William somerset maugham was an english playwright, novelist and short story writer. William somerset maugham, ch january 25, 1874 paris, france december 16, 1965 nice, france was an english playwright, novelist, and short story writer, one of the most popular authors of the 1930s and reportedly the highest paid. Somerset maugham william somerset maugham and other ebooks from all genres of literature, both fiction and nonfiction, historical documents and sheet music, all of which are available on a subscription basis. He was among the most popular writers of his era, and reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s. His father, robert ormond maugham, was a solicitor to the british embassy. Both maugham s parents died before he was 10, and the orphaned boy was raised by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. Somerset maugham has 674 books on goodreads with 334199 ratings. Thomas medical school and qualified as a doctor, but abandoned medicine after the success of his first novels and plays. Somerset maugham and the worlds ten greatest novels. A record of a journey from rangoon to haiphong by w somerset maugham.
Somerset maugham books and biography free pdf books from bookyards, one of the worlds first online libraries to offer ebooks to be downloaded for free. He was a trained physician who served with the red cross in the first world war, and he traveled extensively in india and the pacific southwest, which was the setting for many of his stories. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. After they had a daughter together, henry sued his wife for divorce, following which syrie and maugham got married in 1917. Popular british novelist, playwright, shortstory writer and the highestpaid author in the world in the 1930s, somerset maugham graduated in 1897 from st. The secret lives of somerset maugham, by selina hastings. Dec 29, 2010 the secret lives of somerset maugham, by selina hastings. W somerset maugham biography william somerset maugham was an english novelist, playwright, and shortstory writer. The book has very light wear on the corners at the. In 1962, william somerset maughams nephew, robin, his own. Now, acclaimed travel writer pico iyer maps out a masterful tour of these vivid, evocative pieces that. The secret lives of somerset maugham by selina hastings. Born in the british embassy in paris, where his father worked, maugham was an orphan by the age of ten.
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. Free download or read online theatre pdf epub book. William somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. Books by w somerset maugham authors like w somerset. W somerset maugham books biography and list of works. Popular british novelist, playwright, shortstory writer and the highestpaid author in the world in the 1930s, somerset maugham. Sep 05, 2009 in 1954, shortly after his 80th birthday, william somerset maugham was shown the inhouse abattoir of a swiss clinic in vevey and then injected with the minced foetus of a freshly slaughtered. Great novels and short stories of somerset maugham maugham, w. Which are your favorites among maughams short stories.
Maugham tried hard to be a gentleman but finally it wasnt in his nature. Somerset maugham s of human bondage is one of the best books i have ever read about the trials and tribulations that a human being goes through just prior to his teenage years, during his teenage years, and just before entering adulthood. As the only child of william somerset maugham, perhaps the. She was known as liza, after her fathers first successful novel, liza of lambeth. Short stories collection kindle edition by maugham, w.
Then and now by somerset maugham, first edition abebooks. The story of william somerset maugham, the stammering young boy who became a doctor and then the. His mother, edith mary, died when he was eight and. As bryan connon notes in somerset and all the maughams 1966, maugham s attitude to his daughter would ever be complex. W somerset maugham biography and list of works w somerset maugham books. Click to read more about the collected short stories of w. Somerset maugham, including of human bondage, and the razors edge, and more on.
Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. Author and spys lover threw puppy from moving car telegraph. This book is in the public domain in canada, and is made. He was educated at kings school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. Somerset maugham in the 1980s when i was covering asia for the chicago tribune. Mary elizabeth hope, baroness glendevon was the only child of english playwright, novelist, and short story writer w. Name of writer, number pages in ebook and size are given in our post. But in his book or picture the real man delivers himself defenceless. Somerset maugham 1874 1965 was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Laura not so much a book as a series of detailed note cards about a book is. Maugham, daughter of an indian army captain who had died when she was a baby, had lived in france most of her life. Somerset william somerset maugham s masterpiece is generally agreed to be of human bondage, a semiautobiographical novel that deals with the life of the main character philip carey, who, like maugham, was orphaned, and brought up by his pious uncle. For more than seventy years, penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the englishspeaking world. Maugham instead trained as a doctor, although he never practised professionally, as his first novel.
Complete short stories w somerset maugham world over. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest paid author during the 1930s. Somerset maugham 1874 1965 william somerset maugham 25 january 1874 16 december 1965 was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Commercial success with high book sales, successful theatre productions and a string of film adaptations, backed by astute stock market investments, allowed maugham to live a very. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Books by w somerset maugham authors like w somerset maugham what should i read next register for free to build your own book lists. Gerald haxton lovers during wwi and for the following 30 years wife. Somerset maugham is not the first secret agent novel in english. Daughters lost tapes expose cruel somerset maugham the times. Newly discovered tapes have revealed the cruelty inflicted on the daughter of somerset maugham by the popular english novelist and his gay.
