The Painted Veil

Book Description

Set in England and Hong Kong in the 1920s, The Painted Veil is the story of the beautiful but love-starved Kitty Fane. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. Stripped of the British society of her youth and the small but effective society she fought so hard to attain in Hong Kong, she is compelled by her awakening conscience to reassess her life and learn how to love.

The Painted Veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive.

Customer Reviews:

Read the Referenced Literature to get Maugham's Meaning.......2007-10-06

To better understand Somerset Maugham's "The Painted Veil," it's helpful to know some of the referenced literature that inspired the author. In the preface of "The Painted Veil" Maugham makes note of an interesting Italian legend of adultery and murder that first inspired the novel. Also, the title of the novel is taken from a sonnet by P. B. Shelley that begins "Lift not the painted veil which those who live call Life", which chastises people who choose to live in fear and illusion rather than embrace hope and face the reality of their imperfect relationships. The primary relationship in "The Painted Veil" is that between Kitty and Walter Fane. Kitty, a superficial socialite groomed by her ambitious mother to make a successful match, in desperation marries shy Walter. She escapes society's scorn with him in Hong Kong, where Walter has a government post as a research microbiologist. Bored with Walter's worshipful version of love, Kitty falls for the personable and politically powerful Charlie Townsend, who is married. The balance of power shifts, however, when Walter discovers Kitty's infidelity and forces her to "lift the veil" and also face some hard truths. In an act of revenge, Walter accepts a post to the dangerous city of Mei-tan-fu, beseiged by a severe cholera epidemic. Kitty can do nothing else but accompany him to what she thinks will be her death. Yet in this city of death, Kitty and Walter are changed by the people they meet: Deputy Commisioner Waddignton and his mysterious, devoted Manchu Lady, and noble Mother Superior, who left a privieged life in France to devote her life to Chinese orphans. What will be Kitty and Walter's fate and the fate of their marriage? And if one survives living in the shadow of death, is it possible to easily resume former relationships? Walter's cryptic line "The dog it was that died" holds the answer. Read the English rhyme "An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog" to find out what Walter means.

Ed Norton improved Somerset Maugham's ending.......2007-09-25

The novel is eloquent, especially in its description of the feelings of Kitty, Walter's wife. Her need for affection and recognition is palpable, but Walter is so highly-strung, even for a Brit, that he can hardly hold a conversation. The plague in the remote region of China, which Walter (and later Kitty) try to alleviate, makes Kitty grow. This part is deep and moving. But Walter does not change at all; he is the same intolerable, reticent, unforgiving husband. He dies without forgiving Kitty. And that's where Ed Norton made a smart revision. His Walter does change and does forgive Kitty, and the process is real and unsentimental. The second mistake of Maugham is that when Kitty returns Beijin, she returns to the arms of her lustful, trashy lover. That right there destroys the immense growth that had taken place in her soul upon seeing the suffering of the plague's victims. Now, at the end of the novel, she hates herself. And rightly so. Ed Norton deserves a lot of credit for revising Maugham's disappointing and confusing ending.

I Liked the Movie Better..........2007-09-22

This is one of those books that is probably rated better if you haven't seen the movie with Edward Norton Jr. and Naomi Watts. The writing is effective but the problem was that I preferred the storyline of the movie over the book. Still, it's worth a read even if you have seen the movie because it fills the characters out nicely. The book portrays Kitty Fane's character more fully than others and seems to be written partly from her viewpoint.

That being said, I adore the movie! The Painted Veil

BOOK VS DVD.......2007-08-28

RECALLING READING THIS GREAT NOVEL MANY YEARS AGO, I ORDEREED THE DVD RATHER RELUCTANTLY FULLY AWARE THAT I WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED.

VIEWING THE DVD I IMMEDIATELY FOUND FAULT AND REALIZED THAT I MADE A GRAVE ERROR. THE PROFOUND PASSSAGES IN THE BOOK WERE SADLY LACKING.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK VERY HIGHLY, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO HAD NOT SEEN THE DVD. THE BOOK WINS HANDS DOWN VS THE DVD.

I WAS SAD TO REACH THE LAST PAGE OF THE BOOK. SO MANY TOUGHT PROVOKING PASSAGES THAT WERE UNFORGETTABLE IN THE PAST AND WILL ENDURE IN THE FUTURE.

ROBERT LYONS
RENO, NEVADA

great book.......2007-08-24

I highly recomend the book. It is one of those books that you just can`t put away.

