This is an excellent selection of classic BSI (Baker Street Irregulars) and other criticism on the Sherlock Holmes stories, with entries by such famous Sherlockians as Rex Stout, Vincent Starrett, Christopher Morley, etc. Most of the individual articles are available elsewhere, but as a compiliation of essential writings about Holmes this is hard to beat. Mr. Shreffler does a fine job of sorting the wheat from the chaff -- I have dozens of books on this subject, and if you are only going to purchase one Sherlockian book in your life (but who in their right mind would ever do that?), this book would be a fair choice.

Two potential caveats for newcomers: 1) I am not sure why this book is so expensive; perhaps the number of remaining copies is limited. When I acquired my copy a few years ago, it was substantially cheaper. If you're on a tight budget, you can probably get more Sherlockian bang for your buck elsewhere. 2) Keep in mind that this is almost entirely a compilation of SHERLOCKIAN criticism, as opposed to the more conventional brand. In other words, the articles proceed under the tongue-in-cheek assumption that Holmes & Watson were real people -- thus, this book will probably not help you very much if you are looking for sources for an academic, literary study of Doyle's work. If you are reading for personal enjoyment, though, and have the cash, it's great fun, and **highly** recommended.

A fine addition to this volume would be Shreffler's "Sherlock Holmes by Gas-Lamp", which includes highlights of the first 40 years of the Baker Street Journal.

What a pleasure it is to find a mystery that takes such pains to recreate an era of charm, sophistication and grace. And how grand to have The Baker Street IrrregularsÑthat madcap group of Sherlock Holmes devoteesÑout and about solving muder mysteries in the best Holmesian tradition. Not to mention the weighty presence of Orson Welles! Great fun for all. Buy it!

This book was a real find! Featured as characters are Orson Welles and Christopher Morley, and New York in the 30s--truly a character in itself. Most of all I liked the witty conversation, which somehow manages to be both clever and lifelike. It has the feeling of the start of a series, and I certainly hope that's the case.

Shreffler re-creates the '30s and introduces the Baker St. Irregulars - a whimsical and erudite group of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts who join protagonist Elliot Simpson in tracking down a murderer associated with the famed Mercury Theatre War of the Worlds broadcast. Recalls the sophisticated, heady atmosphere of the Nick and Nora Charles genre, with a dollop of Stout and a twist of Benchley. It's a delight to find sprightly dialogue, a well-made plot and the attention to period detail that creates a firm and frolicsome sense of place, and of a time that has been dubbed the Golden Age.

If you believe that the best way to study an author is through his works, this book is an outstanding addition to any Lovecraft collection. Other studies of Lovecraft I have seen either dismiss Lovecraft's philosophy and literary theory as being too complex to study or bog down in exhaustive reviews of Lovecraft's letters.

In 'The H.P. Lovecraft Companion', however, Shreffler has done exhaustive research into what Lovecraft's actual literary influences might have been, as is indicated not only by his letters but also by looking at what authors were in vogue at the time Lovecraft was writing and even what books would have been available on the shelves at the Brown University Library in the early 1900's.

Shreffler also makes a rather fascinating digression into actual magical cults in search of the basis for fictional groups such as the Esoteric Order of Dagon and Cthulu cults, and also sketches the history of real magical grimoires to explain the inspiration for the dreaded 'Necronomicon'. The author also gives bare outlines of some of the best/earliest Lovecraft-inspired stories by other authors.

My only complaint would be that even though almost all of Lovecraft's tales are listed in the book, only some of them are presented with 'back story' information regarding the specific details surrounding the location and inspiration for each one. A bonus in the book are several black and white photos of some surviving buildings mentioned in Lovecraft's stories, as well as maps of Salem, Arkham and Marblehead., Mass, and a map of Lovecraft's dreamland and other miscellaneous illustrations. Another bonus is H.P.L.'s "History of The Necronomicon" which is tacked on as an appendix.

What this book really does is extend to the reader a deep understanding of the literary and thaumaturgic influences on H.P.L. and gives an appreciation for Lovecraft's works, both for being ahead of their time as well as being incredibly (in some cases almost terrifyingly) well researched and even plausible.

Highly recommended.

For those just beginning down the road toward H.P. Lovecraft's extraterrestrial horrors, or for those who have visited many times before, this companion book by Philip A. Shreffler may prove an invaluable literary compass. Helpful to the newcomer will be chapters 3 and 4, "The Mythos Monsters" and "An Encylopedia of Characters and Monsters", respectively. In these chapters, Shreffler irons out the myriad people and super-beings which inhabit Lovecraft's intricate worlds, and explains clearly how they relate to one another in the infamous Mythos cycles. He even includes a "family tree" of H.P.L's wicked gods. Long-time fans of Lovecraft will be delighted as well with the rest of the book, which is chock-full of intriguing facts and anecdotes regarding his theories on literature, his personal life, and various inspirations. Written during a time when Lovecraft's work didn't garner as much attention as that of newcomers like Stephen King, this book unfortunately remains out of print. A new generation of admiring readers and publishers has dawned, however, and Philip Shreffler's book is definitely worth a look by both parties.