Sep 12, 2009 maugham tried hard to be a gentleman but finally it wasnt in his nature. The great novels and short stories of somerset maughamnook book. This is the tale of philip carey, who is orphaned at a young age and raised by his uncle. Discover book depositorys huge selection of w somerset maugham books online. Maugham and syrie had a daughter, liza, and moved from. Somerset maugham explores the nature of love and happiness and finds that the two rarely coincide. Arthur conan doyles story, his last bow, 1917 which has holmes doing secret agent work and outwitting a german secret agent, also precedes maughams work, though doyles work is a short story. Many of the places i worked and lived were the same places that somerset maugham set some of his books and short stories, so i felt it was my duty to get to know this author. Maugham and syrie had a daughter, liza, and moved from grander house to grander house, in total misery, maugham finding relief only in his. Somerset maughams short stories nicholas shakespeare. While his older brothers were away at boarding school in england, young willie basked in the exclusive adoration of his beautiful mother edith. Though this blog is about collecting maughams books as physical objects, i also like to have the digitized version for my ereader, because then i can carry them around and take advantage of technology, not like maugham who had to suffer the problem of travelling with his enormous book bag. The complete short stories of w somerset maugham by. His many works include novels, short stories, and plays.
Somerset maugham and his then mistress, syrie wellcome. Find the complete short stories of w somerset maugham by maugham, w somerset at biblio. Home writings essays somerset maughams short stories introduction by nicholas shakespeare when you come down to brass tacks the value of a work of art depends on the artists personality. Eventually robert maugham felt sufficiently well off to take a wife, and on the first of october 1863, at the age of thirtynine, he married edith mary snell, a ravishing young woman sixteen years his junior. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 304 pages and is available in paperback format. Thomass hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, liza of lambeth, published in 1897, won him over to letters.
Somerset maugham 25 january 1874 16 december 1965 william somerset maugham was born at the british embassy in paris, france, where his father was an english lawyer handling the legal affairs of the british embassy. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Somerset maugham and his thenmistress, syrie wellcome. He was raised by an uncle, who tried to persuade the youngster to become an accountant or parson. Somerset maugham is associated more with sundowners on south sea islands, and the high life on the french riviera, than. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. Of human bondage is an unlikable book about unlikable people doing unlikable things. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author during the 1930s. Check here and also read some short description about 65 short stories by w. His daughters birth seemed to underline the threat maugham felt from women. Somerset maugham is associated more with sundowners on south sea islands, and the high life on the french riviera, than with intrepid travel writing.
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. Somerset maugham, english novelist, playwright, and shortstory writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the. It is generally agreed to be his masterpiece and to be strongly autobiographical in nature, although maugham stated, this is a novel, not an autobiography. Maugham was a great shortstory writer, but by now his stories have been collected and reassembled in so many different volumes that its very difficult to suggest a particular title. Maugham was more than happy to probe into the lives of other writers, especially those he admired, but he was a litigious curmudgeon when it came to anyone investigating his biography. She was known as liza, after her fathers first successful novel, liza of. The first edition of the novel was published in 1937, and was written by w. Jul 25, 2010 taking advantage of the maugham estates decision to allow scholarly access to the authors correspondence, as well as the unearthing of a transcript of an interview with maughams daughter.
He did not know how wide a country, arid and precipitous, must be crossed before the traveller through life comes to an acceptance of reality. The highly influential author of novels the razors edge, of human bondage, the moon and sixpence, and the story the letter all of which have been made into films, william somerset maugham 18741965 wrote an impressive 78 books, sharing his ironic yet sympathetic view of human passion and agony with readers from the victorian eras close to the world after wwii. It admittedly has a broad scope, and it does express the struggle of philip very well, but it makes me want to enter my magic literature machine, travel into the novel, and kick philip in the seat of the pants a few times. A new biography of famed british author somerset maugham explores his complicated love life and defends his literary genius. Which are your favorites among maugham s short stories. Somerset and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Mary elizabeth hope, baroness glendevon nee maugham, formerly paravicini. Of human bondage by somerset maugham posted on january 29, 2010 3 comments ive been reading books all my life and have encountered many different sorts. William maugham biography facts, childhood, family life. This classic collection of stories moves from england, france and spain to the silver sands of the south pacific. The secret lives of somerset maugham portrays in full for the first time maugham s disastrous marriage to syrie wellcome, a manipulative society woman of dubious morality who trapped maugham with a pregnancy and an attempted suicide.
The main characters of this classics, fiction story are julia lambert, michael gosselyn. Great novels and short stories of somerset maugham. First published in 1915, of human bondage is widely considered to be somerset maughams masterpiece and is believed to have been at least partially based on maughams own life. William somerset maugham 18741965, english playwright and author wrote of human bondage 1915. Joseph conrads the secret agent 1907 may hold that honor. Somerset maugham 18741965 was a noted english playwright, novelist, and short story writer. Hastings also explores maugham s many affairs with men, including his great love, gerald haxton, an. William somerset maugham was born in paris on january 25, 1874. Somerset maugham s most popular book is of human bondage. Somerset maugham was one of the seminal writers of the twentieth century, and his travel writing has long been considered among his finest work. The cruel treatment meted out to his daughter by one of britains leading. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w.
The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading liza of lambeth. Robert ormond maugham solicitor to british embassy boyfriend. Somerset maugham is one of the most popular and wellread authors of the twentieth century.
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