Detailing his ventures as a porn star, writer, playwright, and editor of the popular but short-lived journal STEAM, Rarely Pure and Never Simple: Selected Essays of Scott O'Hara includes poems and stories by O'Hara that express his opinions and feelings about monogamy, safe sex, male beauty, morality, social politics, and "being queer." Rarely Pure and Never Simple gives you an inside look into the life of this controversial author, who died in February 1998 of AIDS-related complications. O'Hara challenges the 'norms' of society as he discloses intimate thoughts and details about his sex life and fantasies.
Jack Worthing gets antsy living at his country estate. As an excuse, he spins tales of his rowdy brother Earnest living in London. When Jack rushes to the city to confront his "brother," he's free to become Earnest and live a different lifestyle. In London, his best friend, Algernon, begins to suspect Earnest is leading a double life. Earnest confesses that his real name is Jack and admits the ruse has become tricky as two women have become enchanted with the idea of marrying Earnest. On a whim, Algernon also pretends to be Earnest and encounters the two women as they meet at the estate. With two Earnests who aren't really earnest and two women in love with little more than a name, this play is a classic comedy of errors. This is an unabridged version of Oscar Wilde's English play, first published in 1899.
A journal with your quote to remember every day "The truth is rarely pure and never simple" ( Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest). In this lined notebook you can write everything you want. 6 x 9 size120 pages of qualityno spiral
THE STORY: In early 1895, the Marquess of Queensberry, the father of Wilde's young lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, left a card at Wilde's club bearing the phrase posing somdomite. Wilde sued the Marquess for criminal libel. The defense denounced Wild
In this starkly humorous novel, set in post World-War 2 England, we experience the realities of life on the sprawling, sooty streets of Yorkshire. Martin Rooney is a young man, scarred by a childhood of bombings, black-outs and bad news followed by three years of traumatic service in R.A.F. Bomber Command, only to find equally bleak prospects for post-war employment. He signs on as an officer of the Crown and enters a world that he had never imagined, a world which quickly alters his view of policemen as angels of justice. Through Martin's eyes, we experience drunkenness, corruption, crime and death, viewed with gentle empathy and rare understanding. We ride with him through the bustle of life, seeing facets of the criminal world not usually considered; the imperfections of a deeply flawed criminal justice system and the day to day distortion of truth and honesty which results. A rich narrative by an author with intimate knowledge of the era, Never Pure and Seldom Simple offers a glimpse into the reality of life, bereft of glamour but still full of honesty, warmth, humor and affection.
‘The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility.’ Is lying simply an uncomfortable truth about life or something to be celebrated? In these dazzlingly witty pages we find deceptions of all kinds. From false names to imaginary friends to fictitious engagements, Wilde proves himself to be a connoisseur of creativity and argues that lying may be an art form in itself. Selected from The Importance of Being Earnest, The Decay of Lying and The Picture of Dorian Gray VINTAGE MINIS: GREAT MINDS. BIG IDEAS. LITTLE BOOKS. A series of short books by the world’s greatest writers on the experiences that make us human Also in the Vintage Minis series: Murder by Arthur Conan Doyle Power by William Shakespeare Jealousy by Marcel Proust Ghosts by M. R. James
The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde offers an essential introduction to one of the theatre's most important and enigmatic writers. Although a general overview, the volume also offers some of the latest thinking on the dramatist and his impact on the twentieth century. Part One places Wilde's work within the cultural and historical context of his time and includes an opening essay by Wilde's grandson, Merlin Holland. Further chapters also examine Wilde and the Victorians and his image as a Dandy. Part Two looks at Wilde's essential work as playwright and general writer, including his poetry, critiques, and fiction, and provides detailed analysis of such key works as Salome and The Importance of Being Earnest among others. The third group of essays examines the themes and factors which shaped Wilde's work and includes Wilde and his view of the Victorian woman, Wilde's sexual identities, and interpreting Wilde on stage. This 1997 volume also contains a detailed chronology of Wilde's work, a guide to further reading, and illustrations from important productions.
In this provocative book, retired porn star Scott O'Hara (known as “Spunk” by many of his fans from an early punk photospread) gives a backstage look at the world of pornography, revealing why he loved it, what he got out of it, and why he left it. In an autobiographical style, he considers and poses answers to some fascinating questions: What is sex? What makes a porn star? And why does pornography really upset people? You'll really get to know this noted gay porn star as you get a firsthand look at his life experiences and sexual journeys from his boyhood days of locker room fantasies and sexual experimentation to his years as a porn star and then to his experiences as an individual facing the realities of being HIV-positive. As O'Hara puts it in his Introduction: “This book was written as a last-ditch effort: a way to open up all my closets, let you in on all the dark corners of my life, and give you a better picture of what goes into the making of a porn star. Because if there's one profession that arouses people's curiosity, it's that one.” As you read through the pages of Autopornography, you'll see how O'Hara's personality reflects his sexuality, that is, how they have melded into one. His vivid descriptions of personal relationships (with family, friends, lovers, and casual acquaintances) and his many sexual encounters as he traveled the world reveal his love of sex and his desire to live without inhibitions, secrets, or sexual constraints. Reading Autopornography may cause you to reexamine your own sexual boundaries, realize new sexual potential, and discover sexual desires not previously aroused. Listed #14 on Books Bought Mainly by Men 1997 Top 100 Bestsellers as rated by A Different Light Bookstore!
