This quasi-journal of Maugham's thoughts, travels, philosophies and bits of literature is facinating on several levels. For an avid Maugham fan, you can see the germination of the ideas and the travels that became his novels. The charming, brilliant and matter-of-fact way in which Maugham says startling things about life will have you underlining passages throughout the work.

Of Human Bondage is the must read of the confession genre. It details Maugham's life loosely in events but his emotionality to a tee. The reader feels that they are living his life right along with him; feeling what he feels and seeing what he sees.

Before reading this book it may be helpful to read a brief bio of Maugham so it's easier to see the parallels and the symbolism that he employs throughout the work which bridge the gaps between the fiction and the reality.

The most interesting and emotionally difficult portions of the book to read are those when Philip is experiencing pain and grief through his relationship with Mildred. The account of this relationship is by far the most powerful writing in the book because it is the most raw and honest. It is not hard to imagine the author, and or yourself, in a similar situation feeling the exact pain and anger that his fictitious character tries to weave his way through.

Maugham is certainly not the best writer I have ever read. His prose is straight forward and not to dynamic but what he lacks in showmanship he more than makes up for in this ability to observe the range of human emotions that all people feel at some point in their life. The themes of lose and hardship are plentiful through this book, and many people get hung up them, but I think that the true point is Maugham's desire to show that it all comes out in the wash. That humans are resilient animals and the pain of yesterday is forgotten with the joy of today.

This is no doubt a classic piece of literature that deserves not only reading but study.

This power is expressed in the possibility that people from different places and ages really relate to each other. It is the power to communicate thoughts and emotions in a way that the reader says: "I feel the same". There is nothing compared to the discovery of a connection with a fictional character.

In this ageless novel, Maugham tells the semi-autobiographical story of Phillip Carey, an orphan with a clubfoot who is raised by his aunt and uncle, this one being a Protestant clergyman. After school, he tries to be an accountant, but fails for lack of interest. During a vacation, he has his first sexual encounter, with an older friend of the family. Trying to see some of the world, he leaves for Paris, where he studies painting. Then he goes to medical school, his true vocation, but is forced to suspend, due to lack of money. Poverty temporarily ruins his life, as he has to work in a shop, the hardest and saddest part of his life. Finally, his uncle dies, leaving him money enough to continue his medical studies. He'll also find love.

The plot is the least important thing about this book. The reason this is one of may favorite books is that, as I read, I feel so identified with Carey in his growing up, in his triumphs and setbacks, that I finally approach the book from an emotional and not just an intellectual standpoint. Carey always looks for the meaning of life until he understands that he has to give it a meaning, that there is no preordained way to go, but the one he is able to find through reason and humanity.

Certainly, Maugham should be considered one of the best writeres of the XX century. Perhaps he is not, due to the fact that he was not an innovator or experimentator, but a concise, almost perfect craftsman. So, come join Phillip Carey in his journey through life. You will find revelations about your own, in a book that is pleasant as long as you are willing to confront real issues, beyond simple entertainment.

The main character, Philip Carey, struggles through life. At times it was annoying to me to endure what Carey put up with (e.g., his first true love treats him terribly over and over, and he simply puts up with it). But, I'm glad I persevered through those annoying parts, because the end is fantastic. The reader grows with Carey, learning all the time about himself, and the nature of existence with other people. Maugham has truly captured the essence of different stages of life. Carey goes from naive, easily influenced, and afraid of life to confident, brave, and independent, but still being humble and introspective. The ending is particularly rewarding and worth the entire read. A very good book.

I do not mean to discourge pepole from reading this book if they are not Maugham's fans. I have read the book twice or three times. In the book he summarizes his life and he has something to say just about everything. I found his philosophical discussions intersting. He is also a master of literary criticism and you learn a lot about the art of fiction as well as many artists, writers and famous people of his time. This is not a book for people interested in his biography, but a philosophical book about how he lived his life and how you should live if you go by his opinions. I highly recommend it to Maugham's fans and people studying literature and arts.

"The Summing Up" is not an autobiography. It was Maugham's attempt to put his thoughts in order and tell people what he really thought. Just like a "summing up" in a courtroom, it refers to earlier evidence, and repeats itself.

Writers will find the book fascinating, because a lot of Maugham's considered opinions are about his trade: writing. In a time when everyone adores Chekhov, including me,
it is instructive to read anti-Chekhov Maugham. Maugham admits that Chekhov has put every other short-story writer's nose out of joint, so he's jealous. But he very astutely points out Chekhov's major failing: he can't make a plot or a story to
save his life. His stories are impressions, unforgettable slices of life. But Chekhov had no ability at standard story-telling.

