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The Trembling of a Leaf
La dilatada carrera literaria de William Somerset Maugham estuvo colmada de triunfos, en las primeras décadas del siglo XX como autor teatral en Londres, donde llegó a tener hasta cuatro obras en cartel al mismo tiempo –algo que ni siquiera Oscar Wilde logró nunca–, y más tarde como novelista, con éxitos a escala mundial que hicieron que varios de sus libros fueran llevados al cine. Sin embargo, su verdadero talento cristaliza en sus cuentos, en los que a un amplio conocimiento de la vida mundana cosmopolita se unen sus enormes y minuciosas dotes de observación, salpicadas de aguda malevolencia.
Como advierte Vicente Molina Foix en el prólogo, el cuento era para Maugham la narración de un solo acontecimiento, material o psicológico, del que eliminaba todo cuanto no fuera esencial para su propia elucidación y unidad dramática. Heredero de Flaubert y, sobre todo, de Maupassant, se oponía frontalmente a la moda de la época, rendida al mandamiento chejoviano de no acabar los cuentos con un «final» que otorgase todo el sentido dramático al argumento. Prefería huir de los excesos verbales para permanecer fiel al desarrollo lógico del relato, que debía concluir «con un punto final antes que con puntos suspensivos». Lo importante era «narrar hechos» con la mayor naturalidad y lucidez.
Provenientes de épocas muy distintas y de muy variada extensión, los doce cuentos que integran este volumen son una perfecta muestra de su virtuosismo como narrador de historias.
William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), nacido en la embajada inglesa de París, donde su padre trabajaba como asesor legal, vivió el período efervescente de Inglaterra anterior a la Primera Guerra Mundial –durante la cual llevó a cabo una misión de espionaje en Rusia– y los brillantes años veinte en Londres, París y Nueva York, siempre en contacto con las personalidades culturales más relevantes de su tiempo. En 1928 compró la villa La Mauresque, una finca de casi cinco hectáreas frente al mar, cerca de Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, en la Riviera francesa, y allí solía pasar largas estancias que intercalaba con frecuentes viajes a América o a lugares remotos de Asia, a bordo de alguno de los transatlánticos de la célebre naviera inglesa P. & O.
Maugham estudió medicina en el hospital Saint Thomas de Londres. El éxito inesperado de una de sus primeras novelas afianzó su vocación literaria. A partir de entonces, el ejercicio de las letras y el teatro le hizo rico y popular. Escribió veintiuna novelas y veinticuatro obras teatrales, varias biografías, ensayos y libros de viajes, así como alrededor de cien cuentos.
Como advierte Vicente Molina Foix en el prólogo, el cuento era para Maugham la narración de un solo acontecimiento, material o psicológico, del que eliminaba todo cuanto no fuera esencial para su propia elucidación y unidad dramática. Heredero de Flaubert y, sobre todo, de Maupassant, se oponía frontalmente a la moda de la época, rendida al mandamiento chejoviano de no acabar los cuentos con un «final» que otorgase todo el sentido dramático al argumento. Prefería huir de los excesos verbales para permanecer fiel al desarrollo lógico del relato, que debía concluir «con un punto final antes que con puntos suspensivos». Lo importante era «narrar hechos» con la mayor naturalidad y lucidez.
Provenientes de épocas muy distintas y de muy variada extensión, los doce cuentos que integran este volumen son una perfecta muestra de su virtuosismo como narrador de historias.
William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), nacido en la embajada inglesa de París, donde su padre trabajaba como asesor legal, vivió el período efervescente de Inglaterra anterior a la Primera Guerra Mundial –durante la cual llevó a cabo una misión de espionaje en Rusia– y los brillantes años veinte en Londres, París y Nueva York, siempre en contacto con las personalidades culturales más relevantes de su tiempo. En 1928 compró la villa La Mauresque, una finca de casi cinco hectáreas frente al mar, cerca de Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, en la Riviera francesa, y allí solía pasar largas estancias que intercalaba con frecuentes viajes a América o a lugares remotos de Asia, a bordo de alguno de los transatlánticos de la célebre naviera inglesa P. & O.
Maugham estudió medicina en el hospital Saint Thomas de Londres. El éxito inesperado de una de sus primeras novelas afianzó su vocación literaria. A partir de entonces, el ejercicio de las letras y el teatro le hizo rico y popular. Escribió veintiuna novelas y veinticuatro obras teatrales, varias biografías, ensayos y libros de viajes, así como alrededor de cien cuentos.
198 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1921
About the author
W. Somerset Maugham
1,321 books5,082 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
September 8, 2021
ACQUE MORTE
William Somerset Maugham è probabilmente lo scrittore in assoluto più saccheggiato dal cinema: più di Graham Greene, e anche più di Conan Doyle.
Di questi sei racconti, apparsi in originale in raccolte diverse (e quindi la selezione è dell’editore italiano), il primo è quello più famoso, Rain – Pioggia, e ha ispirato diversi adattamenti: uno teatrale, il più recente in forma di opera musicale, e tre film, di cui il primo muto intitolato Sadie Thompson – Tristana e la maschera (1928) che è il nome della protagonista femminile, qui interpretata da Gloria Swanson.
1928, Gloria Swanson.
È seguito un secondo film in bianco e nero, questa volta sonoro, nel 1932, dove l’aspetto esotico è ridotto all’osso (anche perché invece che a Pago Pago, dove è ambientato il racconto di Maugham, fu girato all’isola di Catalina, non molto al largo di Los Angeles), molti interni e pochi esterni. Sadie, la prostituta, o donna di facili costumi, è interpretata da Joan Crawford – il missionario-predicatore che la perseguita pur affermando di volerla redimere, è appannaggio di Walter Huston. Entrambi molto efficaci.
Nel 1953 il film tornò a intitolarsi col nome della protagonista, Miss Sadie Thompson - Pioggia, che questa volta ha il volto e il corpo di Rita Hayworth.
1932, Joan Crawford.
Tutti i racconti come indica il titolo della raccolta italiana sono ambientati nei mari del sud, tra Malesia e Polinesia, dove si spingeva l’impero coloniale britannico che Maugham illustra in fase di disfacimento. Dove i bianchi si perdono, e dannano, o fanno la bella vita, senza mai ambientarsi davvero, senza mai davvero integrarsi coi locali.
E la natura forte, rigogliosa, potente, incontaminata, a suo modo irresistibile e spietata, non aiuta l’inserimento, l’ambientamento. Nel racconto più famoso, la pioggia cade e batte con insistenza, arrivando a determinare le azioni degli uomini.
1953, Rita Hayworth.
Non ci sono eroi in questi racconti, più spesso uomini meschini, uomini piccoli, aggrappati alle loro certezze che Maugham dimostra quanto siano ipocrite, e fa sfaldare nel corso delle storie.
Qualche personaggio femminile ha caratura più alta, a cominciare da quello della prostituta Sadie: nel racconto la meschinità è tutta appannaggio del melmoso predicatore (e di sua moglie), uomo che moralizza a parole, o come si usa dire, predica bene e razzola male.
Sei racconti di magnifico artigianato letterario.
Graham Sutherland: Ritratto di William Somerset Maugham. 1949
William Somerset Maugham è probabilmente lo scrittore in assoluto più saccheggiato dal cinema: più di Graham Greene, e anche più di Conan Doyle.
Di questi sei racconti, apparsi in originale in raccolte diverse (e quindi la selezione è dell’editore italiano), il primo è quello più famoso, Rain – Pioggia, e ha ispirato diversi adattamenti: uno teatrale, il più recente in forma di opera musicale, e tre film, di cui il primo muto intitolato Sadie Thompson – Tristana e la maschera (1928) che è il nome della protagonista femminile, qui interpretata da Gloria Swanson.