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Nature Boy
Overrated, but Chapter Six Recommended
New themes, fantastic character development
Amazing
A look into another world in another time

The Razor's Edge
W. Somerset Maugham
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400034205
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Book Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

Nature Boy.......2007-10-19

What's it all about? It's a question that many have asked but few have done so as effectively as Maugham. In this novel, peopled by attractive, fun-loving, educated, multi-lingual, upper-class Americans living in Europe between the world wars, Maugham gives two extremes. On the one hand you have the personification of Cindy Lauper's girls just want to have fun in the form of the beautiful Isabella. She loves Larry--crazy about him--- but won't marry him because Larry wants to live on a shoestring while traveling the world seeking the meaning of life; instead, she marries Larry's steady-Eddie friend Gray. Then, there's Larry, a very strange enchanted boy, much like the one that Nat King Cole made famous in Nature Boy: he wandered very far, very far, over land and sea, a little shy and sad of eye but very wise was he. Indeed, Larry goes to India where he lives and learns from holy men. He practices meditation, abstinence, mortification, and healing. Much to Isabella's chagrin, Larry, becomes so totally unselfish that he feels obligated to marry Sophia a suicidal old schoolmate turned prostitute drug abuser. With an assist from Isabella, Sophia skips out on Larry in favor of a fix and some rough sex. In the end, Sophia is murdered; Larry gives away all his possessions; Gray and Isabella get to live fat and happy on an inheritance from Uncle Elliott. So, what's the message? Perhaps Mick Jagger said it best: you can't always get what you want, but you can always get what you need.

Overrated, but Chapter Six Recommended.......2007-09-06

I came to this novel looking forward to reading about the spiritual journeying of its main character, Larry Darrell. Although Larry does occupy a central role, that role is far from being the starring one. Various other characters populate the pages, each taking nearly as much space as Larry. Perhaps Maugham intended the others to act as a foil for Larry--to contrast their materialistic pursuits against Larry's spiritual ones. But I never cared for the others (most of whom Maugham portrays as being quite shallow), and for me they became distractions. In many scenes, the highlight would be some words from Larry. But then Larry would sit quietly in the corner and listen to the inane chatter of the others. I diligently kept reading only because Maugham would throw out a crumb or two about Larry.

But the story of Larry's spiritual quest comes front and center in Chapter Six, the penultimate. Here we are treated to a long, revealing account of Larry's experience in India. This is the heart of the book and by far the most interesting. Strangely, in opening the chapter, Maugham warns the reader that he "very well skip this chapter without losing the thread of such story as I have to tell." But my own warning is this: read Chapter Six and nothing else! And this chapter can be read without any knowledge of the earlier chapters.

Earlier, I read a commentary comparing Razor's Edge with Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha, and there are similarities. Foremost is both authors' writing about Indian spiritualism far ahead of its becoming popular in the West. But, in my estimation, while Siddhartha grapples with some of the core issues of such spiritualism, Razor's Edge treats it as an interesting spotlight to contrast with Western society. Moreover, Hesse approaches the spiritualism whole-heartedly, as if his salvation depended on understanding it. But Maugham seems to treat the spiritualism as mere fodder for one of his many books, as if he might forget the material as soon as he started his next book.

Still, Maugham is an excellent writer, and at times his prose succinctly captures salient aspects of Indian spiritualism (at least to the extent that I understand it). At one point, claiming some modesty, Maugham writes: "I am not attempting here to give anything in the nature of a description of the philosophical system of the Vedanta." That may be true, but some of Maugham's crisp sentences convey significant insight:

"But that poor little drop of water, when it has once more become one with the sea, has surely lost its individuality." Larry's response: "What is individuality but the expression of our egoism? Until the soul has shed the last trace of that it cannot become one with the Absolute."

"I have always felt that there was something pathetic in the founders of religion who made it a condition of salvation that you should believe in them. It's as though they needed your faith to have faith in themselves."

New themes, fantastic character development.......2007-08-23

I approached Maugham reluctantly, as I do many British authors. But, the Razor's Edge was clear, descriptive, yet not mired in page-long sentences. Maugham does not try to present a "theme" to the reader, although he does set up situations in which the reader can try to grasp lessons from the plot.

But that is all the reader can do--grasp. Maugham is Dickensian in his character development. Each character is ethereal, and readers can project themselves on them--especially Larry. Maugham seems to understand that we cannot simplify characters to simple symbols or thoughts, and he uses this to his advantage.

Brilliant book, lucid enough for reading on vacations...stirring

Amazing.......2007-08-20

Like the sharp blade of a razor this book cut right through me giving me a new perspective on a great many things

The book is written like an authors recollection of events that happened after WW1. The story line is not a crazy action packed adventure but insted a slow one. This book is not to be read by a little kid as in order to fully grasp it requires much concentration one must interpret every word. The adjectives in this book are amazing They make it as if you're watching a painter paint the scene delicicatly in front of your very eyes concentrating on evey intracate detail. Suddenly you are looking at a rock formation and you see the great blue ocean in the background and you watch as the waves crash upon the shore.

I reccomend this book to anyone with a fuctioning brain and a decent attention span. Five stars out of five a must read

A look into another world in another time.......2007-06-26

Yet the writing is so full that we can feel part of this other world.

