The Picture of Dorian Gray
By Oscar Wilde
Modern Library
$12.50, 3 hours
ISBN 0679432108
Oscar Wilde, new again
Review by Sukey Howard
A walk on the Wilde side will guarantee classy, classic entertainment. I can recommend Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, narrated with the appropriate disdainful elegance by Robert Strane, without any reservations -- it's fabulous. I read this novel that shocked and scandalized Victorian society and saw the movie version years ago, but somehow the audio presentation brings a new sense of intimacy and immediacy that is very special. Even Lord Harry's celebrated epigrammatic quips and observations on life and art seem fresher and more bitingly funny. Quentin Crisp, in his inimitable fashion, adds an informative intro that allows you to listen with an enhanced critical ear.
Sukey Howard reports on spoken word audio each month. Don't miss her appearances on CNN, where she is their regular audio reviewer. Catch Sukey on Sunday, July 21 on the morning show, 8:30 a.m. EST.
©1996, ProMotion, inc.
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