Somerset Maugham - Opinions?
I am thinking about reading him next. What do you think of him? I read on Wikipedia that he was quoted for saying "I am in the front row of second-raters" or something like that. While it proves him a modest man, it makes me a bit skeptical nonetheless. Would you consider him a second-rater? Or is that just an unfortunate allegation owing to his popularity at the time? He also said of himself that his writing "lacks a lyrical quality" (again from Wikipedia) Is he not such a great hand at prose?
Thanks in advance, and I'd welcome any recommendations for what to read by him (looking for novels, not short stories).
At the time Maugham was writing, so were the well known writers
of the pre WWI and post WWI years. So there was more competition in those years. Now, with the dearth of writers whose work will perhaps become classic, he looks a lot better. I can give you some novel suggestions, but you really should read a few of his short stories. All are pretty good and some are definitely classic, such as Rain, the story of Sadie Thompson, or his Ashendon stories about the Great Game played by British intelligence. I have his collected short stories in four volumes published a few years ago by the London based Folio Society. I went through them all in a short time. No boring stuff there.
As for novels, try The Moon and Sixpence and Cakes and Ale, respectivly, fictionalized versions of the lives of Paul Gauguin and Thomas Hardy. The Moon was made into a movie starring George Saunders who was perfect for the role of the perpetually sneering artist.
My favorite novel is The Razor's Edge. It is the story of a young man searching for himself after surviving the trauma of WWI. It was made into a very good movie with Tyrone Power, Clifton Web, and Gene Tierney, one of the true beauties of 40s films.
After reading these, you should be ready for Of Human Bondage. This is what is onsidered Maugham's masterpiece. It is the story of Philip Carey whose struggle to become a doctor is hindered by his infatuation with Mildred, a waitress, who treats Philip very badly. This was Bette Davis' great role in her early years when she was a blonde. Leslie Howard plays the sometimes hapless Philip. Most will remember Howrd from GWTW fame. This is an easy novel to read, but it is long: about 900 pages.
I started reading Maugham at the end of his career when he was in his 80s He wrote a series about his life in the old Saturday Evening Post. After reading this, I started on his novels, then went on to his short stories.
Maugham wrote many things which were taken from his own life. He was a doctor turned writer. He also left his wife as did Strickland in The Moon and Sixpence. He lived with a lifelong male friend in France so he was obviously gay. This may have contributed to his unpopularity in the 50s and 60s since being gay was looked at much differently then.
As for Maugham being a worthwhile read, the three novels mentioned above certainly are, as well as many of his short stories. He is an English writer who should be read by every literate person.