I came to this story by the back door. My first introduction to Somerset Maugham was through the movie "The Razor's Edge" (1946) staring Tyrone Power as Larry Darrell. I have no idea as to how much it was adapted from the book. Then in 1984 we watched Bill Murray as Larry Darrell. This film lost what magic the 1946 film had. So it was time to read the book. Yes I know very few films can do more than present the essence of a book. Turns out that even the older film wrote Summerset out of some of the scenes.

Larry is back from the war (WWI). As with many of us he is left with nagging questions about why one person lives and another must die. This problem leads Larry to search for the answers. He turns down opportunities and takes up a lifestyle to help him find answers. This story is told or narrated by Somerset Maugham himself. In the book Somerset takes more of an active part in the story. Larry came as close as any of us to the answer he seeks and we leave him much the same way one enters and leaves your life.

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Magical
The Art of Transparency
Great Content
see jen have fun
Beautiful!

Transparent Art
Somerset Studio
Manufacturer: Stampington & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0971729654

Product Description

The hottest trend in papercrafts and mixed media, Transparent Art showcases the exciting versatility of acetate, glass and other see-through materials. Featuring an array of innovative projects with instructions and detailed how-to photos for using transparent media in jewelry, altered books, scrapbook pages, purses and more.

Customer Reviews:

Magical.......2007-05-24

This book is really magical. I'd been looking for some information on using transparencies and this is excellent. You'll be inspired.

The Art of Transparency.......2007-04-10

This is a beautiful book of wonderful pieces of art which are all done with transparent collage images. The reason I got this book was because I love to work with this medium. They have that see-thru quality that resonates into a different look at art.

So much of the art work in this book is so easy to do, I was amazed. The directions are clear and concise and even a novice can do some of these projects. Working with varied mediums such as glass, wood and fabric made the transparent images look different and new.

I would recommend this book to anyone who hasn't tried their hand at working with transparencies in their collages or altered art. They will be surprised at how this medium will enhance their art.

Great Content.......2006-11-10

This soft cover on transparent art, though a little pricey, finally puts techniques for using this medium all in one place for those who are serious about learning how to use transfer medium in their artwork. As with most books of this type, the artist/crafter must own or invest in a significant amount of other supplies in order to duplicate the projects. The book is well done; the explanations clear; the photographs of the processes clear. Somerset Studio, as usual, has done a good job.

see jen have fun.......2006-09-03

Having your artwork published is one of the biggest highs I've experience since becoming a full time artist. Having your artwork published by Somerset Studio is even bigger! I had a wonderful time sharing my groundbreaking transparency manipulation technique with everyone in this book. Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn are visionaries of the transparency world and it's my unique pleasure to have found them ... or did they find me?

If you are at all interested in exploring the phenomenon of transparency art and it's effect on the mixed media community, then this is the book for you. Explore the brain children of some of today's most advanced transparency artists!

I love the quality of this book and the fantastic job they did photographing everyone's art.

xox
jen

Beautiful!.......2006-03-22

Being a huge fan of Somerset Studio, I had an inkling before I ever saw this book that it was going to be gorgeous. It truly is a work of art. The projects are breathtaking, the paper quality, printing quality and photography of this book are exceptional.

Unlike some of the altered art books hitting the market, Transparent Art's projects/tips/instructions are on the cutting edge of the paper arts industry. After reading this book, I started playing around with transparencies in earnest. The information elevated the quality of my own mixed media art pieces immensely. I am jazzed by some of the results and have surprised even myself!

I have a special shelf in my bookcase for my absolute favorite books that I return to again and again for inspiration. Transparent Art went immediately on this shelf when I finished reading it.

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Philip
wonderful
Love is a hurtin' thing
Just The Best!
All Time Classic a Disappoinment

Of Human Bondage (Bantam Classics)
W. Somerset Maugham , and Jane Smiley
Manufacturer: Bantam Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 055321392X
Release Date: 1991-06-01

Book Description

The first and most autobiographical of Maugham's masterpieces. 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, he settles in London to train as a doctor where he meets Mildred, the loud but irresistible waitress with whom he plunges into a tortured and masochistic affair.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Download Description

Philip Carey, a handicapped orphan, is brought up by a clergyman, but Philip sheds his religious faith and begins to study art in Paris.

Customer Reviews:

Philip.......2007-06-21

When little club-footed Philip Carey's mother died, he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle, severe, religious relatives who knew not how to handle the child thrust into the midst of their lives. He grew up without coddling or affection, but with books and the fantastic worlds they brought to him, worlds he would strive his whole life to recreate in fact. From his experiences in school to an artist's paris, to the hospitals of London and the dregs of society, Of Human Bondage details his search for himself and for his own brand of reality as he waits, desperate for life to finally begin. I see a lot of myself in Philip's apparently directionless wanderings, which is the beauty of this novel. He is believeable to extremes, and gloriously ambivalent morally. The book is beautifully written and wonderfully unpredictable, avoiding trite cliches and overlong prosaic rambles alike. Read it for school, or for pleasure, or for the experience of seeing plainly a slice of someone else's life, someone neither virtuous nor sinful, someone wholly real.

wonderful.......2007-05-21

Little read these days, but Maugham remains head and shoulders above almost all contemporary novelists and this is his masterpiece.

