The creation, reception and perpetuation of the Sherlock Holmes phenomenon, 1887-1930

This study examines the role of author, reader and publisher in the creation of the Sherlock Holmes legacy. Each entity participated in the inculcation of this cultural phenomenon. This includes Conan Doyle's creation of the character and his perception of that creation, the context of the stories as seen through the reader's eye, and the publishers' own actions as intermediary and as agent. The examination of 160 Holmes texts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Wilson Library Rare Book Collection provides insights into the manipulation of the book as object during Conan Doyle's life, including such elements as cover design, advertisements and illustrations