1928, Gloria Swanson.
È seguito un secondo film in bianco e nero, questa volta sonoro, nel 1932, dove l’aspetto esotico è ridotto all’osso (anche perché invece che a Pago Pago, dove è ambientato il racconto di Maugham, fu girato all’isola di Catalina, non molto al largo di Los Angeles), molti interni e pochi esterni. Sadie, la prostituta, o donna di facili costumi, è interpretata da Joan Crawford – il missionario-predicatore che la perseguita pur affermando di volerla redimere, è appannaggio di Walter Huston. Entrambi molto efficaci.
Nel 1953 il film tornò a intitolarsi col nome della protagonista, Miss Sadie Thompson - Pioggia, che questa volta ha il volto e il corpo di Rita Hayworth.
1932, Joan Crawford.
Tutti i racconti come indica il titolo della raccolta italiana sono ambientati nei mari del sud, tra Malesia e Polinesia, dove si spingeva l’impero coloniale britannico che Maugham illustra in fase di disfacimento. Dove i bianchi si perdono, e dannano, o fanno la bella vita, senza mai ambientarsi davvero, senza mai davvero integrarsi coi locali.
E la natura forte, rigogliosa, potente, incontaminata, a suo modo irresistibile e spietata, non aiuta l’inserimento, l’ambientamento. Nel racconto più famoso, la pioggia cade e batte con insistenza, arrivando a determinare le azioni degli uomini.
1953, Rita Hayworth.
Non ci sono eroi in questi racconti, più spesso uomini meschini, uomini piccoli, aggrappati alle loro certezze che Maugham dimostra quanto siano ipocrite, e fa sfaldare nel corso delle storie.
Qualche personaggio femminile ha caratura più alta, a cominciare da quello della prostituta Sadie: nel racconto la meschinità è tutta appannaggio del melmoso predicatore (e di sua moglie), uomo che moralizza a parole, o come si usa dire, predica bene e razzola male.
Sei racconti di magnifico artigianato letterario.
Graham Sutherland: Ritratto di William Somerset Maugham. 1949
November 19, 2017
There's a politically incorrect expression used in this book, "going native," but that is a lot of what these stories are about.
Brits (mostly men) from the sun-deprived northern climes (and in one case, an American) arrive in the tropical South Pacific isles, mainly Tahiti, to shed their clothes and their work ethic and to drink and chase island women. But there is trouble in paradise and these stories focus on murder, suicide, prostitution and the clash of races and classes.
The stories are set in the steamship era, late 19th to early 20th Century, and around the time other European notables visited the South Pacific, including Paul Gauguin and Robert Louis Stevenson. In fact, Maugham visited Tahiti to research Gauguin's life which he wrote about in The Moon and Sixpence.
These are great stories that have withstood the test of time.
Photos from top:
surfer.com
travelandleisure.com
wikipedia.en
Brits (mostly men) from the sun-deprived northern climes (and in one case, an American) arrive in the tropical South Pacific isles, mainly Tahiti, to shed their clothes and their work ethic and to drink and chase island women. But there is trouble in paradise and these stories focus on murder, suicide, prostitution and the clash of races and classes.
The stories are set in the steamship era, late 19th to early 20th Century, and around the time other European notables visited the South Pacific, including Paul Gauguin and Robert Louis Stevenson. In fact, Maugham visited Tahiti to research Gauguin's life which he wrote about in The Moon and Sixpence.
These are great stories that have withstood the test of time.
Photos from top:
surfer.com
travelandleisure.com
wikipedia.en
March 18, 2017
The short story Rain, may be one of the best short stories I have ever read and I am an avid short story reader. The human condition, religion, power, lust, a tropical setting, outsiders vs. natives against the backdrop of the constant, seemingly never ending rain. Thought this was a very powerful story and though come could say the language and situation is dated, I don't necessarily consider that true as there are still missionaries serving all over the world and there are new cultures being discovered yearly.
The other stories take place in Samoa and also highlight the human condition, something this author chronicles very ably. Many of the themes are repeated, though the outcomes vary. All were very good but none had the power for me that Rain did, first story set the bar high. They all do though serve to enlighten as to a particular time and place and the invasion and consequences of the imposition of will on native peoples.
The other stories take place in Samoa and also highlight the human condition, something this author chronicles very ably. Many of the themes are repeated, though the outcomes vary. All were very good but none had the power for me that Rain did, first story set the bar high. They all do though serve to enlighten as to a particular time and place and the invasion and consequences of the imposition of will on native peoples.
September 21, 2018
The Male's Ancient Conflict: His Inherent Sexual Nature vs. His Moral Fibers, Bonds of Loyalty and Religion
If you play with fire....
I consider Maugham as one of the top two or three short story writers of all time. His best is "Rain," one of the most powerful and symbolic short stories in the canon of Western lit. The tale explores in a most profound way the inescapable nature of all men as sexual beings (here, heterosexual*).
On a Pacific island quarantined during the tropical wet season, two married couples reside in the same building as a prostitute. One couple are missionaries, the other a mild-mannered doctor and his wife. The doctor is the story's narrator. I cannot think of another tale (in short or novel form) better illustrating a man's losing struggle, despite calling to all his morals, loyalty and religious beliefs, against his overpowering natural desires for the female. If you've not read it, I won't spoil for you one of the most affecting and effective last few pages I've read in all of literature. Prayers and faith can fortify the spirit, but they cannot stop the Rain. Ironically, man could have saved himself, as with the Fall, by walking away.
Moral: avoid, at all costs, any situation that may provoke the masculine inner predations; else, you play a deadly game.
It seems to me that Maugham is one of the most underrated writers in Western Literature. Here, he displays his masterful creative talents for the short story in this collection of his stories set in the South Seas.
*I only note this here because Maugham was not.
If you play with fire....
I consider Maugham as one of the top two or three short story writers of all time. His best is "Rain," one of the most powerful and symbolic short stories in the canon of Western lit. The tale explores in a most profound way the inescapable nature of all men as sexual beings (here, heterosexual*).
On a Pacific island quarantined during the tropical wet season, two married couples reside in the same building as a prostitute. One couple are missionaries, the other a mild-mannered doctor and his wife. The doctor is the story's narrator. I cannot think of another tale (in short or novel form) better illustrating a man's losing struggle, despite calling to all his morals, loyalty and religious beliefs, against his overpowering natural desires for the female. If you've not read it, I won't spoil for you one of the most affecting and effective last few pages I've read in all of literature. Prayers and faith can fortify the spirit, but they cannot stop the Rain. Ironically, man could have saved himself, as with the Fall, by walking away.
Moral: avoid, at all costs, any situation that may provoke the masculine inner predations; else, you play a deadly game.
It seems to me that Maugham is one of the most underrated writers in Western Literature. Here, he displays his masterful creative talents for the short story in this collection of his stories set in the South Seas.
*I only note this here because Maugham was not.
April 24, 2023
My copy was an English language version, not the Spanish version listed here.
Maugham’s South Sea stories are wonderfully crafted. I can’t think of an equal at his time. Not only are they extremely illuminating as far as human nature goes, but the dialog seems very realistic and the settings are breathtaking.
Occasionally I step back and think something was ruined by a pat ending or overt, ugly racism makes me cringe, but that was absolutely true for its time and shows the ugliness of colonialism. Three stories in this collection are terrific—Mackintosh, The Fall of Edward Barnard and Rain.
Maugham’s South Sea stories are wonderfully crafted. I can’t think of an equal at his time. Not only are they extremely illuminating as far as human nature goes, but the dialog seems very realistic and the settings are breathtaking.
