How to write a summary of a book

One of the main steps to summarize a text is to read it as many times as necessary. However, we cannot strictly follow this rule when summarizing a book. The previous steps that we follow before starting to write will be essential to make the process of summarizing a book agile and fast.

¿When and where? During reading, it is important to identify where and when the story happens.

¿Who are the main characters? In addition to the protagonists there will also be less important characters. During reading, you should pay attention to details such as the age and personality of each, and how the characters are related.

¿What is the knot and outcome? In each story there will be a problem and a solution.

Make an outline with the ideas you have underlined above. This step to summarize a book and make summaries of stories will be very useful when separating the main ideas from the secondary ones and to get a better idea of the order that you have to take when you summarize.

Once we have followed these tips for summarizing books, it is time to start writing the summary of a book. If you don’t know how to summarize correctly, it is always a good idea to inform yourself well before writing.

Book

The Hound of the Baskervilles – Arthur Conan Doyle

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” is a book written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, published in 1902. Here we are told a story full of suspense and with many unsolved mysteries, where the presence of a rare and evil-looking dog, He is the suspect in the incidents that arise.

Contents

Characters from “The Hound of the Baskervilles”:

The main character in the story is Detective Sherlock Holmes. We also find other characters like Dr. James Mortimer; Sir Charles Baskerville, who passed away in Devonshire; Sir Henry Baskerville, who is the new teacher at Baskerville Hall; Sir Henry, Miss Stapleton; Selden, brother of Barrymor.

Summary of History:

The plot of this book takes place on Dartmoor, in Devon, a territory in the west of England. It all starts with the passing of his friend, Sir Charles Baskerville, who was found dead on his Devonshire property, as Mortimer now fears for his nephew and Sir Charles Baskerville’s only favored nephew. And although Charles’s death was due to a heart attack, Morter is suspicious because an expression of panic can be seen on the face of the deceased.

Within history, it is revealed that the Baskerville family has been cursed since the Civil War era. When Sir Henry arrives from Canada, he is seen with Holmes, as he received an anonymous note giving him a warning to flee the Baskerville moors. Then he realizes that one of his boots has disappeared from the hotel. Dr. Watson and Holmes decide to follow him back to his hotel and see a man following him in a taxi.

Barrymore and her husband also work at Baskerville Hall, and they want to leave that place as soon as possible. Watson listens to a woman who cries at night, and it is evident that it is Mrs. Barrymore, but the husband denies it. However, Watson cannot find any evidence that Barrymore was in Devon when he was stalked in London, and runs into his brothers who live nearby. Miss Stapleton mistakes Watson for Sir Henry and suggests that he should go.

Some time later Barrymore and Sir Henry are attracted to each other and this angers Stapleton. However a few days later he invites Sir Henry to dinner. Watson and Sir Henry are suspicious of Barrymore, as they discover that he was in a room with a candle. He later confesses that Selden is his brother, whom they find dead due to a fall.

They first confused Selden with Sir Henry, as he was wearing old clothes that day. Later at Baskerville Hall, Holmes notices the similarity that exists between a painting by Hugo Baskerville and Stapleton. So he thinks it may be an unknown member of the Baskerville family, which was trying to claim his fortune when he eliminated his relatives. So Holmes and Watson head to Stapleton’s house, where Sir Henry is having dinner. Stapleton releases a dog and they manage to rescue it, while Sir Henry returns to his house by the moor.

Sherlock shoots the animal and says that it was a deadly dog from a mix of hound and mastiff, and it was painted with phosphor to give it an evil appearance. After this they see Miss Stapleton gagged and bound in her home. In the same way they find Sir Henry’s boot, which he used so that the dog had the scent of it.

Analysis of the work:

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” is a book that offers us a detective story, full of suspense. The author of this work, Conan Doyle presented this book to us after his return from South Africa, where he had the opportunity to work as a medical volunteer in Bloemfontein.

The story he reveals is the product of a legend based on Richard Cabell in 1600, who was a squire who had a penchant for hunting, and had the reputation of being very bad, because it was said that he had sold his soul to the devil himself. When he died in 1677 they buried him in his grave, and on the day of his burial a ghost appeared in the shape of a dog walking all over the moor and howling in his grave. And since that night, the ghost appears, especially the day of his death.

Quotes:

“You may not be bright yourself, but you are a good conductor of light.”

“That which is known and clarified is less terrifying than that which is only hinted at or imagined.”

“His eyes had the hard, dry shine they gave off when something interested him intensely.”
“The world is full of obvious things that many people never observe.”

“We may waste time following the wrong track, but sooner or later we will find the right one.”

“I give you my word that I will be very happy to have you back safe and sound on Baker Street again.”

“I myself am aware of a heavy heart and a sense of impending danger always present.”

“That meant everything to me; peace of mind, happiness, self-respect. Everything”.

“Was he our evil enemy or was he by chance our guardian angel?”
“That cold, incisive and ironic voice could belong to only one man in the world.”

“And I knew, from the shudder in his voice, that he, the iron man, trembled to the soul.”

Books summaries by categories

A Study in Scarlet – Arthur Conan Doyle

A World Without End – Ken Follett

Books summaries by author

How to write a summary of a book

Characters from “The Hound of the Baskervilles”:

Summary of History:

Analysis of the work:

Quotes: