Recommendations based on Oscar Wildeby Richard Ellmann

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Zelda

    by Nancy Milford
    Biography of Zelda Fitzgerald, exploring the tumultuous life and times of the iconic figure.

    Zelda Sayre began as a Southern beauty, became an international wonder, and died by fire in a madhouse. With her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald, she moved in a golden aura of excitement, romance, and ... (Goodreads)

  2. The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family

    by Mary S. Lovell
    A sweeping tale of a powerful family, spanning generations and continents.

    This is the story of a British upper class family splintered by the violent ideologies of Europe between the two World Wars. Jessica was a Communist; Debo became the Duchess of Devonshire; Nancy was ... (Goodreads)

  3. Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life

    by Jon Lee Anderson
    Biographical account of Che Guevara's life, from his childhood to death.

    "Acclaimed around the world and a national best-seller, this is the definitive work on Che Guevara, the dashing rebel whose epic dream was to end poverty and injustice in Latin America and the ... (Goodreads)

  4. And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic

    by Randy Shilts
    A history of the AIDS epidemic and its impact on the world, politics, and individuals.

    By the time Rock Hudson's death in 1985 alerted all America to the danger of the AIDS epidemic, the disease had spread across the nation, killing thousands of people and emerging as the greatest ... (Goodreads)

  5. Nicholas and Alexandra

    by Robert K. Massie
    An epic saga about the last Tsar of Russia and the fall of the Romanov dynasty.

    The story of the love that ended an empire. In this commanding book, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Robert K. Massie sweeps readers back to the extraordinary world of Imperial Russia to tell the story ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Elements of Style

    by William Strunk Jr.
    A practical guide to written English, providing guidance on grammar and style.

    This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by ... (Goodreads)

  7. Cash

    by Johnny Cash
    Autobiography of Johnny Cash, detailing his life as a musician, struggles with addiction, and personal relationships.

    He was the "Man in Black," a country music legend, and the quintessential American troubadour. He was an icon of rugged individualism who had been to hell and back, telling the tale as never before. ... (Goodreads)

  8. Chronicles: Volume One

    by Bob Dylan
    A memoir tracking Bob Dylan's musical journey from humble beginnings to iconic status.

    WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE The celebrated first memoir from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. “I’d come from a long ways off and had started a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  9. The Tao of Pooh

    by Benjamin Hoff
    A whimsical exploration of Taoism through the beloved characters of Winnie the Pooh.

    The Wisdom of Pooh. Is there such thing as a Western Taoist? Benjamin Hoff says there is, and this Taoist's favorite food is honey. Through brilliant and witty dialogue with the beloved Pooh-bear and ... (Goodreads)

  10. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

    by Anthony Bourdain
    A humorous and unflinching account of life in restaurant kitchens, exploring the culture and camaraderie of the culinary world.

    A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute ... (Goodreads)

  11. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

    by Charles C. Mann
    Re-examination of the pre-Columbian Americas, uncovering new evidence of its history.

    In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.,Contrary to what so many ... (Goodreads)

  12. Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic

    by Tom Holland
    An exploration of the events that led to the fall of the Roman Republic.

    In 49 B.C., the seven hundred fifth year since the founding of Rome, Julius Caesar crossed a small border river called the Rubicon and plunged Rome into cataclysmic civil war. Tom Holland’s ... (Goodreads)

  13. Diane Arbus: Monograph

    by Diane Arbus
    A collection of photographs by Diane Arbus, showcasing her unique and controversial style of capturing the marginalized and unconventional.

    New technology has made possible this lustrous new printing from all new film. These landmark images now have a clarity and depth not achievable in earlier editions. ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Prose Edda

    by Snorri Sturluson
    A collection of Norse mythology and legends, including the creation of the world, the gods and goddesses, and the end of the world.

    'What was the beginning, or how did things start? What was there before?', The Prose Edda is the most renowned of all works of Scandinavian literature and our most extensive source for Norse ... (Goodreads)

  15. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  16. Dispatches

    by Michael Herr
    A journalist's account of the Vietnam War, depicting the brutality, confusion and chaos of the conflict.

