Decadence: A Literary Anthology

by Jon Crabb (Compiler)

Decadent literature in Britain blossomed in the 1890s around such figures as Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley, Max Beerbohm, Ernest Dowson and Arthur Symons. Under the maxim "Art for Art’s Sake" they often defied moral convention and pursued the limits of sensation, wilfully transgressing Victorian respectability along the way. This illustrated anthology concentrates on the major preoccupations of Artifice, Intoxication, Spirituality, and Death. The selections include not only the finest examples of Decadent prose and poetry, but also extracts from theoretical texts, criticism and parody.

Genres: Nonfiction, Literature, Short Stories

224 pages, Hardcover

Published May 1, 2017

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read that is more like a primer, an introduction to english decadent writing. There are poems and shorts here, however people such as Oscar Wilde and arthur Machen etc. are represented mostly by extracts only.

Worth a curious read.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally don't like reading extracts (I'd rather read the whole thing in context, or not at all), but these were really well chosen, and mixed in with a lot of completed essays, poems and short stories which helped. I was familiar with several of the writers featured, but there were plenty that were new to me, and I intend on seeking out more of their work.

The images selected for this book were also really lovely, and made the read even more enticing.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent anthology of work from the Decadents and their predecessors. It’s split into sections based on theme (Artifice, Intoxication, Spirituality, and Death) and contains a mix of poetry, short stories and excerpts from novels, and essay style writing from a wide range of authors. I’d recommend this to anyone interested in the Decadent movement, or literature in general. Definitely something worth re-reading and exploring in depth.

[Yllacaspia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful to look at, great if you're looking for an introductory primer on this period and haven't read much.

[Sailor · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful. the choice of literature and amazing art was perfect. will forever grab this when i want to romanticize my life for a little.