T HE N ORWEGIAN E XPLORERS OF M INNESOTA , I NC. © 2 0 0 9 Autumn 2009 EXPLORATIONS Issue #59 EXPLORATIONS 2009 An Active Year In Review from the president’s desk ―My you live in interesting another great radio play reenactment for this times.‖ Whether that quote is from Robert Spring.‖ Kennedy in 1966, a 1950 science fiction The 2010 Conference Committee is story, or part of an ancient Chinese saying - hard at work putting together another December will be an interesting time to be spectacular Sherlock Holmes Conference a Sherlockian. The Warner Bros. movie, here in Minnesota. We have had to move Editor’sInside thisDesk issue: 2-3 ―Sherlock Holmes‖, will be trying, and the Conference back one week, the new Gas Fields to Explore 3 exciting, for those of us who love to play dates are: Friday, August 6 – Sunday, Book Reviews 4,12 the game. Tie-ins include computer games, August 8, 2010. These tri-annual events Little Look at Alliteration 5,11 7-Eleven Stores, and fashion magazines have been very popular in the Sherlockian world and have had attendees from around Study Group 6 pushing grey-flannel capes. Love it or hate it, it is happening. The movie will stir up the United States, as well as Canada, the Film Nights I & II 7,8 interest in Mr. Holmes and we need to find United Kingdom and Japan. This is an opportunity for all Norwegian Explorers to Larry Millett Presentation 8 out how to reap some benefits. have an enjoyable weekend and rub elbows 9-10 Speaking of benefits, watch for On Owning a Beeton’s with other Sherlockians. Please do not be our annual January Master‘s birthday Special Study Group Events 13 shy, there will be no one testing your celebration. Baker Street West is in the knowledge and it is a great way to 2010 Conference Flyer 14 planning stages, so watch you mail boxes. experience a world-class conference with no Upcoming Events Also, the Red-Throated League is planning 15 travel expenses. (Continued on page 2) from the outgoing editor’s desk Nearly every organization bring a wonderful, energetic perspective to ponders the means to involve youth to the newsletter. As the movie-going world ensure the succession of its mission. discovers the action-packed version of Sherlockians are no exception. In a recent Holmes, we can rest easy knowing that our editorial in The Baker Street Journal, Steve own heroes are hard at work on our behalf. Rothman reflects on the upcoming My personal thanks to the many Sherlock Holmes movie and its expected Explorers who have contributed to these impact on the world of the Master pages, not only during my short tenure as Detective. While Robert Downey, Jr may editor, but since its inception. Keep up the introduce new followers to Baker Street, dialogue and the game will remain nicely Illustration by we Explorers are fortunate to have talent afoot! already at hand. Frederic Dorr Steele ~Pj Doyle I am pleased to turn the editorship of Explorations over to Tim Reich. He will P a g e 2 EXPLORATIONS from the president’s desk (Continued from page 1) Here is the conference announcement: The Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota; Presentations will return on Saturday The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes morning, August 7th and a luncheon and Collections; and The University of banquet will be held that day. The Minnesota, Special Collections and Rare conference will conclude mid-day on Books Present: The Spirits of Sherlock Sunday, August 8th. Space for dealer‘s Holmes. The Conference will explore the tables will be available in the conference many meanings of the word ―Spirits‖ and room. More details and registration how they relate to Sherlock Holmes, Arthur information will be available soon. To be Conan Doyle, and the Victorian Era. The placed on the mailing list for the conference will be held at the Elmer L. conference, send your name, postal address Andersen Library at the University of and email address to: Minnesota, the site of the 2004 and 2007 [email protected]. Conferences. It will begin early afternoon ―No ghosts need apply.‖ on Friday, August 6, 2010. A Friends of the Illustration by Sidney Paget Sherlock Holmes Collections Meeting will Just some of the benefits of belonging be held late Friday afternoon and Friday to the Norwegian Explorers in 2010, do not evening will be open for your personal forget to send in your renewal notice. dining choice. ~Gary Thaden ―‗Your statement is most interesting,‘ said Sherlock Holmes.