The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde, 1891.
Before you read: A dark story about vanity, with a death. Best for teens.
A handsome young man wishes that his portrait would grow old instead of him. The wish comes true: Dorian stays young while the painting shows every cruel thing he does. Wilde writes with sharp, funny dialogue, but the story is a warning about living only for pleasure.
Public-domain text. First published in 1891; Oscar Wilde died in 1900, so this text is in the public domain in the US, Canada, the EU and India. Summary and notes written by ViralScopeHub.