Collected Stories (Everyman's Library)

Every story in this book is a good read. I tip my hat to Maugham.

W Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), English playwright, novelist, and short story writer, was one of the most famous writers in the first half of the twentieth century. Yet he's not one of the writers people now recognize most from that time. He is well known, for sure, but his stature seems to pale in comparison to other writers of that era, such as Faulkner, Joyce, and Woolf. I think this is because Maugham wrote in such a business-like fashion, without any frills, while his contemporaries were experimenting and creating what would become known as modernist literature. And even those who know him now usually connect him back to his most famous novels- Of Human Bondage, The Painted Veil, The Moon & Sixpence- more so than his short stories. But Maugham was a formidable short story writer, writing more than 120, 31 of which comprise this collection.Maugham meticulously followed a daily writing schedule, and this consistency shows in his work. I've never read a collection- especially one of this length- that was so consistently entertaining. There is a rhythm that transcends the stories and makes 800+ pages fly by: he seems to churn great story after great story with ease. The stories are autobiographical and reflect the exciting life he led. Many are set in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, or China, where Maugham traveled extensively in the 20's and 30's chronicling the lives of the Colonialist English. The last 200 pages of this collection contain a selection from The Ashendon Stories, about a writer-turned spy in WWI, which Maugham himself was.Despite the plain style, there is lots of suspense in these stories. There's love and hate and murders to solve and affairs to uncover. Maugham is a keen observer of human nature. He's writing about real people from his travels, so often it seems as if Maugham's simply narrating what he sees when opposing forces are set in front of him. Not surprisingly, isolation is a big theme (and source of conflict) in the colonial stories. Some of the more poignant moments in his work are when Maugham shows the rituals they performed- like The Resident (term for the governor) in "The Outstation" who dressed formally every night for dinner, even while eating alone- to provide the illusion of their old life. And despite Maugham's seeming anti-Romanticism throughout many of the stories, the collection closes with "The Sanatorium", a story where love conquers even death.This is a great collection and definitely worth the time.

Maughm was a modest man; he always referred to himself a first-rate writer of the second tier, a "ham and egger." Along with J.G. Farrell and Anthony Burgess, I've read Maughm to re-visit the by-gone era of the late British Empire. This collection of short stories transported me to a different time and place, and allowed for a vicarious experience, the reasons most people enjoy reading. The hefty collection provided hours of unalloyed pleasure.

W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) is among the greatest of English short story authors. Maugham's tales in this excellent collection published by Everyman are notable for:a. His wisdom and insight into that most fragile of organs-the human heart.b. A clear writing style which focused on the story to be told and the theme to be explored in that particular story.c. A tour of the waning British Empire in such locales as Australia, Borneo, Samoa and other far reaches of the earth. I have been reading several short stories during this year. Poe and Twain and Pushkin were all marvelous but these Maugham stories are my favorites. Enjoy such classics as Rain, The Book Bag,The Letter and so many more. These tales will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning.

Short stories by the MASTER - EVERY ONE A GEM THIS HARDCOVER EDITION IS EXCELLENT IN EVERY WAY

There has been a lot of comment about the fact that this book is NOT the complete stories of Maugham, but only a collection. So, here are the included stories:In a Strange LandRainThe Fall of Edward BernardThe PoolMackintoshThe Happy CoupleThe UnconqueredBefore the PartyThe Yellow StreakThe Vessel of WrathThe Force of CircumstanceThe Alien CornVirtueThe BumThe TreasureThe Colonel's LadyThe Human ElementFootprints in the JungleThe Book-bagThe Back of BeyondMayhewMirageThe LetterThe OutstationRedMiss KingThe Hairless MexicanGiulia LazzariThe TraitorHis ExcellencySanatoriumThis includes just one of my favorites, "Red." Other favorites have gone missing, including "Jane," "The Luncheon," "The Three Fat Ladies of Antibes" and a few others.It is a handsomely produced volume, with an excellent selection of Maugham's stories, but, if you want all of them, you will have to look elsewhere. An excellent standard edition is  The Complete Short Stories of W. Somerset Maugham (2 Volumes) .

Depending on one's affinity for Maugham these are an excellent sampling of his short stories, including some Ashenden tales (tho not my favorite, "Mr. Harrington's Washing"). I like the lean, direct telling, the understated drama and the abrupt endings. And I enjoy the many & varied settings; he went everywhere! He once referred to his talent as being of the best of the 2nd-rate. I disagree, but that's probably because I enjoy them so much.

Beautiful edition that looks as if it just rolled out.

I found this book hard to put down. Although some of the physical descriptions of characters are often perfunctory and repetitive, the psychology, very much of its time, is forensic and the writing is sheer clarity and not dated in any way. The narratives are often tragic but there is a great deal of drole humour in them. Judgement is left to the reader. The book is beautifully produced like all Everyman editions.

Eine unvergleichlich britische Stimme. Die Kurzgeschichten von W S Maugham sind ein ideales Geschenk für jeden GB Reisenden oder deutschen Expat.

beautiful book

Fairly good condition book.Came quickly. I am satisfied.