The Narrative Of John Smith: Arthur Conan Doyle’s Lost Manuscript
Who doesn’t know Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? He is only one of the most famous classic authors in the world of English literature. His Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are legendary and all the mysteries that he wrote are perennial bestsellers in perhaps every bookstore on the planet.
The Sherlock Holmes are his most popular works but it was not the first novel Conan Doyle ever wrote. At the age of merely 23 and struggling to make a living as a writer. As he wanted to gain importance as a writer, Conan Doyle then decided to finally write a novel. This novel’s name was The Narrative Of John Smith.
But if you don’t recognize the name of this book, fear not. For it was never published until this year.
Conan Doyle’s told the story of the manuscript on The Idler Magazine (published in January 1893), which shed some light on why it was never published.
So I wrote another of my first books and sent it off to the publishers. Alack and alas for the dreadful thing that happened! The publishers never received it, the post office sent countless blue forms to say that they knew nothing about it, and from that day to this no word has ever been heard of it. Of course it was the best thing I ever wrote. Who ever lost a manuscript that wasn’t? (Source)
Fortunately for all Conan Doyle admirers and scholars, the manuscript had now been found. Its first discovery in modern times occurred during a Conan Doyle sale at the auction house, Christie’s, in 2004. It was then purchased by The British Library and put on display in December 2004. In September 2011, the British Library has finally published the book commercially for the first time.
The book may be incomplete and look to be comprised of the author’s opinions on several issues (literature, science, religion, etc.) that are told through the voice of the narrator John Smith. It’s unlike the Sherlock Holmes mysteries where cases are solved through deductive reasoning, involving plot and action and the collaboration between Holmes and Watson. However, the Conan Doyle fans will be able to see just how their favorite author came to be one of the most successful writers in his era. The book provides a window to the one of the great literary minds of all time and it will not disappoint.
This title is available now in Kinokuniya Bookstores of Jakarta.
Further reading: Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Amazon.co.uk
