F4C. The World of Sherlock Holmes
Literature & Writing | Registration opens 2/25/2026 9:00 AM
Sherlock Holmes holds the Guinness record as the literary character most frequently portrayed in film. He emerged out of nowhere and spawned an entire literary genre with a host of imitators, but has yet to be equaled. One would be hard-pressed to find anyone who does not know who he is. In this class, confirmed or aspiring Sherlockians will read and discuss selected stories, looking for influences of Conan Doyle’s own background. We will also attempt to understand how Doyle could create a character so intensely real that hundreds of letters addressed to him at 221B Baker Street still arrive every year.
- Image courtesy of Shutterstock
Steven Bassin
Presenter
Steven Bassin (LLI) is currently writing a mystery novel in addition to teaching. He is a retired trial attorney and a retired member of the Directors Guild of America. He has taught courses in literature and history at Bard LLI and Vassar LLI. He has also taught at The New School and The School of Visual Arts. His specialty is mystery fiction, and he has taught previous courses on Sherlock Holmes, George Eliot, Charles Dickens, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and others.
Robert Beaury
Presenter & Producer
Robert Beaury, MS, (LLI) is a retired high school social studies teacher and college adjunct. He earned a BA in history and political science from Hunter College and an MS in education from Sage Graduate Schools. He has presented courses at LLI in history and government since 2019.