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Oscar

A Life

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Oscar

By: Matthew Sturgis
Narrated by: Jot Davies
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Bloomsbury presents Oscar by Matthew Sturgis, read by Jot Davies.

The first major biography of Oscar Wilde in thirty years, and the most complete telling of his life and times to date.

NOMINATED FOR THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE 2019

'The Book of the Year, perhaps of the decade' TLS

'Simply the best modern biography of Wilde... A terrific achievement' Evening Standard

'Page-turning... Vivid and desperately moving. However much you think you know Wilde, this book will absorb and entertain you' The Sunday TimesBooks of the Year

Oscar Wilde's life – like his wit – was alive with paradox. He was both an early exponent and a victim of 'celebrity culture': famous for being famous, he was lauded and ridiculed in equal measure. His achievements were frequently downplayed, his successes resented. He had a genius for comedy but strove to write tragedies. He was an unabashed snob who nevertheless delighted in exposing the faults of society. He affected a dandified disdain but was prone to great acts of kindness. Although happily married, he became a passionate lover of men and – at the very peak of his success – brought disaster upon himself. He disparaged authority, yet went to the law to defend his love for Lord Alfred Douglas. Having delighted in fashionable throngs, Wilde died almost alone. Above all, his flamboyant refusal to conform to the social and sexual orthodoxies of his day make him a hero and an inspiration to all who seek to challenge convention. Matthew Sturgis draws on a wealth of new material and fresh research, bringing alive the distinctive mood and characters of the fin de siècle in the richest and most compelling portrait of Wilde to date.©2018 Matthew Sturgis (P)2018 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Art & Literature Authors Biographies & Memoirs Europe Great Britain Historical Funny
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Critic Reviews

However much you think you know about Wilde, this book will absorb and entertain you. It thickens the texture of every aspect of his unique life – dazzling, decadent and doomed
A perfectly diligent book, and tells new readers all they possibly need to know about Wilde and his world
Authoritative, magnificently researched
Matthew Sturgis uses new letters and a libel trial transcript to give a fuller picture of Oscar Wilde's dazzling rise and tragic fall... He is a tremendous orchestrator of material, fastidious, unhurried, indefatigable'
Oscar Wilde is more fashionable than ever, and his demise still makes for a gripping read... Sturgis's account is fuller and in some ways more reliable [than Richard Ellmann's biography]... Sturgis's account of the hearing at the Old Bailey is as gripping as it is grim'
[Sturgis's biography] is the first major attempt since that of Richard Ellman some 30 years ago, and it's much better... This is simply the best modern biography of Wilde... A terrific achievement'
The Book of the Year, perhaps of the decade... Captures the wit, the love-ability, the dramatic genius, the insane self-destructiveness, the originality of Wilde... [Sturgis] is the greatest chronicler of the 1890s we have ever had'
Astute in its judgements and offers a sharp and detailed grasp of the period and an appreciation of Wilde's ambiguities
The first major biography of the great Oscar Wilde in 30 years offers a sumptuous insight into the life of the famous – and infamous – fin de siècle playwright, author and poet
Like Churchill, Oscar Wilde [...] is one of those people who never seem to stop inspiring outstanding biographies, and Oscar: A Life by Matthew Sturgis is one of the best, as well as the latest, of a long line
A first rate biography
This book provides not only a comprehensive record of [Wilde's] activities, friendships and financial affairs, but also a powerful sense of what it was actually like to know him... This is undoubtedly the most comprehensive, reliable and clear-sighted study of Wilde ever likely to be written'
This excellent biography offers a deeper, more rounded picture of the writer's life, his rise to stardom, his fall and tragic final days... At once entertaining and scholarly. The man himself would be proud'
Sturgis' attention to decadence allows readers to view Wilde's post-prison years in a new light... [An] insightful biography'
Very solid and complete biography
A great read
All stars
Most relevant
I know Oscar Wilde's writing style is very flowery and wordy, but I was hoping this biography written in 2019 would have a more modern style to it. Sadly it's not... 36 hours is way too long. So far I've been listening for 7 hours and I am already fast forwarding through all the non-Oscar chapters. I wanted to hear about Oscar's life story - not the colour of his carpets and wallpaper and curtains in intricate detail. it goes on and on (and on) (and on) about a lot of irrelevant stuff. So far I think it's 30 hours of flowery dribble and maybe 6 hours about Oscar's life. If it doesn't improve soon it may be the first audible book i stop listening to before it has ended.

Zzzz... 36 hours is way too long.

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Matthew Sturgis is a masterful biographer and storyteller, and Jot Davies lends the book tenderness and poignancy. Even if you are not enamoured by Oscar Wilde, this book is a profound study of a brilliant and flawed artist.

Worth your time.

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This is, as it says, a life, and a most eventful life at that. Sturgis' splendid biography gives the lie to Oscar's aphorism that 'Life is much too important a thing ever to talk seriously about it'. This is a most serious examination of Oscar's life and his times, his literary triumphs, his circle of friends both true and (in the end) false, and the ultimate tragedy of such a gifted and intelligent man foolishly flaunting his illegal proclivities and, in the end, failing to take advice which would have averted his inevitable downfall and disgrace. Oscar's devoted wife, Constance, and their children stand as the primary victims of Oscar's hubris. Reports of Oscar's literary discussions and his quoted witticisms and repostes give a flavour of his sparkling company and magnetic personality. One small negative is that not all of the French is followed by an English translation but this is not frequent enough to deter potential buyers who do not speak French. Jot Davis is excellent and is also competent in French and Italian pronunciation.

A Masterpiece

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This is the most long winded; over detailed; boring book that I have listened to. Add the droning narration makes this is the only book I have given up on.

Over detailed and boring

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