Although categorized as a novel, it is really a group of mostly unrelated short stories featuring ashenden, a writer recruited during world war i by a british intelligence officer known only as r. Somerset maugham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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 farflung 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 authors merciless. Somerset maugham july 6, 1928, together with a letter from maugham regarding the opportunity to inscribe this copy. Founded on maughams own experiences in the british secret service during world war i, ashenden is a. An endwhich maugham approved, and which is the key to his style. Or the british agent is a 1927 collection of loosely linked stories by w. It works up to an interesting situation, has no sense of climax and whittles away its dramatic effects in irrelevance. Caesars wife east of suez the explorer the hero the land o. An excellent copy in the dust jacket with faded spine panel, and a couple of shallow chips and nicks. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. 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. Ashenden was written by somerset maugham and published in 1928. Somerset and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Haunting, erotic, deeply effecting, christmas holiday explores two souls capsized by compassionand the confusion that engulfed a generation in the days between the great wars. Ashenden, or, the british agent by william somerset maugham new. He was one of the most popular authors of his era, and reputedly the highest paid of his profession during the 1930s. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading ashenden vintage classics. He may shock you, even outrage you but he will always hold you spellbound with the sheer power of his stories. Ashenden, by somerset maugham, is a different matter, and one well worth exploring. This was also the case in the novel the burden of the passions of man, and in the novel the moon and the pitt.
Introduction by an excerpt from wikipedia first page. 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. A collection of stories so accurate that churchill ordered the destruction of 14 of them, while russian intelligence immediately set up a special unit to read british spy novels for clues new statesman thoughtful spy novels began with somerset maughams ashenden, featuring a detached hero on a journey to disillusion, a process brought to its apotheosis by le. Maugham collects his series of stories about ashenden, the lessthanglamorous secret agent. William somerset maugham was an english playwright, novelist and short story writer. Ashenden vintage classics kindle edition by maugham, w. This fascinating book contains the most expert stories of espionage ever written. Maughams characters, including ashenden, never question the legitimacy of british power, but everything that they do and say calls into question its core myths. Somerset maugham 1874 1965 was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Joseph conrads the secret agent 1907 may hold that honor. Theater by william somerset maugham download epub, mobi. The great novels and short stories of somerset maugham w. Theater is the only one of the most famous works of maugham, where the main character is a woman wrote and remembered pattern cover. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, for harold kamp from w.
Ashenden or the british agent by maugham, w somerset and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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. Somerset maugham 18471965 rain charts the moral disintegration of a missionary attempting to convert a pacific island prostitute named sadie thompson. Project gutenberg offers 61,845 free ebooks to download. This compilation contains three complete novels and eight major short stories from the canon of one of the twentieth centurys most enduringly popular fiction writers. Somerset maugham download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. These are beautifully constructed stories, though perhaps maughamsashendens in the main rather chilly, mildly amused urbanity does tend to hold the reader also away from emotional engagement. Somerset maugham earned vast sums as a playwright, novelist and master of the short story. Click download or read online button to get somerset maugham book now. It is partly based on the authors experience as a member of british intelligence in europe during the first world war. Ashenden was one of the first realistic spy novels, taking a cynical view of espionage and its human consequences. A set of short stories, connected in theme, featuring ashenden.
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. Born in the british embassy in paris, where his father worked. Maugham worked as a british spy during the world war i and so was uniquely placed to narrate us a set of tales set in the world of spying and espionage. Thoughtful spy novels began with somerset maughams ashenden, featuring a detached hero on a journey to disillusion, a process brought to its apotheosis by. The incidents described in the stories are modelled on maughams experiences as a secret agent, and the central character, ashenden, is very much an. While some novelists believe this is a proper model for fiction, maugham believes.
Somerset maugham is not the first secret agent novel in english. Discover book depositorys huge selection of w somerset maugham books online. William somerset maugham 25 january 1874 16 december 1965, better known as w. M orientations 1899 m the trembling of a leaf 1921 m ashenden 1928 m ah king 1933 m cosmopolitans 1936 m the favorite short stories of w. But, perhaps, it was in the novel the razors edge that maugham was the best able to reflect all the problems of spiritual growth of an individual in a society that requires a person functions of a banal battery. It was loosely based on somerset maughams experiences as an mi6 agent during world war one. Project gutenberg offers 61923 free ebooks for kindle, ipad, nook, android, and iphone. Fact starts a story at random, rambles on inconsequently and tails off, leaving loose ends, without a conclusion. Publication date 1928 topics iiit collection digitallibraryindia.
Like ian fleming, somerset maugham had himself been a secret agent. Somerset william somerset, 18741965 online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article maugham, w. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maughams most brillant charact, isbn 9780099284864 buy the the razors edge ebook. The stories collected in ashenden are rooted in maughams own experiences as an agent, reflecting the ruthlessness and brutality of espionage, its intrigue and treachery, as well as absurdity. Ashenden vintage classics new ed edition, kindle edition. Somerset maugham, was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. One of the most popular writers of interwar britain, w.
The british agent is founded on maughams experiences in the english intelligence department during world war i, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction. Somerset maugham pdf william somerset maugham was born in 1874 and educated at the kings. Multilingual, isbn 9780099289708 buy the ashenden ebook. Somerset maugham is available at in several formats for your ereader. Ashenden or the british agent by maugham w somerset abebooks. Why is maugham now hailed as a literary genius when so many critics once considered his novels too earthy, too sordid.
His work is characterised by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings and a perceptive understanding of human nature. Citing the declaration by critic and thriller writer julian symons that the modern spy story began with somerset maughams ashenden 1928, meyers notes the influence of that somberly. Fortunately, the author never once in my memory took on the burden write on behalf of the woman. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author d. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. It is also the work of a writer who had the knack for creating a vivid character in few words, and then allowing that character to reveal his storyand usually more of himself than he would wishto the attentive reader. Or the british agent 1927 is the first spy novel written by someone who actually worked for an intelligence agency. William somerset maugham, ch january 25, 1874 december 16, 1965 was an english playwright, novelist, and short story writer. Ashenden is a playwright who works for the british secret service as a spy in europe during wwi. And theater is the most stupid of maughams most famous works. Ashenden, a man of letters who retains the orientation of an observer even after history has turned him into a man of action, comes cast from the mold of autobiography. Somerset maugham collected short stories volume 3 contents miss king the hairless mexican giulia lazzari the traitor his excellency mr harringtons washing sanatorium miss king it was not till the beginning of september that ashenden, a writer by profession, who had been abroad at the outbreak of the war, managed to get back to england. Multilingual, knowledgeable about many european countries and a celebrated writer, maugham had the perfect cover, and the assignment appealed to his love of romance, and of the ridiculous. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
When war broke out in 1914, somerset maugham was dispatched by the british secret service to switzerland under the guise of completing a play. An uncompromising and selfdestructive deserts his wife, family, business, and civilization for his art. Five short stories by somerset maugham, based upon his experiences in the secret service in ww1. Somerset maugham, collection 31 volumes gripping tales from the master storyteller. Ashenden, or, the british agent by william somerset maugham new edition 2000 on. Buy ashenden, or, the british agent new ed by william somerset maugham isbn. He was among the most popular writers of his era, and reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s. An assignment whose danger and drama appealed both to his sense of romance and the ridiculous. Somerset maugham 1937 m creatures of circumstances 1947 m the maugham reader 1950 m the complete short stories of w. All are beautifully written of course, though the final story.
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