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The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Stories, Plays, Poems & Essays
Introduction (by V. Holland)
Part One. Stories Chapter 1. "The Picture of Dorian Gray
Chapter 2. "Lord Arthur Savile's Crime
Chapter 3. "The Canterville Ghost
Chapter 4. "The Sphinx Without a Secret
Chapter 5. "The Model Millionaire
Chapter 6. "A House of Pomegranates
Chapter 7. "The Young King
Chapter 8. "The Birthday of the
Paperback, 1216 pages
Published
September 1st 1989
by Harper Perennial
(first published 1909)
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So essential it's not even funny. Not a better writer in the English language. Also if one can have a hero in this world, I think Wilde can fit that bill. He maybe the first writer that I realize was a rebel of sorts. My first actual rock n' roll figure that I looked up to.
I started reading Wilde as a young teenager - due to the fact that he seemed to be the most glamourous figure in literature. Most of my high school friends were into the Beats or such toss as Jonathan Bach, bu...more
I started reading Wilde as a young teenager - due to the fact that he seemed to be the most glamourous figure in literature. Most of my high school friends were into the Beats or such toss as Jonathan Bach, bu...more
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Wilde has such a gift with phrasing, I always think about how parallel he seems to me with Ryan Adams. So many accolades so early, then such a fever to tear him apart.
Here's a few quotes:
A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.
A man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her.
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
America is the only country that went from...more
Here's a few quotes:
A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.
A man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her.
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
America is the only country that went from...more
I read De Profundis. If you haven’t already, you should too. It’s stunning - an incredibly moving, profound and beautifully written piece of prose. Wilde, languishing alone in Reading Gaol, approaching the end of his two-year sentence for gross indecency, is writing to Lord Alfred Douglas, the vain, empty-headed, upper-crust young man whose outrageous, selfish behaviour brought him to ruin. In his letter, Wilde talks of the misery and shame he has endured since his conviction and imprisonment. H...more
DalalK.
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
poetry,
plays,
classics,
victorian,
2010,
children,
drama,
favourites,
short-fiction,
comedy
Plays:
The Importance of Being Earnest ***** Favourites
An Ideal Husband ***** Favourites (Blackmail)
Lady Windermere's Fan **
A Woman of No Importance ***** Favourites (Woman's Guilt)
The Sainte Courtisane *
A Florentine Tragedy **
Stories:
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime ***
The Happy Prince ***** Favourites (A very touching story about poverty & social unjustice)
The Young King ***** Favourites (Moral: sympathy & compassion)
The Star-Chil...more
The Importance of Being Earnest ***** Favourites
An Ideal Husband ***** Favourites (Blackmail)
Lady Windermere's Fan **
A Woman of No Importance ***** Favourites (Woman's Guilt)
The Sainte Courtisane *
A Florentine Tragedy **
Stories:
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime ***
The Happy Prince ***** Favourites (A very touching story about poverty & social unjustice)
The Young King ***** Favourites (Moral: sympathy & compassion)
The Star-Chil...more
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When i first read this i wasnt necessarily a fan of oscar wilde. I was just curious about his work and i realized the easiest and fastest way to read his work was just to buy the book and call it a day.
Overall a very interesting and relatively quick read. Interesting in the sense that you're getting everything. You get background history, the fairy tales, plays, novel, essays. Quick in the fact that most everything in this book you can just breeze through with no real issue.
...more
Overall a very interesting and relatively quick read. Interesting in the sense that you're getting everything. You get background history, the fairy tales, plays, novel, essays. Quick in the fact that most everything in this book you can just breeze through with no real issue.
...more
I didn't read the entire collection, but I read selected highlights. The Picture of Dorian Grey was very good when the plot was moving forward, but there were parts where I felt Oscar got carried away with his witticisms. Also the chapter where Oscar described all the learning Dorian went through was tedious. Next up was the absolutely charming Canterville Ghost, a story I highly recommend. The Happy Prince was touching. The Importance of Being Earnest was very cute, and again here you can ...more
I love Oscar Wilde. His tales have been part of my life since I was a child. In my teenager years his plays were the "shelter" when I felt sad. His work is wonderful, but, in this special edition, you can find everything he wrote, even the poems (which are not so good as his other works to me). I have a 1968 edition of this Collins Classics with beautiful illustrations and a great introduction by Vyvyan Holland. Beautiful edition!
Great art we are told needs great tragedy. Certainly this collection of Wildes poems seem to illustrate that. The mannered intelectual posing of his early work. seems meaningless compares with the great emotional and structural simplicity that is The Ballad of Reading Gaol. If you dont have a copy of that then by all means get this book. If you do. then I see little point in having the remainder.
He didn't write that much, so it's easy enough to own--and read--it all. And it's all worth reading. I particularly like his literary criticism, which is just as entertaining as his fiction and drama. Sure you can pick and choose, and it's easier to read "Earnest" in a slimmer edition. But eventually (trust me), you will want it all.
I actually hate having all my Wilde in one volume. When I lived in my studio apartment and found myself alone of an evening, I would sometimes make tea and cucumber sandwiches and curl up to re-read The Importance of Being Earnest. But now I've got this great big book which refuses to be curled up with -- I should never have sold my individual Earnest. Still, it's nice to have access to Wilde-ian works I probably wouldn't own otherwise.
