Having killed off Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle began a new series of tales on a very different theme. Brigadier Gerard is an officer in Napoleon's army—ecklessly brave, engagingly openhearted, and unshakable, if not a little absurd, in his devotion to the enigmatic Emperor. The Brigadier's wonderful comic adventures, long established in the affections of Conan Doyle's admirers as second only to those of the incomparable Holmes, are sure to find new devotees among the ardent fans of such writers as Patrick O'Brian and George MacDonald Fraser.

You do very well my friends to treat me with some little reverence for in honouring me you are honouring both France and yourselves. It is not merely an old grey-moustached officer whom you see eating his omelette or draining his glass but it is a fragment of history.

The Complete Brigadier Gerard has the brigadier recounting his adventures in the Peninsular War, the retreat from Moscow and at Waterloo. Flashman's George MacDonald Fraser called the book "A splendid catalogue of secret missions, escapes, love affairs, disguises, duels and occasional disasters." With 55 original illustrations by W.B.Wollen.

Winner of the 1999 Edgar Award for Best Biographical Work, this is "an excellent biography of the man who created Sherlock Holmes" (David Walton, The New York Times Book Review) This fresh, compelling biography examines the extraordinary life and strange contrasts of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the struggling provincial doctor who became the most popular storyteller of his age. From his youthful exploits aboard a whaling ship to his often stormy friendships with such figures as Harry Houdini and George Bernard Shaw, Conan Doyle lived a life as gripping as one of his adventures. Exhaustively researched and elegantly written, Daniel Stashower's Teller of Tales sets aside many myths and misconceptions to present a vivid portrait of the man behind the legend of Baker Street, with a particular emphasis on the Psychic Crusade that dominated his final years--the work that Conan Doyle himself felt to be "the most important thing in the world."

Both the inspiration and the sourcebook for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Brigadier Gerard stories, this hugely entertaining account of the Napoleonic Wars was written by a young officer about the action he saw, the adventures he experienced, the battles he fought, and the escapes he engineered in the campaigns that brought Napoleon and his armies to Waterloo. A vital and vibrant tale packed with bravado, duels, deceptions, and no lack of derring-do, it recounts in authentic detail and with compelling immediacy the careers that Napoleonic soldiers made of military perils, personal risks, and tactical maneuvers in the service of an imperial France. Originally published in France as a two-volume set under the title The Adventures of Baron de Marbot, the exploits of the man who was promoted to the rank of general on the eve of Waterloo appear here for the first time in a one-volume English edition. Not only has this classic soldier's memoir been discreetly edited to heighten the narrative of de Marbot's colorfully picaresque and anecdotal tale, but also expert commentary and essential background materials have been added to make the book's lively history more accessible, and the fascinating biography more illuminative for contemporary readers. "The first of all soldier books in the world - which gives us the best picture by far of the Napoleonic soldiers." - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Crime of the Brigadier Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL (22 May 1859 - 7 July 1930) was a Scottish physician and writer who is most noted for his fictional stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction. He is also known for writing the fictional adventures of a second character he invented, Professor Challenger, and for popularising the mystery of the Mary Celeste. We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.