Showing results by author "W. Somerset Maugham" in All Categories

In The Moon and Sixpence, Charles Strickland is a respectable London stockbroker who decides in middle age to abandon his wife and children and devote himself to his true passion: art. Strickland's destructive desire for self-expression takes him first to Paris to learn the craft of painting, and finally to Tahiti in the South Pacific. The Moon and Sixpence remains a complex and engaging novel echoing Maugham's own struggles between artistic expression and public respectability.

Julia Lambert is in her prime, the greatest actress in England. Off stage, however, she is bored by her handsome husband, coquettish, and undisciplined. She is at first flattered and amused by the attentions of a shy and eager young fan, but before long Julia is amazed to find herself falling wildly, dangerously, in love.

Bertha Ley comes of age, inherits her father's money, and promptly marries a handsome, calm, and unimaginative man. Bertha is wildly in love with Edward and believes she can be happy playing the role of a dutiful wife in their country home. But, intelligent and sensual, she quickly becomes bored by her oppressively conventional life, and finds her love for her husband slipping away. Originally rejected by publishers, Mrs. Craddock was first published only on condition that certain "shocking" passages were removed. It was 30 years before the full text could be published.

Fully restored and remastered, Heritage Media presents the greatest of vintage artists in classic dramas from English and Scottish Literature. Here is the legendary Ralph Richardson starring in ‘The Colonel's Daughter’, adapted from the original tale by Somerset Maugham and Ralph Richardson starring in 'Half an Hour' adapted from the original tale by J.M. Barrie.Theatre Royal is a unique series of classic radio dramas produced in the 1950s by the late Harry Alan Towers.

Looking out upon the backstreets, the suburbs and the high society haunts of Edwardian London, the delightfully witty and independent spinster Miss Ley surveys a tangled web of lives; she sympathetically observes the struggle under the pressures of convention, and the complex interplay between love and reason. Through Miss Ley's eyes we witness the brief but happy marriage of a dying poet; a woman's adulterous passion for a young rascal; and finally, an honourable man's decision to take virtue to extremes.

The Narrow Corner is a novel by the British writer W. Somerset Maugham, published by William Heinemann in 1932.

The Painted Veil is the story of Kitty Garstin, a young woman living a high social life, who marries Walter Fane, a man that’s declared his love for Kitty, just to avoid being upstaged by her younger and less attractive sister getting married first. Shortly after the marriage, they depart England and head to China where Walter, a bacteriologist and physician, is stationed.

Considered by Graham Greene to be Maugham's best work, Don Fernando is a paean to a golden age of enormous creative energy. It discusses the writings of St. Teresa and the paintings of El Greco, and comments with sagacity and wit on such illustrious figures as Cervantes, Velazquez, and the creator of Don Juan.

Crippled 16-year-old Catalina is the one person unable to join in the festivities of the Feast of the Assumption. But then she has a vision of the Virgin, and is miraculously cured. In the dark days of the Spanish Inquisition, such a claim to blessedness has serious consequences, especially when Catalina seems more inclined to obey her heart than the demands of the Church. The last of Maugham's novels, Catalina is a romantic celebration of Spain and a delightfully mischievous satire on absolutism.

A breathtaking story of a woman marrying, growing up, bravely persevering, and seeing what traditionally was a man's point of view with the insights of a woman growing up in the same way. An insightful novel in so many ways.

When noted English writer William Somerset Maugham set off for the South Seas to regain his health, he gathered the materials and wrote the stories represented here. These are among Maugham's best, and the best stories ever written about the exotic South Seas.

Maugham spent the winter months of 1919 travelling 1500 miles up the Yangtze river. Always more interested in people than places, he noted down acute and finely crafted sketches of those he met on countless scraps of paper. In the resulting collection we encounter Western missionaries, army officers and company managers who are culturally out of their depth in the immensity of the Chinese civilisation.

The Painted Veil is the story of Kitty Garstin, a young socialite who amuses herself with the pursuit of various men until settling into a marriage with a physician, who takes her to Hong Kong to begin his work. Shortly after they move, Kitty meets the charming, yet distasteful, Charlie Townsend, and begins a passionate affair that lasts several years without notice from her husband.

Explore the intricate dance of personal growth and the complexities of human relationships with this podcast inspired by a timeless exploration of self-discovery and emotional entanglement. Each week, immerse yourself in a different complete audiobook that delves into the universal struggles of identity, ambition, and the quest for meaning. This rotating collection offers a diverse array of perspectives, spanning different eras and writing styles, ensuring a fresh experience with each episode. Perfect for listeners seeking insight, reflection, or an escape into the depths of human nature. New ...

At the age of twenty-three, Charlie Mason is endowed with good looks, good manners and a cheerful disposition. Following three years at Cambridge and one working in his father's business, he is looking forward to a jaunt in Paris with Simon, his oldest friend.

Immerse yourself in this timeless classic by W. Somerset Maugham, set against the backdrop of England, Hong Kong, and a cholera-stricken village in 1920s China. The story follows the principled Dr. Fane, a dedicated epidemiologist, who falls for the beautiful yet shallow Kitty Garstin. She agrees to marry him, driven more by rivalry with her sister than true love. However, when she embarks on an affair with a British official in Hong Kong, Dr. Fane makes a drastic decision to take her to a remote Chinese village ravaged by cholera, threatening to expose her infidelity if she refuses. What ...

http://www.adfreebooks.com - 500+ audiobooks, all ad freeThe wife of a plantation manager in "British Malaysia" shoots a man of their acquaintance while her husband is away from home. She claims that the man she shot had attempted to rape her. Her lawyer supposes that her defense will be rather straightforward until his law clerk informs him that a blackmailer possesses evidence that will incriminate her. The defendant and her lawyer must determine whether it is best to 'explain away' the potentially damning implications of the titular letter or pay the sum demanded for its suppression.

Immerse yourself in the captivating storytelling of W. Somerset Maugham Audiobooks, a collection of compelling tales exploring human nature, ambition, and fate. These timeless works blend wit, drama, and deep psychological insight.

Step into the lush yet tumultuous world of Rain, one of Maughams most celebrated short stories. Set in a humid tropical paradise, the narrative explores the clash between self-righteous hypocrites and a spirited girl who simply seeks enjoyment in life. At approximately 2 1/2 hours long, this gripping tale transcends the boundaries of a typical short story collection. Join us as we navigate the complexities of morality, freedom, and human desires. (Summary by BellonaTimes)

This is the story of an artist who was willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of art. In much of its general outline, this famous novel follows the life of Paul Gauguin, famous French post-impressionist painter, but it is not a novelized biography of Gauguin. Rather it is a sharply-delineated, carefully wrought "private life", written by one of the most vivid and penetrating contemporary literary masters.