Relative Failures: The Lives of Willie Wilde, Mabel Beardsley and Howard Sturgis

by Matthew Sturgis

History remembers the greats – but what about those who lived alongside them?

In the cultural ferment of late nineteenth-century London, three fascinating but often overlooked figures navigated the world in the shadow of their celebrated brothers. Willie Wilde, the hapless yet charming older sibling of Oscar, never quite matched his brother's literary genius. Mabel Beardsley, the striking and ambitious sister of Aubrey, played a crucial role in his artistic ascent before forging her own path on the stage. And Howard Sturgis, a minor novelist with a sharp wit, watched as his brother Julian achieved the success he himself never quite grasped.

Moving through bohemian clubland, West End theatres, literary salons, and the pages of The Yellow Book, these siblings were more than just footnotes to history. Their lives – filled with ambition, scandal, devotion, and missteps – offer a fresh perspective on the glittering world of the 1890s.

Drawing on family history, sharp storytelling, and original research, Matthew Sturgis reveals the vibrant, overlooked figures who shaped their era. For lovers of literary and cultural history, it is an invitation to explore the road less travelled – a sidelight that, as Mabel Beardsley knew well, can sometimes be the most illuminating.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 7, 2026

Reviews

[Ten Cats Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me on This Book in Eight Ironic English Words: Genius is genetic; being overshadowed runs in families.

"He suffered a severe ‘attack of haemorrhage of the stomach’, which ‘came near to ending his life.’ Although he rallied, the incident must have been alarming. And while it did not convince him to alter his habits entirely, it did perhaps encourage him to think of taking things more gently. But if he was going to cut back on anything, he decided it should be work." p68

In Short: I liked the concept here: the life stories of three overlooked siblings of literary greats. It's tough to struggle in family's shadow. I thought this book was interesting. I really enjoyed learning more about the life and times of Oscar Wilde.

"Content Warnings:" incest, alcohol consumption, sibling rivalry, family wealth, family illness, extreme anxiety,

Preread:

I'll read pretty much anything about writers and writing, as long as it's nonfiction. And this is an interesting concept-- life as the un-famous sibling of a famous writer.

Thanks you to the author and publisher, and NetGalley, for the advance copy.

[Gareth Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fran Lebowitz put forth the idea that talent is the only truly democratic force on Earth. “You cannot learn it, you cannot inherit it,” she argues. That talent cannot be bought or learned, I’ll concede. But that talent is not hereditary, I’ll push back against. If talent is not, at least occasionally, genetic, how have there been so many great theatrical families like the Barrymores or the Redgraves or the lineage of Richard Rodgers, whose daughter, Mary Rodgers, and grandson, Adam Guettel, are all Broadway luminaries in their own right? Star quality, or “It” quality (what Elinoir Glyn defined as “a rare, inescapable magnetism of the mind and body that draws others in”) is far more singular and uninheritable. That cocktail of charisma, talent, and the indescribable, indefinable“it” is more enigmatic and “democratic.” It’s not that talent cannot exist amongst families, but rather that the wattage of one’s star quality throws those around them, talented or otherwise, into its shadow and obscures them.

In Relative Failures, Sturgis exhumes the lives and work of three would-be greats in the periphery of greatness: Willie Wilde (brother of Oscar Wilde), Mabel Beardsley (sister of Aubrey), and Howard Sturgis (friend of Wilde’s an author in his own right). The most intriguing entries are those of the two siblings in proximity to stardom.

Willie comes across every bit as witty and brilliant, although considerably less ambitious, than his brother. A particularly charming passage in his biography shows Willie, on the cusp of financial ruin and licking his wounds after a failed attempt at a legal career, languishing around the house and calling out, “Oh for some good friend to open champagne. There are dozens of it in the cellar, and I’m too lazy to fetch it up, and…[I am] so thirsty.”

Willie is not without his successes, though. He is able to parlay his own wit and writing talents, as well as the familial penchant for theatre, culture, and the arts, into a career as a drama critic. It’s from this post from which he, at least initially, bolsters his brother’s work and becomes something of an architect to the “myth around his brother as the embodiment of Aestheticism.” In championing his brother’s writing, he unwittingly helped ensure that it would eventually eclipse his own.

Sturgis traces Willie’s diminishing career (as well as his squandering of talent, increasing use of drink and decreasing use of discernment in decision making) against the meteoric rise of his brother’s career until the chasm between their celebrity becomes so great that Willie stops being “William Wilde” and starts becoming “Oscar Wilde’s brother,” which becomes a source of tension.

