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he makes it look easy (although I wish he had made more frequent use of the comma, and there is the occasional now-outdated phrase).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

Let me start by saying I am a big fan of Maugham, and have gotten great enjoyment from his work.

The Narrow Corner continues many of Maugham's themes from his much admired short stories, including sea voyages, 19th Century British imperialism and the need to find one's own path in the world, with a strong undercurrent of homosexuality which is presented more favorably than any of the heterosexual relationships in the book. More than most of his stories, it is easy to see Maugham himself in Dr. Saunders, the chief observer/storyteller. Dr. Saunders like Maugham had medical training in London at the end of the 19th century. Saunders is middle aged, nearing the end of a long and fruitful career where he reached the pinnacle of his chosen field. Saunders, also shows genuine affection for only one person, his long time Chinese houseboy, with whom he displays complete devotion, including a nightly opium session. The boy's motives may be more transactional, but Saunders (Maugham) clearly looks on the boy as his only true friend and partner in the world. It's also interesting to consider Maugham's take on the 2 young men, who build a strong and deep bond only to torn apart by a selfish young woman. In fact, all the women in the book are seriously flawed and manipulative. I found the overall plot line quite predictable, following many of Maugham's other novellas. The comic relief ending is visible from miles away to anyone who has seen TV sitcoms. The writing, however, is up to his usual high and eloquent standand, which make his stories such a joy to lose yourself in. Overall a enjoyable read, if not overly-enlightening.

Maugham writes about a British doctor who lives in the South Pacific. At the outset of this book, Dr. Saunders must travel to China to help out a wealthy man. Once there, he completes his task and must wait for a boat to take him back to his home. During the waiting process, he runs into a pair of traders, who offer to take him back part of the way. The traders, Captain Nichols, and his associate Fred Blake, are two very interesting characters who aren't what they seem to be. During their travels, Dr. Saunders learns more about the pair. Nichols is a scoundrel and has problems holding a job. Fred Blake, a young and handsome man, hides his past, but the reader is given clues that he had to flee from Sydney to avoid the authorities(which is later revealed). During a storm, the trio befriend fellow British people on a beautiful island. They learn some of the history and are introduced to Louise; a beautiful girl who is smitten by Blake. They have a one night fling, which causes the story's tension to begin -- Blake is haunted by his past and Louise's fiancée (who she loves, but not with her heart) commits suicide over the incident. Dr. Saunders is a spectator for the most part in this story. His life's philosophy is take what one can from life and learn to deal with it. He watches the various characters interact -- and Maugham does a great job with the characters. The writing is almost like Hemingway and the reader is drawn into the feeling of the South Pacific. The book is fairly deep -- with hints of Buddhism / Hinduism, karma, and detachment. The book was very slow to start (took about half way before any plot developed) but the writing hooked me and the ending was a gold mine.

Although this book was met with less than glowing reviews and is little known today, it probably best exemplifies the expresson, "That (It) was right out of Somerset Maugham." It has all the trappings that we think of when we think of Maugham. If there is a "Greeneland" (Graham Greene) then this novel is most assuredly, Maughamland. It takes place in the East Indies and has the string of colorful characters, an Opiem taking Doctor, A broken down sea captain and a women who finds herself liberated by the death of a man she is attached to. Probably Maugham's fifth most important novel, it is rather like taking many of his short story themes and elongating them into one novel. The lead character, Dr. Sanders finally resigns himself to a lazy mans view of Buddhist Non-atachment and it becomes a theme Maugham would explore more deeply in the "Razor's Edge." Like most of Maugham it is a alot of fun to read. Even, or maybe especially, today.

Theatre -By W.Somerset Maugham

Theatre is a typical Maugham book.Maugham is a great story teller.Words,sentences and quotes simply flow from his pen as he created a personality and a story.As usual his book deals with human nature and their foibles and frailty.This book is about an actress who has reaches middle age and his happily married with a son.Up comes a friend of her son,who brazenly seduces her.The experience overwhelmes her and she begins to enjoy life without a trace of guilt.Maugham is able to penetrate the mind of the character and weave a wonderful tale.Good enjoyable reading .

