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The Happy Prince and Other Tales
by
Oscar Wilde made up these very special fairy stories for children. He was telling them more than stories about princes, giants, nightingales, and roses, he was teaching them about life and the way to live it. You will find in them so much sweetness and tenderness you will never forget them.
They can be read aloud to children of six, and everybody will want a copy for their ...more
They can be read aloud to children of six, and everybody will want a copy for their ...more
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Hardcover, 96 pages
Published
October 10th 1995
by Everyman's Library
(first published May 1888)
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Start your review of The Happy Prince and Other Tales
Sep 13, 2014
Ahmad Sharabiani
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
short-stories,
childrens-young-readers,
fairy-tales,
british,
classics,
literature,
19th-century,
irish,
fiction
The Happy Prince and Other Tales = The Happy Prince and Other Stories, Oscar Wilde
The Happy Prince and Other Tales is a collection of stories for children by Oscar Wilde first published in May 1888. It contains five stories: "The Happy Prince", "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Devoted Friend", and "The Remarkable Rocket".
The Happy Prince: In a town where a lot of poor people suffer and where there are a lot of miseries, a swallow who was left behind after his flock fle ...more
The Happy Prince and Other Tales is a collection of stories for children by Oscar Wilde first published in May 1888. It contains five stories: "The Happy Prince", "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Devoted Friend", and "The Remarkable Rocket".
The Happy Prince: In a town where a lot of poor people suffer and where there are a lot of miseries, a swallow who was left behind after his flock fle ...more
“I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments.”
These are a lot like Andersen's tales - fairy-tale kind of prose, talking objects, often with sad elements and sad endings. Add to it, Wilde's popular witticisms. The Rose and Nightingale is one of the most beautiful stories I have read.
“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.”
“Life is one fool thing after another whereas love is two fool things after each other.”
“I hate peo ...more
These are a lot like Andersen's tales - fairy-tale kind of prose, talking objects, often with sad elements and sad endings. Add to it, Wilde's popular witticisms. The Rose and Nightingale is one of the most beautiful stories I have read.
“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.”
“Life is one fool thing after another whereas love is two fool things after each other.”
“I hate peo ...more
Apr 15, 2011
K.D. Absolutely
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to K.D. by:
501 Must Read Books
The popular author of The Book Thief, Markus Zusak aptly says in his introduction of this book: "There's something in these fairy tales that reminds me why any of us would want to be readers and writers in the first place, and that is that, the more amazing the stories become, the more I believe them, and the more I realize that I won't forget them." For me, these stories are truly unforgettable!
The Happy Prince : 5 stars (Amazing!)
A formerly rich and only child prince is now a regal statue. The ...more
The Happy Prince : 5 stars (Amazing!)
A formerly rich and only child prince is now a regal statue. The ...more
The Happy Prince and Other Tales = The Happy Prince and Other Stories, Oscar Wilde
The Happy Prince and Other Tales (also called "The Happy Prince and Other Stories") is a collection of stories for children by Oscar Wilde first published in May 1888. It contains five stories: "The Happy Prince", "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Devoted Friend", and "The Remarkable Rocket".
The Happy Prince: In a town where a lot of poor people suffer and where there are a lot of miseries ...more
The Happy Prince and Other Tales (also called "The Happy Prince and Other Stories") is a collection of stories for children by Oscar Wilde first published in May 1888. It contains five stories: "The Happy Prince", "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Devoted Friend", and "The Remarkable Rocket".
The Happy Prince: In a town where a lot of poor people suffer and where there are a lot of miseries ...more
Note to self: never ever try to read/finish this book on a train or anywhere in public!
To think that the author who kept the stiff Victorians in stitches with his plays could write such heart-wrenching stuff....
Ahhhh, don't talk to me today, I am totally undone. ...more
To think that the author who kept the stiff Victorians in stitches with his plays could write such heart-wrenching stuff....
Ahhhh, don't talk to me today, I am totally undone. ...more
A Beautiful Collection for All Ages
Each little story is a beautifully told allegory touching to the heart. You will never be too old or too young to appreciate the marvellous moral in each story.
The stories in this collection are: The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Selfish Giant, The Devoted Friend, and The Remarkable Rocket.
Many of my favourite epigrams come from this collection. Here are a few gems (of many):
"Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emer ...more
Each little story is a beautifully told allegory touching to the heart. You will never be too old or too young to appreciate the marvellous moral in each story.
