William Somerset Maugham cultivated a clear and direct prose style, a purity some critics attributed to his early fluency in French. Despite early hardships and periods of near starvation dedicated to his writing, Maugham forged a career that deliberately moved away from the experimental currents of modernism. His works often explored human nature and society with an observant, detached eye. Readers appreciate his ability to craft narratives that are both accessible and incisive.
Charles Strickland, a conventional stockbroker abandons his wife and children for Paris and Tahiti, to live his life as a painter. Whilst his betrayal of family, duty and honour gives him the freedom to achieve greatness, his decision leads to an obsession which carries severe implications.
This final classic collection reveals Somerset Maugham’s unique talent for exposing and exploring the bitter realities of human relationships in tales of love, infidelity, passion and prejudice. The stories range from “The Lotus Eater” where a man envisions a life of bliss in the Mediterranean, to the astringent tales of “The Outstation” and “The Back of Beyond” in Malaya and South East Asia. 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.
The second of four volumes of short stories which reflect Somerset Maugham's wry perception of human foibles and gift for evoking drama from a sense of time and place. Set in Malaya, America and England, they include "Flotsam and Jetsam", "The Man With the Scar" and "The Vessel of Wrath".
A companion volume to Maugham's Malaysian Stories. This is a fascinating collection of six stories set in Borneo, selected and introduced by G. V. de Freitas. Some of Maugham's best tales such as "The Yellow Streak", "The Outstation", "Before the Party", "Flotsam and Jetsam", "Neil MacAdam" and "Virtue" are included in this volume.
These thirty stories by one of the most famous of short-story writers include 'Rain', the celebrated tale of a prudish missionary and a prostitute, and 'The Three Fat Women of Antibes', the brilliantly ironic story of self-denial and gross greed. Contents: - Rain - The fall of Edward Barnard - Honolulu - The luncheon - The ant and the grasshopper - Home - The pool - Mackintosh - Appearance and reality - The three fat women of Antibes - The facts of life - Gigolo and gigolette - The happy oouple - The voice of the turtle - The lion's skin - The unconquered - The escape - The judgement seat - Mr Know-All - The happy man - The romantic young lady - The point of honour - The poet - The mother - A man from Glasgow - Before the party - Louise - The promise - A string of beads - The yellow streak
Who better qualified to chronicle the experiences of an author-agent during the First World War than Somerset Maugham, himself a writer turned spy? His alter-ego is Ashenden, a calm observer with a cool head. From his almost casual recruitment into Intelligence at the beginning of hostilities, we follow his progress through a series of incidents. There is the fiasco of the Hairless Mexican, a ladies' man and thoroughly inept assassin. And the pathetic tale of Mr Harrington, the touching and ridiculous American, clumsily feeling his way through the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Most dreadful of all is the bleak story of the Traitor, whose fate reveals the real horror of the agent's profession.
Philip Carey is an orphan eager for life, love and adventure. After a few months studying in Heidelburg, and a brief spell in Paris as a would-be artist, he settles in London to train as a doctor. He meets Mildred, the loud but irresistible waitress with whom he plunges into a formative, tortured and masochistic affair which very nearly ruins him.
Part of a series designed to be suitable for students at upper intermediate level, including those preparing for the Cambridge First Certificate examinations. These simplified editions keep within a 2000 word vocabulary, contain exercise material and an introduction to the text and author.
Canon Spratte, convinced of his own importance, believes he is destined to become the next Bishop of Sheffield, bolstered by his lineage as the son of a Lord Chancellor. His self-importance and entitlement shape his ambitions, providing a humorous exploration of character and societal expectations within the ecclesiastical hierarchy.
Keuze uit het werk van de bekende Engelse schrijver (1874-1965).
William Somerset Maugham is a master of the short story. He was a famous literary figure for many years and a prolific writer, but of all his work it is his short stories that are best known and loved. Every one is perfectly composed and complete, however short. The characters in their cosmopolitan surroundings live from the first sentence and the point is made with delicate irony, with wit or cynical detachment. Such expertly drawn illustrations of human behaviour and foibles are unforgettable. Written intermittently between 1920 and 1945, the stories have been grouped by Maugham himself according to their locale so that 'the reader can take his bearings in whatever distant land I choose to lead him to'.
