The Happy Prince and Other Stories (Puffin Classics)

by Oscar Wilde

Book Overview

Oscar Wilde's fairy tales are some of his most elegant and charming pieces of writing. He produced two books of fairy tales -- THE HAPPY PRINCE AND OTHER TALES, and A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES . They've... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0141327790
• ISBN13: 9780141327792
• Release Date: November 2009
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful piece of literature!

I am a big fan of Oscar Wilde, and this just proves even more how wonderful a writer he is. These stories are for the young and the old. You will laugh and cry. Wilde writes them in such simplicity that they are absolutely wonderful. I personally cried at the end of the story "The Happy Prince" and came very close to doing so for a good number of the other ones. Don't just think that these are sappy kiddy stories though because there is also a great deal of Wilde wit and sarcasm in them. You can't help but smile and laugh. This is really one of those books to share with your friends.

There is always some salvation

In these tales, most of them being sad and even very sad, Oscar Wilde looks for a way to save one's soul in front of the misery of the world. Anyone in society who lives in the upper classes does not necessarily see the ugliness and suffering of the world when one looks at the lower classes. But in these tales the Happy Prince, or the Selfish Giant, or any other character will manage to get salvation out of their upper class blindness, by opening their eyes to misery and suffering and by doing what they can to repair these pains and evils because they will realise they have to feel responsible for the world, because they are more powerful and could easily impose their selfish rule. But the giant will discover nature, if not God, punishes him for his selfishness. The nightingale will try to redeem a young student by giving him a red rose in a season when read roses do not bloom. And yet the student will not get the love he wants because he is nothing but a non-entity for the girl he would like to be loved by. There is also a very sad note in A Devoted Friend and how friendship can become a mask for selfishness, a nice appearance for an ugly and egoistic attitude. Those tales are sad and at the same time they convey a moral full of hope. All is not lost if the Happy Prince can give away his happiness for those who suffer, even if later the powerful of his society will reject him when he does not look happy and beautiful any moreDr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

THE HAPPY PRINCE

THIS BOOK CONTAINS MANY STORIES BUT THE BEST IS THE HAPPY PRINCE.ILIKED IT BECAUSE IT'S OF A PRINCE WHO SACRIFICES EVERYTHING TO THE POOR PEOPLE. I THING EVERY CHILD SHOULD READ AND ENJOY THIS BOOK! THANKS

The best!

This is the best book I've ever read.It is great for children as well as for grown ups,who shouldn't forget that they were children once too.

wonderfully fanciful

I remember this book from my childhood. I had my parents read each story to me over and over. When I learned how to read I read this book until the pages fell out. In short it is a great book that encourages youthful imaginations. And, it makes for great bedtime stories. A real classic. I bought it for my children.