A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes is a book for those who want to improve their thinking. It is a practical and enjoyable book that tells in a short-easy-to-read way about what we all can learn from Sherlock Holmes. Peter Bevelin has distilled Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes into bite-sized principles and key quotes. This book will appeal to both Sherlock fans as well as those who want to think better. It contains useful and timeless methods and questions applicable to a variety of important issues in life and business. We could all benefit from A few lessons from Sherlock Holmes.
A little book that makes you think. Short, if good, twice good.
Take away:
Detective work: 1) Gather data. 2) Do new experiments to get Fresh Data. 3) Make Deductions to reach Hypothesis. 4) Formulate Theory with most probable Hypothesis. 5) BUILD INVESTMENT THESIS (IT). 6) Test IT with Fresh Data.
Obsession with exact knowledge. Understand how reality is. Master the fundamentals. Common sense. Breadth of view: everything is part of a whole.
Avoid unnecessary details. Avoid noise. Fill your "brain-attic" with just "useful furniture".
Do the work, avoid the old history. Link Cause-Effect. Only through long and patient process of study and meditation, you can reach to insightful knowledge.
No conclusions allowed! Facts may lead you, not your emotions or personality: Be docile.
Second, Inferences from them. Do NOT twist facts to fit your Hypothesis or Theories.
Ask yourself: what do i want to achieve through this?
“Nothing can be done without preconceived ideas; only there must be the wisdom not to accept their deductions beyond what experiments confirm” (Louis Pasteur).
DATA! DATA! DATA! (make sure it REAL data ). Think about this data, separate the crucial from incidental. Try to find conections between them.
We all see, but often we do not observe. Active process. Smallest point may be the most essential.
Stick to studied routines, until became an unconcious process.
Question everything: Why is this? Why not? Is it deliberate or hidden? or i didn´t actively looked for it? Do i miss something? Reason backwards, from observations to causes. Deduce the chain of events that led up to a fact, and also the results which would follow from it.
There is nothing new under the sun. Study History . Find resemblances. (But remember: we see what we are looking for- if we look for similarities , this is what we see. If we look for differences, that is what we find…).
Atypical things often helps. Experience teach us that the most commonplace and irrelevant facts sometimes assumes crucial importance.
Eliminate possibilities. Exclude things: What doesn´t matter? What can´t happen?
Firmly grip with the little we do know it´s right, so when fresh facts come we can see how it fits.
TEST YOUR THEORY: if disagrees with the facts, it is wrong.
“To choose a road ,to stop habitually and to ask where you have not gone astray, that is the true method”. (Louis Pasteur).
THEORY → TRY → STOP → THINK→ fresh data→ THEORY...
If fresh facts fits into the Scheme we built though our Theory, our Hypothesis must work as solutions.
Check for other possible explanations: Do not despise anything. Specially the ones that make our theories false.
After observation, go to deliver. Think calmly. Avoid distractions and concentrate on the problem. Learn to stop. Wait. Let the mind rest and arrange thoughts.
Put yourself in other person´s shoes.
Talk to someone more experienced your research.
A rule is only a rule if it´s ALWAYS true. Never make exceptions. An exception disproves the rule.
What info or evidence is needed to make us change our mind? When a fact contradicts a theory, acept fact and abandon the theory. Period.
Be honest with yourself: face mistake a try to find why you made it. We should be able to eliminate enterily mistakes cause of careles observations and bad habits of thinking.
It´s easy to be wise after an event, but very difficult to be wiser. Know your limitations: where knowledge leaves off and ignorance begins.
First work really hard, then try theories. But think if it is worthwhile: “A lot of misery comes from what we allow ourselves to get dragged into”.
This is a slim, 80-page volume that culls the essence of the Great Detective’s teachings and sorts them into categories and quotes of a paragraph or less.
It follows the same style as Bevelin’s previous book, “Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger,” a very popular how-to for investors, now in its third edition. Bevelin has done for Holmes what he did for business moguls like Charles Munger and Warren Buffett in previous books.
He demonstrates what students of the Holmes saga have always known: That the adventures of the fictional sleuth are not just entertaining tales, but a road map on how to think, to do research and to hit upon a solution to a problem, whether it pertains to crime or not.
“Like the scientist trying to solve a mystery of nature, Holmes first gathered all the evidence he could that was relevant to his problem,” mathematics and science writer Martin Gardner is quoted in the book.
“At times, he performed experiments to obtain fresh data. He then surveyed the total evidence in the light of his vast knowledge of crime and/or sciences relevant to crime, to arrive at the most probable hypothesis. Deductions were made…then the theory further tested against new evidence, revised if need be, until finally the truth emerged with a probability close to certainty.” This method is used not only by scientists, but by anyone seeking to problem-solve in any field, including business and medicine.
Holmes’ maxims are compared to those of other real-life logical observers and thinkers, including his model, Dr. Joseph Bell of Edinburgh; and to English scientist Francis Bacon, to French physiologist Claude Bernard and to others.