Along with much else, there is a fascinating summary and critique of Stendhal's "The Red and the Black," from the perspective of a working writer. I suspect Maugham is right on the money with this one -- Stendhal began with a news clipping, poured his soul into creating his hero, Julien Sorel, and then was forced to go back
to his news clipping to finish his novel. But when Julien Sorel -- the most interesting character in fiction -- suddenly commits murder and goes to the guillotine, it's the most unlikely ending you could imagine. Stendhal let his character run away with him!

This book is entertaining reading for people who write, and people who like to read about writers. It is certainly not a "tell-all" autobiography, like many which are published nowadays, with an eye to high royalties from telling scandalous tales
out of school. By these standards, "The Summing Up" is downright demure. Maugham was not about to tell the world about his sex life, much less reveal his gay orientation. That had to wait until he was dead and gone.

Highly recommended!

I first read this book 12 years ago on a transcontinental flight and got hooked on Maugham rightaway.Since then I have devoured every printed word by the great man and haven't come across a dull paragraph____well, the only exception would be the novel "Then and Now" .This book is a veritable treat! It offers a broad panorama of his artistic evolution (without a trace of humbug___a typical Maugham trait) and is leavened with mordant observations on art,life,death,philosophy,free will,determinism,money,love and CONCUPISCENCE! ____the whole ball of wax !If this book turns you into a Maugham fan, as I hope it will, you might want to read the eminently readable biography of Maugham by Ted Morgan. Happy reading!

The Razor's Edge

After reading a deep novel. I was a little hesitant about reading this book, the Razor's Edge, by Somerset Maugham. I didn't think that this book could compare to the magnitude of my previous book. I was unfair to the book and it's author, because I had this mindset, especially in the beginning of the book. Once I read this book I could change the previous negative statements I had about this novel. This novel has many unexpected twists.

Larry Darrell is a young man when the reader first starts to read about him. Larry returns home to Chicago form World War I. He is a on a spiritual journey because of the war when his friend gave up his life for him. Where everybody he interacts within his society are materialistic. This is very typical of us Americans. When he decides to go on his quest, this is viewed as the incorrect thing to do by his peers. This book also takes place in Germany, India, UK, and France. If you decide to read this read this book you need to keep the mind set that after World War I people were losing faith in the American way.

Another unique part of the book is how the author himself is a character in the book as a narrator. He is involved with the story but at the same time he is not. Elliot on the other hand is very annoying and he kind of reminds me of Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice. Isabel the lady who is the women Larry is in love with. She is really simple she is the only decent character in the book. I also like how Larry does not care what people think about him.

I liked this book because I think anybody that can relate to a character, at one point at another. I could relate to the main character, Larry, because I am graduating and unsure of what I want to do in life. I felt I fit right in his shoes and I was Larry. People always want big cars and big houses. I also wonder about the mysteries within. The author is also very descriptive, this has its pros and cons because he makes you feel like you are in each country, but at times he can be too descriptive.

"The Razor's Edge" in my personal estimation is one of the greatest books of fiction ever written. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the novel, which was originally published in 1944, the story is set between WWI and WWII and follows a young American Maugham calls Larry Darrell as he embarks on a spiritual journey in search of God and the Absolute. High in the mountains of India, after meeting a venerated Maharshi, he experiences Enlightenment. I sought out and re-read the book after first coming across an excellent review of it on the net written by a professor of English Literature from the College of San Mateo (California) and following a link that discussed who Larry Darrell was in "real life" and what happened to him post-novel. "The Razor's Edge" is an absolute must read!

William Somerset Maugham is considered one of the best authors of the 20th century. After reading this book, I can understand why. His grasp of the human condition is simply phenomenal. He is one of those rare authors that can make his characters leap off the page and become living, breathing creatures. The introduction to this Penguin edition spends much time trying to place the fictional characters into the context of Maugham’s life. I’m sure the characters in this story are somewhat based on real people, as any author worth his salt always draws on real experience to create a story. Personally, I couldn’t care less if these characters were based on real people, as it wouldn’t make them any less interesting to me.

