Collected Stories of W. Somerset Maugham Introduction by Nicholas Shakespeare

by Maugham, W. Somerset; Shakespeare, Nicholas

• ISBN13: 9781400042531
• ISBN10: 1400042534
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-07-06
• Publisher: Everyman's Library

Summary

The only hardcover edition of short stories by one of the twentieth century's most enduringly popular fiction writers. Though W. Somerset Maugham was also famous for his novels and plays, it has been argued that in thethe short story he reached the pinnacle of his artwas his true metier. These expertly told tales, with their addictive plot twists and vividly drawn characters, are both galvanizing as literature and wonderfully entertaining. In the adventures of his alter ego Ashenden, a writer who (like Maugham himself) turned secret agent in World War I, as well as in stories set in such far-flung locales as South Pacific islands and colonial outposts in Southeast Asia, Maugham brings his characters vividly to life, and their humanity is more convincing for the author's merciless exposure of their flaws and failures. Whether the chasms of misunderstanding he plumbs are those between colonizers and natives, between a missionary and a prostitute, or between a poetry-writing woman and her uncomprehending husband, Maugham brilliantly displays his irony, his wit, and his genius in the art of storytelling.

Author Biography

W. Somerset Maugham was one of the twentieth century’s most popular novelists as well as a celebrated playwright, critic, and short story writer. He was born in Paris but grew up in England and served as a secret agent for the British during World War I. He wrote many novels, including the classics <b>Of Human Bondage, Cakes and Ale, Christmas Holiday, The Moon and Sixpence, Theatre</b><i>, </i>and <b>Up at the Villa</b>.

Table of Contents

In a strange land	p. 3
Rain	p. 7
The fall of Edward Barnard	p. 47
The pool	p. 78
Mackintosh	p. 115
The happy couple	p. 148
The unconquered	p. 161
Before the party	p. 187
The yellow streak	p. 212
The vessel of wrath	p. 238
The force of circumstance	p. 275
The alien corn	p. 300
Virtue	p. 338
The bum	p. 373
The treasure	p. 380
The colonel's lady	p. 395
The human element	p. 413
Footprints in the jungle	p. 448
The book-bag	p. 478
The back of beyond	p. 513
Mayhew	p. 544
Mirage	p. 547
The letter	p. 565
The outstation	p. 598
Red	p. 628
Miss King	p. 649
The hairless Mexican	p. 680
Giulia Lazzari	p. 716
The traitor	p. 751
His excellency	p. 785
Sanatorium	p. 816
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