The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The novel follows the life of a handsome young man who, after having his portrait painted, is upset to realize that the painting will remain beautiful while he ages. After expressing a wish that the painting would age instead of him, he is shocked to find that his wish comes true. As he indulges in a life of hedonism and immoral acts, his portrait becomes increasingly grotesque, reflecting the damage his actions have on his soul. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of vanity, selfishness, and the pursuit of pleasure without regard for consequences.
The 104th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1890
- Nationality
- British
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- The page count can vary depending on the edition, but it is typically in the range of 220 to 320 pages.
- Words
- 78,000
- Original Language
- English
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This book is on the following lists:
- 5th on Top 50 Irish Novels (James Joyce Center with The Irish Times)
- 16th on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 20th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 22nd on 100 Books of Classical and Modern Foreign Literature (The Union of Russian Writers)
- 31st on Big Read (Bulgarian) (Bulgaria)
- 34th on The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (The Observer)
- 40th on The Complete 500: OCLC (OCLC)
- 60th on 100 Essential Books (Bravo! Magazine)
- 118th on The Big Read (BBC)
- 50 Books to Read Before You Die (Barnes and Noble)
- The Best Classics (The Times)
- The Great American Read (PBS)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written (Easton Press)
- The Graphic Canon (Book)
- The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time (Refinery29)
- Best Books Ever (bookdepository.com)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)
- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time (InteliQuest)
- ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher (Die Zeit)
- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers (French literary magazine Transfuge)
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- The 100 Best Books in the World (AbeBooks.de (in German))
- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers (The College Board, an American not-for-profit organization)
- 100 Best Novels Written in English (The Guardian)
- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (Amazon.com (UK))