“The Razor’s Edge” really has a simple message. It asks us to reflect on how we lead our lives. Do we follow the masses or seek inner fulfillment? Is it right or wrong to drop out of society and follow our inner selves? Maugham makes us ponder these questions as he introduces us to his characters ... When I think of the overall plot of the book, even after reading it, it doesn’t really seem that interesting. But when I think all of the little things within the book, I realize how excellent the novel is. Read this book, even if it is the only Maugham book you ever read (which is a pretty pretentious statement on my part, as this is the only one I’ve read). The prose is excellent, and the psychological insights are really amazing. Recommended.

Worth a read for historical reasons as it is one of (if not the) first modern spy novels. That said, it is very far away from the intricately woven page-turners featuring brainy CIA types bedding winsome females that we tend to think of as being sp novels today. Maugham served in the British intelligence corps in WWI and drew heavily upon his own experiences in writing this book, indeed the epynonymous hero is a well-known writer by profession. Each chapter is almost its own vignette, illustrating some experience or aspect of the intelligent agent's life. The theme is that the agent's life is marked by dullness and inability to know the "big picture." Ashenden is based in Switzerland and undertakes his assignments (none of which involve gunplay or physical prowess) dutifully, yet the reader feels, with a certain ambivalence. There is one especially haunting scene where, for once, Ashenden witnesses firsthand, the repercussions of his actions.

Considered by many afficionados of the Spy Novel genre` as the first of it's kind. Written in 1928, the book is a series of stories loosly connected to reveal the sometimes tedious, sometimes adventureous events in the work of a spy in MI5 during the latter stages of World War I. Maugham is given credit by Graham Greene and Eric Ambler as being their inspiration and Ian Flemming borrowed much from the book, including M who was "R" in Maugham's book. Maugham was given the impossible task to squelch the Bolshivic revolution with 56,000 pounds given to him by the government of Lloyd George and he fictionalizes this in the story "Mr. Harrington's Washington." The story "The Hairless Mexican" inspired Hitchcock to write and direct the movie "The Secret Agent" with John Guilgud and Peter Lorrie. This book to my thinking is one of the hidden classics in literature, written by a writer highly underrated because of his popularity and some of his later works that he did purely for money. A must for lovers of the Edwardian period and those who ever wondered where the Burbury Trench Coat came from.

A solid comedy. A fun and insightful examination of Christianity.

"Nobody ever died of love," says Doña Beatriz, the prioress of the nunnery where the Virgin Mary appears to Catalina. While thinking she's only attempting to convince Catalina to give up her unquenchable thirst for her young lover, Diego, Beatriz actually reveals her own doubly hollow soul with this line. First, she herself did die of love. She died when the young priest Blasco did not leave his order to pursue the bashful looks she gave him every morning at mass when she was a girl. But more significantly, this woman who purports to be Christ's servant on earth fails to recognize that the very one she heralds as the savior of the world died of nothing if not of love (Maugham uses "of" here as Spanish speakers use "de." We might use "from" or "out of." This usage gives a bit of an exotic feel to the passage, while allowing the author to play with "of." "As a result of" and "out of" are both valid ways to interpret it, making the line rather nuanced.). She replaced amorous love with the love of her savior, but somewhere in the midst of 16th-century Spain she lost even that.

The novel is largely about gaining fresh perspectives on life and redemption. Blasco finds a new perspective about his Greek friend Demetrios. Beatriz foils her own attempt to bring Catalina into the convent by realizing that salvation is knowable outside her nunnery's walls. Most notably, however, Catalina finds a fresh perspective every time she goes on stage-the words she speaks might be the same from performance to performance, but the audience is always different, creating a new performance every time.

From the Christian perspective, very little of what Maugham writes in this novel is controversial. For instance, everybody agrees that burning infidels at the stake is not what Christ had in mind for his Church. Yet Maugham first goes about creating a world (the Inquisition) in which there is order, in which the reader can find a place for herself (whether that of insider or outsider). Then once the world is established, it is chinked piecemeal until the absurdity of it all is plain.

An especially nice touch is the introduction at the end of the novel of an unnamed character who is very clearly Don Quixote. Maugham uses Quixote as a parallel to the Church. While insane in his demeanor and behavior, Quixote does deal with significant issues like love and virtue. Maugham writes that people around Quixote are amazed that someone who acts so oddly is able to eloquently discuss such meaningful things.

The Church is in the same position as Quixote, according to Maugham. On the one hand, the Church has done some dubious, even horribly sinful things. Yet, there is still truth to be had by her people. The Inquisition doesn't negate the redemption Christ offers. Killing dissidents is the wrong way to go about portraying love, but humankind's (and the Church's) need for redemption is precisely the point.