Love is a hurtin' thing.......2007-05-05

Why, most have wondered, do people sometimes fall in love with someone almost absolutely worthless? And if they are loved by a wonderful person, why do they not love them in return? Maughham suggest it might have to do with the family the person was raised in. The narrator loses both parents at a young age, and is raised by a cold and self-centered man, and his wife who loves the young Philip with a desperate and clinging love. And what happens? He falls in love with a truly repulsive woman. I generally avoid "classic" novels, since I am one of those readers Mark Twain described -- I know the names but haven't read most. However, "Of Human Bondage" is an exception to that rule. I was absorbed in it from beginning to end, and found every insight in it to confirm my own.

Just The Best!.......2007-04-30

I have read this book many times over the years and it's different every time. Is amazing how one writer can get all those human emotions and write about them, one can actually feel what the characters feel and get involved into their lives. A book that is worth reading more than once...

All Time Classic a Disappoinment.......2006-12-02

I am sorry to say that I thoroughly disliked "Of Human Bondage." I know it is on every must read list for fiction (which is why I decided to read it) however, I just wonder how such a boring story can continually be relegated to such a hallowed position in literature? Not only did I find it dull but I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the main character's perception of women! I'm not a feminist in the least but most of the female characters were described in such pathetic ways. "Yellow teethed" "Sallow skin" "Dirty Hands" "Tear stained over powdered face", it goes on and on. I wondered if the author was uncomfortable women? I looked online for some information about Maugham. To my surprise I found out that Maugham was bisexual. He did marry and have a child but for most of his life it sounded like he was involved with men. In no way can I say this substantiates or confirms the tone of the book -- but in some way it answered my question or concern.

Instead of this book I'd recommend the following classics: Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Madame Bovary by Flaubert. At least in these books, maybe the female characters are not the most virtuous but the characters are written with such sensuality that even though they might not be described as gorgeous they are brought to life in the pages by the author with a kaleidoscope of words that makes them multidimensional -- good or bad.

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Well written but not his greatest.
Truth, Art and Artifice
The Muse of Youth
Good, but the least of the 3 I've read
Well Developed

Cakes and Ale
W. Somerset Maugham
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375725024
Release Date: 2000-12-05

Book Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

Well written but not his greatest........2005-09-06

The reason that I read this book was because I fell in love with W. Somerset Maugham's writing style when I read 'Of Human Bondage'. Unfortunately, I was greatly disappointed to go from 'Of Human Bondage', which is now my favourite book, to 'Cakes & Ale'. From the very beginning I confess that I had difficulty with the storyline. I found myself constantly wondering what the setting was of a scene. I found the character of Roy rather distracting and dull. Despite the fact that the story would not exist if not for his character, I felt that he was of no importance.

The only time that I actually felt myself get interested in the story was when Edward and Rosie Driffield came onto the pages. I enjoyed their characters and the way that they interacted with Ashenden. From the very beginning I liked both of their characters, especially Rosie for her personality.

Although this book was beautiful and so well written I found myself staring down at the pages in awe at times, I did not enjoy it as much as 'Of Human Bondage' and 'The Razor's Edge', which I read directly after 'Cakes & Ale'. I would have to say the only good things about this novel were Edward and Rosie's characters and the last few pages. The one thing that truly turned me against liking this book was the ending. To me it seemed rather abrupt and not at all fitting of the story. It left me cold as the majority of the story did. I was unable to connect with the characters very well, which is something that bothers me to no end. I like to get involved in the book I am reading, feel what the characters are feeling, but there was so little of that here that by the time I finished this book I was admittedly a bit disgusted that I had wasted my time by reading it.

Truth, Art and Artifice.......2005-06-30

In the late 1920's, an aged literary lion, a venerated late Victorian novelist, Edward Driffield, has died and his widow thinks his life should be written down. She appeals to a younger novelist, Alroy Kear, who had attached himself to their society. In turn, he appeals to a friend who he knows must have known the legend earlier in life. The friend he turns to is the first-person narrator of CAKES AND ALE, Ashenden, also a novelist, who gradually reveals to the reader the truth of the deceased's early life. How much he will reveal to the other characters is another thing, and even if he did, the controlling widow, the man's second and much younger wife, would most likely excise what does not fit the public image she had worked hard to preserve. When it comes to pinning down a protagonist, however, the novel turns on the character of Rosie, Driffield's long-gone first wife.

