Co-sponsored by the Salmagundi Club

Oscar Wilde first set foot in New York on January 3, 1882. He had come to begin a lecture tour that was not only to change the public’s perception of him, but create it as well. Oscar Wilde became the master of his own celebrity and his time in New York at this particular moment set it all in motion. In this illustrated talk, Carl Raymond, host of The Gilded Gentleman history podcast, will delve in to just how Wilde reacted to New York nearing the height of the Gilded Age, but also how New York reacted to him. Much of his time in the city was spent on the fringes of the Village around Union Square and Fifth Avenue and Broadway leading up to Madison Square. Carl will discuss the people and places Oscar encountered during his time at the beginning of his tour including one unique and legendary meeting that perhaps changed it all. 

About the Speaker:

Carl Raymond is the host of The Gilded Gentleman history podcast which is produced by Bowery Boys Media and has listeners in  74 countries worldwide. Carl is a specialist in the culture and social history of the Gilded Age and has lectured widely for a number of organizations and groups including the Metropolitan Opera Guild, the Royal Oak Foundation, the English-Speaking Union, Edith Wharton’s Home/The Mount and Village Preservation.  He has presented Gilded Age programs for a number of clubs including the Harvard Club, the Penn Club, the National Arts Club, the Lotos Club, and the Coffee House Club. He can be reached at www.thegildedgentleman.com and The Gilded Gentleman can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts. 

Carl Raymond (Photo Credit: Richard Koek)