The Letters of Oscar Wilde

One of Oscar Wilde’s wishes was that he be talked about 100 years after his death. Well, his wish has been granted. November 30 marked the centenary of the writer’s passing at the age of 46. To commemorate this anniversary, his grandson Merlin Holland in conjunction with the late Rupert Hart-Davis has published The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde, spanning his years as a student at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen to his death in 1900. As Holland points out in the Introduction, “To read his letters, particularly those written to intimate friends without thought of publication, is as close as we shall come to the magic of hearing him in person.” The book is available through Henry Holt publishers ($45.00). ♦