Several things are going on in CAKES AND ALE. One is the real history of Edward Driffield (whose stature and career bear something of a resemblance to Thomas Hardy, who died in 1928), and the narrator's own interlinked coming of age. Then there is the narrator's scathing look at literary society and the machinations by which critical success and public favor are won. He drops a lot of industry insider jokes, and several actual personages are discussed, but he also returns to the eternal writers' theme of who among them will be read past their deaths. Lastly, the sharp contrast between Victorian life and 20th century existence emerges as a dramatic theme; there is the sense that those with one foot in each culture will never be able to fully absorb the rapid change in mores and fashions. The only figure who floats across the divide is the person who from the outset bucked convention of any kind, Rosie.

Maugham infuses the narrative with a sharp wit and good conversation. It is very shrewd and justifiably cynical about human ambitions and weaknesses. The dramatic story unfolds slowly but with tensions and secrets that keep going until the very end. This remains very satisfying reading 75 years after publication.

The Muse of Youth.......2005-02-06

In the development from squalling tyke to full-fledged adulthood, human beings tend to gather around them items of media that reflect back upon them their personal conception of the world, in all its myriad forms: music that invigorates the higher spheres, movies that confirm our own view of existence, and authors that speak directly to us, that seem able to give tangible expression to our individual perceptions. For me, reading Somerset Maugham is like diving into the ambivalent soup of my own viewpoint. With his dry wit, penetrating digressions and general psychological understanding of the foibles and frequent inconsistencies of human behavior, Somerset ~feels~ like a fellow brother-in-arms, a voice in the ether, a soulmate artist intoning over the distance of seven decades. It's like reading my own thoughts. Thus have I systematically perused the man's greater works, including his two masterpieces *Of Human Bondage* and *The Razor's Edge*, and returned again and again to the little jewels that fashion the glittering arraignment of his literary crown, being the short stories that are the condensed summation of Somerset's genius perception. Not that the man would agree with that last statement: Somerset considered himself the top of 2nd tier authors, far from `genius' status; and was condemned by critics for his popularity and lack of the experimental drive. Given that he did not delve into the symbolic/semantic abysses of his contemporaries Faulkner and Joyce, Somerset's oeuvre and reputation has remained 2nd tier for the Ivory Tower set, with his focus on `real world' examination paling before the tongue-twisting allegory-riffing of the literary elite. But I'd rather browse the *Collected Short Stories* for the nth time than be rebuffed by *Finnigan's Wake*, the resultant insights of those short stories revealing more in their brevity than anything I could possibly assimilate in the syntax swamp of the Dubliner.

Despite his so-called 2nd tier status, Somerset has survived the literary axe of indifference, gaining stature as the years march on and his works are continually reexamined; and it is curious to read, near the beginning of this novel, the author's alias Ashenden argue with a potboiler-scribe named Roy Kear about posterity - specifically which of their colleagues will endure their current era. Roy Kear claims that that the principle subject of their discussion, a one Edward Driffield, so-called "last of the Victorians", has put a permanent stamp upon the literary zeitgeist. Ashenden/Somerset refutes this with this simple opinion that he finds Driffield's works "rather boring." And later, around the halfway mark of *Cakes and Ales*, Somerset slips from the narrative into a long digression about posterity itself, concluding with the basic idea: "Longevity = Posterity." Driffield, loosely based on Thomas Hardy, wrote so many novels, and lived to such an advanced age, that he outlasted all his competitors and was eventually hailed as a "living genius" by a society desperate for continual applications to the Canon, especially those survivors who could be re-discovered and subsequently championed. If Somerset's theory is correct, then even Stephen King will be considered an essential stone in the Zeitgeist (... "NEVER! NEVER!" I can hear the Bloomites and literati shout, even now) with his accurate reflection of 20th century atmosphere - real-time horrors metaphorically transfigured into cheesy monsters - and, more importantly, by his vast, prolific staying power. Time will tell.

*Cakes and Ale* is a minor work of Somerset's oeuvre, but not insignificant: the author himself stated it to be his favorite work, and I must admit that, like the short fiction, this slender volume contains the essence of Somerset's talent and technique, a condensed viewpoint much easier and overall enjoyable than the emotional torment *Of Human Bondage.* The book concerns itself with the legacy of Edward Driffield, post-mortem; Roy Kears has been hired to write a glowing tribute/biography of the famous author, and he enlists Somerset, who knew the deceased long before his literary fame, to help with research. *Cakes and Ale* is thus a near-sequel to *Of Human Bondage*, as Somerset reflects on his boyhood days - the terrible conformity and isolationism of English villages; his eventual escape therein - a flight aided in part by Driffield and the central pivot of the man's career, his first wife Rosie. Rosie, free-thinking, vivacious and serially unfaithful, inspires Driffield's finest novels and serves as his golden-haired muse. Roy Kears and Driffield's second wife view Rosie as the stain upon the authorial page, the impediment which kept the author from his deserved glory: she is to be reduced as much as possible from the biography. Somerset thinks otherwise, although he is remarkably prejudiced, given his relationship with her; but with the concluding passages of *Cakes and Ale* he gives concrete evidence as to the importance of this wanton Muse, without which Driffield might never have attained his peak prowess.

