- The schoolboy (1867-1876)
- The medical student (1876-1882)
- The struggling doctor (1882-1884)
- Cracking the oyster (1884-1890)
- "Author of Sherlock Holmes" (1891-1893)
- Putting Holmes behind him (1894-1896)
- Country life (1896-1898)
- War in South Africa (1899-1900)
- Politics and honours (1900-1902)
- The final Hindhead years (1903-1907)
- Windlesham to the outbreak of war (1907-1914)
- The World War (1914-1918)
- His last crusade (1918-1920)
- Epilogue : Conan Doyle's final decade.