Somerset Maugham Quotes

“The only important thing in a book is the meaning that it has for you.”
― Somerset Maugham

“But the first bedtime story he ever did read me was Kim.' River could tell she recognised the title, so didn't elaborate. 'After that, well, Conrad, Greene. Somerset Maugham.'
'Ashenden.'
'You get the picture. For my twelfth birthday, he bought me le Carré's collected works. I can still remember what he said about them.'
They're made up. But that doesn't mean they're not true.”
― Mick Herron, Slow Horses

“He died last year. He had endured that life for six years. He was found one morning on the mountainside lying quite peacefully as though he had died in his sleep. From where he lay he had been able to see those two great rocks called the Faraglioni which stand out of the sea. It was full moon and he must have gone to see them by moonlight. Perhaps he died of the beauty of that sight.”
― Somerset Maugham W. Somerset Maugham

“Dragul meu prieten, nu fi indurerat, zise Edward. N-am esuat, ci dimpotriva, am reusit. Nici nu-ti poti imagina cu cat elan contemplu viata, cat de plina mi se pare si cat de semnificativa.
Uneori (...) ai sa te gandesti la mine. Am sa-mi cladesc o casa pe insula mea de corali si am sa traiesc acolo ingrijindu-mi copacii si scotand miezul din nuci in acelasi mod stravechi pe care l-au folosit bastinasii din timpuri imemoriale. Am sa cultiv tot felul de legume in gradina mea si am sa pescuiesc.
Voi avea destula treaba sa-mi consum energia, dar nu atata incat sa ma duca la indobitocire. Voi avea carti, o voi avea pe Eva si, sper, copii; si voi avea, mai presus de toate, infinita varietate a marii si a cerului, prospetimea zorilor si frumusetea amurgurilor, bogatia magnifica a noptilor. Am sa fac o gradina din ceea ce nu demult era doar o paragina. In felul acesta voi fi creat ceva.
Anii vor trece pe nesimtite si, cand voi fi batran, sper sa privesc inapoi multumit, pentru ca am trait o viata linistita, simpla si fericita. In felul meu modest, voi fi cultivat si eu, in viata, frumosul.
Crezi ca e putin lucru sa cunosti multumirea si sa te bucuri de ea? Stim bine ca nu-i foloseste mare lucru omului daca dobandeste intreaga lume pierzandu-si sufletul.
Eu cred ca pe al meu am reusit sa-l pastrez."

Din povestirea Decaderea lui Edward Barnard, din Honolulu, de W. Somerset Maugham.”
― W. Somerset Maugham, Honolulu e altri racconti

“A good rule for writers: do not explain overmuch.”
― W. Somerset Maugham