The Wilde Album
by Merlin Holland
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Description
Oscar Wilde was one of the first and unquestionably one of the greatest self-publicists ever. Above all, and with that exceptional streak of modernity which characterises much of Wilde's life and works, he understood the power of the image in his campaign of promoting himself. As early as his Oxford days he had himself photographed with his contemporaries in loud check suits of the latest fashion. Later, when he toured America to lecture on aesthetics in 1882, almost as soon as he landed he show more commissioned Napoleon Sarony, the best portraitist in New York, to photograph him in fur coat and velvet suit; and in not one or two poses but at least twenty-seven. The Wilde Album now publishes more of these images of Oscar than have ever been seen together before, as well as later photographs (some previously unpublished) from the family archive, showing Oscar, his family and his friends. There are also rare snapshots of Oscar in his last years in Italy, taken most probably by a friend using Oscar's own camera, which we know he owned from a letter of 1900. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
It's so interesting to read a biography on Oscar Wilde that refers to him as "my grandfather." I was afraid that this would be maybe a bit delusional (because sometimes descendents who publish books seem to have some sort of agenda regarding their ancestors) but Holland is surprisingly objective and clear-eyed. And the pictures! Oscar Wilde gets me in my lady bits.
Filed with Oscar Wilde collections, pictures,illustrTions
bouth in London 1997
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Author Information
10+ Works 658 Members
Merlin Holland is a journalist who has devoted over twenty years to researching his grandfather's life. Author of "The Wilde Album," he lives in London with his wife & son. (Bowker Author Biography)
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1997
- People/Characters
- Oscar Wilde
- First words
- Introduction: The Wilde family album... if only it had been so simple.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Friendship," he said, "is far more tragic than love. It lasts longer."
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Statistics
- Members
- 229
- Popularity
- 141,716
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (4.41)
- Languages
- 7 — English, French, German, Greek, Norwegian (Bokmål), Portuguese, Swedish
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 9
