Name: The Happy Prince
Rating: 3.925 (90 reviews)
ISBN: 9780133840575

Oscar Wilde

Gilbert Riswold

The Happy Prince

A beautiful, golden, jewel-studded statue and a little swallow give all they have to help the poor.

from the fairy tale

The happy prince

I love everything Oscar Wilde, this was a beautiful, deeply written short story.

Ester Waclavova

Sarah Sammis

The version of The Happy Prince and Other Stories I read is a Penguin 60s and only has half the stories of the original collection: "The Happy Prince", "The Young King", "The Devoted Friend" and "The Model Millionaire." The longer collection also includes: "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Remarkable Rocket", "The Birthday of the Infanta", "The Star-Child" and "The Fisherman and His Soul." As I have not read these stories, my review won't include them except to say, I'm glad I read a short version because the four I read were pretty tedious reading.

I have read other Oscar Wilde works and have enjoyed them for their wit and humor but these stories that are something between a fairy tale and a parable were rather dull reads. The only I really enjoyed was "The Model Millionaire" which I'm sure was originally from a different short story collection. The Model Millionaire, while it contains a lesson like the other three, is still aimed at an adult audience and the moral comes in a true shaggy-dog story fashion.

The other three seem to be about the importance of self sacrifice and the futility of doing good works but they are told in such a heavy handed fashion that I wanted to toss the thin book across the room on a number of occasions. As the book is only 60 pages long, I decided to persevere and finish the damn thing before I tossed it.

heleen de boever

As a child, this tore me apart. Still does, really.

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. 'Dear Prince, I must leave you, but I will never forget you, and next spring I will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of those you have given away. The ruby shall be redder than a red rose, and the sapphire shall be as blue as the great sea.' In 'The Happy Prince' a statue - jewelled and opulent - keeps careful watch over the city and its inhabitants. Enlisting the help of a swallow, his selfless acts bring comfort to those most in need. 'The Nightingale and the Rose' is a tragic tale of personal sacrifice in the name of love, while in 'The Selfish Giant' the end of an eternal winter finally brings springtime and happiness. In this collection of enchanting tales from a master storyteller, Oscar Wilde has entranced readers both young and old since publication in the late nineteenth century.

The Happy Prince and Other Stories

Sophie

The richness of Oscar Wilde's way with words and ideas is given full range in this sparkling collection of short stories written between 1887 and 1891. From the comic tales of The Canterville Ghost and Lord Arthur Savile's Crime to the marvelous fairy stories and fantasies of The Selfish Giant, The Happy Prince and The Star Child, we are treated to the extravagance and dexterity of Wilde's exceptional wit, in stories that will appeal to both adults and children. Beautifully illustrated by Wilde's fellow decadent and aestheticist, the inimitable Aubrey Beardsley, this Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Happy Prince & Other Stories also features an afterword by author David Stuart Davies.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Raye Parker

Short stories aren’t really my thing and I only read them because they by Oscar Wilde so it’s not surprising I didn’t really enjoy this book.

The happy prince and other tales

Sam Pulliam

I really like Oscar Wilde and this collection of short stories is no different. Each story has to do with themes of privilege, selfishness, and the importance of helping others when you are in a position to. My favorite is either "The Devoted Friend" or "The Selfish Giant."

The Happy Prince

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