The Ballad of Reading Gaol

There were no problems with the store. The story tales did not seem to be written for children. Several had sad endings and the vocabulary used is above and beyond most children's comprehension. Again, the store did a great job, this was my misunderstanding about Oscar Wilde's writings.

Oscar Wild was the little boy who said, "The Emperor is naked!" As much as such little boys deserve to be heard, they're a thorn in society's flesh. In those days, such "little boys" didn't fare very well, and were pushed into the fringes. Vincent Von Gogh was one such little boy, whom the establishment of his time would have been the better for listening to, and we know what happened to him. The same could be said about Oscar Wild.

I first read this collection of short stories when I was about 18, and they delighted me. My favorite was, and still is, The Selfish Giant, which has been made more than once into a short animated film, and more recently into a feature length movie.

He did know his theology, but also how to apply it. He knew how to see past all the religious trappings, and see the heart of the One it's all about. And he does it with a the style of a storyteller with a sense of humour.

I totally agree with all the other reviewers but want to add - which is why I am adding my recommendation here - my admiration for Anton Lesser's narration which I first heard on radio and was wonder struck.

I also have the Gielgud version of the stories on 2 CDs from Nimbus - and while Gielgud can't be touched in Shakespeare, where he did much and many fine readings for Caedmon (Harper-Collins as it is now) but Anton Lesser is far more accomplished in these simple direct tales. I also think the music selections are more appropriate - in particular the choice of Tchaikovsky's broken heart music from his Serenade for Strings mirrors sensitively the story of the golden hearted prince.

Long practice and hard work conveying and bringing to life the Victorian world of Charles Dickens' novels and characters has burnished his voice and characterisations across a wide range so he can fearlessly and effortlessly bring out the different voices in Oscar Wilde's tales. All this experience in simple direct story telling pays off handsomely.

Above all this, there is in Lesser's voice a burning sincerity, and enthusiasm in his narration, whereas Gielgud seems to me to be rather veiled and reticent - even distant and disinterested. Certainly there is a far greater tone of commitment in Lesser's work.

This version is the one to get - and its down to the art and artistry of Anton and the genius of Oscar. Totally enchanting.

A wonderful set of fairy tales for kids or adults alike! Each tale is a gem onto itself: deep and moving, yet deeply simple at the same time. These truly are children's stories, but they're written with Wilde's trademark wit, and the solemnity that comes with age. Stories like "The Selfish Giant" and "The Nightingale and the Rose" are timeless and will forever.

The Happy Prince consists of 5 tales:

The Happy Prince: A statue of a prince asks a bird friend to deliver precious gems on his body to people who are in need in the town so that they may survive and in turn is deemed to be no longer beautiful.

The Nightingale and the Rose: A Nightingale makes the ultimate sacrifice in the form of a song so that a a boy may win the heart of a maiden.

The Selfish Giant: A grumpy giant closes his courtyard off to children so Spring refuses to come back leaving Winter to constantly blunder him. This one has a very bizarre ending in my opinion.

The Devoted Friend: A friend accepts a small favor and is expected to do entirely too much in return.

The Remarkable Rocket: A rocket (firecracker) who is quite arrogant ends up being the bottom of the bunch.

Wilde's writing was remarkable and a pleasure to read. The tone, the setting, and above all, the language is just perfect. This is definitely a collection that should be read to any child too young to play violent computer games! Beautiful stories with classic lessons.

