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Cakes and Ale and Twelve Short Stories
The short novel and twelve stories in this volume represent the essence of Maugham's art. Each one demonstrates that the master's most characteristic writing came from his extraordinary sense of the loneliness of others, and that irony was his most usual way of dealing with it.
Mr. Wilson believes that the essential Maugham is to be found in his devastating portrait of the Anglo-Saxon in the world of the tropics. Half the stories in this anthology, therefore, are set in tropical Asia. Of the other six, two are set in the South Seas, two in the Mediterranean, only two in England itself -- a strange, unfamiliar England, seen through the eyes of men and women on occasional home-leaves from Malaysia.
In Cakes and Ale, Maugham reconstructs some of the best and most affectionate scenes of his boyhood in Kent and introduces Rosie, one of his most lovable and appealing characters.
Maugham has "rightly become the model in English of the 'classic' form of short story," says Angus Wilson in his introduction. "It all seems so easy," he continues, "but these stories are the end result of the most complex and economic narration, which is totally successful in giving the appearance of reality and ease to what is in fact a complete subjection of life to the discipline of art. This artistic discipline and skill with words will surely earn the admiration of new and younger readers for whom the setting of Imperial exile will now have the additional fascination of historical curiosity.
Mr. Wilson believes that the essential Maugham is to be found in his devastating portrait of the Anglo-Saxon in the world of the tropics. Half the stories in this anthology, therefore, are set in tropical Asia. Of the other six, two are set in the South Seas, two in the Mediterranean, only two in England itself -- a strange, unfamiliar England, seen through the eyes of men and women on occasional home-leaves from Malaysia.
In Cakes and Ale, Maugham reconstructs some of the best and most affectionate scenes of his boyhood in Kent and introduces Rosie, one of his most lovable and appealing characters.
Maugham has "rightly become the model in English of the 'classic' form of short story," says Angus Wilson in his introduction. "It all seems so easy," he continues, "but these stories are the end result of the most complex and economic narration, which is totally successful in giving the appearance of reality and ease to what is in fact a complete subjection of life to the discipline of art. This artistic discipline and skill with words will surely earn the admiration of new and younger readers for whom the setting of Imperial exile will now have the additional fascination of historical curiosity.
- GenresFiction
512 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1930
34 people want to read
About the author
W. Somerset Maugham
2,114 books6,062 followersWilliam 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 22, 2017
Interlibrary loan courtesy of the Seattle Public Library.
My only experience (previously) with this author was the film version of The Painted Veil (which I loved).
I loved this collection of stories. The one I loved best, and the most moving for me, was The Force of Circumstance .
Also included in this volume is the novella Cakes and Ale, the reason I requested this book. (The 12 short stories were a bonus!) Cakes and Ale reads like a British costume drama production. (In fact, most of his stories could and were dramatized.) Not as absorbing as some of the 12 short stories, it was still very enjoyable.
Mr. Maugham has a wonderful style. It is sparse and dry, but full of wit and heavy with emotional turmoil, boiling just below surface. This is also a class drama and analysis of the world of writers.
I am definitely going to try to get a collection of his short stories.
My only experience (previously) with this author was the film version of The Painted Veil (which I loved).
I loved this collection of stories. The one I loved best, and the most moving for me, was The Force of Circumstance .
Also included in this volume is the novella Cakes and Ale, the reason I requested this book. (The 12 short stories were a bonus!) Cakes and Ale reads like a British costume drama production. (In fact, most of his stories could and were dramatized.) Not as absorbing as some of the 12 short stories, it was still very enjoyable.
Mr. Maugham has a wonderful style. It is sparse and dry, but full of wit and heavy with emotional turmoil, boiling just below surface. This is also a class drama and analysis of the world of writers.
I am definitely going to try to get a collection of his short stories.
August 21, 2016
A delightful series of stories, all of which have vibrant and interesting characters. I enjoyed the novel Cakes and Ale and short stories The Three Fat Women of Antibes, Before the Party, Rain, Virtue and A Man with a Conscience the most. A lot of social commentary that I agreed with throughout.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews