The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

Recommended By

Book Reviews

This book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf.

Book Synopsis

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde is a classic novel that delves into the themes of morality, art, and the corrupting influence of society.

The story revolves around the handsome and wealthy Dorian Gray, who becomes enthralled by his own portrait painted by the talented artist, Basil Hallward. Faced with the fear of aging and losing his beauty, Dorian makes a pact that allows his portrait to age and reflect the consequences of his actions instead.

As Dorian indulges in a hedonistic and immoral lifestyle, his portrait begins to transform, revealing the hideous effects of his debauchery. Meanwhile, his youthful appearance remains untouched, causing him to lead a double life.

Throughout the novel, Wilde explores the conflicting desires for eternal youth and the pursuit of pleasure. Dorian's transformation from innocent youth to immoral hedonist highlights the destructive nature of vanity and selfishness.

As the tale progresses, Dorian's actions lead to the suffering and downfall of those around him, including Basil and his love interest, the actress Sibyl Vane. The portrait becomes a disturbing reflection of Dorian's soul, representing the consequences of his immoral choices.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is a thought-provoking and elegant literary work that presents a captivating exploration of the human condition, shedding light on the delicate balance between moral responsibility and the pursuit of personal desires.

Explore More Books

See All
The New Leadership Literacies
Healing
Foundation and Earth
Clocks and Culture
The Rosie Project
My Stroke of Insight
The Last Lion
The Odyssey
Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field
Beyond Religion
Prepared
Getting Better
Setting The Table
Eating to Extinction
No Filter
Limitless
Mountains Beyond Mountains
How Asia Works
The Journey of Crazy Horse
Siddhartha
Harvesting the Biosphere
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
A Matter of Degrees
Systems Medicine
Democracy In America
The Fear Book
The Razor's Edge
On Drugs
Liberating Learning
Contrarian Investment Strategies
Farmer's Progress
Your Dad Stole My Rake
The Conquest of Gaul
Wild
Justice on Trial
A Hall of Mirrors
Slow Sex
An Everyone Culture
The Feynman Lectures on Physics
Trick Mirror
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
The Captive Mind
The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need
The Vital Question
Silently Seduced
The Story of Civilization
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
The Fear Factor
Jesse Livermore - Boy Plunger
Conspiracy of Fools
Super Mind
Thus Spoke the Plant
Einstein's Dreams
Representing Talent
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing
Good Calories, Bad Calories
Catch-22
Bad Blood
The Startup Community Way
Chasing Hillary
Women
Deep Learning
The Elements of Statistical Learning
Soon I Will Be Invincible
Making The Modern World
The Price of Tomorrow
The Act of Creation
BLITZ
The Mathematics of Politics
To Rule the Waves
Six Not-So-Easy Pieces
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy
Business Adventures
The City In History
Man, Economy, and State
A Good Man
Thai Stick
Explaining Social Behavior
The Oz Principle
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Louis XIV
The Fund
A Universe From Nothing
An Immense World
Intellectuals and Society
Naked Statistics
The Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
An Agricultural Testament
Deiter Rams
The Art of Manipulation
Longitude
A Cure for the Common Company
Applied Minds
Infinite Powers
The White Album
Valuation
The Unsettling of America
The Paleo Solution
We Learn Nothing
What You Do Is Who You Are
The Goal