Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

“any emotion akin to love” [SCAN]    Sherlock Holmes doesn't seem to have a high opinion of women, although he does a fine job of understanding them when it comes to their expressions, reactions, and motivations. Irene Adler aside, what can we infer about the love life of Sherlock Holmes?    It's a question that Trevor Hall raised in Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies, and it's the last in a series of Masters Classes about his essays. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles325 Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies by Trevor Hall Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsher

“a feeling of vague expectancy” [LAST]    "Beware the Ides of March." So went the warning from the soothsayer to the title character in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.     But when it comes to the Sherlock Holmes canon, where do we find feelings of foreboding? Who had premonitions and what happened as a result? It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles324 The Ides of March (HISTORY) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor The BSI Press   Music credits Performers: Uncr

“that is my special hobby” [HOUN]    We all have hobbies. Indeed, our interest in Sherlock Holmes is a perfect example.   What do we know about hobbies and hobbyists in the Canon? There are those who have professional hobbies and personal hobbies, and then there's the story about how Sherlock Holmes's hobby led to his profession. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles323 Smoot (Wikipedia) Baker Street Elementary: Hobby Horse Related episodes: Episode 314 – Mento

“I found myself in dream-land” [SIGN]    Regular sleep patterns seem to be a rarity in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Watson dozed off while Holmes remained vigilant or was prevented from sleeping by something he saw; various clients described something disturbing their sleep.   Such instances of sleepless days and nights, rude awakenings, and other sleep-related issues give us plenty somnia interrupta examples to discuss in the Canon. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles322 Nocturnal Surprises Related episodes: Episode 178 – Insomnia Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihear

“the title by which I have just called myself is not exactly my own” [SCAN]    We're treated to a variety of colorful characters in the Sherlock Holmes canon. Some are figments of Conan Doyle's imagination while others are dangerously close to historical figures.   We took a look at a few names in "A Scandal in Bohmeia" and made some educated guesses about who or what was behind people like the Atkinson brothers, the King of Bohemia, and yes, Irene Adler. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles321 A Study in Sources by Donald Redmond The Strange Reason Nearly Every Film Ends by Saying It’s Fiction (Slate) Karen

“Your merits should be publicly recognized.” [STUD]      We continue with our monthly series of Masters Class episodes, going back to Trevor Hall's Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies.    In this case, we look at Sherlock Holmes's skill in his chosen line of work. What was he good at and how did he come by these talents. Certainly some were hereditary, but others required study.  It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles320 IHOSE Episode 182: The Polyphonic Motets of Lassus Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies by Trevor Hall Other Trifles episodes mentioned: Episode 58 - Sherlock Holmes's Index Find us on F

“toward the Triple Alliance” [NAVA]      When we're introduced to the victim in "Wisteria Lodge," it happens first by telegram — a telegram he himself signed "John Scott Eccles." Later, we hear him referred to as "Mr. Scott Eccles" and "Mr. Eccles."   What are we to make of this? Is it a compound surname, or was it Watson playing fast and loose with names? John Scott Eccles isn't the only tripartite character we meet in the Canon, either. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihos

“over many nations and three separate continents” [SIGN]    We all know about Mary Morstan from The Sign of Four, of her marriage to Watson, and of Watson's "sad bereavement" after Sherlock Holmes returned from his hiatus in "The Empty House."   But there is evidence in a number of stories to show that Watson has been married more than once. Evidence from scholars such as Baring-Gould, Bell, Blakeney, Brend, Bristowe (and that's just the B's!), as well as Roberts, Sayers, Simpson, and others. But exactly how many marriages were there? You may be startled to hear how many we identify. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.c

“gazing with great reverence at the famous detective” [HOUN]    When Sherlock Holmes describes himself to Watson, he says that he's a consulting detective, and then goes on to differentiate himself from two other kinds of detectives.   What did it take to become a detective, and why was Holmes different? And what other terms did he and Watson use to describe his trade along the way? It's just a Trifle.   In a happy coincidence, after we recorded we discovered the latest meeting of The Shingle of Southsea covered this topic. Link below.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.   Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and ever

“pictures of the old masters” [ILLU]    It's the first of our monthly Masters Class episodes for Season 7, and we're kicking off a series of three discussions of works by a single author. As a reminder, these episodes take a piece of well-regarded Sherlockian scholarship and deconstruct it.   In this case, we look to Trevor Hall and his book Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies. The first up is Hall's attempt to discern more about Sherlock Holmes's childhood years. Does he succeed?  It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the

