Episode Details

"a tremendous abyss" [FINA]

The BSI Manuscript series continues to churn out remarkable books on an annual basis. In 2015, we're pleased to see the manuscript for "The Empty House" printed, analyzed and opined in Out of the Abyss, edited by Robert Katz, BSI ("Dr. Ainstree"), Steven Rothman, BSI ("The Valley of Fear") and Andrew Solberg, BSI ("Professor Coram").

The trio of editors joined us for a discussion of how this project came about - including getting access to the MS from the famed Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia. The inimitable Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach (who is most decidedly NOT a physician), rare book dealer and bibliophile, owned the original manuscript and it has remained with his collection in the museum and library. Of course, seeing the story in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's own handwriting is illuminating - particularly as one can look at the corrections (or lack thereof) and get a sense of the author's thought process. Seeing that in light of Holmes's resurrection in "The Empty House" is even more thrilling.

Contributors to this volume include Catherine Cooke, BSI ("The Book of Life"), who investigates the location of the Empty House, based on previous scholarship throughout the ages; Lyndsay Faye, BSI ("Kitty Winter") who contributes a short story; Russell Merritt, BSI ("The Trepoff Murder") with a look at the Col. Morans in film; Brent Morris on sleight of hand and card playing; Chris Redmond, BSI ("Billy") and Lindsay Colwell on the theme of resurrection; and more.

In addition to discussing everything that went into this volume, we have a sneak preview of the next volume that Bob and Andy are working on together. While they don't yet have a title, the topic is certainly one that will attract a number of readers.

We're pleased to bring you another entry in our "Mental Exaltation" quiz program, inspired by NPR's Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me! and written by IHOSE quizmaster Nick Martorelli. Find our how you can qualify to win.

"My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation.

In this episode, we welcome James O'Leary of Natick, Massachusetts to the show as a contestant. James has a harrowing triumverate of math questions to answer (do we detect the hand of Prof. Moriarty, former math tutor and Col. Moran's boss?). Listen to see how he did.

We wrap up with our regular Gas-Lamp reading, this time taken from the General Editor's Preface from the BSI Manuscript Series.

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