Somerset Maugham is the acknowledged master of the short story, and his full range is represented in this collection.
One of Maugham's rare experiments with form, this is a trio of stories that portrays a wide spectrum of life in the backstreets, suburbs and society of Edwardian London. Depicting the weighty power of convention and social interaction, the stories are linked by the character Miss Ley.
The Great War changed everything and the years following it were tumultuous - most of all for those who lived the war first-hand. Maugham himself is a character in this novel of self-discovery and search for meaning, but the protagonist is a character named Larry. Battered physically and spiritually by the war, Larry's physical wounds heal, but his spirit is changed almost beyond recognition. He leaves his betrothed, the beautiful and devoted Isabel. He studies philosophy and religion in Paris. He lives as a monk. He witnesses the exotic hardships of Spanish life. All of life that he can find - from an Indian Ashrama to labor in a coal mine - becomes Larry's spiritual experiment as he spurns the comfort and privilege of the Roaring '20s. Maugham's theme is the contrast of spiritual content between Larry and the growing materialism and sophistication of those he left behind - and the surprising irony of where both of those paths lead.
Novels by Doyle, Maugham, Charteris, MacDonald, Gardner, Woolrick, and Fleming deal with spies and secret agents in World Wars I and II and the cold war
Short stories, all born of Maugham's experiences in Malaya, Singapore and other outposts of the former British Empire. Whether portraying a ship-borne flight from a lover's curse, murder in the jungle or the remembered East of a repatriate's suburban home, they reveal Maugham as a shrewd and human judge of character and soul. "From the Trade Paperback edition.
В книге представлен неадаптированный текст романа, снабженный комментариями и словарем. Для всех, кто изучает английский язык
De Singapour à Bangkok, de Saigon à Manille, de Shanghai à Chungking, George cherche à échapper à Mabel, la femme qui l'aime... En vain, Mabel finira par le rattraper au fin fond du Tibet. Destin exemplaire que celui de George... Chacun des personnages de ces nouvelles cherche en effet à s'évader qui d'un pays, qui d'un cauchemar, qui d'une situation financière délicate... ou d'une existence médiocre. Avec souvent, en toile de fond, l'Extrême-Orient cher à Sommerset Maugham. Avec Roger Charing, Ruth Barlow et les autres, évadez-vous...
The setting is a desolate beach, marked by calm seas and a melancholic atmosphere, where a solitary woman stands, consumed by her inner turmoil. Despite the serene landscape, she feels a profound sorrow that nature's indifference amplifies rather than alleviates. Her steadfast gaze reflects her emotional struggle, as she grapples with her pride and the weight of her grief. The narrative explores themes of isolation and the contrast between nature's beauty and human suffering, highlighting the woman's refusal to seek solace outside herself.
A collection of Somerset Maugham's plays, including THE CONSTANT WIFE, OUR BETTERS, SHEPPEY, THE SACRED FLAME and THE CIRCLE. Last published in 1991.
The third volume of the renowned English author's short stories deal with the adventures of Ashenden, an agent in the Intelligence Department during the First World War
With psychological insight Maugham describes people and their surroundings in various places in the world.
This classic collection of spy stories significantly influenced renowned authors like John Le Carré and Ian Fleming. Set against the backdrop of Churchill's Britain, the tales not only captivated readers but also sparked a national security scandal, highlighting the intense atmosphere of espionage during that era. The stories delve into themes of intrigue and deception, showcasing the complexities of the spy world that defined 20th-century literature.
Maugham's studies of the lives and masterpieces of ten great novelists are outstanding examples of literary criticism at its finest. Afforded here are some of the formulae of greatness in the genre, as well as the flaws and heresies which enfeeble it. Written by a master of fiction, Ten Novels and Their Authors is a unique and invaluable guide. schovat popis
We were tasked with taking an unoccupied hill, believing it safe unless the enemy fired from it. However, the area was teeming with Boers, who opened fire as we approached. Our attempts to storm the position were futile; men fell like nine-pins, and when ordered to fire, we had nothing to aim at but rocks. We had to retreat, and I soon discovered that Larcher had been wounded. Determined to help, I returned for him and asked if he could move. He replied he was hurt in the leg, and I bandaged him as best as I could while we were under fire. He was bleeding profusely, yet he maintained a brave demeanor. I inquired about his condition, and he assured me he was just feeling a bit unwell. I helped him to his feet, but soon he turned pale and groaned that he felt bad, then fainted. I had to carry him, but soon after, I was hit in the arm. I urged him to stay strong, but as he opened his eyes, a bullet struck him in the neck, and he bled out, gasping his last breath as his blood splattered on my face.