Occasionally I step back and think something was ruined by a pat ending or overt, ugly racism makes me cringe, but that was absolutely true for its time and shows the ugliness of colonialism. Three stories in this collection are terrific—Mackintosh, The Fall of Edward Barnard and Rain.
December 14, 2020
This collection is the first I’ve read by Somerset Maugham. The stories draw on his own experiences of travel in the Pacific, and were first published in 1921.
A word of warning at the outset. These stories are centred around Europeans and white Americans who live in the Pacific islands. Many of the characters display racist attitudes and use offensively racist language towards Polynesian people, as well as other minorities such as those of Chinese and Japanese origin. Maugham is neither approving nor disapproving in the way he portrays these attitudes. They were part of the world of a century ago.
This is a collection of 6 tales, each story being between 40 and 60 pages long. All of them focus on clashes in relationships. I thought three of them, “Mackintosh”, “The Pool”, and “Rain”, were excellent.
The opening story “Mackintosh” possibly edges it as my favourite in the collection. The title character is a sort of Assistant Administrator in one of the smaller islands of Samoa, and he gradually develops a loathing of his overbearing senior colleague, Walker. I thought the story was a superb character study, and quite tense as well.
Next is “The Fall of Edward Barnard”, which is the lightest of the six stories in mood. A wealthy young man from Chicago, Hunter Bateman, travels to Tahiti to visit the title character. Barnard himself grew up amongst the Chicago elite but ended up in the South Seas after his father went bankrupt. The story contrasts Barnard’s life in the Pacific with that of Bateman, who is something of a “stuffed shirt”. I think this theme is a bit hackneyed now, though obviously less so 100 years ago. There’s an amusing end to this one.
The third story, “Red” was apparently chosen by Maugham as his best short story, and I can see why he thought so. Initially I thought the scene-setting part of the tale was overdone, but I eventually got the reason for that. It’s a story with a marked mood change between beginning and end.
“The Pool” tells the story of Lawson, who is married to a woman genetically half-Samoan but culturally 100% so, and neither party can fully adapt to the ways of the other. From the beginning it’s clear that Lawson is held in contempt by everyone on the island, regardless of their background, but Maugham creates a sympathetic portrait of a man who has taken all the wrong turnings in life. A great story.
The next story, “Honolulu” was for me the weakest in the collection. In this tale the clash is between the white captain of a schooner and his Polynesian first mate. There was a slightly odd ending that left me with the feeling I had missed some subtlety contained within.
The final entry “Rain” was another top-class tale, and probably the best known from this collection. The title derives from the setting, Pago-Pago in American Samoa during the rainy season, and Maugham uses the weather conditions to create an appropriately oppressive atmosphere. A group of passengers bound for the British ruled islands get stranded in Pago-Pago by a measles outbreak, which leads to them being quarantined. It’s told from the perspective of Macphail, a doctor, but the story centres on a dispute between Davidson, a puritanical missionary, and “Miss Thompson”, a woman who works as a prostitute. In one sense, it’s probably the most “modern” of the stories. In another sense, it’s the oldest.
A word of warning at the outset. These stories are centred around Europeans and white Americans who live in the Pacific islands. Many of the characters display racist attitudes and use offensively racist language towards Polynesian people, as well as other minorities such as those of Chinese and Japanese origin. Maugham is neither approving nor disapproving in the way he portrays these attitudes. They were part of the world of a century ago.
This is a collection of 6 tales, each story being between 40 and 60 pages long. All of them focus on clashes in relationships. I thought three of them, “Mackintosh”, “The Pool”, and “Rain”, were excellent.
The opening story “Mackintosh” possibly edges it as my favourite in the collection. The title character is a sort of Assistant Administrator in one of the smaller islands of Samoa, and he gradually develops a loathing of his overbearing senior colleague, Walker. I thought the story was a superb character study, and quite tense as well.
Next is “The Fall of Edward Barnard”, which is the lightest of the six stories in mood. A wealthy young man from Chicago, Hunter Bateman, travels to Tahiti to visit the title character. Barnard himself grew up amongst the Chicago elite but ended up in the South Seas after his father went bankrupt. The story contrasts Barnard’s life in the Pacific with that of Bateman, who is something of a “stuffed shirt”. I think this theme is a bit hackneyed now, though obviously less so 100 years ago. There’s an amusing end to this one.
The third story, “Red” was apparently chosen by Maugham as his best short story, and I can see why he thought so. Initially I thought the scene-setting part of the tale was overdone, but I eventually got the reason for that. It’s a story with a marked mood change between beginning and end.
“The Pool” tells the story of Lawson, who is married to a woman genetically half-Samoan but culturally 100% so, and neither party can fully adapt to the ways of the other. From the beginning it’s clear that Lawson is held in contempt by everyone on the island, regardless of their background, but Maugham creates a sympathetic portrait of a man who has taken all the wrong turnings in life. A great story.
The next story, “Honolulu” was for me the weakest in the collection. In this tale the clash is between the white captain of a schooner and his Polynesian first mate. There was a slightly odd ending that left me with the feeling I had missed some subtlety contained within.
The final entry “Rain” was another top-class tale, and probably the best known from this collection. The title derives from the setting, Pago-Pago in American Samoa during the rainy season, and Maugham uses the weather conditions to create an appropriately oppressive atmosphere. A group of passengers bound for the British ruled islands get stranded in Pago-Pago by a measles outbreak, which leads to them being quarantined. It’s told from the perspective of Macphail, a doctor, but the story centres on a dispute between Davidson, a puritanical missionary, and “Miss Thompson”, a woman who works as a prostitute. In one sense, it’s probably the most “modern” of the stories. In another sense, it’s the oldest.
September 29, 2018
Each story is reviewed one by one, following the order they occur in the book. Not all the stories are set in South East Asia, as the title erroneously indicates.
1,”Pacific” 3 stars
This is best seen as a preamble. It draws the setting for the South Sea stories that follow. The Pacific may shift from a raging sea to the calm surface of a mirror like lake. Only after having delved into the stories, did it occur to me why it had been placed here. It is good as an introduction.
2. "Mackintosh" 3 stars
Set on a small island of Samoa, the story is about the Scott Macintosh and his employer, Walker, for whom Mackintosh has great disdain. Opposites of each other, I failed to like anything about either. The story did pull me in. It upset me a lot. I found it extremely depressing. Both men . Three stars because it played with my emotions as much as it did.
3. "Rain" 3 stars
The setting for this story is Pago Pago, the territorial capital on the main island of American Samoa. The time setting is somewhere around the First World War. A missionary couple, the Davidsons, and a doctor and his wife, the Macphails, are on their way to Apia in the Pacific. The Macphails and the Davidsons must stay on Pago Pago for a fortnight; they are quarantined because one of the ship’s crew may have the measles. They are given lodging at an inn on the island. A “Miss Thompson” is lodged there too. She shows herself to be a prostitute. We observe how all five characters behave. A death occurs, but who is at fault? The story is sure to provoke lively discussion—on religion, on forgiveness, on moral rectitude, on the diametrically opposed views of colonists and indigenous people.
I find the story too open ended. Since we are not told why Miss Thompson . Neither are we given adequate information concerning Davidson. I know I dislike him; I find him to be sanctimonious, judgmental and self-righteous. Let’s just call him what he is—a religious fanatic! He may have . The two wives I also dislike—both are gossipy, condescending and spiteful. Maugham is delivering a message.
A central theme of the story is if one has a moral obligation to aid in the capture of a criminal. Once again, I need more information about the crime before making a decision. The story does give food for thought and there is lots to discuss.
Maugham did make me laugh at the antics of the missionary; first Davidson teaches his parishioners what sin is and then punishes them for it! How? By means of fines.
