Upon the Turf:
Horse Racing and the Sherlockian Canon.
Edited by
Candace J. Lewis,
Ira Brad Matetsky, and
Roger Donway.
Horse racing, gambling, debt, scandal, and murder are all major threads in the Canonical tapestry. Racing and issues related to it appear in many of the Holmes stories. Upon the Turf is the definitive study of this subject.
A stellar group of scholars, with expertise in a wide variety of topics, are gathered in this volume. Horses and horsemanship, the atmosphere of the racetrack, chemistry and narcotics, fashion, cinematic adaptations, and addictive behavior are just some of the chapters in this lucid and comprehensive volume. In addition, the many Silver Blaze races sponsored by The Baker Street irregulars and the role of Sherlockians in the world of the track also come into focus here.
Saddle up for an exciting ride down the track and into the stretch with Holmes and Watson. Upon the Turf will take you from the stable to the finish line and onto fascinating points along the racecourse.
216 pages, 10″ x 7″ softcover, December 2019
With 24 color & 19 b&w illustrations
Upon the Turf
$25.95 plus shipping
(or visit our mail order page)
Table of Contents for Upon the Turf
Introduction
by Candace J. Lewis, Ira Brad Matetsky, Roger Donway
Part A: Racing in The Canon
The Pedigree of Silver Blaze
by Roger Donway
Hiding in Plain Sight: Thoughts on the Disguising of Silver Blaze
by Christopher Zordan
Well Up in Opium
by Marina Stajić
Art, Horse Racing, and Holmes
by Candace J. Lewis
“Silver Blaze”: A Study in Sources
by Donny Zaldin
The Value of Imagination: Silver Blaze on the Silver Screen
by Charles Prepolec
Part B: Racing in Victorian England
Bookies, Booze, Women, and Horses: A Day at the Races
by Mary M. Acaro
Clothing at Victorian Race Tracks
by Jennifer Kneeland
Part C: Gambling and The Canon
The Scarlet Thread of Gambling
by Francine Kitts and Richard Kitts
The Finances of Watson’s Betting Habit
by Charles L. Blanksteen
Watson’s Wagers: An Exploration into Gambling Addiction
by Monica M. Schmidt
Never Horsewhip a Money-Lender: Portrayals of Money-Lending and Debt Collection in the Canon
by Jenn Eaker
Part D: Sherlockians At and Beyond the Races
Off to the Races: Baker Street Irregulars and the Sport of Kings
by Burt Wolder
Silver Blaze Races in the 21st Century
by Susan Z. Diamond and Greg D. Ruby
The Law of Dogs That Do Nothing in the Night-Time: Judges and the Sherlock Holmes Canon
by Ira Brad Matetsky
Brigadier Gerard: Arthur Conan Doyle’s Napoleonic Hero and Britain’s Greatest Racehorse
by Clifford S. Goldfarb
Dick Francis and Sherlock Holmes
by Lou Lewis
Part E: Further Reading
Further Reading
by Maria Fleischhack and Roger Donway
Contributors
Learn More
Audio Interview with the editors (podcast at I Hear of Sherlock)
Other Silver Blaze history books in the BSI Events Series
BSI Press / Books overview page
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The Baker Street Irregulars 