    Written on the front lines in Vietnam, Dispatches became an immediate classic of war reportage when it was published in 1977. From its terrifying opening pages to its final eloquent words, Dispatches ... (Goodreads)

  17. The Complete Essays

    by Michel de Montaigne
    Collection of essays exploring diverse topics, from philosophy to morality.

    Michel de Montaigne was one of the most influential figures of the Renaissance, singlehandedly responsible for popularising the essay as a literary form. This Penguin Classics edition of The Complete ... (Goodreads)

  18. Mao: The Unknown Story

    by Jung Chang
    Detailed history of Mao Zedong and his devastating impact on China.

    The most authoritative life of the Chinese leader ever written, Mao: The Unknown Story is based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of Mao's close circle in China who have never ... (Goodreads)

  19. Marie Antoinette: The Journey

    by Antonia Fraser
    A biography of Marie Antoinette, from her childhood in Austria to her reign as Queen of France and eventual execution during the French Revolution.

    Marie Antoinette's dramatic life-story continues to arouse mixed emotions. To many people, she is still 'la reine méchante', whose extravagance and frivolity helped to bring down the French monarchy; ... (Goodreads)

  20. Epileptic

    by David B.
    Graphic novel exploring a family's struggle with a son's epilepsy.

    The book tells the story of the artist's early childhood and adolescence, focusing on his relationship with his brother and sister. His brother develops severe and intractable epilepsy , causing the ... (Wikipedia)

  21. Battle Cry of Freedom

    by James M. McPherson
    A comprehensive history of the American Civil War, focusing on the political and military aspects.

    Filled with fresh interpretations and information, puncturing old myths and challenging new ones, Battle Cry of Freedom will unquestionably become the standard one-volume history of the Civil War. ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

    by Ina Garten
    Recipes and entertaining tips from a renowned chef, bringing the flavors of the Mediterranean to your kitchen.

    #1, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • A collection of all-new soul-satisfying dishes from America’s favorite home cook! NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY, The New York Times Book Review ,•, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  23. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    by Doris Kearns Goodwin
    A comprehensive study of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the unique cabinet he assembled.

    Winner of the Lincoln Prize Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from ... (Goodreads)

  24. Goodbye to All That

    by Robert Graves
    Autobiographical account of Robert Graves' experiences during World War I and his disillusionment with the war and British society.

    An autobiographical work that describes firsthand the great tectonic shifts in English society following the First World War, Robert Graves's Goodbye to All That is a matchless evocation of the Great ... (Goodreads)

  25. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

    by Alison Bechdel
    An autobiographical story of a daughter's complex relationship with her father and her own journey of self-discovery.

    The narrative of Fun Home is non-linear and recursive. , Incidents are told and re-told in the light of new information or themes. , Bechdel describes the structure of Fun Home as a labyrinth , ... (Wikipedia)

  26. Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943

    by Antony Beevor
    The epic story of the Battle of Stalingrad and its devastating impact on WWII.

    The Battle of Stalingrad was not only the psychological turning point of World War II: it also changed the face of modern warfare. From Antony Beevor, the internationally bestselling author of, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  27. Peter the Great: His Life and World

    by Robert K. Massie
    Biography of the Russian Tsar, tracing his transformation of the country and the world.

    Against the monumental canvas of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe and Russia, unfolds the magnificent story of Peter the Great, crowned at the age of 10. A barbarous, volatile feudal tsar ... (Goodreads)

  28. A People's History of the United States

    by Howard Zinn
    An examination of American history from a perspective of marginalized people.

    In the book, Zinn presented a different side of history from the more traditional "fundamental nationalist glorification of country". Zinn portrays a side of American history that can largely be seen ... (Goodreads)

  29. The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction

    by Michel Foucault
    Examination of the power dynamics and social constructions of sexual behavior.

    Michel Foucault offers an iconoclastic exploration of why we feel compelled to continually analyze and discuss sex, and of the social and mental mechanisms of power that cause us to direct the ... (Goodreads)

  30. Seabiscuit: An American Legend

    by Laura Hillenbrand
    An inspiring story of the rise of champion racehorse Seabiscuit and his unlikely jockey.

    There's an alternate cover edition, here, Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more ... (Goodreads)