(A side note: Rosie's character reminds me of Ida, from Graham Greene's *Brighton Rock*, and both can be viewed as an English author's artistic attempt to exorcise the puritan viewpoint of the day about "loose women" in general. "Rosie was made to love," Somerset gushes, biased by circumstance but psychologically keen nonetheless).

*Cakes and Ale*: A minor but extremely enjoyable text from one of the greatest observers/authors of the early 20th century. Highly Recommended.

Good, but the least of the 3 I've read.......2005-02-01

In addition to this, I've also read Of Human Bondage and The Razor's Edge. This is the least of the three, but still enjoyable. Not as controversial as one might be lead to believe, though I suspect it raised a few brows in its time. Maugham seemed to be big on having women as whores for central characters. Not all the women characters, but there seems like there is always one. This doesn't always mean they are bad people, just real real loose! This title isn't necessarily only for completists. If you are new to him, check out Of Human Bondage. It's his best that I've come across so far.

Well Developed.......2005-01-16

This is the first book I have read in a LONG time. If you are like me your practical experience with fiction evolved formulated novels (Brown, Clancy, and Ect). Don't get pissy if you like them, I like them well enough but all the books follow the same format. It's like reading the same story, over and over. This book held my attention and I finished it in like 8 hrs, my personal record. The characters develop fast enough and the plot is deeper than you average rock'm sock'm fiction of current. Maugham has an interesting way of giving a person incites in to what makes a person tick. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the human condition in all its idocencrisy.

The Somerset Hills (New Jersey Country Houses)

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The Somerset Hills (New Jersey Country Houses)
John K. Turpin
Manufacturer: Mountain Colony Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0974950408

Product Description

Lavishly ilustrated, The Somerset Hills provides a rare glimpse into some of New Jersey's finest country houses and estates, and the fascinating people who designed and built them. Volume 2 of this stunning series is also now available.

The Moon and Sixpence (Dover Value Editions)

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Not one of his best
Great to a point.
Passion, Passion, Passion.
Engaging storytelling
The Maddening Life of The Artist

The Moon and Sixpence (Dover Value Editions)
W. Somerset Maugham
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486446026

Book Description

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.

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On a trip to research French artist Paul Gauguin, Maugham sailed into Tahiti's Papeet harbor, where he imagined an exotic tale of the ultimate outsider, one who rejects his entire way of life to pursue an obsession. The result of his efforts is a story of rebellion and escape from civilization which continues to attract and captivate readers to this day.

Customer Reviews:

Not one of his best.......2007-06-30

Maugham has put in a lot of effort in an attempt to delve into the mind of an artist, tortured by his artistic impuses, impervious to the ordinary needs of normal people and to the moral codes that are made to secure and safeguard the needs.

But his choice of an english stockbroker to represent the very gaelic gauguin is flawed. Perhaps I was prejudiced, but an englishman in colonial times, in my mind was strictly bound to ideas of fair play and social morals. He's not unlike his french counterpart able to disregard, convention and give in to powerful artistic impulses.

The depiction of the burst of creativity, in tahiti, the tropicalness, the simplicity of natives, who lead their lives governed by instinct rather than complex social norms wasn't powerful or impressive, not in the same was that irving stone impressed with his depiction van gogh's achivements in arles.

Great to a point........2007-03-05

Nice book, though it wanders away the last 40 pages. Not at the level of the brilliant "Of Human Bondage."

Passion, Passion, Passion........2007-02-28

I always chafe when I hear people downplay the talent and importance of Somerset Maugham. He happens to be one of my favorite writers and The Moon and Sixpence is by far--in my opinion--his best book. I reread it yesterday and continue to be moved by its emotion. No other novel describes the passion which motivates the artist in such intricate detail. With Strickland, our neo-Gauguin, we see that the force that drives is absolute even though it may not be noble or life-affirming. As a man, Strickland treats people the way most of us treat parking places--we enter them, leave them and then never give their existence a second thought; yet, the one thing he undoubtedly has is artistic integrity. The middle third of the book is the strongest and here, as elsewhere, Mr. Maugham tells an amazing story. Also of note, are his impressions of women which may be as sound as those of anybody else I have ever encountered. Overall, this is a vastly underrated novelist and a vastly underrated book.

Engaging storytelling.......2006-09-09

Based in outline on the life of post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin, The Moon and Sixpence makes for an at times dark, at times lighthearted tale with a predictable ending. The fun is in the getting there and the brilliant characters and anecdotes that we find along the way.