4. "Envoi" 3 stars
Too short to be even called a story. It takes one minute to read. It could also be called “Bon voyage”. It poignantly captures in a minimum of words “departure”, in this case on a ship.
5."The Casuarina Tree" 2 stars
“Casuarina equisetifolia, or Australian pine tree, is a she-oak species of the genus Casuarina. The native range extends from Thailand, Burma and Vietnam throughout Malaysia east to French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu, and south to Australia and is also found in Brunei.” Source Wikipedia
Maugham sees the trees-- gray, hardy, rugged and sad-- as representative of British expatriates in Borneo. I know too little about the people and the place to form an opinion. Another very short piece; it is read in three minutes in the audio version.
6. "The Letter" 2 stars
Set in Singapore, probably right after the First World War.
A mystery and a murder to be solved, or let’s say . It draws people at their most despicable. I believe Maugham is reflecting on people encountered on his foreign travels.
A statement about the hypocrisy and shallowness of the moneyed, and yes even educated upper-class.
7."Sanatorium" 4 stars
Life as a consumptive in a sanatorium--superbly drawn. Set in Scotland at the turn of the 20th century. Atmospheric, accurate and philosophical in message. A blend of both the macabre and wistful hopes and dreams. Choices laid bare; pretenses discarded. I like this as much as I did due to its portrayal of both despair and happiness.
Campbell and McLeod are long time competitive “enemies” and, as we come to see, also best friends. McLeod has lived in the sanatorium for eighteen long years. He.
In a sanatorium there is no place for pretense and emotions are laid bare. The beauty and wonder of life contrast sharply with and are magnified by the arduous fight for survival
8. "Jane" 4 stars
An unexpected twist at the end, superb dialog, humor and the point made that honesty and plain speaking are refreshing makes this a very good story. Both the story’s message and the way it is told make this a winner.
9. "The Judgement Seat" 2 stars
This may be viewed as a parable. It is set on Judgment Day--God is to judge three individuals’ lives. Is following the rules and doing one’s duty always right? One must be sympathetic to human frailty is the message delivered. I wholeheartedly agree but prefer a story that pushes a reader to think and draw their own conclusion. I am not in favor of messages being spoon-fed to readers. It is kind of a parody because God is in a rush and has too much on his hands.
10. "The Colonel’s Lady" 3 stars
What is described is the marriage of two middle-aged people. Husband and wife have grown apart. Love has been replaced by indifference. Sheffield and London is the setting, Please note that not all the stories are set in the South East Asia! The husband gets an awakening. How well does h know the woman he is married to and will his behavior change? Can he appreciate who she has become?
11. "The Verger" 4 stars
The story is short but packs a punch. Earlier this year I read it online and reviewed it on GR here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A free online link to the short story is provided in my review. The setting is again London, not South East Asia!
************************
I listened to the above stories collected in an audiobook read by Steven Crossley. I have given his performance four stars. Each and every one is easy to follow and read at a good speed. It is much easier listening than reading stories online—particularly if one has poor vision, as I do. I recommend the audiobook despite that it is possible to get the stories free online.
Phew, reviewing all the stories in an anthology takes time and effort. I hope I have provided adequate information to help you decide if the book is for you. One may wish to pick out one or two from the best. Maugham is a talented storyteller. His prose, his humor and his ability to construct a story have made his books into classics.
**************************
My ratings of Maugham’s books :
*Then and Now 5 stars
*Mrs Craddock 4 stars
*Cakes and Ale 4 stars
*The Painted Veil 4 stars
*The Verger 4 stars
*Liza of Lambeth 3 stars
*The Razor's Edge 3 stars
*The Summing Up 3 stars
*The Gentleman in the Parlour: A Record of a Journey from Rangoon to Haiphong 3 stars
*The Magician 3 stars
*Up at the Villa 3 stars
*Christmas Holiday 3 stars
*Catalina 3 stars
*The Narrow Corner 3 stars
*Ashenden 3 stars
*Rain and Other South Sea Stories 3 stars
*Theatre 2 stars
*The Moon and Sixpence 2 stars
*Of Human Bondage 2 stars
*The Merry-Go-Round 1 star
Books and short stories by Maugham still to be read :
*The Constant Wife
*Don Fernando
1,”Pacific” 3 stars
This is best seen as a preamble. It draws the setting for the South Sea stories that follow. The Pacific may shift from a raging sea to the calm surface of a mirror like lake. Only after having delved into the stories, did it occur to me why it had been placed here. It is good as an introduction.
2. "Mackintosh" 3 stars
Set on a small island of Samoa, the story is about the Scott Macintosh and his employer, Walker, for whom Mackintosh has great disdain. Opposites of each other, I failed to like anything about either. The story did pull me in. It upset me a lot. I found it extremely depressing. Both men . Three stars because it played with my emotions as much as it did.
3. "Rain" 3 stars
The setting for this story is Pago Pago, the territorial capital on the main island of American Samoa. The time setting is somewhere around the First World War. A missionary couple, the Davidsons, and a doctor and his wife, the Macphails, are on their way to Apia in the Pacific. The Macphails and the Davidsons must stay on Pago Pago for a fortnight; they are quarantined because one of the ship’s crew may have the measles. They are given lodging at an inn on the island. A “Miss Thompson” is lodged there too. She shows herself to be a prostitute. We observe how all five characters behave. A death occurs, but who is at fault? The story is sure to provoke lively discussion—on religion, on forgiveness, on moral rectitude, on the diametrically opposed views of colonists and indigenous people.
I find the story too open ended. Since we are not told why Miss Thompson . Neither are we given adequate information concerning Davidson. I know I dislike him; I find him to be sanctimonious, judgmental and self-righteous. Let’s just call him what he is—a religious fanatic! He may have . The two wives I also dislike—both are gossipy, condescending and spiteful. Maugham is delivering a message.
A central theme of the story is if one has a moral obligation to aid in the capture of a criminal. Once again, I need more information about the crime before making a decision. The story does give food for thought and there is lots to discuss.
Maugham did make me laugh at the antics of the missionary; first Davidson teaches his parishioners what sin is and then punishes them for it! How? By means of fines.
4. "Envoi" 3 stars
Too short to be even called a story. It takes one minute to read. It could also be called “Bon voyage”. It poignantly captures in a minimum of words “departure”, in this case on a ship.
5."The Casuarina Tree" 2 stars
“Casuarina equisetifolia, or Australian pine tree, is a she-oak species of the genus Casuarina. The native range extends from Thailand, Burma and Vietnam throughout Malaysia east to French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu, and south to Australia and is also found in Brunei.” Source Wikipedia
Maugham sees the trees-- gray, hardy, rugged and sad-- as representative of British expatriates in Borneo. I know too little about the people and the place to form an opinion. Another very short piece; it is read in three minutes in the audio version.
6. "The Letter" 2 stars
Set in Singapore, probably right after the First World War.
A mystery and a murder to be solved, or let’s say . It draws people at their most despicable. I believe Maugham is reflecting on people encountered on his foreign travels.
A statement about the hypocrisy and shallowness of the moneyed, and yes even educated upper-class.
7."Sanatorium" 4 stars
Life as a consumptive in a sanatorium--superbly drawn. Set in Scotland at the turn of the 20th century. Atmospheric, accurate and philosophical in message. A blend of both the macabre and wistful hopes and dreams. Choices laid bare; pretenses discarded. I like this as much as I did due to its portrayal of both despair and happiness.
Campbell and McLeod are long time competitive “enemies” and, as we come to see, also best friends. McLeod has lived in the sanatorium for eighteen long years. He.
