The Mystery of the Reticent Englishman

Julian Barnes has published a 'detective' novel on Arthur Conan Doyle, where apparently he also delves into the emotional reticence of Sherlock Holmes. The interview in The Guardian flickers off at the end, languidly turning to the fact that Barnes does not read the reviews of his books.

To quote from the review:

Throughout, there is something cherishable about Conan Doyle's Blimpishness and his chivalry towards women, even if his sexual chasteness is, frankly, weird. "There is a tradition of English emotional reticence which can easily fall away into emotional inexpressiveness and frigidity," says Barnes. "I prefer that to the Oprahfication of the emotions which is what has happened. People talking about their emotional lives in staggering detail on Celebrity Love Island is so banal. "

The TLS too has a review of the same book.