Reporting, like detective work, is a process of elimination.
It require that you gather and probe innumerable versions of a story until, to borrow a phrase from Sherlock Holmes, "the one which remains must be the truth."
Description:
I picked up The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession because I really enjoy the author, David Grann, (who previously wrote The Lost City of Z), and because I love mysteries, particularly those involving Sherlock Holmes. With no idea of what this book was about, all it took was the first sentence and author to seal the deal for me.
No Holmes mysteries are contained in The Devil and Sherlock Holmes, but these non-fiction accounts rival Conan Doyle's best writing. Grann takes on twelve real life occurrences and individuals that reveal the passionate and sometimes obsessive side of humankind.
Each incidence is thoroughly described, driven by Grann's compelling interest in the story, his dogged pursuit of details, and then his clear writing style. I found that even situations which addressed characters that held no previous interest for me were suddenly transformed into riveting tales that I could not wait to see how they came out.
Grann opens by covering the mysterious death of the world's foremost expert on Sherlock Holmes (was it a suicide or was he killed to prevent him obtaining secret Arthur Conan Doyle papers?), followed by an in-depth investigation into the possible wrongful execution of a Texas prisoner.
Then there is an interview and back story of Frederic Bourdin, the 30-year-old Frenchman known as the "Chameleon," who for years passed himself off as an abandoned teenager in fifteen countries, speaking five languages, living in orphanages and families, going to school every day. His only reason? "I am a manipulator ... My job is to manipulate." Nothing sexual, scandalous or evil in his intent - he just wanted to make people believe he was someone he was not.
I loved the absolutely fascinating description of Steve O'Shea, the marine biologost from New Zealand, who is passionately obsessed with finding the elusive giant squid. His focus is not on the 30-foot adult version, but rather the paralarva babies which he intends net and then grow to full size in captivity.
There is a heart-breaking story of a New York City fireman, one of the first to answer the call on 9/11, who woke up in a hospital later that day after being found unconscious several blocks from the Towers. He cannot remember whether he fell as a hero helping others or as a coward running away, and is driven to find the answers no matter what they reveal.
Other fascinating accounts center on the generations of men who created the ancient and now updated vast underground water system tunnels of New York, the lingering career of Ricky Henderson (major league baseball's all-time base stealer) still trying to play professional ball at age 46, and the 79-year-old bank robber recently arrested during his last job.
Each tale unfolds carefully, with details from interviews, news accounts, and visits to significant locations. Grann is thorough in his research, looking into each story from its origin, then non-judgmentally listening, observing, and reporting what he learns from the people involved. His writing then takes over, pulling you in until you cannot stop reading.
Truth may not be stranger than fiction, but in the capable hands of David Grann, it sure is fascinating and fun to read about. What an unpredictable world we live in, and what passionate individuals populate it.
Happy reading.
Fred
Fred
www.firstsentencereader.blogspot.com
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Grann, David. The Lost City of Z
Historical account of the explorations of Percey Fawcett to search for the "City of Gold" in the Amazon. (previously reviewed here)
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