The stories in this collection are: The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Selfish Giant, The Devoted Friend, and The Remarkable Rocket.
Many of my favourite epigrams come from this collection. Here are a few gems (of many):
"Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emer ...more
When you truly live your life, you have to learn to accept and maybe expect the rare and unexpected surprises that might be in store for you. These unanticipated wonders often bring about a lot of joy in our lives and sometimes also have the capacity of teaching us a gentle yet important lesson. My surprise for the day was this small little book, a set of short stories written by Oscar Wilde and believe me I was simply floored by the simplicity as well as the complexity there was in these tales.
...more
These short stories were recommended by a Goodreads' friend, Amira K. after we were discussing Oscar Wilde's "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" (1890) and how I might like the children stories in "The Happy Prince and Other Tales" (1888). So I then put them on my list to read this year and having just finished these stories, I wanted to comment on both these books before I talk of the short stories.
If you heard or read "The Portrait of Dorian Gray", you would know how dark a book it is and seeing th ...more
If you heard or read "The Portrait of Dorian Gray", you would know how dark a book it is and seeing th ...more
I have found that any author I was forced to read in my ancient school days tends to be ignored these days when I can choose my own reading. Oscar Wilde certainly fits that statement. I remember having to dissect The Picture Of Dorian Gray for some class or other, and the only other work of his I have read since then was The Importance Of Being Earnest. I enjoyed that, but it did not inspire me to discover any more about or by Wilde.
But a few days ago I noticed a review by fellow GR group member ...more
But a few days ago I noticed a review by fellow GR group member ...more
Oscar Wilde does fairy tales--a kind of strange mixture.
The title story, The Happy Prince, and its successor, The Nightingale and the Rose, are a bit sorrowful and bleak. I dare say the main takeaway might be that love brings death and is much unappreciated. The Selfish Giant is an almost religious tale in which an act of kindness is rewarded...the sort of tale in which the main character does not realize who he is aiding but proves his worth by his unselfish act.
The fourth story was my favorite ...more
The title story, The Happy Prince, and its successor, The Nightingale and the Rose, are a bit sorrowful and bleak. I dare say the main takeaway might be that love brings death and is much unappreciated. The Selfish Giant is an almost religious tale in which an act of kindness is rewarded...the sort of tale in which the main character does not realize who he is aiding but proves his worth by his unselfish act.
The fourth story was my favorite ...more
This is a collection of five short stories, that are fairy-tale-like moral fables, not only for children, but drenched in subtle hints aimed at the older readers.
When questioned about the maturity of the language in his stories, Wilde ridiculed the idea that "extremely limited vocabulary at the disposal of the British child" should be "the standard by which the prose of an artist is to be judged".
These tales are dark and colorful at the same time, and deal mostly with selfishness, compassion, eg ...more
When questioned about the maturity of the language in his stories, Wilde ridiculed the idea that "extremely limited vocabulary at the disposal of the British child" should be "the standard by which the prose of an artist is to be judged".
These tales are dark and colorful at the same time, and deal mostly with selfishness, compassion, eg ...more
If this book doesn't make you want to curl up with a nice hot cup of arsenic and maybe some razor blades, you read a different edition than I did. Apparently Wilde read Hans Christian Anderson and thought, "Dang nab it, I can write way way depressing fairy tales, too!"
Not saying it's not pretty. Just saying. ...more
Not saying it's not pretty. Just saying. ...more
This book is real gem. A collection of five short stories.Each story beautifully woven around a moral. The stories are simple but evoke strong emotions. Every story may make you happy or make you sad (mostly) but each one will surely touch your heart.Oscar Wilde is a true genius. Highly Recommended !!!
“Life is one fool thing after another whereas love is two fool things after each other.”
4.5*
This was one of my favorite books that I have read as a child, and I have to say that, after re-reading it, I ended up loving it even more.
The Happy Prince - 5*
The Nightingale and the Rose - 5*
The Selfish Giant - 5*
The Devoted Friend - 4*
The Remarkable Rocket - 3*
4.5*
This was one of my favorite books that I have read as a child, and I have to say that, after re-reading it, I ended up loving it even more.
