relatives offered to pay for his studies. The family council decided to send him to a boarding school. Honestly, it was an unpleasant experience for him as corporal punishment was very common in most boarding schools in England.
Did you know that Arthur Conan Doyle was a keen sportsman? Since his school days, he had been interested in sports and also succeeded in this field. He was the first goalkeeper in the history of Portsmouth. What may come as a surprise is that Arthur Conan Doyle played under the pseudonym “A. C. Smith” rather than under his own name. Apart from football, the legendary writer also played cricket, golf, and rugby. And that was not all. Arthur competed in the amateur billiards championship and was a fan of boxing. Interestingly, Arthur Conan Doyle was a frequent visitor to Switzerland and helped popularize skiing among the English. I guess that, like many creative people, he found inspiration in nature. Many may agree that there’s nothing more exciting than watching breathlessly as snow-white clouds, resembling giant mythical creatures, disappear behind a mountain top.
Our life depends on the decisions we make. So, choosing a career is very important. As I see it, Arthur Conan Doyle made the right decision that changed his life forever. Contrary to the family tradition, Doyle didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. He decided to pursue a career in medicine. While being a medical student, he met his future teacher Dr. Joseph Bell, who later had a strong impact on his works. Arthur was really inspired by his remarkable observation and deductive skills. Dr. Bell was able to determine the occupation of a random stranger just by looking at them. This meeting was significant and life-changing for Arthur Conan Doyle. I think that at that point his career as a writer really started.
At the age of twenty-three, Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his first book and sent it to a publisher. Apparently, he had high hopes, but destiny had its own plans: the manuscript of Conan Doyle’s first novel mysteriously was lost in the post. Later, Arthur Conan Doyle would write, “I must admit that my shock at its disappearance would be as nothing to my horror if it were suddenly to appear again – in print.” Honestly, I can’t even imagine what he must have felt when he realized the misfortune. In my opinion, anyone else in his place would have lost heart, but not him. Arthur Conan Doyle attempted to rewrite the story. For many years, the manuscript was unlisted in his archives. The novel called The Narrative of John Smith was published posthumously in 2011 by the British Library. Anyway, Arthur Conan Doyle never got discouraged, whatever happened to him. While studying, he tried his hand at writing short stories to earn some extra money.
Upon receiving his Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degrees, he worked for a time as a naval surgeon. In a while, Conan Doyle opened his first practice in Portsmouth. His business wasn’t blooming, and he was finally able to devote more time to writing books.
In August of 1885, he married a beautiful young girl Louisa Hawkins, who was his patient’s sister. As I see it, they were a tight-knit and truly happy family. Their two children, Mary and Kingsley, were raised in the environment of love, kindness, and harmony.
As the years went by, Doyle devoted himself to writing a book which introduced Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The story first appeared in the British paperback magazine in 1887 and a year later was republished as a single volume. His debut novel was called A Study in Scarlet. Curiously, Doyle sold the rights to the story for 25 pounds.
Let us now examine some intriguing facts. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Sherlock Holmes still remains the most portrayed literary human character in film and TV. There’s no one in the world who has never heard of Sherlock Holmes, the iconic fictional detective. Sherlock has long become a household name to describe someone who solves and investigates crimes. What image pops up in your mind when you hear his name? Well, I immediately think of a detective who is wearing a long coat and a legendary cap. Mostly, I think of a person who has exceptional observation and deductive skills. Curiously, few know that Sherlock Holmes’ character was inspired by the real person Dr. Joseph Bell, who shared many qualities with the legendary detective. Some even say that Sherlock’s character was based on his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle. However, it’s all just guesswork. This issue is still open for discussion. Curiously, Sherlock never said, “Elementary, my dear Watson.” The line didn’t appear in Doyle’s books. It was later poluparized in Sherlock Homes’ filmes and became a catchphrase. Did you know why Doyle decided to “kill off” his most iconic character? He just became bored of him and wanted to write more serious books. However, this plot twist provoked outrage among his readers, and Doyle had to “resurrect” the great detective ten years later. Could it be that Doyle didn’t want to live in the shadow of Sherlock? I suppose there is some truth to this. Many people know more about Sherlock than they do about his creator.
So, back to the writer’s life. As time went on, things changed drastically for Arthur Conan Doyle. As it turned out, his beloved wife was seriously ill: she was expected just a few months to live at the most. However, the great writer didn’t seem to agree and was determined to extend her life. And he did it. His love, care, and proper treatment made a miracle. Louisa felt much better and lived another thirteen years. When she passed away, Arthur was deeply affected by the loss.
In 1907, Arthur Conan Doyle married Jean Leckie. The happy couple had a lavish wedding with two hundred and fifty guests. Arthur and Jean had three children. The writer shared many of his wife’s activities and lived a measured, quiet life.
Unfortunately, Conan Doyle endured terrible misfortune: he lost many loved ones, including his father, wife, son, brother, and others. It might have been the reason why he showed an interest in spiritualism[1]. This may come as a surprise, but he also believed in the existence of magical beings. Have you ever heard of the Cottingley Fairies? This is a curious story about two girls named Elsie and Frances, who supposedly managed to take a series of photos of dancing creatures. To be more precise, it is one of the greatest hoaxes of all time. It may seem incredible, but those photos, which showed tiny figures with transparent wings, came to Conan Doyle’s attention. Call it coincidence or providence, but at that time Arthur Conan Doyle was working on the article about fairies for the Strand Magazine. When the experts unofficially verified the authenticity of the photos, the writer was so thrilled that he asked Elsie and Frances to use those images of mythical creatures in his publication. The girls’ family was confused by the attention of the legendary writer but quickly agreed. Public opinion was mixed: some believed that the magical beings were real, while others thought they were fake. Later Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a book on the topic under the title The Coming of the Fairies. Only years later, after the writer’s death, the cousins finally confessed that those photos were a hoax, and the wizard creatures were made from paper cut-outs and hat pins. As it turned out, it was Elsie who drew the images and had the wings added to them. When everything was ready, both girls arranged a theme photo shoot. Later Elsie and Frances admitted that they were too embarrassed to tell the truth after fooling the literary genius.
The creator of Sherlock Holmes was once tasked to solve a real-life crime. He helped the wrongly convicted man go free. Do you remember that Doyle also participated in the search for Agatha Christie? He took one of her gloves to a spirit medium to find her location. The visionary supposedly said that Agatha Christie was still alive but was in the “twilight state,” and that she’d show up “next Wednesday.” Believe it or not, but she was found a week later, safe and alive, claiming memory loss. After that, how can one not believe in miracles?
Apart from detective novels and science fiction, Arthur Conan Doyle also wrote poems, plays, and historical novels. Among his most well-known books are The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Lost World, and many others.
The genius writer lived a rich life filled with many ups and downs. He died in 1930, surrounded by his family. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will always be remembered as one of the greatest writers of all time.
Vocabulary
all-rounder [ˌɔːlˈraʊndə] – всесторонне одаренный, развитый человек
boundless energy [ˈbaʊndləs ˈenəʤɪ] – безграничная, неиссякаемая энергия
contradiction [ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃn] – противоречие
fairy [ˈfeəri] – фея, волшебница
ghost [gəʊst] – привидение, призрак
