Oscar Wilde

An exquisitely beautiful young man in Victorian England retains his youthful and innocent appearance over the years while his portrait reflects both his age and evil soul as he pursues a life of decadence and corruption. Illustrated sidebar notes provide historical background to the text.

A once selfish giant welcomes the children to his previously forbidden garden and is eventually rewarded by an unusual little child.

Collects five plays by nineteenth-century Irish writer Oscar Wilde, including the title selection in which Jack Worthing, needing a regular escape from his dull country routine, creates a fictitious brother Ernest who supposedly lives in London, but the lie backfires when he falls in love.

The happy prince -- The nightingale and the rose -- The selfish giant -- The devoted friend -- The remarkable rocket -- The young king -- The birthday of the Infanta -- The fisherman and his soul -- The star-child.

Algernon is a gentlemen from a wealthy family. Algernon's close friend Jack, has a ward, Cecily. Both Algernon and Jack have created alter egos to make life more interesting. Algernon arrives for a weekend visit in the country posing as Earnest. Having heard of Earnest's misadventures, Cicely has developed an infatuation with the rogue, and Algernon's impersonation of him works famously on Cicely. Meanwhile, Algernon's cousin, Gwendolyn, arrives for...

In this superlative collection of nearly 400 quotations by the great Irish playwright and wit, readers will find the very best of Wilde's scintillating comments on art, human nature, morals, society, politics, history, and numerous other subjects, including gems from his personal life.