Arthur Conan Doyle

Author:
Arthur Conan Doyle

Date of birth: 22-May-1859
Place of birth: Edinburgh, Scotland UK

About the author:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a British author, physician, and spiritualist best known for creating the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes, one of the most enduring characters in literary history. A master of storytelling, Doyle's influence on the detective genre and popular fiction is profound.

Born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Doyle studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where one of his professors, Dr. Joseph Bell—renowned for his powers of observation and deduction—inspired the character of Holmes. While working as a doctor, Doyle began writing fiction to supplement his income.

In 1887, he published his first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet, which introduced Holmes and his loyal companion, Dr. John Watson. The series gained widespread popularity with the publication of short stories in The Strand Magazine, including The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Despite trying to kill off Holmes in 1893’s The Final Problem, public demand forced Doyle to resurrect the character in later stories.

Though Sherlock Holmes made him famous, Doyle also wrote historical novels, science fiction, plays, and nonfiction. One of his most notable non-Holmes works is The Lost World (1912), featuring the bold Professor Challenger and laying early groundwork for the "dinosaur adventure" genre.

Later in life, Doyle became deeply involved in spiritualism, believing in communication with the dead. This interest overshadowed his literary career in his later years, leading to public debates, including with magician Harry Houdini, a skeptic of the supernatural.

Doyle was knighted in 1902 for his services to literature and his support of the British cause in the Boer War. He died on July 7, 1930, at the age of 71.

Arthur Conan Doyle's legacy lives on through his influence on detective fiction, popular culture, and the enduring appeal of Sherlock Holmes.