The Happy Prince - 5*
The Nightingale and the Rose - 5*
The Selfish Giant - 5*
The Devoted Friend - 4*
The Remarkable Rocket - 3*
This collection was so cute! Consisting of Oscar Wilde’s five short children’s stories, aka his fairytales. Every story features anthropomorphised animals, plants and/or rockets, but more importantly every story also has a strong and clear moral (they also all have at least one character die? I guess you gotta learn at some point).
The Happy Prince - 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Nightingale and the Rose - 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Selfish Giant - 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (wasn’t totally onboard with that weird Jes ...more
The Happy Prince - 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Nightingale and the Rose - 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Selfish Giant - 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (wasn’t totally onboard with that weird Jes ...more
Jan 03, 2009
Nicky
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics,
short-stories-novellas
This is a beautiful little collection of stories. I thought I'd never read any of them, but I'd definitely read "The Selfish Giant" before, and some of the others seemed familiar. The stories are all a little like fairy tales, though, so that's probably part of it.
My favourites were "The Nightingale and the Rose" and "The Fisherman and His Soul", I think. All of them are lovely, though. I especially like the beginning of Star-Child. Some of the lines in it are gorgeous, like: "And when they came ...more
My favourites were "The Nightingale and the Rose" and "The Fisherman and His Soul", I think. All of them are lovely, though. I especially like the beginning of Star-Child. Some of the lines in it are gorgeous, like: "And when they came ...more
Actual rating: 4 stars
The Happy Prince: 5 stars
The Nightingale and the Rose: 5 stars
The Selfish Giant: 4,5 stars
The Devoted Friend: 3 stars
The Remarkable Rocket: 2,5 stars
The Happy Prince: 5 stars
The Nightingale and the Rose: 5 stars
The Selfish Giant: 4,5 stars
The Devoted Friend: 3 stars
The Remarkable Rocket: 2,5 stars
Despite seeing numerous flaws in Wilde's worldview (blatant racism being the most obvious and badly concealed misogyny and classism also being present), his grandiose use of language and high-Romantic themes and happenings I am glad I read this. It adds context to works like The Ravenous Gown which far more recent work I read and reviewed last year.
There were times in the Starchild and The Young King that I really wanted to be on board with Wilde but the idea of the tribulations and testing lea ...more
There were times in the Starchild and The Young King that I really wanted to be on board with Wilde but the idea of the tribulations and testing lea ...more
Nov 01, 2011
Alice
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of Wilde and short stories. Literature/Creative writing students.
I do really like Oscar Wilde, so giving this collectiont three stars pains me somewhat. It's not that they aren't well written, they're just incredibly sad and frustrating. "The Devoted Friend", for example, just annoyed me. There are no happy endings and, call me old fashioned, but I think happy endings in children's stories are a necessity. That being said I read "The Selfish Giant" many times as a child. Whether it did me any good or not remains to be seen!
From an analytical point of view I c ...more
From an analytical point of view I c ...more
May 20, 2020
Kyriakos Sorokkou
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
jenny-s-visit-s-book-haul-s
Δείτε την κριτική στα Ελληνικά στις βιβλιοαλχημείες
I read The Happy Prince as a child and I will always remember the sad story and its heartrending ending. An end that stings like a thorn.
I also knew the story of The Selfish Giant which is also part of this collection.
Oscar Wilde was a giant man of letters who loved the wrong man something that destroyed him both mentally and physically. 2 years in prison and forced labour, and 3 more years as a free man before he died, his health deteriorated i ...more
I read The Happy Prince as a child and I will always remember the sad story and its heartrending ending. An end that stings like a thorn.
I also knew the story of The Selfish Giant which is also part of this collection.
Oscar Wilde was a giant man of letters who loved the wrong man something that destroyed him both mentally and physically. 2 years in prison and forced labour, and 3 more years as a free man before he died, his health deteriorated i ...more
I understand the charm of fairy tales but never fully engage in them. This book is written by the master, Oscar Wilde, and I think that is the only reason I connected at all. He is an extraordinary writer. Everything he does enhances my assessment of him: he is a genius.
My reactions to the nine stories included in this volume were varied.
The most succesful:
The Happy Prince: 4.5 stars
A statue stands in a town where the members of the community stop to marvel at its beauty. But the statue used to ...more
My reactions to the nine stories included in this volume were varied.
