Somerset maugham includes the complete texts of three novelsthe moon and sixpence, the painted veil, and the magicianas well as five short storiesrain, the letter, alien corn, the pool, and macki. An uncompromising and selfdestructive deserts his wife, family, business, and civilization for his art. Rain, based on story by somerset maugham somerset maugham was the best writer ever, along with marcel proust, in the view of this reader cinephile anyway, and therefore rain has all the ingredients for an outstanding, brilliant motion picture. It seems that noting can ruffle her satin feathers, until a quiet. The rain in the story is the vehicle for the drama, the external circumstance that keeps them all penned in that boarding house, and relentlessly bears down on their nerves. For the most part, these tales detail the doomed exploits of white colonialists in hawaii, borneo, samoa, and malaya, most of whom come to despair and death due to romantic or sexual entanglements. Somerset maughamthe author of the classic novels of human bondage and up at the villaintroduces us to julia lambert, a woman of breathtaking poise and talent whose looks have stood by her fortysix years. He was orphaned by the time he was 10 after his father died of cancer and his mother of tuberculosis. Somerset maugham, was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Directed by lewis milestone and ostensibly set it the south seas, the production was filmed in part at santa catalina island and what is now crystal cove state park in california. Introduction by an excerpt from wikipedia first page. The first edition of the novel was published in 1937, and was written by w.
One of maugham s most famous short stories, rain unfolds in a soggy tropical paradise marred by selfrighteous hypocrites trying to force their moral beliefs on a girl who basically just wants to have fun. Questa lista presenta in ordine cronologico in base alla data della prima pubblicazione ogni articolo o contributo di maugham per riviste o periodici. At a running time of approximately 2 12 hours, it is too long for inclusion in a short story collection. Review of somerset maughams short story rain may 1, 2015 wordsmith 12 comments rain is probably the best short story written by somerset maugham in its length and characterization it is more like a novella but of course it conforms to maughams formula for a story it has a beginning, a middle and an end. He also wrote plays and novels, including of human bondage 1915 and cakes and ale 1930. Somerset maugham 1874 1965 was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Maughams bestknown story must be rain, which has been made into several movies as well as plays and a musical. William somerset maugham 25 january 1874 16 december 1965, better known as w. Rain by william somerset maugham on free audio book download.
Books about westerners seeking enlightenment in india seem to be everywhere these. Maughams clear prose holds up well, as do his stories. William somerset maugham was an english playwright, novelist and short story writer. William somerset maugham, much the youngest of four surviving brothers, was born in 1874 in a riggedup maternity ward in the british embassy in paris, a. Based on the life of paul gauguin, the moon and sixpence is w.
She is one of the greatest actresses englandso good, in fact, that perhaps she never stops acting. The film also features walter huston in the role of a conflicted missionary who insists that sadie end her evil ways, but. It is an illusion that youth is happy, an illusion of those who have lost it but the young know they are wretched for they are full of the truthless ideal which have been instilled into them, and each time they come in contact with the real, they are bruised and wounded. Somerset maugham 1874 1965 rain charts the moral disintegration of a missionary attempting to convert a pacific island prostitute named sadie thompson. One of maughams most famous short stories, rain unfolds in a soggy tropical paradise.
