Collected Short Stories Volume 3

by W. Somerset Maugham

The third volume of Somerset Maugham's Collected Short Stories, introduced by the author, contains the celebrated series about Ashenden, a secret service agent in World War I. Based on Maugham's own experiences with the British Intelligence service in Switzerland, the stories are vignettes in which he dramatises both the romance and absurdity of espionage as well as its ruthlessness and brutality. Accountable only to 'R', Ashenden travels all over the Continent on assignments which entangle him with such characters as the traitor Grantley Caypor, the passionate Guilia Lazzari, and the sinister 'hairless Mexican'.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Literature, 20th Century, Espionage, British Literature

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris in 1874. He spoke French even before he spoke a word of English, a fact to which some critics attribute the purity of his style.

His parents died early and, after an unhappy boyhood, which he recorded poignantly in Of Human Bondage, Maugham became a qualified physician. But writing was his true vocation. For ten years before his first success, he almost literally starved while pouring out novels and plays.

Maugham wrote at a time when experimental modernist literature such as that of William Faulkner, Thomas Mann, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf was gaining increasing popularity and winning critical acclaim. In this context, his plain prose style was criticized as 'such a tissue of clichés' that one's wonder is finally aroused at the writer's ability to assemble so many and at his unfailing inability to put anything in an individual way.

During World War I, Maugham worked for the British Secret Service . He travelled all over the world, and made many visits to America. After World War II, Maugham made his home in south of France and continued to move between England and Nice till his death in 1965.

At the time of Maugham's birth, French law was such that all foreign boys born in France became liable for conscription. Thus, Maugham was born within the Embassy, legally recognized as UK territory.

Reviews

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: Seven stories by Maugham, built around Ashenden, a British spy during the first world war, a character based on his own activities in that field. The story I liked most is "The Traitor," about the capture of an Englishman married to a German lady, who is acting as a German spy. But the interesting part of the story is not the espionage plot (which is quite small), but its psychological depth and the dilemma faced by the protagonist to fulfill his mission.

ESPAÑOL: Siete cuentos de Maugham, alrededor de su personaje Ashenden, espía británico durante la primera guerra mundial basado en sus propias actividades en ese campo. El que más me ha gustado es "El traidor", sobre la captura de un inglés casado con una alemana que actúa como espía alemán. Pero lo interesante del cuento no es la trama de espionaje (que es muy pequeña), sino su profundidad psicológica y el dilema al que se enfrenta el protagonista para cumplir con su misión.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is basically a reprint of Maugham's excellent short story collection Ashenden, except that this book also includes the just-as-excellent short story 'Sanatorium', so if you have to choose between 'Ashenden' and this book, go with this one.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

First published 1951

A book of short stories can be difficult to recall later. Keeping a list of the names of the characters in each of the stories, greatly helps me to remember the story.

ASHENDEN: Collected Short Stories Volume 3

Preface

MISS KING
Ashenden
R. - colonel, Intelligence Department
Bernard
Baronne de Higgins
Prince Ali
Miss King - little old English governess
Mustapha Pasha
Monsieur Bridet - the assistant manager
Dr Arbos

THE HAIRLESS MEXICAN
Ashenden - Mr Somerville
R.
The Hairless Mexican - 'The General' Manuel Carmona
Constantine Andreadi
Enver Pasha
Lombardos

GIULIA LAZZARI
Ashenden
Baronesse von Higins
R.
Chandra Lal - dangerous agitator. Indian
Giulia Lazzari - Chandr's madly in love with Giulia

THE TRAITOR
Ashenden - Mr Somerville
R. The Colonel
Gustav Grabow
Gustave's wife
Grantly Caypor - an Englishman
Mrs Caypor - German
Fritzi - the Caypor's Dog
Gomez

HIS EXCELLENCY
Ashenden
Sir Herbert Witherspoon - British ambassador
Mr Wilbur Schäfer - American ambassador
Herbartus  Galician Pole
Lady Anne - Sir Herberts wife
Byring
Rose Auburn
O'Malley - Irish painter
Alix - young woman
Brown
Yvonne

MR HARRINGTON'S WASHING
Eleven day train to Petrograd
Ashenden
Benedict - interpreter at the British Consulate
John Quincy Harrington - American businessman
Dr Egon Orth
Professor Z
Alexander Denisiev
Anastasia Alexandrovna Leonidov ('Delilah')
Vladimir Semenovich Leonidov

