Book Review – The Fall Of The House Of Wilde

Oscar Wilde and His Family by Emer O’Sullivan (Bloomsbury) ISBN: 9781408863169

Oscar Wilde certainly didn’t come from a conventional family and, in a time of intolerance and rigid moral codes, they were certainly going to attract attention – the wrong kind.

Most books on the Irish icon look at his life in isolation. But by exploring this writer’s life in the biographical context of his family – especially his mother Jane and father William – gives clues into how his life would play out: it seems Oscar’s fate is predestined.

This book looks at the culture, art, and history, as well as the social climate of the time, and will appeal not only to Oscar Wilde fans but anyone who appreciates the influence a writer’s world on his work and his legacy. It is a big book to get through but highly readable.

Meticulously researched, compelling, and vividly described, Emer has added another indispensable viewpoint on the life of one of world’s most famous and notorious writers. She has done her homework and then some. Wilde stuff!

Anthony Ehlers
4/5

 Click to buy at raru.co.za

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