This second volume opens with Oscar Wilde's world already in ruins. The libel trial has backfired catastrophically, and he is convicted and sent to prison. Frank Harris traces Wilde's two years of hard labor, a period of brutal suffering that broke his health and spirit. The book then follows his release and exile in France, where he lived under the pseudonym 'Sebastian Melmoth.' Despite flashes of his old wit and the completion of his final great work, 'The Ballad of Reading Gaol,' Wilde was a broken man, financially dependent and often abandoned by former friends, drifting toward his early death in a cheap Paris hotel room.

Why You Should Read It

You get a front-row seat to a tragedy, told by someone who was actually in the audience. Harris's perspective is what makes this so compelling. He was a friend, a sometime supporter, and an eyewitness. He includes long passages from Wilde's heartbreaking prison letters, which show a mind grappling with utter despair. This isn't a distant, scholarly account. It's messy, opinionated, and full of personal detail. You feel the frustration of watching a genius make terrible choices and the sadness of seeing his spark fade. It makes Wilde feel less like a statue and more like a person.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone fascinated by the messy intersection of brilliant art, personal flaw, and a harsh society. If you loved Wilde's plays and want to understand the man behind the quips, this is essential—but be ready, it's a tough ride. It's also great for readers who enjoy biographies that feel like a conversation, even an argument, with the past. Just remember, this is Frank Harris's Oscar Wilde, filtered through friendship, memory, and his own sizable ego. Read it for that passionate, flawed, firsthand testimony.