Arthur & George


Arthur & George is the tenth novel by English author Julian Barnes which takes as its basis the true story of the "Great Wyrley Outrages".

Plot introduction

Set at the turn of the 20th century, the story follows the separate but intersecting lives of two very different British men: a half-Indian solicitor and son of a Vicar, George Edalji, and the world-famous author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Roughly one-third of the book traces the story of Edalji's trial, conviction, and imprisonment for a crime he did not commit. About one-third of the book traces the story of Doyle's life and his relationships with his first wife Louisa Hawkins and his platonic lover Jean Leckie. Roughly one-third of the book concerns Doyle's attempt to clear the name of Edalji and uncover the true culprit of the crime. Julian Barnes called it "a contemporary novel set in the past" and the book does not aim to stick closely to the historical record at every point.

Characters in ''Arthur & George''

Playwright David Edgar has dramatized the work for the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, with the opening performance scheduled for 19 March 2010.
In 2014, for broadcast in 2015, ITV commissioned a three-part television series Arthur & George based on Arthur & George, starring Martin Clunes as Arthur Conan Doyle.

Awards and nominations