Overall, the novel is definitely worth a read. I have a few criticisms, but my main one is Maugham's sloppy use of pronouns. "He" is too often left vague. While that can enhance certain passages, it is regularly unnecessary and often distressing. But find a copy and read it for yourself.

I read this book about 25 years ago and at the time thought it was the best book I'd ever read. I lent it to someone who I'll refer to only as "Moca" in a momentary lapse of reason, and have course never seen it again. I really want to find and read another copy. It's an enchanting story of a divinely blessed young woman who, apparently, has been chosen by God to fulfill a life to the fullest that serves 'Him" best. All this is set to the backdrop of the fervent exploits of the Spanish Inquisition.

Despite overwhelming pressure from the devout and self-righteous who claim to know what's best for her, she follows her own path and does indeed live to fulfill her divinely endowed potential. Religious hypocrisy is exposed for what it is in this intricately subtle and heart warming story of one girl's triumphs in the face of seemingly daunting dogmatic forces arraigned against her. "Catalina, I love you! I want you in my life again, please come back to me."

Believe me ... She's and absolute Treasure!

The novel, based on the life of the French painter Paul Gauguin, is a very absorbing and easy read. Maugham's style has such fluidity that you can read the entire book with great interest in a single day. The main character, Charles Strickland, gives up a comfortable life of a financier to pursue his passsion for painting. Strickland is a man possessed, who is willing to sacrifice his well being and that of his family to fulfill the call of his inner voice to paint his vision of the world.

I like the novel and highly recommend it, but I do have a few criticisms. First, Strickland is portrayed as too inhuman, which makes the character unrealistic. Many artists are driven and single-minded, but Maugham is so concerned in making his Strickland appear a hard and uncompromising creator that he makes him crude. Strickland is taciturn, though he occasionally spouts Nietzshean phrases and tries to project Nietzschean haughty indifference to everything except his art. Not surprisingly, Strickland is condescending toward women and does not hesitate to let us know about it in his rare but obnoxious commentary. If the real Gauguin, or any artitst of significance, were as incensitive as Strickland, he would not be able to feel and to paint what he did. And this, in a nutshell, is the problem with Maugham's novel. He started from a stereotype and ended with the main character who was not particularly compelling.

Obviously the book tells a story based on the life of the famous painter Paul Gauguin but it is also a projection of Maugham's thoughts and desires. In fact his main character, Charles Strickland, is exactly like Maugham would like to be because he sacrifies everyone and everything just to follow his inner vision, which is to paint. He doesn't care about society he doesn't care about material things, he just lives for ideas and is indifferent to everything else. That's according to some philosophers, the true and only way to be an artist and I think that it is also Maugham's opinion about it. Therefore he created a figure who is nothing but his ideal picture of himself, as he did not have the courage and the force to live it in reality, probably due to his constant fear of losing all social relations. It's a really good book which could give you, the reader, the force to realize yourself and to do only what you really like and give up everything else to reach your aim.

It has been noted many times that artists are usually not the most pleasant human beings to be around; Maugham's novel is, among other things, a compelling examination of why this is so. The obsessed artist who dominates this book, Charles Strickland (based on the notorious Paul Gauguin), walks away from his cushy middle-class existence in England to pursue his dream to paint, amid frightful poverty, in France. Strickland is an unforgettable character, an inarticulate, brutishly sensual creature, callously indifferent to his fellow man and even his own health, who lives only to record his private visions on canvas.

It would be a mistake to read this novel as an inspiring tale of the triumph of the spirit. Strickland is an appalling human being--but the world itself, Maugham seems to say, is a cruel, forbidding place. The author toys with the (strongly Nietzschean) idea that men like Charles Strickland may somehow be closer to the mad pulse of life, and cannot therefore be dismissed as mere egotists. The moralists among us, the book suggests, are simply shrinking violets if not outright hypocrites. It is not a very cheery conception of humanity (and arguably not an accurate one), but the questions Maugham raises are fascinating. Aside from that, he's a wonderful storyteller. This book is a real page turner.

This is a short introduction to the perfectly crafted writing of W. Somerset Maugham. Maugham uses language with such skill that, like so many experts in so many fields, he makes it look easy (although I wish he had made more frequent use of the comma, and there is the occasional now-outdated phrase).