Doyle himself stated: “The general lines of reasoning advocated by Holmes have a real, practical application to life.”
So much wisdom is packed into this small book it would be impossible to distill it into a brief review. But everyone’s favorite maxims are there, such as, “Eliminate all other factors and whatever remains must be the truth,” (from The Sign of Four) and “Like all other arts, the science of deduction and analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it” (from A Study in Scarlet).
In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone – Holmes enthusiast or not – who might benefit from a primer on systematized common sense.
“I consider that a mans brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose... Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as what he takes into his brain-attic”
“He possesses two out of the three qualities necessary for the ideal detective. He has the power of observation and that of deduction. He is only wanting in knowledge, and that may come in time.”
Read with an open mind. I read it within the context of my career, and kept having to remind myself to think about how the lessons in this book could apply to other aspects of my life. Looking forward to going back through it and categorizing the parts that stood out to me in my own way.
This book will be valuable to revisit over time to see what stands out and what has changed.
Peter Bevelin is the author of the books Seeking wisdom: From Darwin to Munger, A few lessons for investors and managers and All I want to know is where I’m going to die so I’ll never go there. In this particular book, inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous Sherlock Holmes books, Bevelin has collected principles and tricks used by the fictional detective to think more clearly. Even though the character is fictional, the models and tricks work in many areas of life – not just when a crime is to be solved.
THE MIND IS LAKE AN ATTIC. Sherlock Holmes partner Dr. Watson is described to be amazed at how Sherlock can be brilliant in certain areas and at the same time have large knowledge gaps in other basic areas. Sherlock, however, compares a person’s brain with an empty little attic. Only a fool fills this attic with debris of all kinds. A wise person fills the attic with carefully selected furniture. The attic, just like the brain, has limited space and for every bad piece of furniture you take in, a good piece of furniture needs to go out.
SYSTEMATIZE COMMON SENSE. There is no rule on how to think. However, it is possible to formulate certain principles, since the art of thinking clearly is based on an ability to systematize common sense. Like all art forms, a good inference and analysis ability can only be acquired through long-term and patient studies. The education never ends. Gather facts, create a hypothesis, test it and seek verification. And always have an open mind.
LEARN FROM HISTORY. One recommendation on how to develop your ability to solve crimes is to lock yourself in for three days and read 12 hours a day about historical crimes. Most things go in circles and by understanding historical patterns, we can improve the ability to assess probabilities of outcome.
NEVER DRAW HASTY CONCLUSIONS. There are psychological biases, “inefficient” mental habits and connections from the evolution, which cause people to systematically draw the wrong conclusions. In some cases, it is a habit and in other cases we are incorrectly trained. As the saying goes: ”Men see a little, presume a good deal, and so jump to the conclusion”.
”It is evident that if the first stage – the collection of the facts – is improperly done, we have not the basis for the second and it is bound to be wrong. The game is hopelessly lost from the start. How important, therefore, to give every effort to the collection of our facts”
AVOID CONFIRMATION BIAS. The human tendency to draw hasty conclusions often leads to an unfair collection of evidence. A common denominator for mediocre detectives is that they have often decided what has happened – then they gather evidence that confirms this and make sure that the facts fit into the theory. Holmes prefers to first gather facts and then carefully make observations and conclusions until he is irresistibly drawn in one direction – even if he had not originally intended to go in that direction.
“When we meet a fact which contradicts a prevailing theory, we must accept the fact and abandon the theory, even when the theory is supported by great names and generally accepted”
THE MISSING PIECE. Instead of looking for clues, it can sometimes be wise to stop and think about what is missing. The world is full of obvious things that no one observes. Holmes attributes his success to the fact that he trained himself to see what others are missing (sometimes formulated as ”not invisible but unnoticed, Watson” and “once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth”).
“Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth”
PATTERN RECOGNITION. There is no standard method of inference that always works for all people. A person can act in a way that is representative of society at large but that differs from the person’s normal behavioral patterns. This can be a clue in that specific case.
“All the time that she was telling me this story she never once looked in my direction, and her voice was quite unlike her usual tones. It was evident to me that she was saying what was false. I said nothing in reply, but turned my face to the wall, sick at heart, with my mind filed with a thousand venomous doubts and suspicions. What was it that my wife was concealing from me? We must look for consistency. Where there is a want of it we must suspect deception”
As I've mentioned in numerous reviews, I'm a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes - both the original Arthur Conan Doyle canon and the numerous pastiches that have been written by other authors over the years. I also enjoy books that take a look at the world through the Great Detective's methods, which is why I purchased this book.
I assumed it would be similar to Maria Konnikova's "Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes." But it wasn't at all.
