Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once said, "I am rather tired of hearing myself described as the author of Sherlock Holmes." He wrote many other things including The Lost World a story about a place in South America where dinosaurs are still alive. He also wrote science fiction stories and horror stories. He even wrote long historical novels and he wrote about the Boer War and World War One. He was considered a polymath, that is, one who has great learning in many fields—he must have been a lot like myself. He was also a war correspondent and ran for political office and he was a doctor. How did he find the time? He once tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes but the public outcry was so great that he finally had to bring Sherlock back to life. Doyle was also a devout spiritualist. He attended seances and believed it was possible to communicate with the dead." He was a friend of Harry Houdini, the great American magician and escape artist, but Houdini constantly tried to prove that spiritualism was wrong and their friendship ended when he wrote about Doyle in a book. Doyle was born on May 22, 1859 and died July 7, 1930 at the age of 71. The first Sherlock Holmes story appeared in 1887 and the last in 1927.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes, Doyle's most famous creation
Doyle wrote about World War I. His son was killed in this war.
Doyle wrote, The Lost World
Doyle attended seances, where people attempt to communicate with the dead