Oscar Wilde is always so delightful, although what disturbing children's stories! I certainly would never read those stories to a child, with the exception of 'The Remarkable Rocket'. My favorite short stories were 'Lord Arthur Savile's Crime' and 'The Canterville Ghost'.
Reading all the plays back to back does cause them to blend together just a bit, he had a habit of reusing his favorite lines over and over again. Overall I would say I enjoyed 'Vera' (The Nihilists) the most, w...more
Reading all the plays back to back does cause them to blend together just a bit, he had a habit of reusing his favorite lines over and over again. Overall I would say I enjoyed 'Vera' (The Nihilists) the most, w...more
I should write another review for Edgar Allan Poe sometime (I frequently refer to both Poe and Wilde as "The Man")...but first, Oscar Wilde's anthology.
Wow, I've probably still more than half of this collection to get through, though I've read "De Profundis" (Mr. Wilde's 80-page letter to Bosie, written while he was in prison) several times. Over, and over, from beginning to end, and for some reason, it gets better and better with each read.
As Oscar Wi...more
Wow, I've probably still more than half of this collection to get through, though I've read "De Profundis" (Mr. Wilde's 80-page letter to Bosie, written while he was in prison) several times. Over, and over, from beginning to end, and for some reason, it gets better and better with each read.
As Oscar Wi...more
A truly remarkable book filled with sharp witticism and humorous innuendos. The entire collection relays Oscar Wilde's true genious. I couldnt stop smiling and turning pages and at times nodding absently at the profound philosophies. Wilde has quickly made it to the top of "My Favorite Author" list.
I've read everything that Wilde ever wrote and I love all of his stories, poems, and essays. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a definite favorite, along with The Ballad of Reading Gaol and De Profundis. Wilde had some amazing insights on art, morality, the human condition, and religion.
Making my way through this classic author's works. The selfish giant a standout, even with the Christian overtones. The Selfish Prince and Nightingal and the Rose also exceptional. Give Wilde a go he is surprisingly easy to read, if not a little jaded.
Adam H
Adam H
This writer is truely amazing.
I enjoyed "A Picture of Dorian Gray" as well as "The Importance of Being Earnest" imensly.
However, i found "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" to be my favorite piece of writing by Wilde.
The emotion behind it is astounding.
It was his final piece of writing before his death. The last thing he had the chance to say and he spoke of the horrors thrust upon him in prison. It is a magnificent poem.
i now...more
I enjoyed "A Picture of Dorian Gray" as well as "The Importance of Being Earnest" imensly.
However, i found "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" to be my favorite piece of writing by Wilde.
The emotion behind it is astounding.
It was his final piece of writing before his death. The last thing he had the chance to say and he spoke of the horrors thrust upon him in prison. It is a magnificent poem.
i now...more
Mostly I like Wilde's pithy sayings. And Dorian Gray is a great story. The other stuff isn't really my cup of tea. A pithy saying is one thing, but a whole play of ladies and earls trying to be witty gets a little tiresome.
TCL Call#: 828.8 WILDE
Madeleine - 4 stars
Wilde was a master at wit and subtle cleverness. His writings were often searingly to the point but only if you looked at them sideways. A must read.
Madeleine - 4 stars
Wilde was a master at wit and subtle cleverness. His writings were often searingly to the point but only if you looked at them sideways. A must read.
An absolute must for any library!..Oscar Wilde's sheer brilliance in the style of prose and his wit makes every novel he wrote a work of art in it's own right!
Wilde's musing on every thing from intellect to friendships are unparalleled; a few samples:
I have nothing to declare but my intelligence
********
A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.
*******
As long as w...more
Wilde's musing on every thing from intellect to friendships are unparalleled; a few samples:
I have nothing to declare but my intelligence
********
A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.
*******
As long as w...more
This is THE book. Oscar Wilde writes with so much heart. His stories just ooze heart. Of all of his writings, Dorian Grey is probably my least favorite, and it is a masterpiece! The Happy Prince will tear your heart out. It is the most beautiful story I have ever read in my entire life. It is one of the things in my life that touched my heart so deeply that all I could do was cry at it's raw, pure, beauty. Every story has that same pure loveliness. This is a book that you can read over a...more
I enjoy reading Oscar Wilde's work. He had the most amazing minds of all time and apart from Morrissey, I have yet to see anyone else challenge him. He will forever be one of my favorites.
Picked up this weekend. Will watch Importance of Being Earnest in March 2010 even though I've seen that play about 3x already. Looking forward to reading Dorian Gray.
Oscar's stories, plays, letters and more - this is the most complete Oscar I've yet seen and it's wonderful to have it all in one collection.
The food was good, the wine was good, the company was excellent. I cannot remember which short story captivated me the most, no man can.
Schoonjansag
added it
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who are fond of plays on words
I bought the book (quite expensive though) but limited myself to the Importance of Being Earnest...
Should resume its reading one day...
Should resume its reading one day...
I really like the ghost story and the fairy tales. The soul of a man under socialism was really interesting.
oscar wilde is the man. i highly recommend reading his complete works over reading only dorian gray.
What can I say? You either love Wilde or you don't understand him, and I love him.
This e-book has over 1,600 pages, I didn't read everything. I didn't enjoy reading his plays, didn't read the novel or the poems. The man definately had a colorful life and his writing kis probably more appreciated now than in his own time.
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Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a wide...more
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“A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction.”
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“To be really mediaeval one should have no body. To be really modern one should have no soul. To be really Greek one should have no clothes.”
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