Intentions

Oscar Wilde

Summary

Originally published in 1891 when Wilde was at the height of his form, these brilliant essays on art, literature, criticism, and society display the flamboyant poseur’s famous wit and wide learning. A leading spokesman for the English Aesthetic movement, Wilde promoted "art for art’s sake" against critics who argued that art must serve a moral purpose. On every page of this collection the gifted literary stylist admirably demonstrates not only that the characteristics of art are "distinction, charm, beauty, and imaginative power," but also that criticism itself can be raised to an art form possessing these very qualities.

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish author, playwright and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. He is remembered for his epigrams, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, his plays, as well as the circumstances of his imprisonment and early death.

At the height of his fame and success, while his masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), was still on stage in London, Wilde had the Marquess of Queensberry prosecuted for libel. The Marquess was the father of Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The charge carried a penalty of up to two years in prison. The trial unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his charges and led to his own arrest and trial for gross indecency with other men. After two more trials he was convicted and imprisoned for two years' hard labour. In 1897, in prison, he wrote De Profundis, which was published in 1905, a long letter which discusses his spiritual journey through his trials, forming a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. Upon his release he left immediately for France, never to return to Ireland or Britain. There he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life. He died destitute in Paris at the age of 46.

Available since: 02/23/2018.

Other books that might interest you

The Darkroom Boy

Roger Allen

Roger Allen is one of the dying breed of Fleet Street photographers who has travelled the world taking pictures of royalty, prime ministers, celebrities, war zones, tragedies, bank robberies ... the list is endless. Twice named British Press Photographer of the Year, Rogers tells the story of his 40-year career as a super snapper in his autobiography, The Dark Room Boy. He lives in Guildford, Surrey, and while not still working for the tabloids is on a mission to take pictures of endangered animals most notably orangutans in Borneo

Show book

Great Expectations

Charles Dickens

Considered by many to be Dickens' finest novel, "Great Expectations" traces the growth of the book's narrator, Philip Pirrip (Pip), from a boy of shallow dreams to a man with depth of character.  
From its famous dramatic opening on the bleak Kentish marshes, the story abounds with some of Dickens' most memorable characters. Among them are the kindly blacksmith Joe Gargery, the mysterious convict Abel Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Haversham and her beautiful ward Estella, Pip's good-hearted room-mate Herbert Pocket and the pompous Pumblechook.  
As Pip unravels the truth behind his own 'great expectations' in his quest to become a gentleman, the mysteries of the past and the convolutions of fate through a series of thrilling adventures serve to steer him towards maturity and his most important discovery of all — the truth about himself.
 
An Author's Republic audio production.

Show book

Bark M For Murder

J. A. Jance, Virginia Lanier,...

Bestselling and award-winning mystery writers set the hounds on the killers’ trail—in an incomparable quartet of crime stories with a canine edge.  
 
New York Times–bestselling author J.A. Jance provides a spellbinding saga of a scam-busting septuagenarian and her two golden retrievers. Anthony Award-winner and Agatha and Edgar Award finalist Virginia Lanier’s thrilling tale features bloodhounds and bloody murder. Edgar and Anthony nominee Chassie West’s suspenseful stunner is about a life-saving German shepherd and a ghastly forgotten crime. And Lee Charles Kelley, author of the series starring criminologist-turned-dog trainer Jack Field, offers an edge-of-your-seat yarn that pits an ex-cop kennel owner and a yappy toy poodle against a craven killer. 
 
Man’s (and woman’s) best friends take the lead in this phenomenal collection of tales tense and surprising, humorous and thrilling. 
 
Praise for the contributors 
 
“One of the best mystery writers in North America.” —Ottawa Citizen on J.A. Jance 
 
“Lanier skillfully juggles multiple mysteries, and her bloodhounds are always endearing.” —Booklist on Virginia Lanier 
 
“West creates characters so warm, wonderful, and delightfully quirky.” —Janet Evanovich on Chassie West 
 
“Action aplenty, and lots of humor.” —Bookloons on Lee Charles Kelley

Show book

Eden's Story - Thrown Away...

Louise Allen, Theresa McAvoy

Ashley is a young single mum raising her daughter, Eden, and working hard to do the very best job she can - until one night she can't find a babysitter and makes the decision to leave Eden home alone for a couple of hours, asleep inside a wardrobe. It is an action that begins a terrible downward spiral for both of them.When Eden arrives at experienced foster carer Louise Allen's home, she has entered the care system because her mother is in prison. Eden is five years old and will not speak to any human. She begins exhibiting some other disturbing behaviours alongside the mutism, too, including torturing the family pets she loves. This eventually leads Louise to discover the pain and tragic reality behind Eden's Story.

Show book

A Foray Into Hollywood

Robert Baker

Foray Into Hollywood is a captivating memoir that takes you on a journey through the life of Robert, a man who went from a small town in South Carolina to the bustling streets of Hollywood. In this book, you'll get an inside look at Robert's life as he chased his dreams of making it big in the entertainment industry.
With vivid detail and candid storytelling, Robert shares the ups and downs of his journey, from his humble beginnings to his rise to fame in New York and Los Angeles. You'll get a glimpse into the hard work, dedication, and perseverance it takes to achieve your goals in the cutthroat world of entertainment.
But this book isn't just about the serious side of Hollywood. Robert also shares the fun and lighthearted moments, as well as the incredible people he met along the way. You'll hear stories of wild parties, chance encounters with celebrities and the friendships that made it all worthwhile.
For anyone who has ever dreamed of making it big in Hollywood, Foray Into Hollywood is a must-read. It's a tale of determination, passion, and the power of following your dreams. Join Robert on his journey and get inspired to make your own dreams a reality. Foray Into Hollywood is a captivating memoir that takes you on a journey through the life of Robert, a man who went from a small town in South Carolina to the bustling streets of Hollywood. In this book, you'll get an inside look at Robert's life as he chased his dreams of making it big in the entertainment industry.

Show book

Gentlemen Bankers - The World of...

Susie J. Pak

This account of the Morgan family’s social and economic circles and Wall Street’s unspoken rules “greatly enriches our understanding of the entire era.” —The Wall Street Journal 
 
Gentlemen Bankers investigates the social and economic circles of one of America’s most renowned and influential financiers to uncover how the Morgan family’s power and prestige stemmed from its unique position within a network of local and international relationships. 
 
At the turn of the twentieth century, private banking was a personal enterprise in which business relationships were a statement of identity and reputation. In an era when ethnic and religious differences were pronounced and anti-Semitism was prevalent, Anglo-American and German-Jewish elite bankers lived in their respective cordoned communities, seldom interacting with one another outside the business realm. Ironically, the tacit agreement to maintain separate social spheres made it easier to cooperate in purely financial matters on Wall Street. But as Susie Pak demonstrates, the Morgans’ exceptional relationship with the German-Jewish investment bank Kuhn, Loeb & Co., their strongest competitor and also an important collaborator, was entangled in ways that went far beyond the pursuit of mutual profitability. 
 
Delving into the archives of many Morgan partners and legacies, Gentlemen Bankers draws on never-before published letters and testimony to tell a closely focused story of how economic and political interests intersected with personal rivalries and friendships among the Wall Street aristocracy during the first half of the twentieth century.

Show book