Niraj Jain

Bombay ,India

The tale of an older, successful woman who falls for a younger man. Also gives insights into a theatrical world which has now disappeared. The central character 'acts' her life and is herself only when alone. People accuse her of being artificial, but she never loses her inner honesty. The asexual relationship with her husband is touching. There's a gay subtext - Maugham was gay and probably fell in love with younger men more than once.

(About Russian translation) One of the best novel ever written. It's not "novel for women", it's novel about women. Very interesting reading.

William Somerset Maugham was 45 years old when he went on a trip to China in the winter of 1919. Always an astute observer, he jotted down notes, elaborated them, and finally had them published as a book in London. Fortunately, this small volume is now available again as a Vintage Classics paperback in the UK (and in the reviewer's favorite Shanghai bookstore). "On a Chinese Screen" is an appropriate title for the book because it depicts mostly English people against the backdrop of China at the beginning of the century. In 58 short sketches, the longest of which fits on just nine printed pages, Maugham portrays English missionaries, officials, army officers, adventurers and company managers. Maugham gently mocks their narrow-mindedness and indifference towards the country in which they spend a major part of their lives. "On the whole," he remarks, "it made little difference to them in what capital they found themselves, for they did precisely the same things in Constantinople, Berne, Stockholm, and Peking . . . China bored them all, they did not want to speak of that; they only knew just so much about it as was necessary to their business." Their attitude towards the Chinese was one of "mistrust and dislike tempered by optimism," and they did not bother to learn the language.

Whereas Maugham is agreeably malicious in his portraits of the English and their wives, he can get outright scathing and sarcastic when he describes the hypocrisy of protestant missionaries. The Catholics have a better standing with him, which explains why Graham Greene calls Maugham a writer of great dedication. Maugham has a healthy disregard of professedly religious people whose deeds do not live up to their words, no matter whether they are English missionaries who behave as if they were in the civil service or whether they are Chinese farmers who perform the rites "like an old peasant woman in France does her day's housekeeping." Maugham's depiction of the Chinese countryside leaves no lasting impression, yet sometimes he creates images of sheer beauty: "the yellow water in the setting sun was lovely with pale, soft tints, it was as smooth as glass." The focus of his observations are people. Maugham senses the human beings who peek out from behind the roles they play in the scheme of the British Empire. Though he appears to be detached from the hardships of the Chinese, one can feel the effort it takes him to stay aloof when he observes the coolies, the "human beasts of burden", and remarks that their "effort oppresses you. You are filled with a useless compassion." Maugham's most heart-wrenching piece is a story with the innocent title "The Sights of the Town" in which he tells of a so-called baby tower used by the peasants to drop unwanted babies to their deaths. Spanish nuns in the nearby town try to save at least some of the unwanted newborns by paying twenty cents for every one because, as they say, the peasants "have often a long walk to come here and unless we give them something they won't take the trouble."

Maugham, as skeptic and acerbic as he can be, also has a great sense of humor, freshness of observation and unconventionality of comparison. Summing up his impression of an opium den, he writes it reminded him "somewhat of the little intimate beerhouses in Berlin where the tired working man could go in the evening and spend an peaceful hour." Well, I would not compare opium so non-chalantly to beer but his tongue-in-cheek British snobbery is definitely enjoyable. As is his mockingly spiteful aside towards Americans whom he regards to be such extremely practical people "that Harvard is instituting a chair to instruct grandmothers how to suck eggs." My favorite funny piece in the book is Maugham's explanation why democracy gets flushed down by the Western sense of cleanliness. In his words, "it is a tragic thought that the first man who pulled the plug of a water-closet with that negligent gesture rang the knell of democracy." Just check it out. Even if he were not kidding, it would be a side-splitting theory.

Some of the things Maugham observed eighty years ago still apply. For example, "one of the peculiarities of China is that your position excuses your idiosyncrasies." And you can still see people getting their heads shaved on the sidewalk by old barbers. However, I can not report that "others have their ears cleaned, and some, a revolting spectacle, the inside of their eyelids scraped." In general, the life of the Chinese was as impenetrable to Maugham as were the Chinese houses with their monotonous expanse of wall broken only by solid closed doors. Only in the portraits of an old Chinese philosopher (who impotently dreams of the old and better China) and a young drama professor (who lacks any broader vision of China) we get a glimpse of the inner lives of the Chinese.

