I recently read Only Dull People Are Brilliant at Breakfast by Oscar Wilde, and it was my first experience with willingly reading philosophy. I bought this book after reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, which remains one of my favorite books of all time. I also read his play The Importance of Being Earnest in high school and loved it, so I wanted to read more of this classic author.
I knew this would be different from his other books that I had read for fun. It is a collection of thoughts he published after his time in prison in England after he was arrested for being homosexual. I was unsure at first, but after five pages I knew I loved it. Wilde, in his short observations, is unbelievably witty and that makes his existentialism feel honest and human.
I read this book twice in three days, as it’s a very short book, and both times I found myself thinking about some of his lines for quite a while. I believe that everyone should read this, even if you’re not a fan of philosophy. The way his lines are set up and worded feels so humorous, yet makes great observations of humanity.
In my opinion, this book doesn’t just narrate his experiences in life. This collection of essays is about much more, and all of his social commentary has stayed relevant and important to our world today. He is a truly talented artist and entertainer who makes you think, and to anyone who’s willing to read this extremely short book, I promise you will not be disappointed.