Kareem Abdul Jabbar on Sherlock’s winning techniques…
Getting hooked on Sherlock Holmes:
“When I was young, I liked the movies and TV shows, especially Jeremy Brett as Sherlock. But the real love affair began when someone gave me a set of stories my rookie year with the Milwaukee Bucks, for my first road trip. I read them on the bus, and I was hooked.”
Holmes and Basketball…
“During a game against the Detroit Pistons, I heard the ball boys gossiping that a rival player and his coach were sneaking smokes at the break. So when the game resumed I just ran Bob Lanier all over the court. As I figured, he couldn’t keep up, he didn’t have the wind and we ended up winning the game.”
Kareem’s all-time favorite Holmes story…
“The Red-Headed League.”
Why a novel about Mycroft?
Because Conan Doyle wrote so little about him, but what he wrote is fascinating. Sherlock himself says that Mycroft is ‘smarter’ than he is; that Mycroft not only works for the British government, but also ‘is’ the British government. I also like that he’s so obviously a mess: he’s overweight and reclusive. What happened to make him that way?
More books in the pipeline?
“We’re hoping to be given the opportunity to write more, yes. But right now that’s up to the readers.”
Favorite modern Holmes TV shows?
“Today, I like both Elementary on CBS and the BBC’s Sherlock.”
Order Kareem’s book from the Strand’s online shop!