In a sanatorium there is no place for pretense and emotions are laid bare. The beauty and wonder of life contrast sharply with and are magnified by the arduous fight for survival
8. "Jane" 4 stars
An unexpected twist at the end, superb dialog, humor and the point made that honesty and plain speaking are refreshing makes this a very good story. Both the story’s message and the way it is told make this a winner.
9. "The Judgement Seat" 2 stars
This may be viewed as a parable. It is set on Judgment Day--God is to judge three individuals’ lives. Is following the rules and doing one’s duty always right? One must be sympathetic to human frailty is the message delivered. I wholeheartedly agree but prefer a story that pushes a reader to think and draw their own conclusion. I am not in favor of messages being spoon-fed to readers. It is kind of a parody because God is in a rush and has too much on his hands.
10. "The Colonel’s Lady" 3 stars
What is described is the marriage of two middle-aged people. Husband and wife have grown apart. Love has been replaced by indifference. Sheffield and London is the setting, Please note that not all the stories are set in the South East Asia! The husband gets an awakening. How well does h know the woman he is married to and will his behavior change? Can he appreciate who she has become?
11. "The Verger" 4 stars
The story is short but packs a punch. Earlier this year I read it online and reviewed it on GR here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A free online link to the short story is provided in my review. The setting is again London, not South East Asia!
************************
I listened to the above stories collected in an audiobook read by Steven Crossley. I have given his performance four stars. Each and every one is easy to follow and read at a good speed. It is much easier listening than reading stories online—particularly if one has poor vision, as I do. I recommend the audiobook despite that it is possible to get the stories free online.
Phew, reviewing all the stories in an anthology takes time and effort. I hope I have provided adequate information to help you decide if the book is for you. One may wish to pick out one or two from the best. Maugham is a talented storyteller. His prose, his humor and his ability to construct a story have made his books into classics.
**************************
My ratings of Maugham’s books :
*Then and Now 5 stars
*Mrs Craddock 4 stars
*Cakes and Ale 4 stars
*The Painted Veil 4 stars
*The Verger 4 stars
*Liza of Lambeth 3 stars
*The Razor's Edge 3 stars
*The Summing Up 3 stars
*The Gentleman in the Parlour: A Record of a Journey from Rangoon to Haiphong 3 stars
*The Magician 3 stars
*Up at the Villa 3 stars
*Christmas Holiday 3 stars
*Catalina 3 stars
*The Narrow Corner 3 stars
*Ashenden 3 stars
*Rain and Other South Sea Stories 3 stars
*Theatre 2 stars
*The Moon and Sixpence 2 stars
*Of Human Bondage 2 stars
*The Merry-Go-Round 1 star
Books and short stories by Maugham still to be read :
*The Constant Wife
*Don Fernando
October 20, 2012
Maugham, like my other favourite author, Graham Greene, walked the roads less travelled of the former British Empire, and like Green, was a spy, and a man with dark secrets and skeletons in his closet. What better person to write about flawed and vulnerable characters!
In these tales, occurring around the western islands of Samoa which were occupied by New Zealand and its colonial master, Britain, Maugham brings to life the isolation faced by the westerner; he skillfully depicts how island life strips the foreigner of his dignity, localizes him, and finally destroys him. An about-face of the traditional colonial story, in which the colonizers go in imperiously, and, using a combination of language, laws and religion, civilize the natives. Maugham paints a reverse picture too, of the native transported back to Britain, who finds the climate, customs and culture oppressive enough to destroy.
In “Mackintosh,” the colonial master is the old chief, Walker, who has been on the island for so long that he is good for nothing else. He rules with an iron fist with disregard for directives from the capital of Apia. He treats his islanders as his children, yet browbeats and pushes them over the edge when they disobey him. Mackintosh is the newly arrived aide, caught between his brutal master whom he hates, and the local population aching for a better deal. Mackintosh is unable to challenge Walker’s authority and succumbs to getting rid of the old man in the most diabolic way, thus succumbing to the guilt that accompanies his action.
In “Pool” we see the marriage between the colonial and his native wife. The marriage is doomed from the start because, he can’t live in Samoa and be increasingly localized by the wife’s family, and she can’t live in Scotland where she is seen taking her traditional pool bath in sub-zero temperatures. She runs away back home to the islands and he follows only to be consumed by joblessness, culture, gossip and alcohol. Hints of sado-masochism emerge in this troubled union, for the wife only respects her husband when he beats her, and then disrespects him when he begs forgiveness for his actions – another sign of their incompatibility.
In “Rain” we return to the colonial master using religion as a whip to guilt and subdue his subjects. By classifying every aspect of native behaviour as a “sin,” the missionary, Davidson, converts his flock into “civilized” people. While quarantined on the island of Pago Pago during an outbreak of measles, Davidson sets out to convert a young American prostitute Ms. Thompson. The ever-falling rain on the island during their forced stay acts as a metaphor for entrapment, for both the missionary and his charge are locked in a clash of wills that eventually vanquishes the former. In this case, human nature again shows its weakness, despite the accoutrements of civil conduct and religion.
Maugham is a master for subtly upping the stakes, and what begins as a benign situation soon accelerates to a point where death is the only outlet. Although the writing style is a bit dated (this book was published in 1921 and some of the stories written earlier), Maugham’s insight into human behaviour under the pressures of empire, foreign culture and declining fortune is unparalleled. He was obviously one of those writers who saw the cracks in the empire and was unafraid to expose them, while still enjoying a vast following of readers in his day.
In these tales, occurring around the western islands of Samoa which were occupied by New Zealand and its colonial master, Britain, Maugham brings to life the isolation faced by the westerner; he skillfully depicts how island life strips the foreigner of his dignity, localizes him, and finally destroys him. An about-face of the traditional colonial story, in which the colonizers go in imperiously, and, using a combination of language, laws and religion, civilize the natives. Maugham paints a reverse picture too, of the native transported back to Britain, who finds the climate, customs and culture oppressive enough to destroy.
In “Mackintosh,” the colonial master is the old chief, Walker, who has been on the island for so long that he is good for nothing else. He rules with an iron fist with disregard for directives from the capital of Apia. He treats his islanders as his children, yet browbeats and pushes them over the edge when they disobey him. Mackintosh is the newly arrived aide, caught between his brutal master whom he hates, and the local population aching for a better deal. Mackintosh is unable to challenge Walker’s authority and succumbs to getting rid of the old man in the most diabolic way, thus succumbing to the guilt that accompanies his action.
In “Pool” we see the marriage between the colonial and his native wife. The marriage is doomed from the start because, he can’t live in Samoa and be increasingly localized by the wife’s family, and she can’t live in Scotland where she is seen taking her traditional pool bath in sub-zero temperatures. She runs away back home to the islands and he follows only to be consumed by joblessness, culture, gossip and alcohol. Hints of sado-masochism emerge in this troubled union, for the wife only respects her husband when he beats her, and then disrespects him when he begs forgiveness for his actions – another sign of their incompatibility.
In “Rain” we return to the colonial master using religion as a whip to guilt and subdue his subjects. By classifying every aspect of native behaviour as a “sin,” the missionary, Davidson, converts his flock into “civilized” people. While quarantined on the island of Pago Pago during an outbreak of measles, Davidson sets out to convert a young American prostitute Ms. Thompson. The ever-falling rain on the island during their forced stay acts as a metaphor for entrapment, for both the missionary and his charge are locked in a clash of wills that eventually vanquishes the former. In this case, human nature again shows its weakness, despite the accoutrements of civil conduct and religion.
Maugham is a master for subtly upping the stakes, and what begins as a benign situation soon accelerates to a point where death is the only outlet. Although the writing style is a bit dated (this book was published in 1921 and some of the stories written earlier), Maugham’s insight into human behaviour under the pressures of empire, foreign culture and declining fortune is unparalleled. He was obviously one of those writers who saw the cracks in the empire and was unafraid to expose them, while still enjoying a vast following of readers in his day.
