In this stirring autobiography, Dr. Watson reveals the truth in full: his Scottish ancestry, the middle-class circumstances in which he grew up, a dark legacy, and the familial discord that would leave a lasting mark on him; not to mention the ironic circumstances that shaped his career—first as a doctoral student, then as a war doctor, and finally as a detective's assistant.

His memoirs take us to four continents, to the theater stages of Paris and London, across Afghan battlefields, and into the bedrooms of many ladies. No one could more perfectly complement and balance Sherlock Holmes's unique genius than this great lover and bon vivant.

Their fateful encounter, which marks the end of this book, serves as a fitting conclusion to those early chapters in Watson's life, but of course also marks the beginning of the adventures with which millions of readers have long been familiar.