Basically, it's a collection of quotes from the canon, which are collated to help readers improve their thinking. From the jacket:
"'A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes' is a book for those who want to improve their thinking. It is a practical and enjoyable book that tells in a short, easy-to-read way about what we all can learn from Sherlock Holmes. Peter Bevelin has distilled Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes into bite-sized principles and key quotes. This book will appeal to both Sherlock fans as well as those who want to think better. It contains useful and timeless methods and questions applicable to a variety of important issues in life and business. We could all benefit from 'A few lessons from Sherlock Holmes'."
So far, so good. Right?
But...
It also includes many quotations from sources as varied as Charles Darwin, Montaigne, Oliver Wendell Holmes (Sr.), Joseph Bell (the Scottish professor on whom ACD based Sherlock), Conan Doyle (naturally), Poe's classic character C. Auguste Dupin, and a number of others - both real people and fictional characters. Also, these quotations are somewhat randomly grouped around ideas that Bevelin apparently just wrote down and then looked for supporting examples from the canon and the above-mentioned authors.
In the end, I found this to be a strange little book. I didn't dislike it...but I didn't love it. Hence the three stars.
This wonderful little book does what every Sherlock Holmes fan always tried to do in his head: it systematizes the thought process of the world’s most famous detective. The principles are organized by topic and are explained through excerpts from the stories as well as through quotes from other thinkers. This will surely be a handy “go-to” book to revisit frequently and remind one of the limitations of knowledge and the difficulties of interpreting reality, usually a messy endeavor.
It’s difficult for me to be entirely objective in this review because I was completely obsessed with these works when I first read them, back when I was 13 years old. In the 16 interim years, I like to think my knowledge and thought process evolved, but it’s no exaggeration to say the works of Conan Doyle remain a very important foundation for my way of thinking. Since them I have revisited these works sparingly but always had a fascination with the character. While I liked this book, this is clearly no substitute for the stories themselves and I urge any reader that likes this to have a look at the complete Sherlock Holmes collection. I will certainly be revisiting it soon.
Peter Bevelin fasst in diesem Buch einige Lehren aus den Sherlock Holmes Romanen zusammen. Das Ergebnis ist kein klassisches Buch, sondern eher eine Sammlung von Zitaten des Meisterdetektivs und aus verschiedenen anderen Quellen des kritischen Denkens. Das Buch hat nur knapp 100 Seiten und ist noch in keine andere Sprache übersetzt worden.
In dem Buch gibt es einige interessante Denkanstöße, die von der wissenschaftlichen Methode und von dem unkonventionellen Denken des Romanhelden ausgehen. In dem kurzen Werk kann man keine bahnbrechenden Erkenntnisse lesen, dafür aber einige interessante Anekdoten, die zum Denken anregen.
Wer hier etwas Vergleichbares zu den anderen Büchern von Peter Bevelin erwartet, wird wohl enttäuscht werden. Trotzdem lohnt sich das Lesen dieses kleinen Werkes, um die eine oder andere neue Perspektive zu gewinnen.
An interesting collection of quotes from one of history's greatest fictional sleuths. It's fun, even insightful, to read about Mr Holmes's theories of deduction and logical reasoning by applying it to various other life situations. I guess that's what the author was aiming for anyway. An ultra-slim book, but power packed nevertheless. Will make you want to go back and check out Mr Doyle's masterpieces one more time!
It's another really short book, under 80 pages. Just because I gave this book 3 stars doesn't mean I think the information in it is bad or I didn't like it (I actually think the information in it is very valuable). It's a straightforward book. The book is essentially Holmes's thought process in one-to-two sentences, followed by quotes directly from the Sherlock Holmes novels or from external sources. I'll definitely re-visit this book at some point. There is a lot to learn from Homles.
I haven't read much of Sherlock Holmes, but I enjoyed A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes. It's packed with great quotes about critical thinking, facts, and data—ideas that resonate with my work in AI and feel especially relevant in today's world. A quick read, definitely worth picking up if you're into Holmes or want a reminder of the importance of logical thinking. (It also made me want to read more Sherlock Holmes books...)
An interesting collection of quotes from one of my favorite fictional characters. The interesting thing is when you start reading from an investing POV it makes a lot of sense. It's a chance to revisit the mastery of Arthur C. Doyle and the character he created and to look at him in a different right altogether
Just open this book at a random page and read a couple of pages. After that, you won't need convincing that you don't need to read this book. The best thing about it is that it's short so it won't waste much of your time but even then I was dragging myself towards the end.
Repetition of repeated words. But not bad for 2-3 hours reading! Emphasizing on observation & looking for rarities in a way that the others don’t look! Looking for something that others don’t & being aware of different biases which leads our decision toward vagueness.
Decent summary of Sherlock Holmes takeaways, mostly to do with behavioral / psychological biases. The bibliography includes some interesting supplementary reads.
Quick and impressive, delivered in notes style(like while you're reading some book, make notes about paragraph or dialogues) with Sherlock and other detective/thinkers references.