Essential for any lover of great poetry, and certainly for any fan of Oscar Wilde is his great poem, "The Ballad of Reading Gaol." Scarcely the only thing he wrote after his return from his notorious 2-year prison term, The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a moving and tragic account of one man's suffering. One could go on and on - writing hundreds of pages in essay form - about the indignities and injustices of prison life, but this goes toward saying it much better than any ivory tower intellectual argument ever could. Wilde, winner of the infamous Newdigate Prize For Poetry at Oxford University, had long been an immaculate poet - an a born writer - but he practically anandoned the form after his marriage and the start of his career as a playwright in the early 1890's (aside from that strange amalgram of a poem, The Sphinx.) And yet, this is almost exclusively the only thing Wilde wrote after his release before his untimely death in 1900. Thankfully, the great artist went out with a bang. The Ballad fuses some of the best and clearest writing I have ever read in the English language with a poetic sensibility and a true and tragic sense of real suffering, thereby creating one of the great poems of all-time.
Many anthologies of Wilde's writings are available, and perhaps buying a book that simply includes this lone poem is questionable. I definitely suggest that you go for a Complete Works if you are new to the author; however, if you'd like a travel-worthy copy of certain smaller works - such as this poem - then editions such as this will serve you well. Besides, this edition has as well those beautiful paintings to go along with it - something I'm sure Oscar himself would've loved.

A heart-warming tale about little Swallow who has been separated from his flock, which has flown down to Egypt, befriends a magnificent golden statue in an unnamed Northern European city, and bejewelled statue, and the statue asks the Swallow to take his jewels and use them to help the poor of the city.

Beautifully written some magnificent passages which describe Egypt through the eyes of the Swallow:

" All the next day he sat on the Prince's shoulder, and told him the stories of what he had seen in strange lands. He told him of the red ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile, and catch goldfish in their beaks; of the Sphinx, who is as old as the world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows everything. ; Of the merchants who walk slowly by the side of their camels and carry amber beads in their hands; of the King of the Mountains of the Moon, who is as black as ebony, and worships a large crystal; of the great green snake that sleeps in the palm-tree and has twenty priests to feed it with honey-cakes ; and of the pygmies who sail over the a big lake on large flat leaves and are always at war with the butterflies."

The tale has a particularly poignant and beautiful ending.

This is my favorite short story by Oscar Wilde--author of the gothic horror tale "Picture of Dorian Grey," many outrageously witty Victorian quips, and delightful comedies for the stage. Once a happy prince and then a contented man ruling his people wisely, now all that is left of his beneficence is a gilded statue which overlooks the city. But this is no ordinary statue, for of far greater value than the gold and jewels that honor his memory resides the Soul of the statue--which no one realizes exists. From his lofty perch the compassionate young man witnesses the true conditions of poverty, squalor and thwarted dreams which are rampant beneath his stationary feet. His heart--such as it is--is touched to the core to witness such misery, which he never realized existed during his lifetime.

When a migrating little bird pauses to rest on the statue, the happy prince shares his sadness with him and begs a boon. The kind-hearted sparrow agrees to remove one jewel from the statue and deposit it where the prince has ordained it be left. Each day the bird delays joining his flock, in order to deliver a surprise gift to the neediest of the prince's people. As the bond between prince and bird grows---so closes the window of opportunity to fly south--a sacrifice the bird is willing to make for the sake of the generous prince and the humans who are suffering. Finally it is too late to depart, so the little bird calmly curls up to die at the feet of his friend, the Happy Prince.

There is a little more to the story--which I do not want to spoil for first-time readers, but I freely admit that I can not read this delicate story of unconditional love without tearing up. A morality tale for children of all ages, which demonstrates the virtue of Compassion.

I had forgotten how full of melancholy Wilde's stories are. Always just a hint away from a teardrop.
For some bizarre reason I can hear Stephen Fry, as I read these short gems. His image will forever be bonded with the name of Oscar Wilde.
Often underrated for his work and overrated for his personal scandals, Wilde was a celebrity en vogue of his time.
This Kindle edition has some minor errors including a missing table of contents, but nothing major and it is a good introduction to this authors work.
AVP-UK

This ballad, on capital punishment, should be taught and read by many of us Americans who still live in a country where some of our governments still kill our own citizens. I guess we need the genius of Wilde to tell us in verse the senselessness of government performed killings.

Wilde, who was in Reading Gaol - (prison) - at the time that a man was executed for the murder of his wife, came to know the case well, and followed it while he was there.

Upon his release, he wrote two versions of the ballad, both are contained in this nice volume.