Maugham took eventual revenge on his uncle by drawing on him for the missionary figure in the story rain prompting greene to observe that maugham had done more than anyone to stamp the idea of the repressed straitlaced clergyman on the popular imagination. Review of somerset maughams short story rain a writer. Somerset maugham william somerset maugham and other ebooks from all genres of literature, both fiction and nonfiction, historical documents and sheet music, all of which are available on a subscription basis. No 44 of human bondage by w somerset maugham 1915 somerset maughams semiautobiographical novel shows the authors savage honesty and gift for storytelling at their best. Rain and other south sea stories kindle edition by w. The play is written in three acts, each one showing the same scenea beat up combination of general store and boarding house in pago pago. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Download the app to get started or learn more at challenge. Rain is probably the best short story written by somerset maugham in its length and characterization it is more like a novella but of course it conforms to maughams formula for a story it has a beginning, a middle and an end. Commercial success with high book sales, successful theatre productions and a string of film adaptations, backed by astute stock market investments, allowed maugham to live a very comfortable life. Somerset maugham 18741965 rain 1921 it was nearly bedtime and when they awoke next morning land would be in sight. Somerset maugham is a fishoutofwater story, in which characters wholly unsuited to their environment become marooned somewhere due to external circumstances. Somerset maugham led many lives, including that of a doctor in londons slums, a successful playwright and novelist, an agent for british intelligence during world war i, and a world traveler. At a running time of approximately 1 34 hours, it is too long for inclusion in a short story collection.
A vintage shorts short story month selection while stranded waiting for their ship to be released from quarantine, dr. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author d. In 1926 he bought a house in cap ferrat, france, which was to become a meeting place more about w. Born in the british embassy in paris, where his father worked, maugham was an. A missionary, his wife, and a prostitute are among the guests stranded at a. Somerset maugham, in full william somerset maugham, born jan. Somerset maughams ode to the powerful forces behind creative genius. The short story rain relates the events transpiring within a twoweek period between a small group of english and american travelers in the south pacific island of tutuila. Henry shukman rereads somerset maugham books the guardian. Somerset maugham wrote a short story called rain about a missionary in the south seas who converted a prostitute to the gospel. William somerset maugham, novelist, playwright, shortstorywriter, and the highest paid author in the world in the 1930s, nevertheless failed to gain critical acclaim 7. Somerset maugham 18471965 rain charts the moral disintegration of a missionary attempting to convert a pacific island prostitute named sadie thompson. In truth, her only mistake in making rain was flying in the face of her stock casting.
One of maughams most famous short stories, rain unfolds in a soggy tropical paradise marred by selfrighteous hypocrites trying to force their moral beliefs on a girl who basically just wants to have fun. It was originally published as miss thompson in the april 1921 issue of the american literary magazine the smart set the story is set on a pacific island. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 304 pages and is available in paperback format. Maughams prose is famous for its directness, its urbanity, and its polish. On this date in 1874, william somerset maugham was born in paris, where his father was an attorney with the british embassy. Somerset maugham, 9780099289708, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. The primary plot details how one of the characters, an arrogant and selfrighteous christian missionary, attempts to reform another character, whom he mistakenly assumes is a common prostitute.
Macphail lit his pipe and, leaning over the rail, searched the heavens for the southern cross. He was among the most popular writers of his era, and reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s. The main characters of this classics, fiction story are julia lambert, michael gosselyn. Based on somerset maughams short story miss sadie thompson, the 1922 rain is generally attributed to john colton and clemence randolph, although colton is likely the primary force behind the work. Charles strickland is a staid banker, a man of wealth and priviledge. Somerset maugham 18741965 rain 1921 it was nearly bed. Somerset maughams short stories nicholas shakespeare. One of maughams most famous short stories, rain unfolds in a soggy tropical paradise marred by selfrighteous hypocrites trying to. It used to be titled miss thompson, before maugham retitled it, wikipedia says. With kim kee lim, ahmad jamal, ken nazarin, eileen atkins. Somerset maughams story about a south seas prostitute reformed then raped by a missionary, her worst film, which would suggest that a she was swayed by her fan mail and b she never got a chance to see reunion in france 1942 or trog 1970. This collection is a version of the trembling of a leaf, first published in 1921. Rain is a 1932 precode drama film that stars joan crawford as prostitute sadie thompson. He is also a man possessed of an inquenchable desire to create art.
9 1212 945 177 23 687 704 571 139 1028 701 865 1324 1502 1192 748 1283 935 506 860 68 1636 347 992 330 85 625 1454 373 1306 1369 233 160 1035 347 795 651 1513 930 844 147 89 748 138 233 840 788 1147 210