Oscar Wilde: A Life in Letters

by Merlin Holland

Of all 19th-century letter writers, Oscar Wilde is among the greatest. Revealing him at his sparkling, spontaneous, fluent best, these letters bear that most familiar of Wildean hallmarks — the lightest of touches for the most serious of subjects. He comments openly on his life and his work, from the early years of undergraduate friendship, through his year-long lecture tour in America as a striving young "Professor of Aesthetics," to the short period of fame and success in the early 1890s when he corresponded with many leading political, literary and artistic figures of the time, including William Gladstone, George Curzon, W. B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Frank Harris, Aubrey Beardsle and Max Beerbohm. Disgrace and imprisonment followed, but even in adversity his humor does not desert him. In this volume, Merlin Holland has brought together his most revealing letters with a helpful commentary and some previously unpublished photographs. Together they form the closest thing we have to Wilde's own memoir.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, LGBT, Biography Memoir, Literature, History

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Christopher Merlin Vyvyan Holland is a British biographer and editor. He is the only grandchild of Oscar Wilde, whose life he has researched and written about extensively.

Reviews

[Konstanze · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's weird how reading can make you feel so close to someone. I've been reading books by and from Wilde since I was fourteen years old, and I've started caring about him like he was a friend of mine. Does that sound silly? I assume it does. Nevertheless, it did make reading this book a challenge, since I kept choking up at certain parts. Sometimes, I could only read one letter a day.

It felt very personal, very intrusive: this wasn't the idealized, idolized hero of my lonely teenage years, but a real, living, breathing person with all their magnificent flaws and faults. Oscar Wilde, always playing a scene, so convincing that he ended up believing himself: that he'd love married life, that Lord Alfred was an angel among humans, that Lord Alfred was a devil among humans, that he'd live a reformed, quiet life in the country after being released from prison (like Francesco d'Assisi!), that living together with Lord Alfred would bring his old self back. So deluded, so stubborn, so self-destructive; yet such a dazzling personality, such a kind friend, such a loving father. Human nature is very complicated indeed.

But what about this book? It includes letters from his early childhood days till the sad last days in Paris. They paint an encompassing picture of his life, although I wish I'd be able to read the answers from the recipients, too, just to be able to see their point of view - the letters from Constance and Robbie Ross that were included were very interesting in that regard. Nevertheless I recommend this book, although you should have some knowledge of his life prior to starting it or it might get a tad confusing. (Barbara Belford or Richard Ellmann are good starting points.)

[Karla V. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando comencé con la lectura de este libro pensé que me iba a costar muchísimo leer lo que fue la correspondencia personal de Oscar Wilde, pero la verdad es que las páginas se me pasaron volando y disfrute bastante esta selección. La figura de este escritor y dramaturgo siempre me ha parecido fascinante. Su única novela, El Retrato de Dorian Gray, es mi libro favorito y la historia de su vida despierta constante interés en mi.

La verdad que este libro vale ampliamente la pena. Te lleva en una aventura cronológica por la vida de Wilde y es increíble ver como este hombre iba creciendo, pasando del éxito al fracaso y volviendo a sus viejos "vicios" de siempre. Por otro lado, es de perspectiva única ver como se relacionaban las personas con él, quiénes permanecieron fieles después de su caída y quiénes frente al que dirán sabían de su homosexualidad y siempre lo apoyaron... a pesar de la complicada persona que era; mención honorifica y figura que me resulta muy interesante es un amigo fiel Robert Ross (me siento identificada con él).

En fin, un MUST READ para quién este interesado en el autor.

[theodore · Rating 4 out of 5]

this made me feel so close to this guy,,,, like I've been reading it for weeks and i feel like i have such insight into his life. it was personal and extremely interesting. idk if my oscar wilde phase will ever end lmao

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las tres estrellas son más por la cantidad de cartas sobre finanzas y préstamos de dinero que continuamente enviaba Oscar Wilde y que a la larga se tornaron muy pesadas.

Por otra parte, siempre es bueno conocer ciertos detalles sobre la vida de un escritor tan polémico; su paso por Oxford, sus giras dando conferencias por Norte América, el cómo se preocupaba por perfeccionar sus obras y hasta enviaba cartas a sus críticos para defenderlas jaja.

