The Picture of Dorian Gray

By: Oscar Wilde

Narrated by: David Brown

One of the great literary classics of Western literature and the only published novel written by Oscar Wilde. The Picture of Dorian Gray created great controversy on publication because of its homosexual undertones, and was later used as evidence against him at his trial at the Old Bailey in 1895.

"If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old...I would give my soul for that!" The wish uttered by Dorian Gray as he gazes on his portrait forms the basis of this story, of a gilded and spoilt hedonist who is willing to sell his soul for his beauty.

Please note: This is a vintage recording. The audio quality may not be up to modern day standards.

Public Domain (P)2002 RNIB

Enthralling

What made the experience of listening to The Picture of Dorian Gray the most enjoyable?

Oscar Wilde was a magnificent storyteller. The prose is rich, descriptive and thrilling.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Picture of Dorian Gray?

The very idea of the painting's power is steeped in myth and fairy tales, and is a wonderfully compelling idea for a tale of decadent decay.

What about David Brown’s performance did you like?

I loved his voice. His Oxonian tones were absolutely perfect for the style of the era and the background of the main characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The luxuriant decadence of erosion.

Amazing Narration!

At first I was annoyed with the narration, being rather slow and with alot of white space. But after listening for a while, I discovered the narration was more like a play than simply narration - the reader used distinct voices for each character. One of the best narrations I have heard. Greatly enjoyed the presentation.

the picture of dorian gray

i couldn't slog through two chapters of this thing. it was very badly narrated. i guesss you get what you pay for. there were more expensive versions, but this one was the cheapest.