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Richard Ellmann
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Oscar Wilde Paperback – November 5, 1988

by Richard Ellmann (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 265 ratings
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  1. National Book Critics Circle AwardWinner, 1988
  2. Pulitzer PrizeWinner, 1989
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Winner of both the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize, Oscar Wilde is the definitive biography of the tortured poet and playwright and the last book by renowned biographer and literary critic Richard Ellmann. Ellmann dedicated two decades to the research and writing of this biography, resulting in a complex and richly detailed portrait of Oscar Wilde. Ellman captures the wit, creativity, and charm of the psychologically and sexually complicated writer, as well as the darker aspects of his personality and life. Covering everything from Wilde's rise as a young literary talent to his eventual imprisonment and death in exile with exquisite detail, Ellmann's fascinating account of Wilde's life and work is a resounding triumph.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    736 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    November 5, 1988
  5. Dimensions
    5.19 x 1.46 x 7.96 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0394759842
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0394759845
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Richard Ellmann capped an illustrious career in biography (his James Joyce is considered one of the masterpieces of the 20th century) with this life of Oscar Wilde, which won both the National Book Critics Circle Award and Pulitzer Prize on its original publication in 1988. Ellmann's account of Wilde's extravagantly operatic life as poet, playwright, aesthete, and martyr to sexual morality is notable not only for the full portrait it gives of Wilde, but also for Ellmann's assessment of his subject's literary greatness; both aims are served by a plethora of quotations from Wilde's own work and correspondence. Wilde straddled the line between the Victorian age and the modern world as he did everything in life ... with impeccable style.

Review

The biography will further distinguish Ellman's illustrious career . . . it should give impetus to a view . . . that Wilde was, after all, a writer of enormous significance and originality. -- New York Times Book Review, George Levine

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage (November 5, 1988)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 736 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0394759842
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0394759845
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.29 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.19 x 1.46 x 7.96 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 265 ratings

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Richard Ellmann

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
265 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

michelle
5.0 out of 5 stars Poor Oscar
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2023
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remarkable well written book. it tells you about his roots in ireland and his family. his education at trinity college in dublin, ireland and his education at oxford university in england. he had a lot of friends. some of his friends were famous. he even got married and had two children by his wife. he knew that he was gay. he feel in love with a Lord's son which prove to be his downfall. he went to prison for about two years in england, he had to due hard labor. he exile himself to italy after being incarcerate. his wife changed her last name. a plus before he ever had this horrible scandal, he did a tour of the united states and was well received. he even met walt whitman. their are interesting picture in the book. worth reading. it is intriguing
2 people found this helpful
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Abi
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
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Great!
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Sliced Bread
4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting, if dry, read.
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2015
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Its pretty dry, as the author reports every little move made by Wilde, but it is VERY VERY interesting. Its going to take a while to get through, but I'm 1/4 way and carrying it around to read in snippets. Unfortunately, because of how dry it is, it doesn't lend itself to binge reading but in this case I like that because it really delves deep into how he became who he was.
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eledavf Vivian
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book. Poor Oscar, such a good heart and so abused.
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2013
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This book will tear your heart. The infamy of his prosecution, and persecution, is beyond words. He never savaged his detractors as they did him, primarily the execrable egotist, the tiny little man named Whistler but also Swinburne, so cowardly yet such an unforgettable poet. But at least Swinburne had an excuse since he was psychologically damaged.

How many benefitted from his help or encouragement in his glory days, yet figuratively spat at him when a maniac (the Marquess of Queensberry) pursued him to his destruction.

His magnificent Biblical drama Salome and the poems inspired by his prison stay will not be forgotten. Nor will Dorian Grey, the ultimate in the tracing of a descent into unspeakable depths.

And somewhere down there in those depths can be discerned the ridiculous yet hideous spirit of Alfred Douglas, a man whose existence was totally pointless.

Among the numberless acquaintances of this tragic figure I must pay tribute to Nellie Melba, rarely described as warm-hearted, but it was she who emptied her purse for him on a Paris street when, threadbare and penniless, he was forced to ask for money.

That powerfully descriptive phrase "emptied her purse" is straight from the book, just one of many memorable phrases that make the history live for the reader.

I believe there never was and never will be a superior biography of Oscar Wilde.
19 people found this helpful
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Real New York Painter
5.0 out of 5 stars A Crushing but Redeeming Masterpiece of Living: A Must-Read.
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2017
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A real door-stop at 600 pages of 7-point type, but you'll want to read every word of it. It's a triumph of loving research. I would describe Ellmann's prose as more workmanlike than entertaining, but that's perfectly OK, because Oscar's life was so amazing that any biographer's vanity would only get in the way. If you have any humanity at all, you'll finish this book having fallen in love with Oscar and identifying with him. You will hate his persecutors, tormenters, and deserters, and especially you will loathe the rot and ugliness of class. You will finally feel drained, crushed, and utterly devastated. But you will come away wiser and strangely more sympathetic and loving toward all humans, as Oscar was, not because they are lovable, but because you happen to be one.
12 people found this helpful
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M. Swinney
3.0 out of 5 stars The mind of a thoroughly well-informed man...is dreadful. OW
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2010
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Here's some background; Richard Ellmann's "Oscar Wilde," was my personal selection for reading in the now infamous DFW Literary Society's book club. As such, I kind of felt a extra bit of attachment and responsibility to how the book reached and found others. Up front, the biographical parts of Oscar Wilde's life were very interesting and engaging. The parts were Ellmann delves into literary criticism, not so much.

