Books Received

87 Some incidental facts about Frank Miles, an artist friend of Oscar-s when both were young, and a few details about Oscar and Bosie during the height of the notorious trials hardly add up to an "unrecorded life." In addition, much of the narrative comes from two of Croft-Cooke·s own books, Bosie: The Story of Lord Alfred Douglas (I963) and Feasting With Panthers (Ι967ΤΓ He is also heavily indebted to Rupert Hart-Davis' edition of The Letters of Oscar Wilde (1962)1 but one can theorize freely about Wilde and support almost any opinion with material found in his extensive correspondence. Croft-Cooke obviously wanted to get at the real Wilde, to paint him warts and all. Wilde, however, despite his grandiose faults and objectionable vices, was more of a man and writer than CroftCooke makes him out to be. In his attempt to demythologize, to separate facts from fictions, he has produced a portrait of Wilde that occasionally verges on caricature. The Unrecorded Life of Oscar Wilde is a prurient study devoid of wit, sympathy, understanding . One of Wilde's poorest biographers, the notorious Frank Harris, perhaps came closer to the truth when he wrote: "Oscar Wilde's greatest play was his own life. It was a five-act tragedy with Greek implications, and he was its most ardent spectator." St. John's University G. A. Cevasco BOOKS RECEIVED Listing here does not preclude the publication of a review in a future issue of ELT. Publishers receive two copies of the review. Butler, Samuel. The Way of All Flesh, introd by Royal A. Gettmann (NY: Holt, Rinehart &■Winston, nd [introd, c. 1948]). English Criticism in Japan : Essays by Younger Japanese Scholars on English and American Literature, comp and ed by Earl Miner (Tokyos University of Tokyo P, 1972). $15.00 The English Novel in the Nineteenth Century. Essays on the Literary Mediation of Human Values. ed by George Goodin (Chicago, Urbana, Londs University of Illinois P [Illinois Studies in Language and Literature 63, in honor of Royal A. Gettmann], I972). $8.95. Gale, Robert L. Plots and Characters in the Fiction and Narrative Poetry of Herman Melville (Cambridge & Lond: MIT P, I972 [first pub, 1969]7~; Paper: $2.45. Gale , Robert L. Plots and Characters in the Fiction and Sketches of Nathaniel Hawthorne (Cambridge & Lond: MIT.P, 1972 [first pub, 1968J). Paper: $2.45. Gale , Robert L. Plots and Characters in the Fiction of Henry James (Cambridge & Lond: MIT P, 1972 [first pub, 1965]T7 Paper: $2Λ5. Gilbert, Sandra M. Acts of Attentions The Poems of D. H. Lawrence (Ithaca & Lond: Cornell UP, 1972T^ $~10.95. Gissing, George. The Odd Women (NYs Norton [The Norton Library], 1971). Paper7~fl.95. Gissing: The Critical Heritage, ed by Pierre Coustillas and Colin Partridge (Lond & Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1972). $25.00 Knoepflmacher, U. C. Laughter and Despair s Readings in Ten Novels of the Victorian Era (Berkeleys University of California P, 1973 [first pub, I971]). Paper: $2.95. Lane, Arthur E. An Adequate Response : The War Poetry of Wilfred Owen & Siegfried Sassoon (Detroit; Wayne State UP, I972). W795. Lerner, Laurence. The Uses of Nostalgia: Studies in Pastoral Poetry (NY: Schocken Books, 1972). $10.00. Meisel, Perry. Thomas Hardy: The Return of the Repressed: A Study of the Ma.i or Fiction (New Haven & Lond: Yale UP "[JYaIe College Series 12J, 1972). $6.95. Otten, Terry. The Deserted Stage s The Search for Dramatic Form in Nineteenth-Century England (Athens: Ohio UP, 1972). fïï. 50. Peters, Margot. Charlotte Brontë: Style in the Novel (Madison: University of Wisconsin P, 197ΤΠ$10.00. Saveson, John E. Joseph Conrad: The Making of a Moralist (Amsterdam ; Rodopi NV, I972). Silkin, Jon. Out of Battle: The Poetry of the Great War (Lond: Oxford UP, I972). £5.00. Steele, Elizabeth. Hugh Walpole (NY: Twayne [TEAS 120], 1972). Steene, Birgitta. The Greatest Fire : A_ Study of August Strindberg (Carbondale & Edwardsvillè: Southern Illinois UP [Crosscurrents/Modern Critiques]) Lond & Amsterdam: Feffer & Simons, 1973). $5.95. Tiefenbrun, Ruth. Moment of Torment : An Interpretation of Franz Kafka's Short Stories (Carbondale & Edwardsvillè: Southern Illinois UP [Crosscurrents/Modern Critizues]: Lond & Amsterdam: Feffer & Simons, 1973). $5.95. Tindall, William York. The Joyce Country (NY: Schocken Books, 1972...