This is the best biography of Wilde I have read. Less subjective than Harris',yet much more fascinating than others McKenna weaves Oscar's poems and other works through the book showing how his sexuality, passions and character went into his work. McKenna has had access to some very personal letters and documents and at no time do you doubt that is a factual account of his life and feelings with so much evidence to support it. A very enjoyable read and in fact, a page turner

A fascinating look at the social climate of Oscar Wilde's time, when you could actually get imprisoned for being homosexual. It describes the rise and fall of one of the world's wittiest writers from an angle that the other biographies tend to skim over and it shows another, much more vulnerable side to this formidable man. It took me a lot shorter than i expected to get through this one!

Author Neil McKenna illustrates the brilliant Victorian artist unconditionally and divulges the aft shaded truths of Wilde's life that helped to sculpt his art. Through rigorous, painstaking research, obvious passion, uncensored truth, possible reverence and beautiful storytelling, McKenna makes an authentic, human portrait of an literary and cultural icon. His historical compilation and connections bring brilliant new definition to Wilde's art as well as his impact. The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde is as much a real, heart-wrenching tale of a tragically misunderstood artist as it is a fascinating historical exposition of Oscar Wilde and Victorian culture. This book compels the soul through real experiences and offers a flesh-and-blood connection and inspiration that aspiring and, especially, lost artists will cherish.

I swear, Mr. Wilde was born over a hundred years too early! He would have thrived in 2012- Paraded around as the poster child for GLAD, gay marriage, literary work, and his unparalleled wit, intelligence, fashion sense, and handsome factor.

Rereading this brilliant book by Neil McKenna, I was struck by one overriding thought: just how unpleasant a person Oscar Wilde was. The way he treated his wife and children was nothing short of disgraceful. While his use of young men and boys - many of them 14 and 15 years-old and from impoverished backgrounds - for his own sexual gratification was scandalous. Wilde himself acknowledged this when he told one friend: 'I used to take up a boy, love him "passionately" and then grow bored with him, and often take no notice of him. That is what I regret in my past life.' All heroes have feet of clay. And no one should be punished and put in jail for having consensual sex - of whatever kind - with someone who is above the age of consent. But for a rich, powerful man in his 40s to be sleeping with 15 and 16 year-old page boys and grooms leaves a bad taste. One that is not washed away by the occasional witty epigram or beautiful sonnet. The word love is used often throughout the book, especially in regards to the feelings Wilde and Douglas had for each other. To McKenna, it was a pure and perfect idealised form; Wilde called it beautiful and noble. But even this is undermined by the personalities of both men, Douglas in particular: arrogant, vain, conceited, hot-headed, spendthrift, cruel, he was an even more objectionable figure than Wilde. I don't doubt the sincerity of the feelings. But there was a lot of intellectualising and poeticising of lust into something higher and more spiritual. When in fact what it really came down to - as McKenna concedes - was often carnality and licentiousness. Having said all this, what Wilde experienced in prison was nothing short of barbaric.

Boy, he was unusual, different, strange and sometimes weird, but apparently pretty well liked. Interesting.

amusing, bosie is a little snit. unintentionally so, for both.

I wasn´t into reading Biographies but my opinion has changed since I read this one about the Flamboyant and genius Oscar Wilde! Really enjoyable reading despite the sad end he had!

Entertaining and reminiscent of a tell-all biography of a modern rock star. Wilde himself comes across as the rock star of his era surrounded by groupies. In many ways it is more a history of the underground culture of men who loved men, especially those of an artistic bent who surrounded Wilde, than a straightforward biography. At times it goes off on great tangents on history not related directly to the main characters. McKenna knows the cultural context well.

As biography it speculates wildly, maybe this is necessary given his focus on the necessarily private and hidden sex lives of these Victorian men.

It is well-paced and entertaining. There is a tell-all voyeuristic quality to the book in places, and if you ever found yourself wondering what Oscar Wilde's favorite sexual positions were, this is the book for you. If you don't really feel the need to know who enjoyed doing what with which body part among the series of lovers and playthings in Wilde's life, you may have a sense of TMI with this book.

That said, as I continue to read about these historic personages, I keep coming back to things that I learned in this book. There is quite a bit more to it than it might seem on first read through.

The contents of this book were interesting but the writing was so horrendous that it was difficult to enjoy.

Dnf after 160 pages.

I just can’t. There is so much speculation and conjecture here that doesn’t hold up, as well as factual mistakes - and then I reached the interpretation of “Dorian Gray” that uses phrases like “spiritual sodomy” and just couldn’t take it any longer. I deserve to read better books than this, and so do you.

I did like the bits about the gay culture of the time, but the more I read the more I was losing trust in the author, so even that didn’t make up for the rest.

A highly readable biography of the man and writer which puts his sexuality centre stage - which is essentially what the man himself did! Other - more 'authoritative' biographies like Rich Ellmann's - tend to gloss over Wilde's sexuality.

There is an occasional tendency to speculate but this is an essential book on Wilde.