Arthur Conan Doyle bibliography explained

Author:Arthur Conan Doyle
Novel:22
Novellink:Novels
Collection:16
Collectionlink:Short story collections
Story:204
Storylink:Publications in periodicals
Play:14
Playlink:Stage works
Booklink:Non fiction
Option:13
Optionname:Spiritualist and paranormal books
Optionlink:Spiritualist and paranormal works
1Option:10
1Optionname:Spiritualist and paranormal pamphlets
1Optionlink:Pamphlets
2Option:1
2Optionname:Operettas
2Optionlink:Stage works
Poem:4
Poemlink:Poetry

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle KStJ, DL (1859–1930) was a Scottish writer and physician. In addition to the series of stories chronicling the activities of Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr John Watson for which he is well known, Doyle wrote on a wide range of topics, both fictional and non-fictional. In 1876 Doyle entered the University of Edinburgh Medical School, where he became a pupil of Joseph Bell, whose deductive processes impressed his pupil so much that the teacher became the chief model for Holmes. Doyle began writing while still a student, and in October 1879 he had his first work—"The Mystery of the Sasassa Valley"—published in Chambers's Journal. He continued writing short works—both fictional and non-fictional—throughout his career, and had over 200 stories and articles published.

In July 1891 Doyle published the short story "A Scandal in Bohemia" in The Strand Magazine—a "story which would change his life", according to his biographer, Andrew Lycett, as it introduced Holmes and Watson to a wide audience; the duo had provided the subject of Doyle's first novel, A Study in Scarlet, which was published in Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887. The story in The Strand was one in a series of six, published in successive months. They were well received by the public, and the editors of the magazine commissioned a further six stories, and then another series of twelve. Doyle, fearful of having his other work overshadowed by his fictional detective, killed his creation off in December 1893 in "The Adventure of the Final Problem". He also wrote four full-length Holmes works, as well as adventure novels and nine historical works of fiction. In 1912 he began the adventure series featuring Professor Challenger, who first appeared in The Lost World—both in short stories and novels.

Doyle also wrote four volumes of poetry and a series of stage works—his first was Jane Annie, an unsuccessful attempt at a libretto to an operetta, which he wrote with J. M. Barrie. Doyle was an enthusiastic supporter of the Boer War, and wrote two histories of the events. During the First World War he also wrote extensively on that conflict, both short articles and a six-volume history. Following the close successive deaths of his son and his brother, Doyle turned to spiritualism and wrote extensively on the subject; his biographer Owen Dudley Edwards writes that at the time of Doyle's death in July 1930, while the writer "most wanted to be remembered as a champion of spiritualism and as a historical novelist, it is Sherlock Holmes who has continued to capture the imagination of the public".