‖ - The Sign of Four from the incoming editor’s desk (part I) This issue of Explorations y sincere thanks goes to Pj M contains a variety of articles submitted Doyle for her work as outgoing editor by your fellow Explorers. For those and her guidance during the transition of members who collect originals for their the Explorations editorship. library, one of Phil Bergem‘s trio of As the year 2009 comes to a close, articles explains the history of the “members of the members of the Norwegian Explorers Beeton’s Christmas Annuals and how can look back on another very active you may be the proud owner of one Norwegian year. Our study groups and film nights someday. Karen Murdock delights us Explorers can look were well attended. Explorers continue with another piece on ―Figures of to represent our group well with Speech in the Canon‖ coupled with her back on another published scholarship through our own quiz to get you investigating on your very active year.” publications and in the journals of other own. There are study group reviews by Sherlockian societies. Members were John Ward, Linda Schacher, and yours active in attending Sherlockian related truly. The film nights are reported by events both local and distant. On April Bob Brusic and Ray Riethmeier. Phil 18th many of us attended the Red- and Bob also provide us glimpses into Throated League‘s radio play Sherlockian related books they have dramatization at the Pavek Museum. It recently read. I‘ve rounded out this was a wonderful performance. As issue with my review of Larry Millett‘s members stay active, we are grateful that presentation on his Sherlock Holmes many of them take time to report on their mysteries. activities and submit them to (Continued on page 2) Explorations for us to enjoy. P a g e 3 EXPLORATIONS Conan and Doyle gas fields for exploration It has come to our attention that and the potential of that resource could be there is a Conan Doyle connection as much as one trillion cubic feet of gas. located in the East Irish Sea. In 2007 A map of the location can be found at: Sercia Energy plc, headquartered at 87- 89 Baker Street in London (!), was http://www.serica-energy.com/operations awarded a license to develop two natural -unitedkingdom-block113.php#ukMap8 gas fields located about 25 miles (40 By coincidence, the second map on km.) off the west coast of England the page shows another gas field located to between Barrow-in-Furnace and the Isle the south named Hodder. This was the name of Man. The two blocks, numbered of the preparatory school for Stonyhurst that 113/26b and 113/27c have been named Doyle attended when he was young. Conan and Doyle. Serica is evaluating ~Phil Bergem plans to start drilling at Conan this year from the incoming editor’s desk (part II) As new editor of Explorations I I was not yet a full Sherlockian plan to continue on the path laid by those in the 1970‘s so I missed the wave of before me and provide additional interest that movies and publicity brought opportunities for members who want to to our life of keeping the memory green. “We will always explore their literary ideas for Sherlockian I came to the game later and I‘m glad now that I am fully immersed in the have Watson’s and Doylean scholarship. I want to thank the contributors to this issue for their fine Sherlockian world to participate in this chronicled fifty- work and I look forward to all the articles new attention placed on the world‘s first ―consulting detective.‖ I hope you will six short stories yet to appear in Explorations. Feel free to let me know what article ideas you have keep an open mind as well. We will and four novels to and what you‘d like to see in future issues. always have Watson‘s chronicled fifty-six short stories and four novels to comfort us comfort us with If you are a new member and this is your first issue of Explorations, I hope you find with an authentic Holmes. Nothing can an authentic enjoyment in our newsletter. take away the opening cozies, the brilliant deductions, and case revelations of our Issue #60 is coming in early 2010. Holmes. ” own Holmes of the printed page. You can look forward to a mystery challenge within the issue to celebrate this Your thoughts on the new movie? significant number in the Sherlockian world. After the new movie is released in theaters, if you would like to share your My thoughts on the new movie: thoughts with the readers of Explorations please feel free to submit them. Brief Although it is not Canonically comments or reactions from a handful accurate, I look forward to the Sherlock Norwegian Explorers might make for Holmes movie opening December 25, entertaining reading! 2009. As with Gary‘s comments, I may cringe if I see a distorted Holmes on the ~Tim Reich, Editor front of a cereal box next year.