SANATORIUM
Midwinter Switzerland
Ashenden
Mr McLeod
Mr Campbell
Miss Ivy Bishop
Dr Lennox
Major George Templeton
Miss Atkin - middle-aged spinster
Henry Chester - London accountant
Mrs Chester - Henry's wife

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

i picked this book up in what was intended to be idle summer reading - it is, after all, maugham short stories - but for the little effort this book requires (maugham is such a pleasure to read) it's amazingly rewarding. i enjoyed the razor's edge, but the perspective maugham's Ashenden gives you on the characters he meets in the course of his duties as a WWI spy is surprisingly poignant. i feel like a better person for having read this book. oh, and there's some stuff about war, suspense, blah blah blah.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the best stories are in the first two volumes, but there is some interest in the later stories too, even if you do get to the point where you can predict exactly how each story will go. Interesting to watch Maugham move through the 30s and 40s... he really did live a very long time, and the span of his career from Peak Empire to Post Empire is really something.

[Sketchbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1915 MOM was based in Geneva as a UK spy, WW1. His cover, as a writer-playwright, was perfect. He was then writing a comedy, "Caroline," which opened in London in 1916, starring Irene Vanbrugh and Dion Boucicault. Switzerland was neutral. "My predecessor [Intelligence] had a nervous breakdown, a colleague in Lausanne had been sent to prison for 2 years" [for breaking Swiss law]. He was not amused by the idea of a similar fate and hoped, whatever happened, he could finish his play. He did. It was a hit and some years later this sequence became part of his writer-turned-spy remembrances in "Ashenden" or, herewith, Vol 3 of his short stories. Not to be missed. Middle-brows like to put MOM down. Once you start reading him, you can't put him down.

[Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very entertaining novel. It follows the adventures of a gentlemen spy, who finds himself in the most amusing of circumstances. I particularly enjoyed the authors focus on how the protagonist, Ashenden, seems so incredibly easy to relate to. He gets irritated by loquacious train passengers; looks forward to a simple bath every evening to unwind; and considers himself more clever than most people he meets. This book feels quintessentially British.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether you are a reader or a writer of short stories, W. Somerset Maugham is a classic author who must be read and considered. In his "East and West" volume, you will find his better stories. They include many of the Ashenden spy stories.

[Xiaolink · Rating 5 out of 5]

大爱这本啊 前三篇插科打诨之余来了个大无语反转结尾 后几篇突然就正经起来了 唏嘘的故事。说到两三笔描写一个人出来毛姆也太擅长了，毫无感情的写人性更是一绝。

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

All my reviews probably contain spoilers

Someone let me borrow this book because I forgot to bring a book with me to work one day and really cannot go a whole day without reading something lol .... Not a book I would have picked up on my own, which is a shame (and a lesson) because it really was such a great little read!

When I read older books like this one, (especially European based books) I am reminded of how beautiful writing and language has been in the past.

Ashenden, is the main character in all these short stories. He is a spy and each story sends him on a different assignment in a different place, and with very different characters and lessons. To list:

- Miss King
Characters: Ashenden (writer by profession), the colonel (known by the letter 'R'), Mustapha
Pasha, Baroness de Higgins, and Miss King

I was not familiar with Maugham's writing, so this first story confused me a little bit and I felt the
ending was underwhelming. The more stories I read, the more I understood that all the endings in
these short stories end abruptly. Miss King, a presumed spy, is literally on her deathbed and asks
for Ashenden to be at her bedside. There is a secret she wants to tell before she dies so he waits,
and waits and waits... Before she dies she blurts out the word "England". We are to assume that
she was not really German, or French but indeed a British spy, like Ashenden. I have no idea if
my interpretation is correct lol

- The Hairless Mexican
Characters: Ashenden, the colonel (known by the letter 'R'), The Hairless Mexican (Manuel
Carmona

This story mostly revolves around the character description of The Hairless Mexican and gets the
reader to also be charmed by this character, as is Ashenden. We are convinced through the whole
story at how meticulous and capable the Mexican in his work as well as learning that he is
someone who is good at cards and at woo-ing women. In fact, the latter issue seems to be
something that begins to annoy Ashenden. Both men are working together so the Mexican can
exterminate their target. As we find out, the Mexican, who appeared so capable and detailed,
assassinated the wrong target. I would say the moral of this story was: Do not let someone TELL
you how capable and reliable they are, let them show you.

