Brief Lives: Oscar Wilde

Brief Lives

by Richard Canning

Well known for his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and the theatrical comedies The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband , Oscar Wilde’s story is a colorful and notorious one that is fascinatingly portrayed in this excellent account. The author examines Wilde’s writings in the light of his eventful life, resulting in a fresh look at this eccentric and intriguing character. Canning’s brilliant introduction to Oscar Wilde will appeal both to the general reader and those who already hold an interest in this well-known 19th-century playwright, novelist, and wit.

Genres: Biography

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aside for a much needed Introduction and a better Conclusion the book gives enough insight to the life of Oscar Wilde. I felt the pace of the narrative was too fast, which I understand since there is much to talk about regarding Wilde but it could have been done differently. However, it served the purpose of letting us in the life of a wonderful artist and I enjoyed getting to read quotes from Wilde from his letters and other works that served to make a clearer idea of who was this marvelous character.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were to cozy up with a good biography on Oscar Wilde, this probably wouldn’t be the page-turner I’m looking for. However, I do feel this is a great biography that can be used in a classroom to help quickly contextualize Wilde’s work and turn-of-the-century sexual identity. If you want a fast-paced dive into Wilde, this will do well. Though you’ll probably also want to supplement it with something more in-depth at a later point. The other aspect I appreciated was Canning’s bibliography, which my students used as well to help prep their projects.

[Luke Yin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting book except the words are a bit obscure to understand, a bit too academic for me(English is not my first language). Anyway, I really enjoy the details the writer wrote about Wilde, such a brilliant man, such a sad end...