Böcker av W. Somerset Maugham

The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham's most brillant characters - his fiancee Isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliot Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob.

It includes the famous story 'Rain', the tragedy of a narrow-minded and overzealous missionary and a prostitute, and 'The Three Fat Women of Antibes,' an extravagantly sardonic tale of abstention and greed, as well as a host of other brilliant tales.

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....Marked by countless similarities to Maugham's own life, his masterpiece is "not an autobiography,” as the author himself once contended, "but an autobiographical novel; fact and fiction are inexorably mingled; the emotions are my own.” And although he based Of Human Bondage on what he knew, his is an "excessively rare gift of storytelling...almost the equal of imagination itself.”*With an Introduction by Benjamin De Mott and an Afterword by Maeve Binchy*The Sunday Times (London)

The third volume of Somerset Maugham's Collected Short Stories, introduced by the author, contains the celebrated series about Ashenden, a secret service agent in World War I.

This final classic collection of stories reveals Somerset Maugham's unique talent for exposing and exploring the bitter realities of human relationships.

The stories in this collection move from Malaya to America and England, and include some of Maugham's most famous tales; In this second volume of his collected stories, Maugham illustrates his characteristic wry perception of human foibles and his genius for evoking compelling drama from an acute sense of time and place.

From the love affair between a missionary and a drunkard to the mystery surrounding a death at sea, this collection gives a warm and humourous insight into life and history of life in the colonies and stands as a superbly entertaining and compelling testament to Maugham's skill and power as a short story writer.

Maugham spent the winter months of 1919 travelling fifteen hundred miles up the Yangtze river. Maugham keenly observes, and gently ridicules, their dogged and oblivious persistence with the life they know.

A masterpiece of modern literature that mirrors Maugham's own career. Of Human Bondage is the first and most autobiographical of Maugham's novels. 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.

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.

The W. Somerset Maugham Reader presents a full range of Maugham's literary capabilities, from his early works of social realism, to his dramatic tales of love and revenge, to his pieces on travel to exotic lands.

Whether portraying a ship-borne flight from a lover's curse, murder in the jungle, or a marriage shattered by a past indiscretion, they all reveal Maugham at his best - sometimes caustic, sometimes gently comic, but always the shrewd and human judge of character and soul.

'She was a fool and he knew it and because he loved her it had made no difference'Kitty Fane is the beautiful but shallow wife of Walter, a bacteriologist stationed in Hong Kong. Unsatisfied by her marriage, she starts an affair with charming, attractive and exciting Charles Townsend. But when Walter discovers her deception, he exacts a strange and terrible vengeance: Kitty must accompany him to his new posting in remote mainland China, where a cholera epidemic rages...VINTAGE DECO: Nine blazing, daring novels to celebrate the 1920s - 100 years on.

The incidents described in the stories are modeled on Maugham's experiences as a secret agent, and "the central character, Ashenden, is very much an autobiographical character." He is supposed to have modeled Chandra Lal after Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, an Indian nationalist in Germany during the war. Maugham, who was in the British Secret Service in Europe during the war, based many of his stories on his own experiences. Among other enterprises, Britain's European intelligence network attempted to eliminate several Indian nationalists in Europe, notably members of the Berlin Committee. Donald Gullick, a British agent, was dispatched to assassinate Chattopadhyaya. At the same time, the latter was on his way to Geneva to meet another Indian nationalist, Mahendra Pratap, and forward the Kaiser's invitation to Berlin. The short story of Giulia Lazzari is a blend of Gullick's attempts to assassinate Chattopadhyaya and Mata Hari's story. Winston Churchill reportedly advised Maugham to burn 14 other stories.The 1936 Alfred Hitchcock-directed film Secret Agent is a loose adaptation of "The Traitor" and "The Hairless Mexican," with John Gielgud as Ashenden (whose "real" name is Edgar Brodie) and Peter Lorre as The General.

Ce livre classique a été initialement publié il y a des décennies sous le titre " The Magician . Il a maintenant été traduit par Writat en langue française pour leurs lecteurs francophones. Chez Writat, nous sommes passionnés par la préservation du patrimoine littéraire du passé. Nous avons traduit ce livre en français afin que les générations présentes et futures puissent le lire et le conserver.

