The Oscar Wilde who centers Gyles Brandreth's witty but uneven series debut "Oscar Wilde and a Death of No
Importance" certainly sounds like the real-life writer and is accurately, if joshingly, described by narrator Robert Sherrard
as being "as gentle as St. Sebastian and as wise as St. Augustine of Hippo." Yet, perhaps perversely, the novel is so caught
up with Wilde's larger-than-life persona that it doesn't give him much chance to, well, solve a mystery.
That's a shame, for the quotable Oscar, after chancing upon and then running away from the body of a young swain of his acquaintance,
passes the investigative opportunity off to the police. The body disappears and the case grows cold -- leaving the door open
for more quips, more personality development and a lurching, stop-start race to the finish line that eventually reveals nearly
every other character to be of blackened morality and guilty of something.
It's not much of a mystery, but now that Brandreth has a handle on his fictionalized Oscar, perhaps his new book "Oscar Wilde
and a Game Called Murder," due out in September, will give its hero more action than aphorism.
from the
Los Angeles Times
Yes that's fine, and perhaps an interesting read... but don't forget to read the Biography by Ellmann! Which
still is the best Biography that you'll ever find!
I don't read much biography but this one book I actually have read Three Times! Unreal considering I rarely read anything
twice, and I've been reading since I was ten or something!
The thing about Wilde is that he was more interesting than his writing. That's probably true of most great writers, yet with
Mr. Wilde you could actually tell. There is that old saying that Writer's are usually very boring
people! That doesn't surprise me, and it's funny for us 'writers' who never were good enough to get published... which is
most of us!
Laughing at Writers is a time honored activity one in which I hope to see continue!
I read The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Mr. Wilde, when I was much younger... It's a very dry Novel... Wilde was surely a very,
very dry Novelist, he was surely more invigorated by the stage where he could be lionized and perused at his own leisure!
If you are considering reading Wilde for the first time then surely do get this book. The other funny thing is that most
people don't much bother to actually Read Mr. Wilde anymore. Preferring to perhaps focus upon
his tragic demise.
Los Angeles Times Bestsellers
June 1, 2008
One thing that you begin to realize if you live in Los Angeles is that The Los Angeles Times is pretty much the
best paper in the World. It is a shame that the work of The Los Angeles Times isn't as respected as say The New York Times,
Wall Street Journal or even The Washington Post.
Here then is The Los Angeles Times' Booklist. I do enjoy the New York Times Book Review on Sunday for sure, still The Book
Review in The Los Angeles Times may not be as thick as New Yorks but it is very intuitive, in a way that you simply can't
find anywhere else.
I Hope that You enjoy these Selections from this noted Section!
1. Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey (Harper: $26.95) Lives intertwine across Los Angeles.
3. The Host by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown: $25.99) A woman refuses to give in to alien invaders who take over the minds,
but not the bodies, of humans.
1. Audition by Barbara Walters (Knopf: $29.95) The pioneering newswoman recalls her bold-face career and her life.
14. The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $22) A marriage is challenged when the husband's
former male lover returns.
4. The Soloist by Steve Lopez (Putnam: $25.95) The L.A. Times columnist befriends a mentally ill homeless musician.
6. Phantom Prey by John Sandford (Putnam: $26.95) A wealthy widow returns home to find her hallway covered in blood and her
Goth daughter missing.
5. A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs (St. Martin's: $24.95) An exploration of a terrifying relationship between father
and son.
11. The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich (Harper: $25.95) A North Dakota family's murder reverberates through four generations.
6. Just Who Will You Be? by Maria Shriver (Hyperion: $14.95) Ask who, not what, you want to be.
12. Lush Life by Richard Price (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $26) The layered lives of victims and aggressors are explored after
a Manhattan shooting.
8. The Downhill Lie by Carl Hiaasen (Knopf: $22) The writer describes his return to the beguiling and exasperating game of
golf after 32 years.
13. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Viking: $25.95) A rare-books expert traces the history of a priceless Jewish tome
to 15th century Spain.
15. Surf Is Where You Find It by Gerry Lopez (Patagonia: $29.95) The master surfer profiles dozens of people who have influenced
the sport.
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