July 13, 2023
Nếu muốn suy nghĩ sâu sắc về cuộc đời thì nên tìm đến Mưa của Sormeset, gần như đọc truyện nào của ông cũng bắt gặp toàn bộ mình hoặc 1 phần của mình trong đó, đào sâu hơn người đọc còn thấy đôi chút ngậm ngùi, cay cay hoặc cực kì cay đắng (tuỳ thuộc vào việc mình thấy bản thân ở trong đấy nhiều hay ít) trước thực tại phũ phàng, mặc dù vậy giọng văn ở tất cả các truyện bên trong luôn giữ thái độ tỉnh, lạnh. Mưa của sormerset là 1 trải nghiệm tuyệt vời giống như nghe nhạc rap... nếu nghe được rồi thì thích mê. muốn cảm nhận bề nổi, thấy hay qua nhịp nhạc cũng được, mà cảm nhận bề sâu thì rất là sâu qua phần lời.
Mưa là tập hợp những truyện ngắn nói vềnhững con người giàu chất thơ đấy nhưng lại bị thực tế của cuộc sống vùi dập không thương tiếc. Chứng kiến những phận đời như vậy mình thấy những ảo tưởng của mình bấy lâu về cuộc sống tự dưng sụp đổ. Thực tại trở nên rõ ràng, rành mạch hơn trước mắt chỉ nhờ 1 cuốn sách. Chưa bao giờ trải nghiệm quyển sách nào mà khi gấp lại phải suy nghĩ nhiều như thế. Mà ông này chắc có thù với những kẻ đọc sách hay sao ý , truyện nào cũng có nhân vật thích đọc và lưu trữ rất nhiều sách nhưng khi vào thực tế thì hầu như đều trở nên kì quặc, hoặc tàn nhẫn hay thảm hại...
Những truyện mình thích nhất là Giên, Chuyến du lịch mùa đông, Kẻ hưởng lạc, Một người có lương tâm, Bất khuất. Đặc biết thích truyện Kẻ hưởng lạc và Chuyến du lịch mùa đông.
Mưa là tập hợp những truyện ngắn nói vềnhững con người giàu chất thơ đấy nhưng lại bị thực tế của cuộc sống vùi dập không thương tiếc. Chứng kiến những phận đời như vậy mình thấy những ảo tưởng của mình bấy lâu về cuộc sống tự dưng sụp đổ. Thực tại trở nên rõ ràng, rành mạch hơn trước mắt chỉ nhờ 1 cuốn sách. Chưa bao giờ trải nghiệm quyển sách nào mà khi gấp lại phải suy nghĩ nhiều như thế. Mà ông này chắc có thù với những kẻ đọc sách hay sao ý , truyện nào cũng có nhân vật thích đọc và lưu trữ rất nhiều sách nhưng khi vào thực tế thì hầu như đều trở nên kì quặc, hoặc tàn nhẫn hay thảm hại...
Những truyện mình thích nhất là Giên, Chuyến du lịch mùa đông, Kẻ hưởng lạc, Một người có lương tâm, Bất khuất. Đặc biết thích truyện Kẻ hưởng lạc và Chuyến du lịch mùa đông.
June 6, 2017
The colonial era in the South Pacific was filled with self-righteous imperialists whose own good opinions of themselves were only overshadowed by their racist opinions of the native inhabitants. Maugham, captures this aspect of life and places it up front in every story. I understand that attitudes were different during Maugham’s life, and that Maugham, given his dedication to capturing life as it is, could not write stories that were otherwise. Nonetheless, this aspect of the book makes each story somewhat acidic.
The stories themselves range from average to very good. Maugham exhibits his ability to capture life, and, in particular, the imperfections of love. In actuality, these stories are more about love than they are about the south seas. In much the same way that Maugham captured the emotions of love in his book Of Human Bondage, he captures various aspects of this complicated emotion in these tales.
Maugham also captures the beautiful setting of the tropical islands. The setting is not overplayed and he uses the setting as a reminder that many times the breathtaking beauty of the tropics is more permanent and lasting then any moment in time experienced by the humans residing among them.
The stories themselves range from average to very good. Maugham exhibits his ability to capture life, and, in particular, the imperfections of love. In actuality, these stories are more about love than they are about the south seas. In much the same way that Maugham captured the emotions of love in his book Of Human Bondage, he captures various aspects of this complicated emotion in these tales.
Maugham also captures the beautiful setting of the tropical islands. The setting is not overplayed and he uses the setting as a reminder that many times the breathtaking beauty of the tropics is more permanent and lasting then any moment in time experienced by the humans residing among them.
July 27, 2013
Read Rain, skimmed the Pool... O.K. If you like this sort of stuff... A bit of melodrama based on a moral code that seems rather remote today....
October 21, 2022
My comfort book. Need to revisit this book again. Only if I knew which box I need to open...
March 13, 2019
Maugham was a great writer. He had that going for him.
His subject matter, however? Ugh. I need to say as little about this as possible, because these veins of stories are best left to die slowly, so different, better stories can take their place.
Big Themes are Colonialism and missionary work.
Let's look at the geographic location of Hawaii and Samoa. Now, let's look at it from the viewpoint of "conquerors," colonizers, opportunists, traders, and evangelists. Readers are seeing through the eyes of vastly arrogant and ignorant men, hailing from Europe and the U.S.
It's pretty disgusting.
What we need to see is a resurgence of the beautiful, unique cultures that were living their lives, minding their own business, when out of nowhere here come the white men with their outrageously unpractical clothes and obsession with sin.
Maugham as a writer did not exactly glorify these "conquering" types, but he was totally onboard with believing island natives were "childlike." And he spent way too much time describing how the beautiful brown teenage girls were "flaunting" their bodies beneath the bizarre, shapeless "Mother Hubbard" dresses that they were forced to wear.
With all that said, the story "Rain" is worth reading. A pre-code film was released in 1932 starring Joan Crawford. A real psychological trip. It shows just how dysfunctional a group of off-balance white people can get when thrown together out of their element. Looking at a raving missionary who finds a prostitute in his rental house, all hell breaks loose!
His subject matter, however? Ugh. I need to say as little about this as possible, because these veins of stories are best left to die slowly, so different, better stories can take their place.
Big Themes are Colonialism and missionary work.
Let's look at the geographic location of Hawaii and Samoa. Now, let's look at it from the viewpoint of "conquerors," colonizers, opportunists, traders, and evangelists. Readers are seeing through the eyes of vastly arrogant and ignorant men, hailing from Europe and the U.S.
It's pretty disgusting.
What we need to see is a resurgence of the beautiful, unique cultures that were living their lives, minding their own business, when out of nowhere here come the white men with their outrageously unpractical clothes and obsession with sin.
Maugham as a writer did not exactly glorify these "conquering" types, but he was totally onboard with believing island natives were "childlike." And he spent way too much time describing how the beautiful brown teenage girls were "flaunting" their bodies beneath the bizarre, shapeless "Mother Hubbard" dresses that they were forced to wear.
With all that said, the story "Rain" is worth reading. A pre-code film was released in 1932 starring Joan Crawford. A real psychological trip. It shows just how dysfunctional a group of off-balance white people can get when thrown together out of their element. Looking at a raving missionary who finds a prostitute in his rental house, all hell breaks loose!
