The Room of Horrors

The entire book can be accessed in electronic form via the link on the SZKEO website. The gift illustrated edition is printed on domestic pigmented thick book designer paper of cream color with a bookmark of the same color as the headband.

The collection of the famous English writer Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) includes twenty-five mystical, fantastic, detective, strange, and amazing stories. In each one, the author displays his extraordinary writing skill, skillfully weaving an intriguing plot. All texts are provided in the translation by Dmitry Mochnev. The book is adorned with dozens of illustrations by twenty-four English and French artists. They illustrated Doyle's stories when they first appeared in various periodicals at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

Arthur Conan Doyle entered the history of literature primarily as the creator of the immortal image of the insightful detective Sherlock Holmes. However, Doyle himself, after several years during which he regularly published one detective story after another, wanted to break free from the path he had forged. Not without reason, the writer attempted to end Holmes by tossing him into the Reichenbach Falls. Arthur believed that his true calling was historical novels. However, the themes of his literary works were quite diverse. Doyle wrote on social and domestic topics, while at the same time, he paid tribute to science fiction.

He inherited the talent for inventiveness and storytelling from his mother. In letters to her, young Arthur polished his style. Many of these letters have survived—about one and a half thousand. At the Jesuit college of Stonyhurst, Arthur was invariably surrounded by a group of enthusiastic listeners. The future renowned writer was not short on imagination—he easily improvised on the spot, crafting another intriguing story. However, it was still a long way to professional literary work. First, he studied at the medical faculty of the University of Edinburgh. Doyle graduated in 1881 and soon opened a medical practice in Portsmouth. However, the fledgling doctor had few patients. To pass the time and improve his financial situation, Doyle decided to seriously pursue literature.

In 1886, he wrote the novella 'A Study in Scarlet,' in which Sherlock Holmes first appeared along with Dr. Watson. Three years later, the novel 'The Mystery of Clumber' was published. In it, the writer, fascinated by spiritualism, narrated the 'afterlife' of three Buddhist monks. Later, in addition to many detective stories, Doyle produced several historical novels. 'The White Company' was dedicated to events of the Hundred Years' War. The action of 'The Adventures of Michai Clark' took place during the overthrow of King James II. In 1892, Doyle wrote the historical adventure novel 'The Exiles,' which described the fates of French Huguenots who emigrated to the New World at the end of the 17th century. The author highly valued these works, but the theme of mysticism did not leave him until the end of his days. This can easily be seen by familiarizing oneself with the twenty-five stories collected in this book. It is decorated with illustrations by more than a dozen English and French artists who illustrated Doyle's stories that appeared in the pages of various periodicals at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Thanks to these illustrations, we can view Conan Doyle's stories through the eyes of his contemporaries.

‘Doctor Zhivago’ by Boris Pasternak and ‘Tales’ by Abruzzes Birs.