Oscar Wilde: A Life in Letters, Writings and WitFrom Library Journal: In this lavishly illustrated volume, English historian and author Gardiner uses Wilde's own words to delineate his life and times. What emerges is a picture of a man whom William Butler Yeats described as "the greatest talker of all time." Gardiner highlights Wilde's advocacy of aestheticism, his "search after the signs of the beautiful," which led him to renounce his conventional lifestyle and become an active homosexual. The final third of the book focuses on Wilde's tumultuous relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas and the scandal that resulted when "Bosie's" father, the Marquess of Queensbury, attacked Wilde's way of life. The volume is beset by a number of mechanical problems-quotations from original sources are awkwardly incorporated into the author's sentences, punctuation is at times faulty, and transitions not always smooth. Nonetheless, the book provides a good overview of Wilde's life; Gardiner acknowledges Richard Ellman's biography (Oscar Wilde, LJ 12/87) as the "fullest life possible." Suitable for public libraries with general literature collections.-Denise J. Stankovics. |
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actress Ada Leverson aesthetic America artist Aubrey Beardsley audience Ballad of Reading beautiful Bosie Bosie's boys caricature Carson cartoon Charles Constance delightful Dieppe Dorian Gray dress Dublin Earnest editor England father fellow Florence Balcombe Frank Harris genius George Alexander Gide Greek green carnation hair Ideal Husband Ireland John kiss Lady Wilde Lady Windermere's Fan later lecture letter libel Lillie Langtry lily literary live London Lord Alfred Douglas magazine Mahaffy Marquess of Queensberry Max Beerbohm mother never night Oscar Wilde Oxford Paris photograph play poem poet poetry portrait prison published Reading Gaol Ricketts RIGHT Robert Ross rooms Royal Ruskin Salome Sarah Bernhardt sent Sherard Sickert Sir William sketch Speranza Sphinx St James's Theatre talk things Tite Street trial tutor whilst Whistler Wilde wrote Wilde's friends William Wilde Willie woman Woman's World wonderful write wrote Wilde young youth