Status Updates From The Collected Short Stories...

Finished The Happy Couple. I like when he writes in first person, and so far I’ve found him very consistent in the characterization of his self-inserts so that it seems like I’m peeking into his life and I have to remind myself that the characters aren’t real. THC was good but I was disappointed that it just… ended. I liked the appearances vs reality aspect throughout but I wanted just a bit more drama.

Just finished Gigolo and Gigolette but I had also finished The Three Fat Women of Antibes days ago and forgotten to update my tracker. TFWA wasn’t anything to write home about, perfectly okay. Just like he loves a gorgeous loafing boy, Maugham loves to write about an overweight woman gorging herself. G&G was also okay, started strong but didn’t stick the landing. I liked his description of circus folk.

Finished Appearance and Reality which was a much welcome palate cleanser after the last two stories. This one felt like it could have been a scene from a play wherein the supporting characters throw an exaggerated wink to the audience as we all laugh at Monsieur Le Sueur.

Finished Mackintosh. God this was bleak and I can see why he chose to have this follow Honolulu. There was good momentum and the tension really ramped up so that I was racing through the last 10 pages. Walker and Mackintosh made a detestable pair but I liked how their traits ebbed and flowed through the story so you could never confidently say who was worse.

Slow going this AM, lots of words to look up

Finished The Pool. This one was meh to me. Definitely a product of its time. Lots of anthropological descriptions contrasting Samoans and Brits. Overall quite bleak and while the ending made sense (I guess), I wasn’t really moved.

I like Maugham’s writing for his wry observations that give way to poignant insights. This story was simply a bummer.

Finished The Luncheon, The Ant and the Grasshopper, and Home. Lunch. was cute and bitchy, A&G was an industry vs loafing story that made me chuckle, Home tugged at my heartstrings in a way that was surprising for 4 pages.
Loved being able to read 3 stories on the way to work, I feel like I’ve had a trio of mini croissants (lunch = almond , ant = chocolate, home = plain).

Finished Honolulu. A funny twist at the end but overall I found this one a bit dull.

Just finished The Fall of Edward Barnard. Really liked this one and can see the through line to The Razor’s Edge. For as long as Mr. Maugham wants to serve up the story of a gorgeous boy rejecting the American Dream in favour of loafing around for spiritual fulfilment, I will be banging my fork and knife on the table asking for more.

Finished the first story 2 days ago

Read 11/30 stories (36%)