In a disarming style successfully conveying that neither the narrator nor the author takes himself terribly seriously, W. Somerset Maugham opens The Moon and Sixpence in an academic tone, with the narrator disparaging the novel as a literary form, and using frequent footnotes to convey that academic sense of non-fiction that is ostensibly so much more respectable. With characteristic phrases like "blackheart", "dash it all", and Robert Strickland's favorite, "go to hell", we are guided from Strickland's family life in England to his impoverished Paris years and finally on his trail to Tahiti where he spends his final days toiling away at his magnum opus in an idyllic but ultimately tragic setting.

My favorite character was Dirk Stroeve, a Dutch painter living in Paris, with very little talent of his own but with the ability to recognize its expression--notably in the genius of Strickland's painting. Stroeve's kindness and generosity, both of which he lavishes on others to a ludicrous degree, act as an almost perfect foil for contrasting with Strickland's boorish contempt, even for those who help nurse him through a life-threatening illness. The stark disparity with Stroeve humanizes and better defines Strickland.

In the course of relating Strickland's story, Maugham reveals a keen sense of observation and ponders some of the fundamental questions of what it means to be human. Strickland's character encompasses both the contradiction between and the synthesis of opposing ideas--of how, for example, pursuit of the creative impulse can be destructive, and destruction of social bonds can lead to creativity. In the way he writes of Strickland's genius, some of Maugham's own is revealed.

The Maddening Life of The Artist.......2006-04-09

Maugham begins this book, as he does 'Razor's Edge,' with an annoying fussiness ('I'm really not qualified to write about it..what's the point of a novel,'etc.). But once he gets down to the narrator's trying to understand the strange life of Strickland (a thinly-veiled portrait of 19th-century 'dumped his family for painting' French artist Paul Gaugain), the book takes on a lyrical beauty you won't soon forget. What drives the honest artist, his eyes on the stars while his mortal existence sinks into poverty? Maugham doesn't have an answer, but the asking is what will keep you involved.

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fantastic
IS THERE A BETTER BOOK THAN THIS ?!
Absolutely superb.
DK has done it again!
If you ever wondered "when was that?" you need this book!

DK History of the World
Plantagenet Somerset Fry
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1564582442

Amazon.com

The publication of this book in 1994 was a milestone in the field of publishing for children and young adults. Working with an international team of historians, the renowned nonfiction publisher Dorling Kindersley used their extensive image library to create a visual chronology of world history, laden with photographs of real artifacts, tools, and art from around the globe, as well as illustrations and photographs of the people who lived in each era.

Summarizing the entire history of civilization seems a daunting task, but the organizational work here is exemplary. Each chapter covers a historical period from several centuries in the earliest times to a 25-year span in recent times. Beginning with a world map, each chapter offers a time line and a double-page spread identifying the major events and developments within five geographic areas: Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. More specific discussions for these geographic areas follow, along with additional illustrations, maps, and small, specific time lines. Because of the organizational scheme using five world divisions, all areas of the world receive equal treatment. An additional 115-page reference section includes a glossary of terms and a comprehensive index. The Dorling Kindersley History of the World is a welcome addition to the family reference shelf for students from fourth grade through high school. (Ages 9 and older)

Customer Reviews:

fantastic.......2005-03-24

I absolutely love this book. Every page is packed with fascinating information and color photos of real artifacts. I really like the way he ties it all together, giving an overview of the history of the entire world and which events occurred at the same time period. I bought it so I could teach my kids world history. I do think the reading level would be appropriate for a 3rd grader, but unfortunately the print is so small it makes it intimidating for younger kids.

IS THERE A BETTER BOOK THAN THIS ?!.......2003-08-13

Absolutely beautiful,comprehensive world history book - should be in EVERY classroom and home! A record of conflict of course, but chock full of the best that people have done on this planet(art,architecture,science, etc.)- inspiring and exciting. If anyone knows of a better illustrated world history book, please write me! Thank you DK - once again an incredible book.

Absolutely superb........1999-10-13

This is a simply marvelous book, good for all ages. (After all, I am a single adult with no children!) DK publishes a lot of "children's" books which I, as a mature, educated adult, find very useful and fascinating. This one, though, is probably the best of the lot.

DK has done it again!.......1999-09-25

DK Publishing never ceases to hold my interest with colorful and imagiantive formats, and this book is a perfect example. The full color pictures combined with intesting facts make this a great tool for any student of history. As a future teacher and history major, I highly recommend this book to students of all ages!

If you ever wondered "when was that?" you need this book!.......1999-01-08

DK has mastered the art of presenting facts in a way that mesmerizes both young and old. This book is a resource you will return to time and again. This book goes beyond most school texts by giving a side by side timeline of the entire globe on one page. Not just for kids; this book would be valuable to anyone wanting an easy to read timeline of world history. The illustrations and photographs are perfect compliments to the text. It could easily double as a coffee table book, and would make a great gift for youth and teens.

