The Picture of Dorian Gray

After the whole Shopaholic series, the "Bergdorf Blondes", "How to walk in high heels" and the weekly Glamour magazine, i decided to restore my "smart girl" image in the u-bahn and in the office. As I can not decently wear a t-shirt stating my iq though it popped into my mind... i thought i would start with a bit of smart books like a good classic. I picked the picture of Dorian Gray because no, Oscar Wilde did not only write one quote about temptation, he actually wrote full books.

The picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of this more than handsome young man, that after seing his own painted portrait makes the wish to keep his beauty and youth and to make the portrait change instead of his own body. Sounds kind of weird, and reminded me a bit of Balzac idea in "La peau de chagrin".

The book is amazingly well written and each sentence could actually be used as a quote (can see something lightening in one's brain?). it is not a funny book like some other works from Wilde but it takes your attention and it is hard to let it go.

the morale would be that you d better watch out before wishing stuffs and also that you always pay your mean actions. in this case, his beauty fades away the more depravated he gets, but only on the portrait. his soul is represented by the picture while he will keep the appearance of this handsome young gentleman.

last message in the book: we always tend to think that beauty is a proof for a good soul and it is harder to hate someone that shows a perfect face. Beauty also can lie, and here Oscar has a point.