She did not know what to say. She was undecided whether indignantly to assert her innocence or to break out into angry reproaches. He seemed to read her thoughts. I've got all the proof necessary 'Kitty Fane is the beautiful but shallow wife of Walter
Selected short stories introduced by Christopher Isherwood
This is an Elementary Level title in a series of ELT readers comprising a wide range of stories - some original and some simplified - from modern and classic novels, and designed to appeal to all age-groups, tastes and cultures. The books are divided into five levels: Starter Level, with about 300 basic words; Beginner Level (600 basic words); Elementary Level (1100); Intermediate Level (1600); and Upper Level (2200). Some of the titles are also available on cassette.
Who better qualified to chronicle the experiences of an author-agent during the First World War than Somerset Maugham, himself a writer turned spy? His alter-ego is Ashenden, a calm observer with a cool head. From his almost casual recruitment into Intelligence at the beginning of hostilities, we follow his progress through a series of incidents. There is the fiasco of the Hairless Mexican, a ladies' man and thoroughly inept assassin. And the pathetic tale of Mr Harrington, the touching and ridiculous American, clumsily feeling his way through the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Most dreadful of all is the bleak story of the Traitor, whose fate reveals the real horror of the agent's profession.
Autobiographical and confessional, and yet not, this is one of the most highly regarded expressions of a personal credo – both a classic avowal of an author’s ideas and his craft.
Set in Bohemian Paris at the turn of the 20th century, this sinister novel was inspired by the notorious black magician, Aleister Crowley. Presenting a vibrant picture of Parisian cafe society, it also explores the struggle of the individual against domination and enslavement by the forces of darkness.
Acht Erzählungen sind in diesem Band versammelt. Zur ersten Erzählung schrieb Kindlers Neues Literatur Lexikon: "Die Erzählung 'Regen', eine der bekanntesten und besten Maughams, handelt vom seelischen Zusammenbruch eines religiösen Fanatikers. Maugham zeichnet das Charakterporträt eines Mannes, der sich als Stellvertreter eines Gottes versteht, der weder Gnade noch Barmherzigkeit noch Liebe kennt."
The Escape and Other Stories is an Elementary-Level book written by the famous English author W. Somerset Maugham. This brilliant book consists of four short stories including 'The Escape', 'Louise', 'The Ant and the Grasshopper' and 'The Fall of Edward Barnard'.
Murder Most A Collection of Great Crime Stories
Simplified and abridged by G.C. Thornley ; illustrated by William Burnard. Contains works by: H.G. Wells Oscar Wilde P.G. Wodehouse Katherine Mansfield Edgar Allan Poe Anthony Trollope and W. Somerset Maugham
This is an Intermediate Level title in a series of ELT readers comprising a wide range of stories - some original and some simplified - from modern and classic novels, and designed to appeal to all age-groups, tastes and cultures. The books are divided into five Starter Level, with about 300 basic words; Beginner Level (600 basic words); Elementary Level (1100); Intermediate Level (1600); and Upper Level (2200). Some of the titles are also available on cassette.
Set in the final years of the 19th century, "Mrs Craddock" tells the story of a young and attractive woman of independent means who marries beneath her. On her 21st birthday, when she comes into her deceased father's money, Bertha Ley announces, to the dismay of her former guardian, that she is going to marry 27-year-old Edward Craddock, her steward. Having written about a subject that was considered daring at the time, Maugham had some difficulty finding a publisher. Completed in 1900, the novel was eventually published in 1902 by William Heinemann, but only on the condition that the author remove passages which, according to Heinemann, might offend readers. A successful and popular book, Mrs Craddock was reissued in 1903 and again in 1908. In 1938 the first non-Bowdlerized version, stylistically improved by Maugham, was published.
