I’ve been working toward some sort of release for The Nightingale and the Rose for a few years now so I’m not sure why it’s taken me until recently to delve back into all the other short stories that Oscar Wilde charmed me with in the beginning. New idea.
I wouldn’t mind doing another engraving or two for it. That’s the fun part for me when I get to draw again and carve copper – after doing linoleum blocks for the last book and broadside I am ready to get back to my first love, intaglio, and have the line I carve be the line that prints. Returning to some figurative work could be fun as well which got me thinking about my Black Angel print project again and… So.
How about a small collection of favorite Oscar Wilde short stories? Maybe three or four of them, I’m fond of The Canterville Ghost and The Selfish Giant at the moment but there are still a few pieces I need to read again. I don’t think a fine press has paid attention to Wilde’s short stories lately (please correct me if I’m wrong) while many have lavished detail on the plays. Beardsley’s Salome illustrations leave an indelible mark on one’s book brain.
I’d be happy to hear from anyone reading if they had a favorite candidate for inclusion.
Chad Pastotnik, Deep Wood Press 
Chris & dlphcoracl,
Thanks for the feedback. Right now I’m leaning toward the lighter writings possibly because of the age of my own children or maybe to stay away from the more subtle religious connotations. For my own selfish reasons The Model Millionaire will be included, I think every artist has had that fantasy.
I checked out the Folio Society release and, while disappointed that anyone has paid Wilde attention lately, I don’t think it will affect my edition very much. I enjoy some of the FS offerings myself but quite frankly and as we are all well aware one can pick up a complete collection of Wilde for little money if it were merely the words we were interested in. If anything, I feel this frees me from a desire to publish the complete short stories and continue doing just as I please.
I may scatter in some of the poems as well to keep the rhythm going with my selections. I’ve become so emersed in Wilde these last couple months it becomes difficult to remain objective and as this is the first “collection” I’ve produced I feel much more respect towards conscientious editors than have been even aware before.
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Chad, producing such a Wilde set would be a great idea! I mean really, really great! The Happy Prince and The Young King would be a nice pairing. The Birthday of the Infanta would be good, as would The Model Millionaire.
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Chad:
The Folio Society has just released a book with the complete set of Oscar Wilde short stories amongst their new offerings for Fall 2013. This, of course, is fine press rather than private press, i.e, letterpress, but their idea is spot on. That said, one of my favorite Oscar Wilde short stories is ‘The Fisherman & His Soul’ and I hope you include it in a collection of favorite Wilde short stories.
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