Plaudits
“Had the Great Agra Treasure—from The Sign of Four—contained rare Sherlockian books and manuscripts instead of priceless gems, it would resemble Glen Miranker’s library. Given that one fact, even an Inspector Lestrade could make the quite elementary deduction: Hurry to see Sherlock Holmes in 221 Objects! To miss this Grolier Club exhibition would be more than a crime, it would be a lifelong regret.”
— Michael Dirda, BSI (“Langdale Pike”), author of numerous books on books and reading, recipient of an Edgar Award for “On Conan Doyle,” and Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist for The Washington Post
“It requires dedication and eccentricity to assemble an important collection, and Glen Miranker has achieved this to a remarkable degree. I’ve known of this nonpareil monument to Holmes for decades but am nonetheless astonished at its depth, the breathtaking condition of the major volumes, and the mind-exploding range of original material. I ache with envy.”
— Otto Penzler, BSI (“The King of Bohemia”), founder of the Mysterious Bookshop, prolific editor and publisher, and winner of two Edgar Awards and the Ellery Queen Award
“This is without question the finest catalogue of rare Sherlockiana ever produced. You can enjoy the more 200 color photos on their own, or delve into the fascinating backstories for each item. The 9 x12-inch hardcover allows for large detailed photos while still being comfortable to hold and read. Some will treasure its beauty, others its reference value, but everyone interested in Holmes should have a copy. While it’s a January 2022 publication, this is so unique that I needed to highlight it now.”
— Randall Stock, BSI (“South African Securities”), publishes The Best of Sherlock website and is a prolific author of scholarly Sherlockian articles. His work has appeared in The Baker Street Journal, BSI Manuscript Series, and many other publications.
“Glen Miranker has been a significant book collector for more than four decades. His cryptography collection is a formidable achievement, but his Sherlock Holmes collection is astonishing in both its depth and scope. Glen has also been a gifted and generous citizen of the bibliosphere, lecturing and variously assisting special-collections departments and boards at such institutions as the Houghton Library, the Toronto Reference Library, the Harry Ransom Center, the Newberry Library, and Rare Book School at the University of Virginia.”
— Michael F. Suarez, S.J., Director of Rare Book School, Professor of English, and Honorary Curator of Special Collections, University of Virginia, and widely published scholar on the history of the book
“Glen Miranker goes everywhere and sees everything when it comes to collecting Sherlockiana. This exhibition shows some of the fantastic rarities he has assembled; and it is far from mere accumulation: Glen long ago set his sights on the finest items out there, and his generosity in sharing these treasures with fellow enthusiasts and scholars is a real treat for us all.”
— Nicholas Utechin, BSI (“An Ancient British Barrow”), honorary member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, whose journal he edited for thirty years
“Miranker’s kind of mania is to be admired, even encouraged, for without collectors like him, it would not be possible to encounter the kind of repository of knowledge represented here.”