Filled with keen observations, autobiographical notes, and the seeds of many of Maugham's greatest works, A Writer's Notebook is a unique and exhilarating look into a great writer's mind at work.From nearly five decades, Somerset Maugham recorded an intimate journal. In it we see the budding of his incomparable vision and his remarkable career as a writer. Covering the years from his time as a youthful medical student in London to a seasoned world traveler around the world, it is playful, sharp witted, and always revealing. Undoubtedly one of his most significant works, A Writer's Notebook is a must for Maugham fans and anyone interested in the creative process."
Cakes and Ale is a delicious satire of London literary society between the Wars. Social climber Alroy Kear is flattered when he is selected by Edward Driffield's wife to pen the official biography of her lionized novelist husband, and determined to write a bestseller. But then Kear discovers the great novelist's voluptuous muse (and unlikely first wife), Rosie. The lively, loving heroine once gave Driffield enough material to last a lifetime, but now her memory casts an embarrissing shadow over his career and respectable image. Wise, witty, deeply satisfying, Cakes and Ale is Maugham at his best.
This is an Intermediate Level title in a series of ELT readers comprising a wide range of stories - some original and some simplified - from modern and classic novels, and designed to appeal to all age-groups, tastes and cultures. The books are divided into five levels: Starter Level, with about 300 basic words; Beginner Level (600 basic words); Elementary Level (1100); Intermediate Level (1600); and Upper Level (2200). Some of the titles are also available on cassette.
On a Chinese Screen, also known as On a Chinese Screen: Sketches of Life in China, is a travel book by W. Somerset Maugham, first published in 1922. It is a series of short sketches Maugham made during a trip along the Yangtze River in 1919-1920, and although ostensibly about China the book is equally focused on the various westerners he met during the trip and their struggles to accept or adapt to the cultural differences they encounter, which are often as enormous and as alienating as the country itself. (wikipedia.org)
In Up at the Villa , W. Somerset Maugham portrays a wealthy young English woman who finds herself confronted rather brutally by the repercussions of whimsy. On the day her older and prosperous friend asks her to marry him, Mary Leonard demurs and decides to postpone her reply a few days. But driving into the hills above Florence alone that evening, Mary offers a ride to a handsome stranger. And suddenly, her life is utterly, irrevocably altered. For this stranger is a refugee of war, and he harbors more than one form of passion. Before morning, Mary will witness bloodshed, she will be forced to seek advice and assistance from an unsavory man, and she will have to face the truth about her own yearnings. Erotic, haunting, and maddeningly suspenseful, Up at the Villa is a masterful tale of temptation and the capricious nature of fate.
This title is exclusively available from Vintage Classics. At the age of twenty-three, Charlie Mason is endowed with good looks, good manners and a happy disposition. Following three years at Cambridge and one in his father's business, he is now looking forward to a jaunt in Paris with Simon Fenimore, his oldest friend.Yet Paris is not what he expects. And in just a few days his young eyes are opened to the horror and ugly drama of its underworld. Published before the outbreak of war in 1939, Maugham's purpose in Christmas Holiday was to warn the complacent, insular British middle-class of the immense upheavals taking place on the Continent.
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY PAUL THEROUXSomerset Maugham's success as a writer enabled him to indulge his adventurous love of travel, and he recorded the sights and sounds of his wide-ranging journeys with an urbane, wry style all his own. schovat popis
This sea tale by the author of "Of Human Bondage" evolved from a passage in "The Moon and Sixpence" that Maugham had written 12 years before.
Maugham writes about three very different people in English settings.
Maugham found a parallel to the turmoil of our own times in the duplicity, intrigue and sensuality of the Italian Renaissance. Then and Now enters the world of Machiavelli, and covers three important months in the career of that crafty politician, worldly seducer and high priest of schemers.
Catalina, a crippled 16-year-old, miraculously meets and talks with the Blessed Virgin, as though she were her own mother. But in the dark days of the Spanish Inquisition, the Church is apt to take a serious view of such an ostentatious claim.
Liza of Lambeth (1897) was W. Somerset Maugham's first novel, which he wrote while he was a medical student and obstetric clerk at St Thomas's Hospital in Lambeth, then a working-class district of London. It depicts the short life and death of Liza Kemp, an 18-year-old factory worker who lives with her aging mother in the fictional Vere Street off Westminster Bridge Road (real) in Lambeth. (wikipedia.org)
Heinemann Guided Readers 3 - Intermediate The aim of this series is to provide learners of English with reading practice which is well-written, interesting and enjoyable. This is achieved within a system of control of content and language with the following main features: Information Control The density of content is controlled and allusion, metaphor and field of reference are made explicit. Vital information needed in order to follow the story is particularly clearly brought out. Structure Control Difficult, complex and unusual sentence structures are avoided. Great care is taken with pronoun reference. Vocabulary Control This is based on a level of approximately 1600 words. Words outside this level which are necessary to the story are included and their meanings made clear.