Maugham tells a rather simple story with his usual sort of characters -- mostly upper-class, well-traveled, and British. But within this simple framework, Maugham creates beautiful prose. The dialogue is natural and interesting. The character development is surprisingly deep for such a short work. The description of the inner turmoil of some of the characters is particularly good -- probably Maugham's greatest strength is a keen understanding of human nature.

This work is too short to demonstrate Maugham's skills thoroughly and the simple story seems almost like a made-for-TV movie. (USA Films did turn it into a movie in 2000.) Early on, it seems like a romance novel but it's not your typical romance and is so short that it's definitely worth the read.

Under the rubric of "Praise for William Somerset Maugham" on the first page of "Up at the Villa," none other than the New York Times calls this book "full of psychological and dramatic potentialities." To a large extent, this comment has merit. Maugham was nothing if not a writer full of dramatic flair, economy of language, and a penetrating psychical gift that enabled him to peer deep into the inner machinations of the human soul in all of its various splendors. His "The Razor's Edge" was, in my opinion, one of the best books written in the last century. "Up at the Villa" is another beautiful work of art; it contains all of the recognizable Maugham hallmarks but displays them in a short novella. It's entirely possible to read "Up at the Villa" in a couple of hours if one is so inclined. The first thing I noticed with this book was how little time it took for the author to completely grab my attention. Within a few pages, my enthrallment with the character of Mary Panton was complete.

"Up at the Villa" takes place in Florence, Italy shortly before WWII breaks out. A thriving colony of British expatriates spends each day and night basking in the warmth of the climate and attending endless parties where they reinforce each other's social position. The main character is Mary Panton, a young widow drifting into her early thirties without a concrete sense of direction. There is a lot of pressure for Mary to marry again, as her ravishing beauty draws all sorts of suitors out of the woodwork. One of the men who wishes to corral Mary is Edgar Swift, a distinguished British diplomat and old family friend who now hopes to take Mary with him to a new appointment as Governor of Bengal. One of Edgar's competitors is Rowley Flint, a dissolute bloke with money to burn and a fierce reputation as a ladies man. Mary's indifference to these men is apparent from the start; she considers Edgar's proposal only because of his social position. As for Rowley, she hardly considers him at all. Mary's beauty always brings her much attention, but it also brings out her strident vanity. When Mary meets a young Austrian exile by the name of Karl Richter, her beauty causes all sorts of problems, one of which could result in a legal entanglement of scandalous proportions.

There are more moral quandaries in this novella than in the entire Old Testament. Not only does Mary need to decide whom she should marry, she must deal with the emotional fallout of a personal calamity brought about by her overweening sense of self. Maugham masterfully moves the reader through the treacherous pitfalls of Mary's Florence experiences, and he does it in astonishingly few words. As I floated through the final few pages of "Up at the Villa," I remarked to myself that this prose style is the way I want to write myself: a clear, crisp style that conveys immense amounts of detail with precious few words. You won't find strings of compound verbs or unnecessary wanderings in this story. Within a few pages, you know the characters intimately, have a great sense of the surrounding atmosphere, and a profound understanding of Mary's situation.

I really have no idea why this book sat around the house so long before I finally read it. Since I have read Maugham before, I knew I had no reason to think I would not appreciate the story. Now that I got off my duff and read "Up at the Villa," I urge you to do the same. If you have never read Maugham before, this is a great place to start. If you do know the joys of this extraordinary writer, spend a few hours brushing up on the wonders of this author's magnificent abilities.

La vida es correr riesgos, con esta frase termina la pequeña historia de Somerset Maugham, y a la luz de las cosas que me cuenta esta historia, creo que tiene razón. No se puede vivir una vida segura. Aun encerrándose dentro de una casa o en la prisión más segura. En la torre mas alta, estamos a merced de la muerte y de las enfermedades, de los problemas del día a día. Eso no significa que debamos vivir en el temor, saliendo a la calle con miedo sino que debemos prescindir de temores absurdos, pues si la muerte y la enfermedad nos pueden golpear en cualquier momento, si los problemas vienen solos, porque no afrontarlos de buen talante? De eso se trata esta historia, pues cuando nos negamos a correr riesgos y negamos nuestras pasiones en busca de seguridad, nos estamos negando a vivir.

