The Picture of Dorian Gray: Wilde Oscar (Penguin Classics)

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Yes,” continued Lord Henry, “that is one of the great secrets of life – to cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul. You are a wonderful creation. You know more than you think you know, just as you know less than you want to know.” A man who is “…one of those middle-aged mediocrities so common in London clubs who have no enemies, but are thoroughly disliked by their friends…” This machine made prisoners walk continuously uphill for hours on end and had many long-term effects on people's health.

There is no such thing as a good influence, Mr. Gray. All influence is immoral-immoral from the scientific point of view." I think if you familiarise yourself with Oscar Wilde, this becomes a very personal novel, much more than just a disturbing horror story where a man sells his soul. But even without any additional information, I think this is a sad and haunting book that tells of the joyful naivete of youth and the sad wisdom of maturity.Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique: There are only two kinds of people who are fascinating - people who know absolutely everything and people who know absolutely nothing.” This book is a gem! It’s perfection and so quotable that I could probably highlight each and every single passage! No matter how often I read it, there is always something new I didn’t notice before! I still wonder and guess about certain characters and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” still causes me to think. The writing style is so beautiful I can’t help but fall in love with it. I fall in love with this book over and over again. Every time I read it I love it even more and I’m sure that I will adore this masterpiece until I’m wrinkled and old. Except, of course, in the Church. But then in the Church they don't think. A bishop keeps on saying at the age of 80 what he was told to say when he was a boy of eighteen, and as a natural consequence he always looks absolutely delightful". The lad hesitated, and looked over at Lord Henry, who was watching them from the tea-table with an amused smile.

There is much to take away from this book. Themes exploring shallowness, selfishness, superficiality, hedonism, morality, and flaws of life and being human.

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About a hostess introducing her guests: “She either explains them entirely away, or tells one everything about them except what one wants to know.”