Publications in periodicals

TitleDate of
publication
PeriodicalNotes
Chambers's Journalpublished anonymously
British Medical Journal
London SocietyChristmas issue
London Society
London Societypublished as by "A.C.D."
London Societypublished anonymously
London Society
London Society
All the Year Roundpublished anonymously
London Society
Temple Bar
All the Year Roundpublished anonymously
Bow Bells
London Society
London Society
Christmas issue
Good Wordssemi-scientific article
Temple Bar
Cassell's Saturday Journal
Cassell's Saturday Journalserialized in two installments
Cassell's Saturday Journal
Bow Bells
Christmas issue
London Society
Cassell's Saturday Journal
Belgravia
Christmas issue
London Society
Cassell's Magazine
Christmas issue
serialised over seven issues
Beeton's Christmas AnnualSherlock Holmes novel
novel serialized in The Pall Mall Budget and The Pall Mall Gazette
Chambers's Journal
The Peoplenovel serialized from October 1889 to April 1890
Lippincott's MagazineSherlock Holmes novel
Blackwood's Magazine
Chambers's Journal
The Peoplepublished anonymously
The White Company – December 1891serialised throughout the year
Temple Bar
credited in the table of contents but not on the story itself
Black and White
Sherlock Holmes story
Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Christmas issue
Good WordsChristmas issue
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
– June 1893Harper's Magazineserial
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
– November 1893Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
–November 1895novel in epistolary form
Brigadier Gerard story
serialized in two parts
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
– December 1896serialised in 12 parts
Punch
"Tales of the High Seas"/Captain Sharkey story
– March 1897serialised weekly
"Tales of the High Seas"/Captain Sharkey story
– December 1897serialised over eight instalments
"Tales of the High Seas"/Captain Sharkey story
"Tales of the High Seas" story
later published as "The New Catacomb"
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
The Manchester Weekly Timesalso published in Ainslee's Magazine, October 1898
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
Round the Fire story
– December 1899serialised in three parts
completion of novel by Grant Allen
completion of novel by Grant Allen
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly
"Strange Studies From Life" article
"Strange Studies From Life" article
"Strange Studies From Life" article
– April 1902Sherlock Holmes novel; serialised over nine months
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
– February 1903Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Brigadier Gerard story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
– December 1906serialised over 13 issues
– October 1907Cassell's Magazine
Sherlock Holmes story; published in book form as first part of "The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge"
Sherlock Holmes story; published in book form as second part of "The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge"
Sherlock Holmes story
story in verse
Brigadier Gerard story
"Through the Mists" story
Sherlock Holmes story
"Through the Mists" story
"Through the Mists" story
– April 1911Sherlock Holmes story
Captain Sharkey story
Sherlock Holmes story
– November 1912Professor Challenger story
– July 1913Professor Challenger story
Sherlock Holmes story
– May 1915Sherlock Holmes novel; serialised over nine issues
– April 1915
– June 1917serialised over fifteen months
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes-related article
"Three of Them" story
"Three of Them" story
– June 1918
"Three of Them" story
"Three of Them" story
– November 1918
"Three of Them" story
– February 1919
Interview by Hayden Church
, January, May, September and November 1920
Sherlock Holmes story
– March 1922Sherlock Holmes story
contribution to symposium
Sherlock Holmes story
– July 1924autobiography; serialised over ten issues
Sherlock Holmes story
contribution to symposium
Sherlock Holmes story
– March 1925Sherlock Holmes story
"The Land of Mist" – March 1926Professor Challenger story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes-related essay
– September 1927
– February 1928
– May 1928Professor Challenger story
Professor Challenger story
– May 1929
also published in The Strand Magazine, December 1930
also published in The Strand Magazine, November 1930

Novels

Novels by Doyle
TitleYear of first
publication
First edition publisher
(London, unless otherwise stated)
Series or genreNotes
The Narrative of John Smith1883 (2011)British Library PublishingWritten in 1883, but lost. Found and published for the first time in 2011.
Beeton's Christmas AnnualSherlock Holmes
Micah ClarkeLongmans, Green & Co.Historical fiction
Ward and DowneyHorror / adventure
Spencer BlackettSherlock HolmesAlso appeared in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in February 1890
Chatto & WindusRomance/adventure
Smith, Elder & Co.Historical fictionFirst of three volumes
Cassell & CoSocial science fiction
J. W. Arrowsmith, BristolHistorical fictionIn 1893 the second edition was published that also included Beyond the City
Longmans, Green & Co.Historical fictionFirst of three volumes
Constable & Co.Horror/adventure
Longmans, Green & Co.
Rodney StoneSmith, Elder & Co.Historical fiction
Uncle BernacHorace CoxHistorical fiction
Smith, Elder & Co.Historical fiction
Grant Richards
George NewnesSherlock Holmes
Sir NigelSmith, Elder & Co.Historical fiction
Hodder & StoughtonProfessor Challenger
Hodder & StoughtonProfessor Challenger
Smith, Elder & Co.Sherlock Holmes
Hutchinson & CoProfessor Challenger
J. Murray & SonsHorror / adventureNovel with three short stories