The most succesful:
The Happy Prince: 4.5 stars
A statue stands in a town where the members of the community stop to marvel at its beauty. But the statue used to ...more
And so I add another volume of the Everyman Children's classic series this time from Oscar Wilde. Now for the record I have heard a lot about the author - more often than not from the news stories and biographies but never have I read any of his work - something I realise I should now rectify as soon as possible.
This book contains a number of short stories - not really fairy tales more cautionary tales and fables but as the afterwards says they are aimed at the eight to eighty year old with som ...more
This book contains a number of short stories - not really fairy tales more cautionary tales and fables but as the afterwards says they are aimed at the eight to eighty year old with som ...more
Wilde is a fantastic prose stylist, if you can tolerate his style, and this is one of his most accessible works, as well as a surprising one in many ways for those with certain preconceived notions of the author: Wilde here often puts his aesthetic pose second to his political and moral views - two things that 'Oscar Wilde' wasn't meant to have at all.
On the other hand, this probably isn't the best demonstration of Wilde's skills. The idea of the arch-sophisticate taking on the genre of simple, ...more
On the other hand, this probably isn't the best demonstration of Wilde's skills. The idea of the arch-sophisticate taking on the genre of simple, ...more
I fell in love with Oscar Wilde's writings ever since I read his "The Nightengale and the Rose" when one of my friends gave it to me saying: "Oh, Heba, read it; it's truly touching." And I was not disappointed; the first time I read it I wept of frustration, I was deeply deeply touched. So, knowing that this story is part of Wilde's "The Happy Prince and Other Tales", I decided to read it as a whole hoping to find stories better, if there can be anything better, or at least at the same level as
...more
Feb 08, 2016
Amina
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Amina by:
Hitessh Panchal
Short stories with morals, I love that!
As always, many thanks Hitessh for the great recommendation!
As always, many thanks Hitessh for the great recommendation!
The Happy Prince and Other Tales is my first read for Oscar Wilde, and it won't be the last. It's combined of 5 short stories, each story carries a moral at the end of it. I'm not sure if this book is appropriate to be narrated for kids at bedtime, because... (view spoiler).
How did I like each story?
The Happy Prince:
3 stars, liked it.
The Night ...more
How did I like each story?
The Happy Prince:
3 stars, liked it.
The Night ...more
So naturally I only read this as it was written by Wilde, and that is possibly the only reason why it is still in publication because the stories are quite different to contemporary children's tales. Drowning in religion and with very heavy and obvious moral themes, I think readers today prefer a bit more subtlety.
...more
There are two truly beautiful stories here: "The Happy Prince" (which I've read numerous times in other collections) and "The Selfish Giant" (which I've never encountered anywhere and I think it is one of Wilde's best works.) A children's book? Yes. A book for everyone? Absolutely!
...more
The overall rating is just a result of a simple mathematical division. The only rating that really matters is the one for The Happy Prince. And it is a pure 5 stars!
I have read The Happy Price countless times and cried my eyes out again and again. But I would/will do it again, it's worth the pain! As for the other stories , I encountered them for the first time.
My ratings go like this:
The Happy Prince *****
Infinitely sad, infinitely perfect. Ultimate sacrifice made for the good of others, repaid ...more
I have read The Happy Price countless times and cried my eyes out again and again. But I would/will do it again, it's worth the pain! As for the other stories , I encountered them for the first time.
My ratings go like this:
The Happy Prince *****
Infinitely sad, infinitely perfect. Ultimate sacrifice made for the good of others, repaid ...more
Wilde was rather an interesting writer. He wrote about society and manners, and he wrote about morality and the pitfalls relating to that. He combines all of that in these stories. Surprisingly, they're also quite religious, which I wasn't expecting.
Some really sweet morality tales here. The Selfish Giant, The Young King, and The Happy Prince stand out for me. I don't particularly care for morality to be linked with religion, though, so I think that's why my rating isn't higher.
Some very sad sto ...more
Some really sweet morality tales here. The Selfish Giant, The Young King, and The Happy Prince stand out for me. I don't particularly care for morality to be linked with religion, though, so I think that's why my rating isn't higher.
Some very sad sto ...more
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| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Old timey setting, two friends, one rich, one poor 'After all, I did give you my wheelbarrow' [s] | 4 | 25 | Nov 10, 2019 02:55PM |
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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, and a plentitude of aphorisms, 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
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