April 2, 2023
เฮ้ย ไปอยู่ไหนมาทำไมเพิ่งเคยอ่านงานของซอเมอร์เซ็ท มอห์ม กันเนี่ย ชอบอ่ะ อ่านจบแล้วประทับใจทุกเรื่องเลย
เล่มนี้เป็นรวมเรื่องสั้น ที่ความยาวมันช่างพอดิบพอดีจังเลย แบบว่าไม่ยาวจนเกินกว่าที่จะรู้สึกว่า เอ๊ะ มันเริ่มจะไม่ใช่เรื่องสั้นแหละนะ และไม่สั้นจนรู้สึกว่าอะไรขาดหายไป เรียกว่าเต็มอิ่มทุกเรื่องไม่ขาดไม่เกิน
ธีมเรื่องวนเวียนแถบหมู่เกาะซามัว จึงได้พบกับบรรยากาศของมหาสมุทรแปซิฟิกตอนใต้ ทั้งแดดอันร้อนแรง ทั้งฝนตกที่ชุ่มช่ำกันถ้วนทั่ว แต่ละเรื่องจะเล่าผ่านมุมมองของคนขาว ไม่แน่ใจว่ายุคไหนกันปีใดแน่ แต่น่าจะเป็นช่วงล่าอาณานิคมล่ะมั้ง ทัศนคติหรือคำพูดคำจาบางคำอาจฟังไม่รื่นหู แต่ก็เป็นไปตามยุคสมัยน่ะนะ
มอห์มใช้วิธีการเล่าแบบง่าย ๆ ถ่ายทอดออกมาตรง ๆ (แต่คำแปลบางคำดูโบราณเหมือนกันแฮะ) เป็นงานเขียนที่มีความเรียบง่ายในเนื้อเล่า แต่อารมณ์หลังจากอ่านจบแต่ละเรื่องนั้น ยังคงวนเวียนในความรู้สึกนึกคิดของผู้อ่าน. 🌴🌺🌊🌞🌏🚢
เล่มนี้เป็นรวมเรื่องสั้น ที่ความยาวมันช่างพอดิบพอดีจังเลย แบบว่าไม่ยาวจนเกินกว่าที่จะรู้สึกว่า เอ๊ะ มันเริ่มจะไม่ใช่เรื่องสั้นแหละนะ และไม่สั้นจนรู้สึกว่าอะไรขาดหายไป เรียกว่าเต็มอิ่มทุกเรื่องไม่ขาดไม่เกิน
ธีมเรื่องวนเวียนแถบหมู่เกาะซามัว จึงได้พบกับบรรยากาศของมหาสมุทรแปซิฟิกตอนใต้ ทั้งแดดอันร้อนแรง ทั้งฝนตกที่ชุ่มช่ำกันถ้วนทั่ว แต่ละเรื่องจะเล่าผ่านมุมมองของคนขาว ไม่แน่ใจว่ายุคไหนกันปีใดแน่ แต่น่าจะเป็นช่วงล่าอาณานิคมล่ะมั้ง ทัศนคติหรือคำพูดคำจาบางคำอาจฟังไม่รื่นหู แต่ก็เป็นไปตามยุคสมัยน่ะนะ
มอห์มใช้วิธีการเล่าแบบง่าย ๆ ถ่ายทอดออกมาตรง ๆ (แต่คำแปลบางคำดูโบราณเหมือนกันแฮะ) เป็นงานเขียนที่มีความเรียบง่ายในเนื้อเล่า แต่อารมณ์หลังจากอ่านจบแต่ละเรื่องนั้น ยังคงวนเวียนในความรู้สึกนึกคิดของผู้อ่าน. 🌴🌺🌊🌞🌏🚢
“มหาสมุทรแปซิฟิกเปรียบแล้วก็ปานดวงจิตมนุษย์ ไม่คงเส้นคงวา เอาแน่เอานอนไม่ได้”
“ฉันว่ามนุษย์เรามัววุ่นวายจำแนกคนประเภทหนึ่งออกจากคนอีกประเภทมากเกินไป คนที่เราว่าดีที่สุดในหมู่เราอาจเป็นคนบาป ส่วนคนที่เราว่าชั่วสุดในหมู่เราอาจเป็นนักบุญก็ได้ ใครจะไปรู้”
“โศกาดูรแห่งรักไม่ใช่การตายหรือพลัดพรากหรอกครับ
คุณว่าจะใช้เวลานานไหม กว่าใครคนหนึ่งจะเลิกเหลียวแลอีกคน
ความขมขื่นที่สุดจะบังเกิดก็ต่อเมื่���
อยู่มาวันหนึ่งคุณมองหญิงที่เคยรักสุดชีวิต สุดขั้วหัวใจ
ถึงขนาดไม่ยอมให้คลาดสายตา
แล้วคิดได้ว่าคงไม่ยี่หระสักนิดหากจะไม่เห็นหน้าเธออีก
โศกาดูรแห่งรักคือความเฉยชาหรอกครับ”
July 30, 2023
The story that gives the collection its name is the best, but they are all very good. Maugham was a master of the short story. The missionary couple at the centre of Rain are appalling: dour, miserable, patronising racists, hating sex and dancing, and instilling a poisonous sense of sin. Which, of course, makes for a tinglingly exciting come uppance. Maugham is brilliant at evoking the lives of lost misfits. This is partly because he is an excellent literary craftsman, and partly because of his broad human sympathies. But also partly because, for all his skill and success, he was something of a lost misfit himself. It also felt appropriate to read these stories of rain soaked island life on another rain soaked island. (Though despite the BBC claiming the contrary, mine is perpetually cold and grey as well as wet).
August 11, 2010
A LUXUIOUS PLEASURE.
“…and the mystery of the sunset, the deep silence of the water, the lithe grace of the coconut trees, added to her beauty, giving it a profundity, a magic which stirred the heart to unknown emotions.”—page 114
“His manner was not agreeable. It was sycophantic, and yet behind the cringing air of an old man who had been worsted in his struggle with fate was a shadow of old truculence.”—page 115
W. Somerset Maugham, storyteller par excellence, is a master of the character flaw; crafting hauntingly beautiful and subtle portraits of distressingly, often fatally, flawed characters, all the while holding a mirror up to a horribly, rip-your-heart-out flawed humanity. The collection of short stories in ‘Rain and Other South Sea Stories,’ teeming with characters you’ll both love and hate almost simultaneously, lushly and entertainingly reaffirms Maugham’s superior storytelling talent.
Recommendation: Like O’Henry, Damon Runyon, and Mark Twain; W. Somerset Maugham is one of my favorite go-to guys whenever I want to read something just for the pure pleasure of the reading. If you like a touch of profundity and magic with your beauty, he’s the writer for you. As C. K. Chesterton aptly put it, “Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.” For me, reading W. Somerset Maugham, from time to time, is a necessary luxury.
[A word about Dover Publications, Thrift Editions: Unless you have incredibly good, un-hobbled eyesight avoid at all cost. It seems that all the ‘Thrift’ comes from substantially reducing the number of pages in a volume by printing it in the teeniest-tiniest type ever invented. For anyone whose eyesight has been spoiled by the luxury of 12-pt or better type, and especially by those of us who have been pampered by the larger type sizes available with an electronic reader, the type of a Dover Thrift Edition is very uncomfortable to read.]
Dover Publications Thrift Editions, Copyright 2005; 159 pages.
“…and the mystery of the sunset, the deep silence of the water, the lithe grace of the coconut trees, added to her beauty, giving it a profundity, a magic which stirred the heart to unknown emotions.”—page 114
“His manner was not agreeable. It was sycophantic, and yet behind the cringing air of an old man who had been worsted in his struggle with fate was a shadow of old truculence.”—page 115
W. Somerset Maugham, storyteller par excellence, is a master of the character flaw; crafting hauntingly beautiful and subtle portraits of distressingly, often fatally, flawed characters, all the while holding a mirror up to a horribly, rip-your-heart-out flawed humanity. The collection of short stories in ‘Rain and Other South Sea Stories,’ teeming with characters you’ll both love and hate almost simultaneously, lushly and entertainingly reaffirms Maugham’s superior storytelling talent.