Good to read - powerfully written - and needs more exposure.

The Ballad of Reading Gaol - a poem by Oscar Wilde, written in exile either in Berneval or Dieppe, France, after his release from Reading Gaol (prison) in May of 1897. Its main theme is a cry from the heart against the "hideous procedure" of capital punishment, and still stands to this day as one of the best arguments against a government killing its own citizens.

While in prison, Wilde knew of a prisoner set to be executed, and he wrote two versions of this poem. I purchased the volume because it contained both versions, and I was happy to have read both.

For those with a social conscience, this is a moving read. Not to be missed.

Each of these fantastic fairy tales is a joy onto itself: deep and moving, yet profoundly simple at the same time. These truly are children's stories, but they're written with Wilde's trademark wit, and the gravity that comes with age. Stories like "The Selfish Giant" and "The Nightingale and the Rose" are timeless and will live long past me or you. I've always felt that the best art transcends that gap between youth and adulthood, and the stories in this beautiful little book prove it. You will enjoy each and everyone! Share these with your children and yourself - you'll love them!

The stories include a wide variety of characters and settings, but all share a common thread – love, sacrifice, kindness, and the possible dangers of not having them. On the surface, these may appear as simple fairy tales to a child, but Wilde packed each story with heartfelt meaning. There are tales of true friendship, as seen in The Happy Prince, and false friendship, in The Devoted Friend. The same selfless love and sacrifice that is received with gladness in The Selfish Giant, is sadly spurned in The Nightingale and the Rose. If only the rocket in The Remarkable Rocket had read a few of these tales, his life might have been a great deal happier.

Wilde’s eloquent and poetic writing makes the stories a joy to read out loud. They are an excellent read for any little dreamers or future romantics you may know. However, a word of warning: expect to shed a few tears.

This beautiful story about a little bird and a kind golden statue who wants to help the poor will go straight to your heart. Though written for children, the lyrical, witty prose of Oscar Wilde and the book's message of love and charity can also be enjoyed by adults. I read this book to my little brother and my mother and I had them both crying at the end. It makes a wonderful bedtime story and also a wonderful introduction to classic literature.

The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a searing and tortuous indictment of capital punishment. It questions the meaning and purpose of Justice and of ritual legalized murder under the cloak of laws made by Man. It turns a harsh unremitting spotlight on the horrors and inhumanity of incarceration. Wilde's broken and lacerated heart, far from wrecking his poetic genius, lead him to write with a profound compassion and sensitivity for his fellow prisoners. His suffering and eventual death were brought about because he loved men and was hated by hypocrites. The shame is theirs.

The Ballad of Reading Gaol is truly a fascinating poem. Wilde's valorization of the tragic murderer, "...each man kills the thing he loves... the kindest use a knife because the dead so soon grow cold", provides a poignant commentary on the transience of love. However, this book is marred by what seem to be terrible typos: "But their were those amongst us all..." "And knew that, had each go his due..." "Mad mourners of a corse!" I haven't read any of the other versions of this poem, and can't tell you if they're better, but for the extra money this costs, I expected more from the publisher. Five stars for the poem, but only one for the presentation because of its errors.

Uses Wilde's actual text with dreamy pictures. The text is magnificent; the only reason some illustrators use an abridged version is to keep the attention of young children. I don't think this is necessary - my 2 1/2 yo sits through the entire book and was captivated the moment we got to the part about the prince crying.

This collection makes a wonderful gift for any library. Our children received a copy each, inscribed by their grandmother as a Christmas gift. It will be cherished as an heirloom and passed down through the generations. It contains some terrific classic read-aloud stories, and is very well bound. Beautiful.

Although the editorial reviews do a good job of describing the story and beautiful illustrations, I feel they left out a couple of important details. First, the ending is SAD...the bird dies and the prince's heart breaks in half. And second, the last page talks about God and his angels. This seemed out of place to me as the rest of the book did not have a religious tone. I thought a potential buyer might like to know that.