Aubrey Beardsley was an artist and illustrator considered, in his time, a genius and a darling of the London avante-garde. Mabel was an actress of middling success in touring productions, though there were triumphs and legitimate success on the West End. After Aubrey’s death, Mabel finds her career stalling out a redirects her passion to sustaining her brother’s legacy—working on keeping reissues of his work in print and, in the days immediately following his death, dressing in monochromatic black-and-white to present herself as one of his illustrations brought to life. Willie laments, “It seems I am doomed to the unflattering fate of being myself.” Mabel relishes being “a living representative of Aubrey” after he’s gone. Upon her death, her gravestone reads: “Mabel Beardsley….sister of Aubrey Beardsley.”

It’s an intriguing look at those whose lives and legacies are overshadowed by someone else’s brilliance. Sturgis shines the spotlight on the overlooked and brings their dynamic and dazzling personalities to life and gives them a second chance at greatness in their own right.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Tzia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great concept for a book and I'm surprised there haven't been more along these lines. Relative Failures follows the lives of three siblings who were in their time 'the other one,' the 'also ran,' and the somehow less brilliant. The siblings could have been forgotten, faded into obscurity but thanks to this author and book they stay with us.

First up is Willie Wilde, older and arguably more brilliant brother to Oscar Wilde. Undeniably gifted, yet somewhat work-shy and never quite managing to settle on anything for himself. Then Mabel Beardsley, sister to Aubrey. Dazzling in her own right and ever close to her brother, Mabel was an aspiring actress who grew somehow greater and more obtuse following the death of her brother. And finally Howard Sturgis, youngest of his siblings and perpetually in the shadow of his then more famous literary genius of a brother Julian.

Their stories are fascinating and all turn in different ways. Meticulously researched and written Relative Failures is a lovely sidelong look at obscure characters, and brings them to life - this is a great read for any fan of literary fiction, Victoriana, or those who are just curious about the life in the shadow of a famous family member.

- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -

[Nienke Schuitemaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC.

What a great title! I found it immediately intriguing and this combined with the prospect of reading about Oscar Wilde's brother made me want to read it. I must confess I hadn't heard about the other two figures this book is about, but that was also a draw, because I don't think I would've picked up a whole book dedicated to either of them. The idea of three biographies in one appealed to me and I very much enjoyed getting to know them, especially Mabel Beardsley.

I really appreciated how well this was researched. It makes for stories that feel very 'alive', which I needed as I don't know too much about the period and the scene these people lived in. The writing style is light in a good way and I liked the author's voice. I underlined this as an example, about Mabel Beardsley: "her rare gift for friendship, and her no less rare gift for being Mabel."

In the end, I think the title only really applies to Willie Wilde and not so much to Mabel Beardsley and Howard Sturgis, but I still love the concept and would happily read more, both in this style and from this author.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating journey through the literary and artistic society of late 19th-century Britain, told through the stories of the less successful siblings of three major participants (or maybe two major - Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley - and one not quite so major - Julian Sturgis). Each story is told separately, and all are very interesting, but it's a little unfair for the book title to imply that the siblings were failures. Each of them provided support to their famous siblings as well as making their own way in life, and although Willie Wilde did fail to live up to his potential, Mabel Beardsley and Howard Sturgis came across as living fulfilled lives. I personally found the whole of the book to be greater than the sum of the parts, because taken together the three accounts painted a vibrant picture of the environment where these families lived and worked and interacted with each other. Would definitely recommend this book.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a pre-publication copy of the manuscript.

[Lea Columbus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. This is the kind of niche book that I enjoy. It is a well written, well researched study of 3 people, who while talented and special in their own right, were well over shadowed by their much more famous siblings. This book details the lives of Willie Wilde ( brother of Oscar), Mabel Beardsley, ( sister of Aubrey) and Howard Sturgis, ( brother of Julian). All three of the "relative failures"were talented and unique, and overshadowed . It is an interesting book, and one that gives new insights into the more famous siblings. Thank you for writing this!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It may seem like a niche subject but you would not need to know the famous siblings well to enjoy the story of the lesser known siblings. It paints a lovely picture of a moment in time and I particularly enjoyed Mabel’s story. She sounds like such an interesting character. Well worth a read. Thanks to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the ARC.