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Enemy: A novel
Maugham's last novel, set in England and addressing the themes of social class and homosexuality.
156 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2018
An uneven accomplishment. The concept is great. The first and last third of the book work well enough. The 2nd third (that is the mid-section), where we are transported to London and Berlin, somehow lets the book down. You trudge through it rather than feel carried by it. The events in this part seem to be recounted without any real depth of feeling. I found the writing style lacking in polish. Odd, because in other books by the same author I had quite admired it. The final chapter is particularly well executed, and makes you wish that the spirit that animates it had carried through the whole thing.
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March 2, 2025This book was one of many that was seized in 1984 from the first gay bookshop in London, or anywhere in the UK, Gay's The Word as part of a policy of intimidation against 'uppity' gays and I am posting information on this event against many of the books seized by the police.
It is also one of the most absurd books seized. Robin Maugham was English, the nephew of Somerset Maugham, his father a lord and Maugham sat in the house of lords. This was an American edition of one of his last novels which is why it was seized. There were loads of other gay novels by Robin Maugham from UK publishers which weren't touched. It was cynical bullying by the government of a small business at its worst.
This is a history that should not be forgotten.
Enemy and the 1984 attempt to destroy 'Gay's The Word' the UK's first gay bookshop:
This novel was one of many 'imported' gay books which were at the centre of an infamous attempt to push UK gays back into the closet by the conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in 1984. Amazingly this event, important not only for gays but civil liberties in the UK, does not have any kind of Wikipedia entry. Because of this lack I have assembled links to a number of sites which anyone interested in free speech should read. If we don't remember our history we will be condemned to repeat it.
The genesis of the prosecution of 'Gays The Word' was the anger of homophobes to books like 'The Milkman's On His Way' by David Rees which were written for young people and presented being gay as ordinary and nothing to get your-knickers-in-a-twist over. Unfortunately there was no way to ban the offending books because censorship of literature had been laughed out of court at the 'Lady Chatterley Trial' nearly twenty years earlier. But Customs and Excise did have the ability to seize and forbid the import of 'foreign' books, those not published in the UK. As most 'gay' books came from abroad, specifically the USA, this anomaly was the basis for the raid on Gays The Word and the seizure of large amounts of stock. The intention was that the legal costs, plus the disruption to the business, would sink this small independent bookshop long before it came to trial. That it didn't is testimony to the resilience of Gay's The Word, the gay community and all those who supported them.
The best, not perfect, but only, guide to the event is at:
https://www.gayinthe80s.com/2012/10/1...
There follows a series of links to the event connected with an exhibition at the University of London:
The background:
https://www.london.ac.uk/news-events/...
The 142 books seized:
https://exhibitions.london.ac.uk/s/se...
The history of the prosecution:
https://www.london.ac.uk/news-events/...
The fight to clarify the law after the prosecution was dropped:
https://www.london.ac.uk/news-events/...
It is also one of the most absurd books seized. Robin Maugham was English, the nephew of Somerset Maugham, his father a lord and Maugham sat in the house of lords. This was an American edition of one of his last novels which is why it was seized. There were loads of other gay novels by Robin Maugham from UK publishers which weren't touched. It was cynical bullying by the government of a small business at its worst.
This is a history that should not be forgotten.
Enemy and the 1984 attempt to destroy 'Gay's The Word' the UK's first gay bookshop:
This novel was one of many 'imported' gay books which were at the centre of an infamous attempt to push UK gays back into the closet by the conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in 1984. Amazingly this event, important not only for gays but civil liberties in the UK, does not have any kind of Wikipedia entry. Because of this lack I have assembled links to a number of sites which anyone interested in free speech should read. If we don't remember our history we will be condemned to repeat it.
The genesis of the prosecution of 'Gays The Word' was the anger of homophobes to books like 'The Milkman's On His Way' by David Rees which were written for young people and presented being gay as ordinary and nothing to get your-knickers-in-a-twist over. Unfortunately there was no way to ban the offending books because censorship of literature had been laughed out of court at the 'Lady Chatterley Trial' nearly twenty years earlier. But Customs and Excise did have the ability to seize and forbid the import of 'foreign' books, those not published in the UK. As most 'gay' books came from abroad, specifically the USA, this anomaly was the basis for the raid on Gays The Word and the seizure of large amounts of stock. The intention was that the legal costs, plus the disruption to the business, would sink this small independent bookshop long before it came to trial. That it didn't is testimony to the resilience of Gay's The Word, the gay community and all those who supported them.
The best, not perfect, but only, guide to the event is at:
https://www.gayinthe80s.com/2012/10/1...
There follows a series of links to the event connected with an exhibition at the University of London:
The background:
https://www.london.ac.uk/news-events/...
The 142 books seized:
https://exhibitions.london.ac.uk/s/se...
The history of the prosecution:
https://www.london.ac.uk/news-events/...
The fight to clarify the law after the prosecution was dropped:
https://www.london.ac.uk/news-events/...
April 27, 2021
The original plot is truly fascinating but i think some dialogue tends to drag a bit. But I really would love to see the 1976 ITV drama adaptation with Michael Kitchen and Horst Janson as main characters.
January 23, 2026
Two WW II soldiers stranded in the North African desert after a tank battle. One German, one British, both gay. In the isolation of their plight, they struggle, first as captor and captive, then as two men marooned, then as men with different pasts but like experiences.
This novel, which was loosely based on an actual event in the author's life,
Robin Maugham was the nephew of the more famous W. Somerset Maugham and was actually a member of the British peerage as 2nd Viscount Maugham. This tale is a telling novel of the commonality of gay men everywhere. First published in 1981, this novel has the feel of the time, but left me wanting more.
I recently decided to re-read it, and it does suffer a bit with comparisons to better books that I've encountered since, but it is still an example of bravery for its time, a worthwhile read, and I recommend it. That said, I'd rate it three and a half stars.
This novel, which was loosely based on an actual event in the author's life,
Robin Maugham was the nephew of the more famous W. Somerset Maugham and was actually a member of the British peerage as 2nd Viscount Maugham. This tale is a telling novel of the commonality of gay men everywhere. First published in 1981, this novel has the feel of the time, but left me wanting more.
I recently decided to re-read it, and it does suffer a bit with comparisons to better books that I've encountered since, but it is still an example of bravery for its time, a worthwhile read, and I recommend it. That said, I'd rate it three and a half stars.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews