Book Description
Vilified by fellow Victorians for his sexuality and his dandyism, Oscar Wilde, the great poet, satirist and playwright, is hailed today, in some circles, as a "progressive" sexual liberator. But this is not how Wilde saw himself. His actions and pretensions did not bring him happiness and fulfillment. This study of Wilde’s brilliant and tragic life goes beyond the mistakes that brought him notoriety in order to explore this emotional and spiritual search. Unlike any other biography of Wilde, it strips away these pretensions to show the real man, his aspirations and desires. It uncovers how he was broken by his two-year prison sentence; it probes the deeper thinking behind masterpieces such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and "De Profundis"; and it traces his fascination with Catholicism through to his eleventh-hour conversion. Published on the 150th anniversary of his birth, this biography removes the masks which have confused previous biographers and reveals the real Wilde beneath the surface. Once again, Joseph Pearce has written a profound, wide-ranging study with many original insights on a great literary figure.

From the Publisher
In his new book, Joseph Pearce asserts that the great poet, satirist, and playwright Oscar Wilde is as misunderstood today as he was in his own time. Vilified by his fellow Victorians for his sexuality and dandyism, these days he is hailed as a sexual liberator. Yet this is not how Wilde saw himself. His lifestyle and pretenses did not bring him happiness and fulfillment: his art did. And this is where Pearce's search for the man behind the masks is centered. Rather than lingering on the actions that brought him notoriety, Joseph Pearce explores the emotional and spiritual search of this fascinating and complex figure. The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde reveals how his "heart of stone" was broken by his two-year prison sentence, while it probes the deeper implications of his masterpieces. Along with a discussion of The Ballad of Reading Gaol and the posthumously published De Profundis, it also traces his fascination with Catholicism through to his eleventh-hour conversion.

About the Author
Joseph Pearce is the author of numerous acclaimed biographies of major Catholic literary figures. He is a Writer in Residence and Professor of Literature at Ave Maria College in Michigan, Editor-in-Chief of Ave Maria University Communications and Sapientia Press, as well as Co-Editor of the The Saint Austin Review (or StAR), an international review of Christian culture, literature, and ideas published in England by the Saint Austin Press.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Vilified by fellow Victorians for his sexuality and his dandyism, Oscar Wilde, a great poet, satirist and playwright, is hailed today, in some circles, as a "progressive" sexual liberator. But this is not how Wilde saw himself. His actions and pretensions did not bring him happiness and fulfillment. This study of Wilde's brilliant and tragic life goes beyond the mistakes that brought him notoriety in order to explore his emotional and spiritual search. Unlike any other biography of Wilde, Pearce's book strips away these pretensions to show the real man, his aspirations and desires. It uncovers how Wilde was broken by his two-year prison sentence; it probes the deeper thinking behind masterpieces such as The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Salome, The Ballad of Reading Gaol and De Profundis; and it traces Wilde's fascination with Catholicism through to his eleventh-hour conversion. Published on the 150th anniversary of his birth, this biography removes the masks that have confused previous biographers and reveals the real Wilde. Once again, Joseph Pearce has written a profound, wide-ranging study, containing many original insights on a great literary figure. With the popularity of recent major motion pictures based on Wilde's plays The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband, this acclaimed book is sure to garner wide interest.

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