Una vida trágica, no obstante, yo creo que a Oscar Wilde le gustaría saber que a la larga el mundo terminó reconociendo el valor de sus obras y que el apellido que heredo de sus padres no ha sido mancillado en lo más mínimo.

«Sabía que iba a causar gran sensación» citando El insigne cohete, uno de sus cuentos infantiles 🙂‍↕️

[P.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful insight to the man and author, Oscar Wilde. His letters were written to friends and professionals without the thought of anyone else reading them. It also shows how he rose from an academic youth to a mature professional. He was a delightful character who was used unfairly and gone too soon.

[Alexandra Diljá Bjargardóttir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hvílíkur penni. Ljóðrænn, skarpur, drepfyndinn, þenkjandi, leitandi, dramatískur. Því meira sem ég les eftir Wilde því sorglegri verður saga hans fyrir mér. Einn af okkar allra, allra bestu. Það eru allt of margar tilvitnanir í hann sjálfan sem mig langaði að setja hérna inn, en mér finnst það sem Robbie Ross skrifaði um Wilde eftir fráfall hans eiginlega segja allt:

“Later on I think everyone will recognise his achievements; his plays and essays will endure. Of course you may think with others that his personality and conversation were far more wonderful than anything he wrote, so that his written works give only a pale reflection of his power. Perhaps that is so, and of course it will be impossible to reproduce what is gone forever.”

Ef það er rétt, sem ég á auðvelt með að trúa, að hann hafi verið enn betri í eigin persónu heldur en á blaðsíðu þá undirstrikar það enn meira hversu magnaður karakter þetta var.

Bókin var sett mjög skemmtilega upp, í krónólógískri röð og bréf flokkuð eftir tímabilum lífs hans. 4.5/5

[Feérica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me he leído la traducción en mi idioma. La verdad es que es una muy buena forma de leer la biografía de Wilde. Escritor y artista que admiro muchísimo. Aunque creo que podía haberse ahorrado muchas cartas de se período poscárcel. Realmente vemos a un Wilde que siempre trata de conseguir dinero y eso es más de una cuarta parte del libro. Se hace un poco pesado.
También he echado de menos más cartas dirigidas a su mujer, cartas de amor y lo mismo de Bosie. Asegura que dirigió un montón de bellas cartas a estas dos personas las cuales omite.

A pesar de todo esto he disfrutado mucho de la lectura. Es una forma genial de descubrir a Wilde.

[Elizabeth Kral · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oscar Wilde could not control his actions, emotions or desires. His unlawful carnal lifestyle resulted in incarceration. Once released from prison, he attempted to live with dignity, but having lost the status of reputable citizen needed to earn, he sunk into what might be thought of as the life of starving artist.

This book is a compilation of previously unpublished letters from OW to his contemporaries. It seemed voyeuristic to see into OW's personal life, like a Peeping Tom has an unhealthy interest in watching through an undraped window.

The redeeming value of this book is for anyone interested in the era or in the artistic genius of the man.

[filistrzyhatepage · Rating 5 out of 5]

i felt as if i’ve been transported back in time while reading these letters. like… oscar’s my best friend actually what do you mean he’s dead?

[Dannell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To be great is to be misunderstood."

Can't decide what was more appealing- Oscar Wilde's work or simply his character. This was a great look at the man behind the curtain, and seeing his rise and fall in the public eye. I really enjoyed the addition of a few letters from his correspondents to see how they felt about him as well.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting look into the behaviors of Oscar Wilde. Having also read other "Letters from" type books, I feel that there is a potential to miss things that are significant and perhaps private. Even a man like Oscar probably did not write about every instance of his life. Much of such things, however, probably have no record.

[Emily]

I made it to page 279. I wanted to love this book, I really did. I just couldn't do it. And now, seeing as it's been on my "currently reading" shelf for almost 3 years, I've decided to let it go, and not finish it. I really did try to love it. I just couldn't.

[Marci Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible overview of Oscar Wilde's life that includes letters, writings, quotes and old photographs. It details his birth, college life, trips to other countries, friends he made and lost, and his death.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. This book speaks with the words of Mr. Wilde himself and overwhelmed me like a clinging vine overwhelms and gently suffocates a mighty oak.
I'm never going to forget this.

[Susan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really nice look at Wilde's life through images as well as letters, witicisms and biography.