“observe the spatulate finger-end” [SOLI]    Quick: in which Sherlock Holmes stories do we find the mention of a piano? You might think you know, but you also might likely be wrong.   The piano was an important part of middle-class life in Victorian England, part of an education and part of a way to attract spouses. But there's just a passing mention in a single story. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles315 The Social History of the Piano Victorian Women and the Piano: Domesticity and Transgression Woody Allen's marching cello (YouTube) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @

“this insignificant-looking man inspired me” [GREE]    We all have examples of mentors in our lives. People who inspire us and coach us, helping us to grow. What examples do we see of this in the Sherlock Holmes stories?   From excellent examples to counter-examples, there are a handful of instances of experience and knowledge being passed from one person to another. It's National Mentor Month, the first of our monthly observances in Season 7 and it's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles314 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and be

“the unknown gentleman who lost his Christmas dinner” [BLUE]    Poor Henry Baker has always been a sad, sympathetic character. Deprived of his hat and his peace offering to his wife at Christmastime, he was a victim of an unintended crime.   It seemed like the proper time of year to reflect on what life must have been like for Mr. Baker, both in the aftermath of the fracas as well as in the run-up to it. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles313 Other episodes mentioned: Episode 313 – The Route of the Blue Carbuncle Episode 52 – The Second Morning After Christmas Playlist of Christmas episodes Find us on Facebook, T

“a long-suffering woman” [DYIN]      Have you considered how much (or little) we know about Mrs. Hudson, and what we take for granted? For example, her first name was Martha, she was widowed, and she retired with Sherlock Holmes.  The answers to those are: no, not sure, and definitely not. Catherine Cooke's masterful article from the Summer 2005 Baker Street Journal combines the fanciful, the factual, and the historical to arrive at the truth. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles312 A Remarkable Mixture Other episodes mentioned: Episode 203 – The Location of 221B, Part 1 Episode 204 – The Location of 221B, Part

“Good old Dr. Starr!” [3GAR]    One of the creepiest looking characters in the Sherlock Holmes stories was Col. Lysander Stark, who chased after Victor Hatherly with a meat cleaver in "The Engineer's Thumb." But then we run across the name Lysander Starr in "The Three Garridebs." What gives? We track the history of the name and explore some possible origins for its use. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles311 A Study in Sources by Donald Redmond Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveawa

“found in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China” [BLUE]    The blue carbuncle had quite a journey. Before it even arrived in the action of the story, the piece of crystallized charcoal was the object of "two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies." But once it's in London and disappears from the Countess of Morcar's possession, where does it go? Gavin Brend takes us on the wild journey. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.       Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles310 Seventeen Steps to 221B by James Edward Holroyd Related episodes: Episode 305 - Our Client's Foot Upon the Stair Episode 309 - Rambling About IHOSE Epi

“devoted to a series of walks” [WIST]    In at least four separate cases, we know that Holmes and Watson were out strolling around London. How does this square with Holmes's aversion toward exercise?   And what about other occasions in the countryside? Was Holmes a man of nature, was he gathering information, or was it something else? It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles309 Related episode: IHOSE Episode 200: Enola Holmes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor The Ba

“revealing what they are” [ENGR]      "By a man’s finger nails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boot, by his trouser knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirt cuffs—by each of these things a man’s calling is plainly revealed."    So Sherlock Holmes tells us in A Study in Scarlet. In this episode, we apply Holmes's methods to the attire of some of his clients. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles308 Related episodes: Episode 96 - Trick or Treat Episode 148 - Aliases and Disguises Episode 198 - Clothing in the Canon Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Emai

“That sounds a little paradoxical.” [BOSC]      The fourth short story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Boscombe Valley Mystery," gives us a host of sayings and tenets of Sherlock Holmes's philosophy. But there are also a number of things that seem contradictory.    In this Masters Class episode, Nick Utechin's look at another mystery within this story serves as an exemplary bit of scholarship that deserves a deeper look. It's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles307 "Occasionally to Embellish": Some Writings on Sherlock Holmes (Wessex Press) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at tr

“a cry for help and a splash in the water” [FIVE]      Water, water everywhere. And that just makes us think. Of the Sherlock Holmes stories, of course.   Since England is an island, it stands to reason that in the Sherlock Holmes canon, we encounter a good deal of water. But it's what's commonly associated with water that's just a Trifle.   If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.   Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles306 The Best of the Pips Volume II: More Papers on the Sundial - The 1999 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual The unsolved mystery of Skeleton Lake Other episodes mentioned: Remembering Bob Thomalen Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube E