Classic Stories from the Age of Decadence

<p><b>In the late 19th century, a group of writers across Europe challenged artistic and social convention to create stories steeped in transgression, sensuality and obsession.</b><br><br>Their work was radical, daring and controversial, and it captured a unique feeling and exciting atmosphere. Rich with aesthetic hedonism, this anthology showcases the very best short stories from the movement.<br><br>In ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’, Oscar Wilde expertly captures the decadent mood when a young student laments the futility of art; Vernon Lee tells the story of a mysterious and beautiful woman who brings strange misfortune to a coastal village in ‘Dionea’; ‘A Funeral Oration’ by Jean Lorrain oozes with excess and indulgence; ‘Enoch Soames’ grapples with the fin-de-siècle fear of leaving no legacy. From famous to lesser-known writers, there is no shortage of drama, darkness and decay in this riveting collection.<br><br><i>Classic Stories from the Age of Decadence</i> is part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library: a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics bound in cloth with ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is edited and introduced by writer and academic Jane Desmarais.</p>