- Guilia Lazzari
Characters: Ashenden (writer by profession), the colonel (known by the letter 'R'), Chandra Lal,
Guilia Lazzari

Chandra Lal is the target for Ashended to set up so he can be arrested for his crimes. Guilia Lazzari
is his mistress that is jailed and then forced to write to Chandra begging him to cross the Swiss
border to come see her. He doesn't want to risk it, he knows he can be arrested if he is found out.
His mistress is beside herself with heartache but eventually convinces Lal to take the risk. And as
he does, he realizes it is a set up and commits suicide. Upon hearing of his death, Guilia -whom
you expect to want to die herself, merely asks if she can have his watch, as it was one that she
gifted him for his birthday or Christmas. The moral of this story: Sometimes love is not as grand
as we make it out to be -and apparently, a watch is a fine parting gift.

[M.R. Dowsing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume features seven of Maugham's Ashenden stories, which are based on his own experiences of working as a spy during the First World War. Maugham tends to focus on the extraordinary personalities Ashenden meets along the way, and how much of it is true is anybody's guess. The final story is something of an anomaly as it has nothing to do with spying at all and is rather like a mini 'Magic Mountain' in being set entirely in a TB sanatorium.

These tales may lack the action scenes found in many spy stories, but the mental chess games by which Ashenden seeks to ensnare his opponents are thoroughly compelling, he writes almost flawlessly and there's a ton of insight into human nature along the way.

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many favourites in this - most people like Rain more than any other, at any rate it is the most discussed one. My personal favourite however is Virtue, an unforgettable one.

There are many, many others of course - Round Dozen for one, with amusing details of a much married man aggrieved by one of his wives turning him in.

Then there is the heartbreaking one of love and loss that I can't think of the name and it is a rare one for lack of cynical or otherwise bringing the reader down to earth sort of twist.

There is Letter with its murder of a paramour gone wrong due to his having left a letter with his mistress who extorts the full value,

There is the story about a widow who married a friend of her murdered husband and the daughter who looks like the second husband.

And there is another one with the Italian husband murdering his own father on suspicion of an affair between his father and his wife.

And all these are only what I can recall off hand after three decades or so.

I suppose the one of love and death with grief and heartbreak remains close to heart, along with Virtue that remains close to conviction, with total agreement with the protagonist by the time the story is over.

I wish I could remember if the story about the expensive wife becoming beautiful is here, or it is by another writer.
.................................................................................


The Round Dozen:-


About a much marrying man who was much aggrieved and felt a genuine sense of injury and grievance when one of his wives informed the law - not particularly handsome or accomplished in any way whatsoever, middle aged and lower class and not educated nor sophisticated nor well to do, he had nevertheless developed a talent for marrying successfully by his own definition. He found lonely older women of certain financial independence at holiday places and paid them attention, and post marriage gave them a good time until their money ran out. Then it was time to move on. To his chagrin, there was a small matter of having married only eleven times. Most of his wives were in fact willing to take him back.

After his leaving prison, the protagonist received a post card from him one day, and understood he had made his round dozen to his satisfaction after all.
.....................................................................................


Rain:-


This must have been terribly shocking to the hypocritical and pious while being nothing new to those without blinkers, when published first - 20th century was nothing if not one that shredded many such veils of pretension from established societies of west.

The story takes place on a voyage in Pacific where a woman of certain profession is having fun along with a few of males around - after all being alone most of their lives far away from home was tough on the guys, and an accommodating woman who was not merely paid goods but one with some spirit, some heart and joy, was a blessing.

Unfortunately for them there is not merely a usual contingent of the disapproving couples and other respectable members of society but also a preacher very sure and proud of himself, who goes after the woman with denunciation and promised hell fire to all that would consort with her. She is brought to abject surrender and is entirely dependent on him subsequently in her submission to a pious life henceforth. And the preacher is willing to sacrifice himself, to go to her at any hour of day or night she might need him, as his wife very proudly testifies to his selfless sacrifice of his own comforts.

