I only came to see what seats had been sent to the dennorants. By 1938, maugham had become a legend as a playwright, novelist and magician of the short story. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the summing up. The summing up of an extraordinary mind the first time i read the summing up was some years ago. Somerset maugham s book the summing up, in which he writes in an essaylike fashion on a number of topics related to writing and his life. The subject matter includes his childhood, his initial success in theater, his transition from theater to fiction writing, and other miscellaneous topics such as travel, and philosophy. After two years at the front and a wound that had taken longer to heal than it should, he was glad.
Somerset maugham led many lives, including that of a doctor in londons slums, a successful playwright and novelist, an agent for british intelligence during world war i, and a world traveler. It is a curious fact that, as writers have shifted over the past 120 years into postmodernism, changing their fiction to do less and less summarizing and judging and more holistic objective recording of events, they have changed their books about writing in just the. William somerset maugham, ch january 25, 1874 paris, france december 16, 1965 nice, france was an english playwright, novelist, and short story writer, one of the most popular authors of the 1930s and reportedly the highest paid. Somerset william somerset 18741965 date of first publication. After they had a daughter together, henry sued his wife for divorce, following which syrie and maugham got married in 1917. The summing up 1938 is an introspective attempt at bringing together maughams thoughts on subjects that had primarily interested him through the course of. Somerset maugham, in full william somerset maugham, born jan. This is a short book that gives you considerable insight into what it was like for w. Published by literary guild of america inc, garden city, ny, 1938.
Somerset maugham as photographed in 1934 by carl van vechten. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. While maugham analyzes his work in drama and fiction, this is far more. He then wrote the summing up to give some account of how he learned. Somerset maugham the critical heritage, no matter that it is edited by two great maugham admirers, anthony curtis and john whitehead. Somerset maughams book the summing up, in which he writes in an essaylike fashion on a number of topics related to writing and his life. The book entirely dedicated to maugham i will never read for sure is w. Somerset maugham the summing up represents maughams life and philosophy in his own words. Somerset maugham the summing up is a literary memoir by w. Maugham was a prolific writer who had a lot of smart things to say about a great many things as you will soon see.
Of course it would be awkward she had not money enough either to pay the bill, then the only thing would be to. The summing up is rare among literary autobiographies for its scope and honesty. It is autobiographical in nature, though most of the work is concerned with maugham s unique and fascinating opinions on the theatre, writing, metaphysics and the interesting people he encountered in his long and successful career. Somerset maugham, english novelist, playwright, and shortstory writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. The summing up and a writers notebook, originally published in 1938 and 1949, respectively. It is an illusion that youth is happy, an illusion of those who have lost it. Somerset maugham 18741965 the summing up 1938 is an introspective attempt at bringing together maugham s thoughts on subjects that had primarily interested him through the course of his life ideas on literature, art, religion, ethics, and philosophy in a conclusive, coherent manner. Somerset william somerset, 18741965 manuscript collection ms2725 speech on opening the exhibition of authors as artists at the army and navy stores, 15 october 1956, typescript with handwritten revisions, 3 pages, 1956. His utmost sincerity opens the way to our own understanding, for example the understanding of religious concepts all to hastily accepted by our fearful minds. Somerset maughams story, miss thompson, new york, boni and liveright, c1923, also by john colton and clemence randolph page images at hathitrust. If you scroll up a bit and click the third button under other maugham eresources that says nonfiction with my logo on it, you will go to the ebook page of nonfiction, including travel books and essays. 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. Maugham collected his literary experiences in the summing up, which has been used as a guidebook for creative writing. Somerset maugham 18741965 rain 1921 it was nearly bedtime and when they awoke next morning land would be in sight.
Mar 21, 2017 somerset maughams the summing up march 21, 2017 wordsmith leave a comment published in 1938 when maugham was 64 years old, the title turned out to be a misnomer it wasnt really his autobiography. Impelled by the desire to recapitulate and amplify those subjects that have chiefly interested me during the course of my life, somerset. 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. Despite being known for having homosexual tendencies, william somerset maugham entered into a relationship with syrie wellcome, who was the wife of henry wellcome, a renowned pharmaceutical entrepreneur. The author shares his experience of a lifetime and his ideas with clarity and conviction. Article pdf available in english literature in transition 18801920 592 january 2016 with 1,434 reads. Somerset maughams the summing up march 21, 2017 wordsmith leave a comment published in 1938 when maugham was 64 years old, the title turned out to be a misnomer it wasnt really his autobiography. Of course, his life was far from overhe was to live a further twentyseven years. Aug 12, 2005 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this the summing up study guide and get instant access to the following critical essays. Somerset william somerset 1874 1965 date of first publication. Download file pdf the summing up w somerset maugham writer w.
Somerset maugham the summing up represents maugham s life and philosophy in his own words. Somerset maughamthe author of the classic novels of human bondage and up at the villaintroduces us to julia lambert, a woman of breathtaking poise and talent whose looks have stood by her fortysix years. Macphail lit his pipe and, leaning over the rail, searched the heavens for the southern cross. Somerset maugham looks back at his life in literature. William somerset maugham was born at the british embassy in paris, france, where his father was an english. Both maughams parents died before he was 10, and he was. Somerset maughams the summing up a writers notebook.
Somerset maugham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. William somerset maugham theatre i the door opened and michael gosselyn looked up. Of course it would be awkward she had not money enough either to pay the bill, then the only thing would be to leave my watch and say i would come back and pay later. Somerset william somerset, 18741965 online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article maugham, w. It is autobiographical in nature, though most of the work is concerned with maughams unique and fascinating opinions on the theatre, writing, metaphysics and the interesting people he encountered in his long and successful career. Somerset maugham, written when he was 64 years old, first published in 1938. Of human bondage full audiobook by somerset maugham of human bondage, published in 1915, is considered to be w. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author during the 1930s. Somerset maugham, was an english playwright, novelist, and short story writer. The novel describes a successful actress and her husband, a theatre manager. William maugham biography facts, childhood, family life. The luncheon by somerset maugham sample tasks page 1.
I will record some of my reflections and describe the first edition that i possess. Somerset maugham, was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Of human bondage full audiobook part 1 by somerset maugham. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author d. In 1917, he took the first of many voyages to the paci. Upon closing the book this time, i experience very. Jul 01, 2017 of human bondage full audiobook by somerset maugham of human bondage, published in 1915, is considered to be w. Cosmopolitans 1936, the summing up 1938, the razors edge 1944. Somerset maugham, first published in 1937 by william heinemann uk and doubleday doran us. Summing up somerset maugham pdf somerset maugham william somerset maugham.
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