Collected Short Stories: Volume 3 (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)

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Collected Short Stories: Volume 3 (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
W. Somerset Maugham
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140185917

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters

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not so impressed
The story about a changing girl...review by Evy
Amazing book
Absolutely Adorable
Buy it as a present - buy it for yourself!

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters
Lesley M. M. Blume
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375835237
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Book Description

Eleven-year-old Cornelia is the daughter of two world-famous pianists—a legacy that should feel fabulous, but instead feels just plain lonely. She surrounds herself with dictionaries and other books to isolate herself from the outside world. But when a glamorous neighbor named Virginia Somerset moves next door with her servant Patel and a mischievous French bulldog named Mister Kinyatta, Cornelia discovers that the world is a much more exciting place than she had originally thought.

An unforgettable story of friendship and adventure that takes readers around the world and back again, Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters is a dazzling first novel by Lesley M. M. Blume.

Customer Reviews:

not so impressed.......2007-08-11

Was nobody bothered by this book? The story of a girl who is overshadowed by her famous mother but finds her own through the friendship of an older woman is fine. But I think L. Blume misses some fact-like things and has ages wrong and oh, I don't like the use of big words with definitions in the text. The "girls" (friend Virginia tells stories of her youth and she and sisters are "girls") start off in 1949 ages 20, 22 and 21. And by 2005 only one is alive? That just rings untrue; I think an educated family would likely have more members living past 80. But I could give on that. It's just that there are many things which seem off, like that. The past which is described often seems to be further back than cerca 1950, for instance.

Well. I found it annoying. Read it through, to see where this "girl comes to her own" set today in NYC would go, but I wasn't impressed.

And when L. Blume wrote, in the acknowledgements, "may our triumvirate set a new standard in the world of neoclassical middle-grade fiction" I sincerely hoped not. Not to mention - what conceit!

The story about a changing girl...review by Evy.......2007-08-03

Cornelia is a girl who didn't really appreciate her life. Her mother was a famous pianist and she had no father. Her mother would travel a lot and Cornelia was stuck with her caregiver, who in Cornelia's opinion, was obnoxious. Until Cornelia met Virginia Somerset and learned about the adventures of the Somerset Sisters. This book is perfect for people who enjoy adventure and comedy. It is a great book to cuddle up with after a long day. The book contains a very important lesson for all of us to learn: sometimes meeting other people can change the way you look at life for the better. This story is about a girl who changes her ways, and grows and becomes more awesome herself!! A must buy!

Amazing book.......2006-12-07

The librarian at my school put this book on hold because she always knows what books I will love. When she handed this to me, I looked at the title and smiled. I knew it'd be great. So, before she even told me what it was about, I had it checked out. The title was all I needed. I read this in less than a week and fell in love after the first chapter. Cornelia is such a wonderful character and Virginia Somerset was fascinating. I wish I could have a friend like her! After every story told by Virginia, I wanted to travel to which ever country she was talking about. This story should be read by everyone. It is amazing how you can easily relate to it. I can't wait for future books by Lesely M. M. Blume, she's a wonderful author who has a bright future. I may be only 14 years old but I reccomend this book to anyone, even adults. This would definately make a great Christmas gift that I'd personally love to receive.

Absolutely Adorable.......2006-10-09

Eleven year old Cornelia Street considers herself a wordsmith. She'd rather curl up with a good book than socialize with her classmates. At the end of the schoolday, she heads home to her apartment building in Greenwich Village, where members of the household staff await her - but where her mother rarely stays.

Cornelia's parents are both world-famous pianists. Most people would envy that fame and that talent, but not Cornelia. She has no desire to play piano herself and wishes that her jet-setting mother were home more often. Her father is not in the picture; Cornelia has never known him. Though she has every (material) thing she could need, Cornelia is lonely.

That is, until new neighbors move in across the hall. Who would have thought that an elderly woman would become a little girl's best friend? The dazzling Virginia Somerset shares Cornelia's love for stories and big words. The self-proclaimed Scheherazade tells Cornelia amazing tales that star Virginia and her three sisters as they travel all over the world, meeting famous artists and leaders.

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume is absolutely adorable. What a delightful book! I loved the story-within-a-story format and the descriptive writing. I could almost see Virginia's eyes sparkle as she related her adventures to Cornelia. If it had been released fifteen years ago and I had found it at my local library, it would have become one of the titles checked it out and read repeatedly. Highly recommended.

Buy it as a present - buy it for yourself!.......2006-09-12

It's an excellent book! Such a sweet tale! It is an interesting and loving story which I would recommend anyone to read! Hans Christian Andersen was known for his fairytales for children but his stories were meant for adults. Similarly - anyone could read and enjoy this book.

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