Dorian Gray - no. 46

A Bantam Classic (1982)

Price: a gift from Friend 2; inside pencil suggests it was sold for $3.

History: Friend 2 returned from America with three rather lovely presents for me.

Look: This copy is distractingly unremarkable - just a photo of it's author on the cover, with the tell-tale words "and Other Writings", it just reeks of "cheap edition". And then...

Introductions/appendices: ...its introduction is written by Richard Ellerman, who wrote the definitive biographical tome on Oscar Wilde. This alone gives it extra spangly value - and again, I have no time to review this introduction now, but I read and enjoyed it.

This edition also contains the Ballad, Lady Windamere, Ideal Husband, Earnest and a new translation of Salome. An interesting idea, but even this can't save it from almost total awfulness. I adore Salome, but as far as I'm concerned, the original line:

One would fancy she were looking for dead things

and the new translation:

She might be seeking for the dead.

are more or less equally bad.

Captured: ?-8-10

Dorian Gray - no 45.

Penguin Classics 2010

Price: a gift from Friend 2; back indicates it was $6.99, reduced to $4.99

History: Friend 2 returned from America with three rather lovely presents for me.

Look: This is the best of the three covers, a very punchy cartoon-style youth with a cold, savage expression. It's simplicity - three colours, line drawing - is eyecatching and alluring. Dark blue isn't a colour I'd associate with the book, but it works marvellously. A favourite design.

Introductions/appendices:
Short biography and chronology, plus a facimile of the original front page - nothing worth writing about.

Captured: ?-8-10