The Happy Prince

By Oscar Wilde

Playwright, poet, essayist, flamboyant man-about-town, Oscar Wilde pack an astonishing amount of work, genius, and controversy into two short decades, producing masterworks in every literary genre. This selection includes almost all of his short stories, including "The Canterville Ghost," "The Fisherman and his Soul," and "The Remarkable Rocket."

Alongside THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE, Harper Perennial will publish the short fiction of Fyodor Dostoevsky, Herman Melville, Willa Cather, Leo Tolstoy, and Stephen Crane to be packaged in a beautifully designed, boldly colorful boxset in the aim to attract contemporary fans of short fiction to these revered masters of the form. Also, in each of these selections will appear a story from one of the new collections being published in the "Summer of the Short Story." A story from Simon Van Booy's forthcoming collection, LOVE BEGINS IN WINTER, will be printed at the back of this volume.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 28, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061924385

Oscar Wilde

OSCAR WILDE (Dublín, 1854–París, 1900), poeta y dramaturgo irlandés, es considerado uno de los más célebres escritores en lengua inglesa de todos los tiempos, tanto por su provocadora personalidad como por su obra. Escribió relatos y novelas, como El retrato de Dorian Gray, poemas como el desgarrador La balada de la cárcel de Reading, y fue enormemente popular en el Londres victoriano por su exitosa producción teatral, como La importancia de llamarse Ernesto, y por su ingenio mordaz y brillante conversación.

Reviews for The Happy Prince

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the first 'movies' I watched (something like four decades ago) which immediately compelled me to seek out the book. After reading this story, I've gradually tried to get around to reading everything by Wilde. And though he's done a lot of diverse stuff, I've really enjoyed most of what I've read so far.

[altheaann · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Much as I love Wilde; this is not one of my favorite fairy tales. Its moralizing tone and theme of self-sacrifice/martyrdom may seem surprising to anyone familiar with Wilde's character. Overall, it just feels a bit saccharin and flat. It's OK, but it has none of the incisive wit that Wilde's better writing displays.

[angieshere · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This children's book is one of the most beautiful book I've ever read. I made the mistake of reading it aloud to a 5th grade class once--bit hard to do when your voice cracks as you are trying not to cry.

[junemermaid · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Seldom does a children’s tale capture the depth and beauty of the human spirit, nor does it so vividly expose its cruelty and indifference, as masterfully as Oscar Wilde’s tale The Happy Prince. Remarkably simple and utterly moving. A must read for those wishing to teach children, of all ages, the meaning of true happiness.