The Picture of Dorian Gray

After two years of doing an English literature degree I was tired of being told which books to read. So this holiday I decided I would read books that I had chosen. I started off with ones that could possibly be useful for my degree (Charles Dickens and Martin Amis) but did not enjoy them, so I went back to a trusted favourite of mine: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

I first read this book when I was in sixth form and immediately fell in love with Wilde's writing style. He manages to combine wit with beautiful prose to create such a brilliant novel which questions beauty, vanity and morals.

My tattered copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray

Matthew Bourne's ballet is a fantastic representation of Wilde's novel

"Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things 

are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.

Those who fine beautiful meanings in beautiful things

 are the cultivated. For these there is hope."

Oscar Wilde