Record Number: 26280

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Wilde's fellow pupils remarked on his veneration of the novels of Benjamin Disraeli, so it must have been a fairly unusual literary passion at Portora... Speranza literally passed her passion on to her youngest son by lending him several Disraeli novels. Wilde was ravished by the books...'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1865 and 31 Dec 1867

Country:

Ireland

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Enniskillen
specific address: Portora Royal School

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Oscar Wilde

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

16 Oct 1854

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

Ireland

Country of Experience:

Ireland

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

Benjamin Disraeli

Title:

novels

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

borrowed (other)
borrowed from mother

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

26280

Source:

Print

Author:

Thomas Wright

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Oscar's Books

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

2000

Vol:

n/a

Page:

54

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Thomas Wright, Oscar's Books, (London, 2000), p. 54, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=26280, accessed: 15 May 2025

---

Additional Comments:

See F. Harris, "Oscar Wilde, His Life and Confessions" (New York, 1930), p.17.