AUTHOR
John Cooper
John Cooper is a researcher, author, and historian who has specialized in Oscar Wilde for over 30 years.
This site brings together his work on Wilde, including the documentary archive Oscar Wilde In America; a unique study of Wilde’s relationship wth Dress; the leading Oscar Wilde Blog, together with selected media consultancy and scholarly affiliations.
FLAGSHIP RESEARCH PROJECT:
Oscar Wilde In America
Oscar Wilde In America
Arrival
Wilde’s ship, his arrival at New York Customs, and an interview.
Oscar Wilde In America
Quotations
Wilde’s quotable wit made in or about America.
Oscar Wilde In America
An Illustrated Visit
Cartoons, people, places, and themes from Wilde’s tour in 1882.
People are sometimes surprised to learn that early in his career Oscar Wilde (1854—1900), the poet, playwright, and wit famous for his flamboyant, dramatic, and ultimately tragic life in London and Paris, made two visits to America and Canada.
The America Project comprises charts Oscar Wilde’s arrival in New York, his entire verified lecture tour, the venues and lodgings, the famous Sarony photographs, quotations, ephemera, illustrations, and press coverage, all with information verified from primary sources.
Oscar Wilde In America
The Lecture Tour 1882
Oscar Wilde's first visit to North America was for almost the entire year of 1882, during which time he conducting a lecture tour across the continent, including two tours of Canada, undertaking a total of 141 lectures.
Oscar Wilde In America
The Sarony Photographs
In America Wilde had a series of photographs taken that have come to define the image we have of him today. Here is the only repository in book form or online where all of those photographs are displayed and explained in one place.
On The Gilded Gentleman podcast, John Cooper discusses Wilde in America and his meting with Walt Whitman.
WATCH: full a length documentary on Wilde in New York by Erik Ryding /John Cooper.
WRITING PROJECT:
The Oscar Wilde Blog
The Oscar Wilde Blog is the editorial companion of this project, a journal of Wilde discoveries, news, and commentary. Containing over 200 articles, it is the leading online digest of Oscar Wilde studies.
Under the microscope of the Blog you will find the more revelatory, intriguing, and often amusing aspects from all periods of Wilde’s life and work, presented with a scholarly discipline from primary sources.
Browse the archive or join thousands of email subscribers for occasional updates.
WRITING PROJECT:
Oscar Wilde On Dress
Late Victorians began to contemplate a bold, astonishing idea: that perhaps women might simply be free to dress... freely.
Amidst an unlikely confederation of physicians, clothing designers, teetotalers, feminists, sexologists, actors & artists this wild notion found its most eloquent proponent in Oscar Wilde.
John Cooper discusses Wilde ON DRESS on The Gilded Gentleman podcast.
The Book
From the Publisher
The E-Book
On Apple Books
RESEARCH PROJECT:
Resources
For the Wilde scholar this is the place where some of Wilde’s lesser known works and related publications are showcased.
For those new to Wilde there are useful links to get started.