The preacher meanwhile has dreams of hills of Nebraska (having read it so long ago I could be wrong about the name of the particular state) - and then one day the preacher is found dead, having committed suicide, while there is sound of phonograph and laughter and dancing from the room of the woman who was trying to reform, and a note of bitter victory.

She was sincere in her repentance and her attempt to reform, but the high minded preacher all too fallible and unaware of his own Achilles's heel shared with all life, if not more than a little hypocritical in his imposition of his will and his standards of virtue on all and sundry.
..............................................................


Virtue:-


We are begun on a gentle note with the story of a forty odd year old man, caustic and yet much loved but admittedly difficult, finding love and being completely smitten with his wife he considers himself fortunate to marry - he is the same man but now happy and his acerbic nature is taken now as wit due to his basking in his wife's love, a much loved woman in society, and their insistence on being put up together when invited is an amusing embarrassment for hostesses who lack room and are used to couples wishing to be put up rather apart.

And then there is an acquaintance of the writer (protagonist really, except one tends to assume he is the writer) from colonies in Malaya, a young man who needs to have some company and is introduced to the couple. Some time later, the couple is separated, and the wife is adamant in not returning to the husband, and he commits suicide.

The protagonist is called to interpret a letter from the young man in Malaya who has now returned, and informed that he is responsible for the love that the young man and the not so young wife (now widow) fell into since he introduced them. The letter is cautious and sympathetic about her loss but equivocal about her prospects of being able to come to Malaya to marry him.

The hostess, a friend of the protagonist makes the observation that it is up to him to make the young man realise his responsibility having gone into the love affair and caused the separation, which is when it becomes clear that the wife in love with another man had never crossed her limits being a virtuous woman.

"Virtue be damned" informs her the protagonist, since it had caused so much grief and a death of a loving husband - if only the wife had quietly had had her affair and finished it the man would still be alive.

And while to some pompous hypocrites it would be an opportunity to gasp and act shocked, today the reality of that statement is only too obvious, what with "the lack of commitment" of males being so huge a problem in US.
..........................................................

[Steve Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This third book in the Collected Short Stories of Somerset Maugham is different to the other three as all seven stories feature the one character, Ashenden, an agent who works for the British Intelligence.

Unfortunately, that’s my problem with this collection. Maugham’s strength lie in creating different worlds and populating them with fascinating characters. By collecting all these stories in the one book, rather than spreading them throughout the four volumes, we’re left with this rather ‘closed-in’ odd volume out. Unlike the other volumes, which I constantly re-read, I rarely go back to this one. Its narrower world is not what I want from Maugham.

The stories are fine enough. In ‘Miss King,’ Ashenden’s presence is requested by a dying woman, and in ‘Mr Harrington’s Washing,’ Ashenden falls in love. But it’s the final story, ‘Sanatorium’ that is the clear winner. It is much more a typical Somerset Maugham story as opposed to a spy story. It tells the circumstances of various characters battling TB in a sanatorium, and typically Maugham, also battling each other. This was memorably filmed in the highly recommended ‘Trio’ in 1950.

If you’re reading Somerset Maugham’s short stories for the first time, I wouldn’t start here. I’m being harsh, as these are perfectly fine, but when I go to Maugham’s short stories I want to be taken to exotic places and meet characters I want to know more about – this is what he does best, and it’s more fully demonstrated in the other three volumes.

[Andréa Lechner · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are the Ashenden stories put into one volume - the Secret Service agent during World War I. My absolute favourite would have to be Mr Harrington's Washing, though Sanatorium is also superb. It was good to delve into the world of a different agent, less well known than others such as Smiley. The stories are amazingly well written, and Somerset Maugham's wit and refined sense of humour often come through exceedingly well crafted.

[Michael Wallin · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a spy he ate a lot of nice dinners in these stories. You can also notice what a keen observer of people Mr. Maugham was. People was “the raw material” for his stories, as the spy and writer Ashenden says in one of the short stories.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short Stories by William Somerset Maugham – author of The Vessel of Wrath – my note on this is at https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... together with a hundreds of other reviews

10 out of 10

The pleasure of reading The Stories of Somerset Maugham is nec plus ultra, yes, Marcel Proust is just there https://realini.blogspot.com/2013/10/... but I could not say that there is more, true, it is also a question of gratitude, for these tales may have not saved my life, but they came at a low point

It was during the Ceausescu regime, when I had to spend time in a hospital that I had a volume of the Short Stories and Somerset Maugham have helped me make the experience a great one, at least when I had the book in my hands, making me forget the surroundings, it was near the Victory Square, in the place where my aunt worked
I am tempted to stay with the memories, but I will move to Neil Macadam https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... one tale that stayed with me, because it is so sophisticated and refers to the Russians that I admire, though Darya is crazy

Neil Macadam is one of those numerous characters that appear in the Far Eastern Tales and land somewhere far from the Briskish Isles, where he would work for Angus Munro, another Scot, a man he admires, and would be happy to be devoted to, except he has a wife that will cause a lot of trouble for others, and herself
She is very intelligent and erudite, a member of the aristocracy, she had had to flee when the Reds took power in Russia – and not just there, the awful regime I mentioned above was a result of those commies, who brought the plague with them, this country had no interest in Marxism, but those bloody tanks brought it and imposed it

Darya ends up with Angus Munro, but she had not been faithful, on the contrary she is infamous for her cheating on her husband – Magister Ludi Kingsley Amis https://realini.blogspot.com/2023/07/... instructs us to avoid infamous, because it became synonymous with famous somehow
In one scene, some men talk about her and they’re not just insinuating, but plain state that she had been involved with those working with her spouse, so Neil Macadam punches the fellow who had insulted the woman – that is how he felt, albeit he would change his mind on the matter later – and he tries to defend her honor
Macadam is compared with Aliosha https://realini.blogspot.com/2021/01/... and we could obviously think of Prince Mishkin, the hero of The Idiot, another magnum opus signed by the same glorious Fyodor Dostoevsky, an inspiration, a titanic figure, however much he is criticized today

Our fantastic professor of literature has told us the story of Fyodor Dostoevsky and his execution – the writer was facing the firing squad, and his last three minutes on earth, time which he designed to say goodbye to family and friends, pass his life in front of him, and then admire a ray of sunshine on a church nearby
Nevertheless, he is pardoned in the last moment, although it could have been a ruse of the czar or some adviser, to convince the thinker to abandon his rebel attitude, and then we read in his magnum opera about the man looking at his last hours alive, and how he would rather live on an empty, small rock in the middle of the ocean, than die

Which brings me to ‘Happiness Activity No 9: Savoring Life’s Joys-paying close attention, taking delight in life’s momentary pleasures and wonders, through thinking, writing, drawing or sharing with another’ as in we need to enjoy the time we have, memento mori, carpe diem, as advised by ancient luminaries, and Sonja Lyubomirsky in her marvelous work https://realini.blogspot.com/2014/07/...
Seneca wrote millennia ago that ‘life is not short, we have time, it is a question of not wasting it, we have the bad habit of treating time as if it is in endless supply’, which is so wrong, one of the worst things we could do, incidentally, I am ashamed to say that you are probably wasting time if you spend it on these pages

‘One can never read too little of bad, or too much of good books: bad books are intellectual poison; they destroy the mind. In order to read what is good one must make it a condition never to read what is bad; for life is short, and both time and strength limited’ and in that vein, reading the stories of Somerset Maugham is the right choice
You reach Flow https://realini.blogspot.com/2016/10/... with Maugham and other stellar masterpieces, the conditions to get into The Zone are ‘nothing else matters, you are in control, this is an autotelic experience, there are clear goals, constant and instant feedback is provided…

Time is fluid and relative – Einstein said “When you sit with a nice girl for two hours you think it’s only a minute, but when you sit on a hot stove for a minute you think it’s two hours. That’s relativity.” – and then we have the skills versus challenges matrix, the former have to match the latter, or else we are overwhelmed
We need to be on the line between burnout and boredom, on example from tennis would be if you play with someone who is much better, it is no pleasure, for you just keep running for the ball, and the same is true if the opponent is too weak

Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se

There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know

As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...

Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works

‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’

‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’

“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”

[Charles Broughton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag, but the overall mood, setting and language and mores of the period are fascinating and make it a worthwhile read. I disliked the final two stories in the collection but they still had elements of interest.

[Kealan O'ver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable how I've gone this far into my life without having heard of this chap. Incredibly vibrant characters that don't even have to do very much before you feel like you know everything about them. Even the most insignificant character feels completely fleshed out and essential to the stories, which often have no satisfying resolution.
I'm already plotting the next of his books that I'll read and in what order I'll read the rest.