Short story collections

Short story collections by Doyle
TitleYear of first
publication
First edition publisher
(All London)
Series or genre
Mysteries and AdventuresScottMysteries
Longmans, Green
George NewnesSherlock Holmes
ScottMysteries
George NewnesSherlock Holmes
Round the Red Lamp: Being Facts and Fancies of Medical LifeMethuen
George NewnesBrigadier Gerard
Smith, Elder & Co.
George NewnesBrigadier Gerard
George NewnesSherlock Holmes
Round the Fire StoriesSmith, Elder & Co.
Smith, Elder & Co.
His Last BowJohn MurraySherlock Holmes
Dangerand Other StoriesJohn Murray
Three of ThemJohn Murray
John MurraySherlock Holmes

Stage works

Stage works of Doyle
TitleLocation of first performanceDate of first performanceYear of
publication
Publisher (London, unless otherwise stated)Notes
Jane Annie
or, The Good Conduct Prize
LondonChappell & Co.Libretto to operetta, with J.M. Barrie; music by Ernest Ford
Foreign PolicyLondonBased on A Question of Diplomacy
BristolSamuel French Ltd.A one-act play written for Sir Henry Irving
BrothersAberdeenBased on novel Halves by James Payn
Sherlock HolmesLondonSamuel French Ltd.With William Gillette
LondonSamuel French Ltd.
Brigadier GerardLondonGaslight, Bloomington, IN
Liverpool
London
London
LondonSamuel French Ltd.
BristolPrivately printed
Angels of Darkness: A Drama in Three ActsThe Baker Street Irregulars in cooperation with the Toronto Public Library, New York, NY

Poetry

The majority of Doyle's poetry falls into the genre of war poetry.

Doyle's poetry
TitleYear of first publicationFirst edition publisher
(All London)
Songs of ActionSmith, Elder & Co.
Songs of the RoadSmith, Elder & Co.
J. Murray
J. Murray

Non-fiction

Non-fiction books by Doyle
TitleYear of first
publication
First edition publisher
(All London)
Topic
Smith, Elder & Co.Military history
Smith, Elder & Co.Military history
Through the Magic DoorSmith, Elder & Co.Memoir of the books in Doyle's library
HutchinsonHistory
Hodder & StoughtonCrime
Hodder & StoughtonMilitary history
Hodder & StoughtonMilitary history
Hodder & StoughtonMilitary history
Memories and AdventuresHodder & StoughtonAutobiography
Dangerous Work: Diary of an Arctic AdventureAutobiography

Spiritualist and paranormal works

Books

Spiritualist and paranormal books by Doyle
TitleYear of first
publication
First edition publisher
(All London)
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton
Verbatim Report of a Public Debate on 'The Truth of Spiritualism' between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Joseph McCabeWatts & Co
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton
Hutchinson
Our American AdventureHodder & Stoughton
Our Second American AdventureHodder & Stoughton
Two Worlds Publishing Company
Cassell
Pheneas Speaks[1] Psychic Press
Our African WinterJohn Murray
John Murray

Pamphlets

Spiritualist and paranormal pamphlets by Doyle
TitleYear of first
publication
First edition publisher
(London, unless otherwise stated)
Pages
11
Our reply to the Cleric: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Lecture in Leicester, October 19th 1919Spiritualists' National Union, Halifax16
Spiritualism and RationalismHodder & Stoughton32
Psychic Bookshop and Library12
Psychic ExperiencesG. P. Putnam's Sons, New York12
Psychic Bookshop and Library19
What Does Spiritualism Actually Teach and Stand For?Psychic Bookshop and Library16
Psychic Press72
Psychic Press12
Rupert Books, Cambridge32

Notes and references

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Photographic image of notecard from Conan Doyle. JPG. Arthur-conan-doyle.com. 10 November 2021. 2 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220602214729/https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/images/e/e5/Notecard-sacd-1927-03-pheneas-speaks-recto.jpg. live.