Heinemann Guided Readers 14 - Intermediate Stories included - Footprints in the Jungle - The Taipan - Gullia Lazzari The aim of this series is to provide learners of English with reading practice which is well-written, interesting and enjoyable. This is achieved within a system of control of content and language with the following main features: Information Control The density of content is controlled and allusion, metaphor and field of reference are made explicit. Vital information needed in order to follow the story is particularly clearly brought out. Structure Control Difficult, complex and unusual sentence structures are avoided. Great care is taken with pronoun reference. Vocabulary Control This is based on a level of approximately 1600 words. Words outside this level which are necessary to the story are included and their meanings made clear.
A paean to Spain's golden age of enormous creative energy, "Don Fernando begins with the vivid tale of Loyola's life and conversion, discusses the writings of St Teresa and the paintings of El Greco, and comments with sagacity and wit on such illustrious figures as Cervantes, Luis de Leon, Lope de Vega, Velasquez and the creator of Don Juan. "From the Trade Paperback edition.
A Story of the South Seas
Exploring themes of nostalgia and reflection, this book delves into the experiences of individuals who have departed from their homeland. It captures the essence of memory and the emotional ties to a place once called home. Through personal anecdotes and observations, the narrative reveals how leaving a country shapes identity and influences perspectives on life. The author invites readers to contemplate the significance of belonging and the bittersweet nature of farewell.
The poignant scene captures a tender moment between a child and his ailing mother, highlighting themes of love and comfort amidst vulnerability. As the child is brought to his mother's bedside, their connection is palpable; she envelops him in her warmth, despite her weakened state. The mother's gentle voice and the child's contentment reflect a deep bond, showcasing the power of familial love in times of distress. The mother's plea to keep him close underscores her desperation and the emotional weight of their situation.
W. Somerset Maugham was a prominent English playwright, novelist, and short story writer, renowned for his exceptional popularity and financial success in the 1930s. His works reflect a keen observation of human nature and often explore themes of love, betrayal, and the complexities of life. Maugham's storytelling prowess and insightful character portrayals have left a lasting impact on literature, making him a significant figure in the literary world of the early 20th century.
From a tormented orphan with a clubfoot, Philip Carey grows into an impressionable young man with a voracious appetite for adventure and knowledge. His cravings take him to Paris at age eighteen to try his hand at art, then back to London to study medicine. But even so, nothing can sate his nagging hunger for experience. Then he falls obsessively in love, embarking on a disastrous relationship that will change his life forever.
A masterpiece of modern literature that mirrors Maugham’s own career. Of Human Bondage is the first and most autobiographical of Maugham's novels. It is the story of Philip Carey, an orphan eager for life, love and adventure. After a few months studying in Heidelberg, and a brief spell in Paris as a would-be artist, Philip settles in London to train as a doctor. And that is where he meets Mildred, the loud but irresistible waitress with whom he plunges into a formative, tortured and masochistic affair which very nearly ruins him.
William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was an English playwright, novelist, and short story writer. He was one of the most popular authors of his era, and reputedly the highest paid of his profession during the 1930s. By 1914 he was famous, with 10 plays produced and 10 published novels. His masterpiece is generally agreed to be Of Human Bondage (1915), a semi-autobiographical novel that deals with the life of the main character Philip Carey, who like Maugham, was orphaned, and brought up by his pious uncle. His last major novel, The Razor's Edge, published in 1944, was a departure for him in many ways. While much of the novel takes place in Europe, its main characters are American, not British. His other works include: Liza of Lambeth (1897), Mrs Craddock (1902), A Man of Honour (1903), The Land of the Blessed Virgin (1905), The Bishop's Apron (1906), Lady Frederick (1907), The Magician (1908), Home and Beauty (1909), The Moon and Sixpence (1919), The Circle (1921), The Trembling of a Leaf (1921), and On a Chinese Screen (1922).
