The Short Stories of Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde's stories continue to delight and challenge us today, just as they did his contemporaries. The pleasure of reading them is further enhanced by Nicholas Frankel's informative and often fascinating annotations. This is a splendid volume. -- Stephen Arata, University of Virginia This carefully chosen selection brings together some of Oscar Wilde's most beautiful and haunting stories. Frankel expertly relates Wilde's tales to the author's Irish heritage and to the lively scene of Victorian publishing, providing a fascinating account of the material history of the books and periodicals in which they first appeared. -- Stefano Evangelista, University of Oxford Nicholas Frankel's Introduction and notes open up new contexts and rich complications that make this new edition of the short stories of Oscar Wilde essential reading-and indeed rereading. -- Kate Hext, University of Exeter Although Oscar Wilde's literary reputation rests mainly on his plays and essays, he was also the author of a passel of great short stories, ranging from the acerbic 'Lord Arthur Savile's Crime' to the delicate and heartbreaking 'The Happy Prince,' which brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. Edited with thoughtful precision by Nicholas Frankel and replete with beautiful illustrations, The Short Stories of Oscar Wilde will delight Wilde's admirers. For those reading his work for the first time, it will prove revelatory. -- David Leavitt A perfect selection of Oscar Wilde stories, with superb annotations by Nicholas Frankel who is one of the most astute, perceptive, and knowledgeable writers on Wilde. -- Colm Toibin