Esta pequeña historia escrita de una forma magistral por William Somerset Maugham, trata de una aventura poco común que le sucede a una persona convencional. La clase de cosas que le ocurren a una persona para que quizás despierte de su aletargamiento o vea que la vida no es solamente de un color.
Mary Paton es una joven viuda que se va a Florencia a pasar una estancia en una villa que unos amigos le prestan. Ahí es donde esta cuando recibe a su viejo amigo de la infancia Edgar quien le propone matrimonio. Ella le pide tiempo y él le da tres días durante los cuales ella podrá pensarlo. Él piensa que ella dirá que si pues si fuese no, no tendría que pensarlo tanto. Pero en el transcurso de esos tres días suceden acontecimientos que cambian la manera de pensar de Mary y revelan el verdadero carácter de su novio. Hasta aquí esta bien con mi relato, no quiero quitarles el deseo de leer la obra contándoles todo lo que pasa.

Luis Méndez

First, this should not be the first book by Somerset Maugham that a person should read. Certainly, every character in it is well drawn and there is a wonderful storyline BUT it lacks some of the majesty and grand sweep that make 'The Razor's Edge' and 'Of Human Bondage' so powerful, so grand, and able to stand among the best English language works written this century (although neither of these is typically regarded with Faulkner or Joyce because they are not stylistically avant-guarde in any way). If you haven't read both of these books, read them first.

On the other hand, this is another great book by this author: and like every other one of his that I have read (atleast five more) a worthwhile read. It may be more lacking in pathos than the two mentioned above: while it is second to them in this area, for how much the characters are touching, and heartfelt, it is eons ahead. Rosie, the main characters love interest, is beautifully written as is the other main character.... it's definately a good and worthwhile read.....

Maugham once said of himself that he was in "the first row of second tier" of writers ... but this book leaves novels by "first tier" writers in the dust. Wonderfully written, great paragraphs, insights into the human condition, and a story line and builds and builds. You really identify with the characters by the end and feel their emotions as they feel them. I loved it. Maugham did, too - he said it in the intro to my edition that it was his favorite novel.

I have never been disappointed by Maugham Somerset: Cakes and Ale is a light, beautifully written, partially autobiographical story about a barmaid with a big heart, British class-conciousness and snobbery and the literary scene in the first half of the twentieth century.

The narrator (Willie Ashenden, modelled after the author, a medical student turning into a writer) is mainly observant and doesn't influence the events taking place: The origins and later success of the great writer Edward Driffield and the touching portrait of his first wife, Rosie.

The ease and the smoothness of Somerset Maugham's style make reading this book enjoyable. However the story itself is just OK, nothing extraordinary. However keeping in mind that it's a preWWII novel, there are some intelligent political remarks and astute psychological analysis of the charachters

Although this may not be the masterpiece of 20th literature, I have to admit that it was a very absorbing read. As we follow Charly, the well-bred perfect English gentlemen, through his week long vacation in Paris, we become ensnared in the life story of the prostitute he befriends and her web of friends and acquaintances. The story itself is interesting in its own right, but what really makes the narrative flow is how Maugham lets us peer into the psyches of various characters, all from different social strata. My personal favorite was Berger, Lydia's husband who despite his rogue behavior was one of the more memorable (and even likable) characters. Simon, Charly's friend was drawn perhaps a bit too extremely, but Maugham does use that to some effect. In any case, a fun read and a good story.

This may not be Maugham's greatest work, but it is effective and well told. Charley, a young, benevolent, middle-class Englishman goes on holiday to Paris at Christmas-time. There, with a sardonic childhood friend, he undergoes a rite of passage common to youths of earlier eras: a visit to a brothel, here an expensive one (the Sèrail) where he meets Lydia, a Russian prostitute who works there ostensibly to help her convict husband, but, she confesses to him, where she is actually expiating the sin of murder committed by her husband through selling her body to despised and despising men. She has had a difficult life: impoverished childhood, early marriage to a charming youth who hides his criminal activities from her until committing a murder for which he is sentenced to Cayenne. Lydia, aware of his malevolent side, nonetheless has always loved and always will love this man and here Maugham convincingly portrays the irrationality, pain, and depth of love. After spending several days dining, dancing, visiting the Louvre, sharing a bedroom but never bed, Charley and Lydia part, he to his comfortable home and job in England, she back to the Sèrail. Yet after returning to familiar surroundings he notices that all is not as it was: he has been changed by this "holiday" and, as he reflects, the bottom has dropped out of his world.
Maugham was deprecated, perhaps due to jealousy of his success, by some literati of his day. Yet he did have a good control of language, solid descriptive skills, and a definite talent for narrative, all evident in "Christmas Holiday", making it a book that rings true and remains with one afterward.