The Tenth Man: A Tragic Comedy in Three Acts, is a classical and a rare book, that has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we at Alpha Editions have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and redesigned. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work, and hence their text is clear and readable. This remarkable volume falls within the genres of Language and Literatures English literature

"Of Human Bondage" is a novel written by British author W. Somerset Maugham, first published in 1915. The novel is considered one of Maugham's most significant works and is semi-autobiographical in nature.The story follows the life of Philip Carey, an orphan with a clubfoot who is raised by his strict and emotionally distant aunt and uncle. Philip's journey takes him from a small English town to art school in Paris, medical school in London, and various encounters with people and experiences that shape his life. The novel explores themes of love, art, personal growth, and the search for meaning."Of Human Bondage" is known for its complex characters and psychological depth, offering a deep exploration of Philip Carey's experiences, relationships, and personal development. The novel has been praised for its keen insights into the human condition and is considered a classic of 20th-century literature.

The Moon and Sixpence, a classical book, has been considered essential throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we at Alpha Editions have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable.

Considered to be W. Somerset Maugham's masterpiece and adapted into multiple films, Of Human Bondage follows the journey of Philip Carey as he grows from a helpless, lonely child to a young, adventuring hedonist, in the end maturing into a confident family-man. Born with a club foot, orphaned nine-year old Philip is sent to live with his aunt and distant uncle. After a year of fruitless efforts at Oxford, Philip tries his hand in Germany and London before settling Paris to study art. There, he encounters love and heartbreak with various women, ending in devastation after he engages in a salacious affair with a woman who cannot return his love. Maugham has said Of Human Bondage is written as "not an autobiography, but an autobiographical novel," and intertwines many elements of Maugham's life, including his stutter, lonely childhood, and sensational affairs. Yet, when all is said and done, Philip Carey concludes, "the simplest pattern - that in which a man was born, worked, married, had children, and died - was likewise the most perfect."

Penelope: A Comedy in Three Acts, a classical book, has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we at Alpha Editions have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable.

On a Chinese Screen was first published in 1922 by Heinemann Publishers, London. Its 58 short vignettes are based on Maugham¿s travels along the Yangtze River from 1919 to 1920. Although later editions of the book added the subtitle ¿Sketches of Life in China,¿ there are actually only a few descriptions of the places he visited and the local Chinese people he met; rather, Maugham focuses on relaying his encounters with a range of Europeans living and working in the country. Maugham is quite critical of many of them and their lack of interest in, and sometimes disdain, for the country and its people, except for the extent to which their careers and pockets could benefit. His sketches highlight the difficulties that many expatriates encounter while living in a foreign culture.

"The Moon and Sixpence" is a novel written by W. Somerset Maugham. The book is loosely based on the life of the French painter Paul Gauguin and explores themes of creativity, passion, and the clash between societal expectations and individual desire. The story revolves around Charles Strickland, a middle-aged London stockbroker who abandons his family and career to pursue his passion for painting. Strickland's journey takes him to Paris, where he meets the bohemian art community and eventually settles in Tahiti, where he immerses himself in the local culture and creates some of his most famous works. How will Strickland develop his career? How will his work be known by the audience? The novel also explores the impact of Strickland's selfishness on those around him, including his wife and children. The Moon and Sixpence is a nuanced exploration of the human condition, showcasing the complexities of human relationships and the sacrifices that people make in pursuit of their passions.

The Painted Veil is a 1925 novel by British author W. Somerset Maugham. The title is a reference to Percy Bysshe Shelley's 1824 sonnet, which begins ""Lift not the painted veil which those who live / Call Life"".Maugham uses a third-person-limited point of view in this story, where Kitty Garstin is the focal character. Through Kitty one can witness a myriad of emotions and sentiments. She, being an extrovert personality likes to mingle with people but circumstances in her life are such that she is forced to marry Walter Fane who is totally her opposite. Her husband is a bacteriologist who works in Hong Kong and she indulges in an affair with Charles Townsend. However, with the twist of events she is forced to pass through various phases that make her evolve as a person and find her own dimensions of personality.

The Merry-go-round, has been considered important throughout human history. In an effort to ensure that this work is never lost, we have taken steps to secure its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for both current and future generations. This complete book has been retyped, redesigned, and reformatted. Since these books are not scans of the authors' original publications, the text is readable and clear.