The Picture of Dorian Gray (Bookcassette(r) Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Bring a Pen...
Review: A true work of art that anyone can hold in their hand and return to again and again. I found myself constantly reaching for a pen to underline all those Wilde words thast only Oscar could have penned. He saw the world in such a unique way that will never be replicated. And if you ever need a quick comeback, quoting Dorian Gray will throw off most anyone. And if it doesn't, perhaps you will have a new friend!

Rating:
Summary: Off the Charts!
Review: Even on its own, Dorian Gray is a 9 or 10. But the Norton edition pulls everything together that you could possibly want to know as you are reading the book. Both editions are included, the 1890 version that was published as a serial, and the 1891 version that was printed in novel form. The 1890 version is much more potent, and clearly more controversial than that of 1891, which has many chapters added to soften the overall effect of the book. Profuse footnotes illuminate Wilde's sources, which range from the pedestrian to the fantastic. Finally, the book concludes with some contemporary responses to the story, Wilde's rebuttals of them, and modern criticism. After the book's end, the criticism pulls readers into making long leaps of inference and symbolic interpretation. The Norton Critical Edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray transforms reading the book from entertainment to an almost religious experience.

Rating:
Summary: One of the truly great works of British Literature
Review: Wilde's literary genius shows brightly in this captivating story of a young man who decides that the one verity of nature is living life for the pleasure of it. The "new hedonsim," a philosophy of our own age, illustrates the futility of knowledge and the problems of an orderly society. His doctrines and delightful epigrams continues to enthrall us and is a testament of the novels value as one of the greatest books of the world.

Rating:
Summary: It was a very deep book, yet somehow managed to be funny.
Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray, was perhaps one of Oscar Wilde's best works. In this story, Dorian Gray is an extraordinarlily good looking man. As he is so beautiful, painters use him as a sitter. One day, as he is looking over a portait of himself he realizes the fragility of his beauty and wishes for portrait of himself to grow old, rather than himself. For this, he would give his soul; and that was exacly what happened. This is no ordinary book. This book is funny and interesting. While reading this book, you will find that it is saturated with Wilde's epigrams and wonderful sense of humor. I admired it quite intensely, just as Wilde has.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: After reading this story of a man who is so caught up in beauty that he ruins his life over it, I took the time to examine my own feelings on many things....Wilde has done it again in this one.I LOVED IT!!

Rating:
Summary: Wilde's social view
Review: The picture of Dorian Gray is an excellent story that shows how money and beauty not allways lead to happiness. It reflects a wish that many of us have probably made: the permanence of beauty. Dorian Gray is granted a wish so that his beauty remains always but the terrible social conduct effects don't. Do you want to know why this doesn't make him happy? Magnificent ending. Read it

Rating:
Summary: Timeless, controversial, poetic, disturbing
Review: Still controversial today, Wilde's study of a man's moral distintigration is both richly poetic and ultimately disturbing. The book even resists classification today. Is it part of the Decadence movement or the Symbolist movement? Or is it an experimental novel, fashioned perhaps as a psychological gothic study? More importantly, though, Wilde's creation poses the question: Can a book be poisonous? Gray succumbs to the "evil" influence of Huysmans' book A Rebours. As Wilde as written, "there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written or badly written." Wilde may have created a well written book, but he also, albeit purposely, created a book when, viewed from its many horizons, can be seen as terrible moral study in the lesson Gray undergoes.

Rating:
Summary: A Timely Message
Review: I had to go back and rethink and reread this story, but profoundly moved by how timeless the message seems to be. Modern culture (Hollywood etc...) would benefit from what seems to be the basic MORAL of this story. The more shallow and superficial the pursuits in life, the more corrupt, evil, wicked and proverted one can become. This is a fact, no "religious right" or anyone else, made it up. Many just turn their backs or ignore the truth. Mr. Wilde himself should have taken a lesson or two from his own story. What a tragedy with his talent to die sick, corrupt, lonely and penniless. At least this classic work came from all the sadness and despair.....too bad.

I have often thought that this tale may be one that would be a great stage production/story....Mr. Wilde should have possibly considered it, again............too bad!

Rating:
Summary: what can i say
Review: i thought that might get your attenton.
this book takes your breath away. to be honest, i dont want everyone out there to go and read DG because it is too fine a thing for popular consumption and the ensuing dicussion.
if you have a soul, read this book. if not, find one.

Rating:
Summary: APOLOGIA
Review: This is an APOLOGIA (I suppose) to Oscar Wilde on behalf of all those who rated his wonderful book lowly. It just so happens to be my favorate book, and I looked so see if there was anyone who didn't like it. Quite horrified, and rather losing my faith in Humanity (or HUMANITAD) I thought: I must write an essay myself!

To be honest, I am sure that dear old Oscar would not have been terribly upset some people didn't like his book, for his works are, let's be honest, only truly understood by those who share something of his divine temprement (like me!).

Let me now say why I like it.

I first read the picture when I was at school (vague memories of having written a review for this book before, have I?) - and, quite honestly, it is the most beautiful and cleverset thing in the world (bookwise).

Heaens above, if you can't enjoy a book that is so obviously about pleasure (in a very Epicurean, spiritual way, ye moral detractors, mark you!), what are you doing engaging in the Epicurean pleasure of reading at all? Give up! You do not have a soul to be corrupted!