Welcome to The Wilde Library - a small, well-upholstered room of the mind where books are neither dusted nor forgiven, only opened.Here we shelve the splendid, the scandalous, and the secretly sincere: comedies that cut like satin, stories that sparkle like poison, and ideas too beautifully dressed to behave. Each episode is an invitation to linger; between wit and wisdom, art and appetite, truth and the far more interesting thing - style.After all, a library is simply a place where other people’s thoughts learn to flirt with your own.
Latest episodes
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10 min
Reviews - Mr. William Morris's Last Book
In which the artful craftsmanship of a finely woven saga transports us to a primitive age replete with romantic verse and noble adventure, wherein the ancient world is vividly rebo…
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25 min
Reviews - Some Literary Notes III
In which the delicate art of poetry is tenderly examined through Miss Nesbit’s enchanting verses that weave love and nature into a graceful tapestry, whilst Mr. Yeats’s nascent gen…
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9 min
Reviews - Mr. Brander Matthews' Essays
In which a discerning critique surveys Mr. Brander Matthews’ varied essays, commending his lively observations on games, language, and humour whilst gently lamenting his misadventu…
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7 min
Reviews - Poetical Socialists
In which the poetical spirit of Socialism is examined through a curious and diverse chorus of voices united by a shared passion for justice and humanity, expressed not so much in l…
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9 min
Reviews - One of the Bibles of the World
In which the grandeur of the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, is unveiled through a spirited exploration of its ancient origins, vivid pagan deities, and enchanting natural ima…
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27 min
Reviews - Some Literary Notes II
In which the delicate art of Irish folk-lore is explored through the vivid and tender accounts of myth and memory, revealing the soul of a people ensconced in dreams and tradition.…
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8 min
Reviews - The New President
In which the qualities of two contrasting artistic presidents, one famed for his fiery originality and the other for his courteous but uninspired prose, are gently examined with a…
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19 min
Reviews - The Gospel According to Walt Whitman
In which the complexity of Walt Whitman’s poetic vision is delicately unfurled, revealing a deliberate rebellion against conventional art forms and a profound engagement with Ameri…
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10 min
Reviews - Poetry and Prison
In which the transformation wrought by confinement upon a poet’s soul is carefully examined, revealing how adversity can infuse verse with profound sincerity and passionate intensi…
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38 min
Reviews - Some Literary Notes I
In which the delicate art of prose and the spirited correspondence of three remarkable Englishwomen paint a vivid tableau of nineteenth-century intellect and society, revealing the…
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13 min
Reviews - Australian Poets
In which the delicate task of examining Australian poetry reveals a landscape both promising and perplexing, where the native flora of verse struggles to blossom amidst the echoes…
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10 min
Reviews - Sir Edwin Arnold's Last Volume
In which a discerning critique laments the excesses of poetical prose, appreciating Sir Edwin Arnold’s picturesque knowledge of India and his elaborate descriptions of the Taj Maha…
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31 min
Reviews - A Note on Some Modern Poets
In which Oscar Wilde delicately considers the recent poetic work of various modern bards, observing their earnest aims, occasional missteps, and the tangible pulse of life behind t…
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13 min
Reviews - The Poets' Corner VIII
In which the gentle art of poetry is examined through the lens of contemporary writers who grapple with themes as diverse as social justice, nature's melancholy hues, and historica…
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25 min
Reviews - A Fascinating Book
In which a learned and charming exploration of the history and artistry of embroidery and lace unfolds, revealing the intricate connections between Eastern influence and Western de…
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12 min
Reviews - The Poets' Corner VII
In which Oscar Wilde delicately dissects diverse poetic efforts, ranging from the fervent passions in Mr. Ian Hamilton's Ballad of Hádji to the formal musings of Mr. George Morine,…
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10 min
Reviews - M. Caro on George Sand
In which a sharply observant critic dissects M. Caro’s biography of George Sand, lamenting its failure to capture the true spirit and intellectual vigour of the author’s genius. Th…
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11 min
Reviews - The Poets' Corner VI
In which the delicate art of poetic critique unfolds amidst spirited verses and earnest endeavours, revealing both the charm and the occasional shortcomings of contemporary poets w…
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24 min
Reviews - Literary and Other Notes V
In which we are invited to a richly woven tapestry of Eastern lives through the memoirs of an Arabian princess, who gracefully challenges the common misconceptions of Oriental woma…
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10 min
Reviews - Venus or Victory
In which the mysterious statue found on Melos is re-examined not as a conventional Venus but rather as a noble Victory Without Wings, inviting us to reconsider ancient artistic int…