The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray has become one of the most widely read and influential books ever written.

It reveals the astounding range, subtlety, artistry, and depth of thought of a true literary genius, Oscar Wilde.

Published in hundreds of editions and translated into virtually every modern language, it has not been out of print since 1890.

? Contains extended historical context and a critical essay: Fateful Days: A Cultural and Historical Perspective of Oscar Wilde, by Philip Dossick.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of Oscar Wilde's genuine masterpieces; a fascinating work of artistry deserving of the label in a thousand different ways. It can be found on countless lists of the finest literary works of all time, and is one of his major achievements.

Brimming with powerful homoerotic imagery and symbolism, its intensity sustained by roguish irony and moments of exquisite beauty, Wilde's masterpiece is one of the most profoundly debauched creations in literary history. It has thrilled readers for over one hundred years.

As Publisher's Weekly noted, "The Picture of Dorian Gray categorically changed Victorian Britain and the landscape of literature. An ostentatious, self-confessed aesthete, known for his wit and intellect, Wilde not only had to endure his prose being labeled "poisonous" and "vulgar," but also suffer its use as evidence in his ensuing trial, resulting in his eventual imprisonment for crimes of "gross indecency."

OSCAR WILDE (1854-1900) was an Irish poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, and short story writer. He is perhaps best known for Salome, The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, De Profundis, The Ballad of Reading Gaol, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. He is considered a literary colossus, and a central figure in the development of the modern novel.

PHILIP DOSSICK is the New York Times critically acclaimed writer and director of the motion picture The P.O.W. He has written for television, including the outstanding drama, Transplant, produced by David Susskind for CBS. His most recent books include Aztecs: Epoch Of Social Revolution, Sex And Dreams, Mark Twain In Seattle, The Naked Citizen: Notes On Privacy In The Twenty-First Century, Raymond Chowder And Bob Skloot Must Die, The Deposition, Vincent Van Gogh: Madness And Magic, Abraham Lincoln: 5 Speeches that Changed America, Martin Luther King: 5 Speeches that Changed America, and Nelson Mandela: 5 Speeches that Changed South Africa.