The back cover of the Vintage Classics paperback edition shows a photo of the middle-aged Maugham. Turning his head to the observer, he has a look of weary curiosity in his eyes and a tiny smile in the corners of his mouth - as if he wanted to say, "that is how it is. What do you think?"

This is a very good book that will probably rank second only to Ted Morgan's,"Maugham" as the difinitive biography on the writer who was popular beyond imagination in a world where writers were the Stephen Spielbergs of the world. Maugham was perhaps only the third English writer after Dickens, and Kipling to make a fortune on writing alone. (With a little help from the stock market)This is a book that would have been much better if it could have been longer. The subject was so complicated and had such a variety of experiences. The writer obviously has a great deal of love for his subject, so it must have been the publisher and editor who kept it at 398 pages. Maugham was a Doctor, Ambulance Driver on the Western Front, Spy, Propagandist, Novelist, Short Story writer, Playwright with 4 plays running at once at the West End in London, and much more. The author is critical of Ted Morgan's Bio on the great subject for being unsympathetic of personal side of Maugham. This is a pleasure to read for any true Maugham fan or world traveller.

I felt this book was interesting and useful in my research concerning the life and work of W. Somerset Maugham. Robin, Somerset's nephew, adds interesting insights into the life and heritage of the Maughams. The book is mainly about Somerset Maughams as well as a genelogy of the Maughams.

This book, which I have burst upon quite unexpectedly, offered me a wealth of peaceful meditation and subtle joy. Maugham elaborates on his "spanish themes" with a casualness that easily wins the beholder. It can be called in some ways a travel book, recalling the chapters in which he more than alludes to the Spanish way of living, i.e. their eating habits, the look and feel of their cities and so on. Yet, Maugham also shares with his reader the fruits of his long research he conducted on Spaniards of the Golden Age. What I find the most pleasurable in these memoirs is the way Maugham reveals the fact behind the fiction regarding many issues, to name a few; Spanish literature and drama of the Golden Ages, the life and days (and the religious ferver, which he finds nonexistent of) El Greco. At any rate, this book is excellent reading, and reveals between the lines, the sometimes ironic, but never cynical humor of the artist.

Maugham's short stories represent a world that no longer exists, or several worlds. One is the world of the wealthy English colonial traveler who visits Malaya in 1905 or Vietnam in 1910 just for kicks, and stays for a month, digging the place. Imagine the variety of people you would encounter in those places. Maugham is justifiably recognized as one of the great psychologists of English literature, and his observations are acute. In some way, his people and his stories hold as much meaning for us now as they did when first written. There's the colonial preacher and the outpost whore. The rubber plantation foreman who carefully reads his 4-month-old newspapers from home in order. Maugham sees inside their hearts and writes about them in a spare, elegant prose. Anyone yearning to become a writer would do well to study Maugham closely and read his books on writing. He was a master. (Of side interest, Maugham stuttered all his life. While planning the autobiographical OF HUMAN BONDAGE, he wanted the protagonist to have a handicap, but rejected stuttering as "too pathetic", He chose a clubfoot instead.)

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.

A strange little book and, I believe, Maugham's last novel. Religious overtones make this story interesting enough, but 3/4's of the way through, the story seems to take a polar shift as if written by a completely different writer! It ultimately disappoints and remains interesting only to diehard or curious fans of Maugham.

An interesting book, based on 16th century Spain. Maugham skillfully combines fact and fiction, transporting the reader to a time long ago when burnings at the stake were a commonplace occurence. Catalina is a beautiful girl, crippled by an accident. Forsaken by her lover, she is desolate - when her prayers are literally answered by the appearance of Virgin Mary, bearing a cryptic message which ultimately leads to a miracle cure. From a poor nobody, Catalina becomes an overnight celebrity. What happens then is the rest of the story.

This is a lovely story! It's earthy and matter-of-fact in Maugham's unique style. I liked it especially because it's a slap in the face to overt religious self-sanctification. Catalina ... you go girl!