I've always found literary lives and artistic souls quite interesting and entertaining. What I had hoped to get out of Ellmann's "Oscar" was something akin to this deliciously entertaining book:  John Steinbeck, Writer: A Biography , but alas, it read closer to this:  Lives of the Poets . "Lives of the Poets," is one that you don't want to tackle unless you really like poetry. It's not an easy read. Neither is "Oscar." Ellmann keeps the readers attention rapt when he engages in the details of Wilde's life and the brilliant candle he was early on and the train wreck of a life he seemed to seek out. It was almost like watching a reality show on Anna Nicole Smith except Wilde was talented, smart, witty, had something to say. They both very much liked men though and had campy tastes so the similarities are there.

Reading through "Oscar Wilde" will leave the most loquacious and eloquent speech-i-fiers reaching for a dictionary on most each and every page. There are some top dollar word choices in Ellmann's book which makes me think he developed a way to talk and communicate over the years that only reached a select set of University professorial readers. If you are an English PhD you will know doubt want to rank Ellman's "Wilde" with a Wildean excess of stars: five I'm thinking.

So our book club read, "Oscar Wilde" to the bitter end and we held a trial replete with judge, juror, prosecution, and defense. We put on trial again our dear Oscar and held him up to modern societal standards and found on the whole...3 votes against liking Oscar, 0 on his behalf. As you will read, should you dare try to crack open this book, Oscar was not so much into the responsibilites of life or working for a living or taking an egalatarian view of others--Oscar lived for the aesthetic beauty and was into style and wit and causing a scene. In many ways he was a large part of killing off the Victorian era through his aesthetic movement and connection to the decadents. See now I've lost you when I start throwing out high falutin' literary terms. I should have stuck to Oscar's life as should have Ellman. It's far more intersting.

Cut the book to half the size and focus on the drama and meaning behind Oscar's short time on this earth and to me Ellmann would have had one dandy of a book. As it is, you'll be able to tackle 10 pages at a time until Ellmann starts addressing Oscar's life. Not recommended as a book club read but do hold a mock trial for Oscar and dress up like dandies and bring flowers. That's all the rage--not Ellmann's "Oscar Wilde," so much.
14 people found this helpful
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elinam
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read - I enjoyed this bio
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2017
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Enjoyed this bio. Have always wanted to read about him in more detail. This certainly goes into detail about every aspect of his life. It was well written and kept my interest. Oxford at that time was certainly different! Lots of quotes and poems and interesting facts about artists and academics. The writing was so small I almost needed stronger glasses - this is my only criticism but I should have checked first!
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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ANTONIO RUGGIERO
5.0 out of 5 stars Oscar Wilde
Reviewed in Italy on March 25, 2022
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Consigliato per l'esame universitario Storia del Teatro Inglese.
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Patricia Castro
5.0 out of 5 stars Amei o livro
Reviewed in Brazil on July 20, 2020
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Gostei muito do livro. Bem conservado e chegou embalado com zelo e cuidado. O vendedor foi prestativo no esclarecimento da dúvida antes da compra.
One person found this helpful
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Usuario
4.0 out of 5 stars Bien
Reviewed in Spain on January 19, 2019
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Lo que esperaba, un poco usado pero en buen estado.
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Anubhav Khiwani
5.0 out of 5 stars What a Man !! " I like bitterness sweet and sweetness bitter - Fall in love with art, aesthetics and reading
Reviewed in India on December 7, 2016
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One man who changed not only the century but the drive of a language forever - Oscar Wilde, This is a complete book in itself and can be read with the same breath one reads writings of Oscar Wilde. With great epigrams and wriiten quotations of oscar wilde , this book makes you swoon over the mighty power of language.

The wit and beauty of his life, writings, methods and way to live are enough for anyone to admire and respect Sir Oscar Wilde, this is not a book that one can just start reading as a non-fiction account, having knowledge by Victorian Literature, Oscar's writings and basic life of Oscar is important to understand this beautifully presented book.

This book is a gem and anyone who loves language and has any transcendence of unseen beauty should make an effort and pick this book up.
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The Cat Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Canada on December 31, 2013
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This book was obviously well-researched and so well-written. You wouldn't read this book unless you were interested in the life of Oscar Wilde. I can only recommend it as an excellent read.
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