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masterful. Exquisite.

"People judge hastily in the affairs of life because they judge on insufficient evidence."

"'Death so often chooses its moments without consideration.'"

"It is never very difficult to get to know anyone who has a dog."

"Time can assuage the pangs of love, but only death can still the anguish of wounded vanity. Love is simple and seeks no subterfuge, but vanity cozens you with a hundred disguises."

[Mr G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took a while to get into but quality stuff

I have read many s Maugham short stories and enjoy them immensely, these are all based around the character ashenden, but actually they have the same topics and interest as his other work and are just as interesting

[Ruby Sudoyo]

Collected Short Stories Volume Three by W. Somerset Maugham (1976)

[Zeltzamer]

Maugham has the annoying habit sometimes of apparently thinking that acknowledging the cliche matters when you’re still doing the cliche, and a few of the stories are sort of risible in a way that I’m not sure was intentional (Giula Lazzari, His Excellency.) I’d say more hits than misses overall though.

[I added this review over six months after reading because either it didn’t go through then or I forgot to paste it here. Regardless, my feelings toward the book haven’t changed and my frustration with several parts of it (the padded length of the stories, the slight nature of the ‘twists,’ Maugham’s faux-clever sensibilities, titular character alternating between dull cardboard and insufferable mouthpiece, those goddamn self-acquitting cliches) have possibly only increased. One thing I didn’t add in the original review was that the final addendum story, “Sanatorium,” seems on a passage-by-passage level to be the work of a writer improved with age, which means I harbor a small kernel of hope that there is a Maugham story out there for me. Still can’t say I greatly enjoyed any of these, though. ]

[Patrick Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

gripping and a bit dated

Maugham studied the people of his time with a close scrutiny. He is sympathetic to the colonial staff of the British empire and the people who were ruled by them. It is easy to be critical of his backward manner towards women, but it does grate to find people described as ‘niggers’ and ‘trollops’. Nevertheless his spy thrillers starring Ashenden give an interesting insight into the behind the scenes dynamics of WW I. With Patience the modern reader can still enjoy the broad geographical sweep of the short stories and feel what life on long slow tramp steamer trips was really like

[John Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually the second time I’ve read this book. I read it exactly 30 years ago and while putting some other books back on a shelf, it practically jumped out at me, so I decided to re-read it. A really interesting collection of fictional short stories about a man named Ashenden, an agent for British intelligence during WWI. Most of the stories take place in Switzerland where he’s stationed during the war, but the last two take place in Russia and Scotland.
This is one of three short story collections I have by this author as I really enjoy his work.

[Simon Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 3rd volume of the penguin series of his short stories covers only 7 stories but they are all linked by his spy Ashenden - the writing and the characters are as fantastic as all of maugham’s wrotong and each story could easily have been expanded into a full book. The spying is interesting and fun of course but really is just a vehicle for exotic locations and extraordinary characters - one wonders of the hairless Mexican went off to become Judge Holden in Cormac McCarthy’s blood Meridian!

[David Mundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly written, enjoyable, dryly humorous connected series of stories, based on wartime espionage. I found the protagonist Ashenden more interesting than the better known James Bond!
Maugham is very articulate but easy to absorb. This prompted me to embark on "Of Human Bondage", of which my first impressions are favourable...

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume contains the Ashenden stories, which involve a British author turned spy in WWI. The stories were clever and fun to read, with Maugham's signature sharp observations of human nature. I was particularly fond of the cover art on my volume, which was an Edvard Munch self-portrait. I couldn't take my eyes off it!

[Algirdas Kraunaitis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the previous two volumes, these stories follow Ashenden - a british spy. Each story is about 40 pages long, with rather long and protracted beginnings and quick ends. At times it was tedious reading, other times I would get into a sort of trance. The last two stories were my favorite: one had surprising amount of humour, the other a happy end.

[HansBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attraktive Sammlung mit Spionage- und Liebesgeschichten. Meine ausführliche deutschsprachige Besprechung ist hier:

http://hansblog.de/maugham-collected-...

[Konstantin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Maugham I guess... The characters are as well written as they possibly can be, the stories written as humourously as Maugham can write them, which is, alright. They fall a bit flat in that in each of them one half has nothing to do with the other. Worth a read nontheless.