(These 30 short stories, comprising Somerset Maugham's fir...)
These 30 short stories, comprising Somerset Maugham's first collection, are set in locations ranging from England, France and Spain to the silver sands of the South Pacific. They include "Rain," "The Three Fat Women of Antibes," "The Voice of the Turtle," and "Before the Party." For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140185895/?tag=2022091-20
(Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolu...)
Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. The progress of his spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham's most brilliant characters - his fiancée Isabel whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliott Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob. Maugham himself wanders in and out of the story, to observe his characters struggling with their fates.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400034205/?tag=2022091-20
(An uncompromising and self-destructive deserts his wife, ...)
An uncompromising and self-destructive deserts his wife, family, business, and civilization for his art. Shedding harsh light on an artist's ego, Maugham reveals the lengths to which one man will go to focus on his art. Written in 1919, this unforgettable story is timeless in its appeal.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1974498409/?tag=2022091-20
He was born on January 25, 1874 in France.
His father was a partner in a firm of solicitors there and also legal attaché to the British Embassy.
His mother was a noted beauty, whose salon drew many famous artists and politicians to the Maughams' apartment near the Champs Elysées.
He was sent to the King's school in Canterbury. However, French being his first language, he had very bad English, for which he was often mocked. He also developed a stammer that stayed throughout his life.
At the age of 16, he refused to continue his education at the King's school anymore. His uncle had no option but to let him travel to Germany where he studied at Heidelberg University. Here, he wrote his first book, which was a biography of Giacomo Meyerbeer, who was a German opera composer.
His uncle sent him to St. Thomas’ medical school, London, to study medicine.
In 1897 he qualified as a physician and surgeon.
Wanting to write, he obtained his uncle's permission to go to Heidelberg for a time.
Soon, he wrote his first novel 'Liza of Lambeth’ (1897) where he wrote about his experiences as an obstetrician. The book became an instant success, which made him give up medicine and take up writing as a full-time career.
Over the next decade, he traveled and spent his time in places such as Spain and Capri. However, he struggled for the next ten years before finding massive success in 1907 with the play 'Lady Frederick. ' By the next year, he had four plays running simultaneously in London.
In 1908, he wrote the supernatural thriller 'The Magician', which also proved to be a great success. However, some writers accused him of plagiarism. A film of the same name was also made in 1926, which was directed by horror film director Rex Ingram.
By 1914, he had become quite famous with ten plays as well as ten novels to his name. When the World War I broke out, he joined the British Red Cross’ “Literary Ambulance Drivers”, along with twenty-three other well-known writers. After the war he continued to write and edit works as well.
Maugham later focused on a novel based on the life of Paul Gaugin which was named 'The Moon and Sixpence', published in 1919. He also wrote books portraying the last days of colonialism in India as well as other parts of Southeast Asia.
He also did intelligence work for the British Secret Intelligence Service, and undertook a special mission in Russia. It was actually an attempt to keep the Provisional Government in power and thus keep Russia in war, by countering German pacifist agenda.
He wrote a book about his experiences as a spy, which was published as 'Ashenden: Or the British Agent. ' It is a collection of short stories about an aloof spy, the very character who is considered by many to have inspired the influential James Bond novels.
Somerset Maugham was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest-paid author during the 1930s.
In 1954, William Somerset Maugham was honored by being made a Companion of Honor, which is an honorable order of the Commonwealth Realms.
(These 30 short stories, comprising Somerset Maugham's fir...)
(An uncompromising and self-destructive deserts his wife, ...)
(Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolu...)
Maugham was a nonbeliever having stated that he remained agnostic to the questions concerning the existence of God.
He did not believe in God, nor an after-life, and considered the notions of future punishment or reward to be outrageous.
Despite being known for having homosexual tendencies, William Somerset Maugham entered into a relationship with Syrie Wellcome, who was the wife of Henry Wellcome, a renowned pharmaceutical entrepreneur. After they had a daughter together, Henry sued his wife for divorce, following which Syrie and Maugham got married in 1917.
Their daughter was named Mary Elizabeth Maugham, also known as Liza, and she was his only biological child.
His marriage with Syrie was a troubled one and the couple later separated.