Recommendation: Like O’Henry, Damon Runyon, and Mark Twain; W. Somerset Maugham is one of my favorite go-to guys whenever I want to read something just for the pure pleasure of the reading. If you like a touch of profundity and magic with your beauty, he’s the writer for you. As C. K. Chesterton aptly put it, “Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.” For me, reading W. Somerset Maugham, from time to time, is a necessary luxury.
[A word about Dover Publications, Thrift Editions: Unless you have incredibly good, un-hobbled eyesight avoid at all cost. It seems that all the ‘Thrift’ comes from substantially reducing the number of pages in a volume by printing it in the teeniest-tiniest type ever invented. For anyone whose eyesight has been spoiled by the luxury of 12-pt or better type, and especially by those of us who have been pampered by the larger type sizes available with an electronic reader, the type of a Dover Thrift Edition is very uncomfortable to read.]
Dover Publications Thrift Editions, Copyright 2005; 159 pages.
January 14, 2020
W. Somerset Maugham is unsurpassed as a chronicler of broken and wasted lives. He only flounders when he tries to redeem someone, such as the unbearable Larry Darrell in The Razor's Edge. Nothing of the sort is at work in this collection of short stories, which includes one of Maugham's most famous and influential works, "Rain," the story of an on the run prostitute, Sadie Thompson, who is vehicle for revealing the base corruption in men's souls. Although set mostly in the Samoan Islands, Hawaii, and Tahiti, the locale is not all that important, here. Yes, Maugham's reputation for depicting exotic places is in play, but as with most of his best work, it's the psychological portraits and the examination of human interplay that dominates. These stories could take place anywhere and still beguile the reader with their intensity. Locale actually has little to do with things, which are mostly viewed in close-up. Aside from "Rain," perhaps the most memorable of the bunch is "Mackintosh," where two rival colonial administrators plot to damage each other, only to find themselves in a mutual death grip. Meanwhile, the stories are full of Maugham's usual skewering of human vanity, pride, sloth, and capacity for self deception.
July 22, 2019
The author has a wonderful, smooth way of introducing the setting and characters of a story. The ones I read are entertaining but also a bit alike, as the have the same setting and a similar ending. I think I liked Mackintosh most, with Rain as a good second. In Mackintosh the characters are depicted very clearly whereas in Rain the men are a bit alike, at first at least. Maugham has a fine sense of humor but uses it very sparingly in these stories, which is a pity. The psychology isnt always completely convincing to my taste. There are some point of view issues as well, the worst one in the story The Pool. This is a story with a first person narrator in which at a certain point the author takes over, telling a part of the history of the events which the I character cannot possibly know! A big error.
May 14, 2020
Questa raccolta include tutti i racconti più belli di Maugham, e quindi il meglio, secondo me, della sua opera: tutti ambientati nelle Indie Orientali, tutti scritti negli anni Venti, tutti in qualche modo affini nel soggetto: le passioni che bruciano nascoste dentro persone insospettabili (ah, gli inglesi!) e che esplodono nell’atmosfera surriscaldata e perniciosa dei tropici provocando disastri, suicidi, delitti, ma anche imprevedibili e grotteschi matrimoni. Sono storie romantiche ma senza melodramma, piene di graffiante ironia, di acume psicologico, di delicatissimo garbo, di pathos, di humor britannico, di malinconia.
Maugham è stato uno senza dubbio dei più grandi cantori della passione amorosa.
Quattro stelle e non cinque perché, dopotutto, non c’è solo la passione amorosa, nella vita.
Maugham è stato uno senza dubbio dei più grandi cantori della passione amorosa.
Quattro stelle e non cinque perché, dopotutto, non c’è solo la passione amorosa, nella vita.
April 9, 2017
Am hugely enjoying Somerset Maugham’s stories, so much so that after I have finished each one I read it again. They’re very subtle and full of profound and detailed analyses of human character. Each has a twist in the tail which is why I want to go back and read it again. He is a master of prose and of exploring what it means to be human. He also depicts the extraordinary heart rending beauty of South Sea islands like Tahiti and Samoa so powerfully that he has me wanting to buy a plane ticket and go there immediately and never come back.
Rain is the most famous but I particularly liked the Fall of Edward Barnard. He tells the story from the point of view of Bateman Hunter, a rich and no doubt virtuous young man from Chicago. There’s obvious satire at the expense of this young man who can’t see any value in anything beyond wealth. And Maugham’s depiction of life on Tahiti is irresistibly seductive.
Have just read Red which is equally unforgettable.
Maugham may not be the most fashionable but I do highly recommend these stories. They make the works of contemporary writers seem rather shallow.
Rain is the most famous but I particularly liked the Fall of Edward Barnard. He tells the story from the point of view of Bateman Hunter, a rich and no doubt virtuous young man from Chicago. There’s obvious satire at the expense of this young man who can’t see any value in anything beyond wealth. And Maugham’s depiction of life on Tahiti is irresistibly seductive.
Have just read Red which is equally unforgettable.
Maugham may not be the most fashionable but I do highly recommend these stories. They make the works of contemporary writers seem rather shallow.
March 1, 2008
Sometimes stories are better told in 25 pages than in 250 . Maugham is a master and I think his best writing is in the short stories in this compilation. Some of my all-time favorite stories.
February 14, 2018
I'm not a fan of short stories but I really liked this collection, Maugham is one of my favorite authors so that's probably why. The stories aren't interlinked although they all follow the same theme in a way. They are all about people that have escaped to "warm weather" countries, due to health and other reasons. I can't pinpoint a favorite, they all brought all some sort of emotion in me, sadness, laughter, incredibility...
August 12, 2021
Mi-au placut toate povestirile. Lectura usoara potrivita pentru vacanta.
December 28, 2012
Rain and other South Sea Stories by Somerset Maugham
Somerset Maugham is one of my absolute favorites. As answer to one of those questions what books would you take with you on a deserted island, books by Maugham will be on the short list.
His short stories kept me good company while I have spent days and weeks in various hospitals, with a duodenal ulcer, but also witching to escape the Communist system of giving people jobs.
In short; I was studying geology-geophysics, at the University of Bucharest. Once I would have been a graduate, I would be forced to go where the state system sent me. It would have been ruinous and I made every effort to escape that, even endured the obsolete, prison-like hospitals.
Without Maugham stories life there would have been much harder, annoying and frustrating.
Thank you Somerset Maugham.
His tales of “Mystery and Imagination” were fascinating. Life in the “South Seas” was amazing. In spite, or because of the humid torrid heat, adventures, murders, witchcraft took place.
I remember how shocked I was when I read that this witch threaten her lover that he will die at this specific moment and he did, at that precise, foretold date and hour.
Somerset Maugham is one of my absolute favorites. As answer to one of those questions what books would you take with you on a deserted island, books by Maugham will be on the short list.
His short stories kept me good company while I have spent days and weeks in various hospitals, with a duodenal ulcer, but also witching to escape the Communist system of giving people jobs.
In short; I was studying geology-geophysics, at the University of Bucharest. Once I would have been a graduate, I would be forced to go where the state system sent me. It would have been ruinous and I made every effort to escape that, even endured the obsolete, prison-like hospitals.
Without Maugham stories life there would have been much harder, annoying and frustrating.
Thank you Somerset Maugham.
His tales of “Mystery and Imagination” were fascinating. Life in the “South Seas” was amazing. In spite, or because of the humid torrid heat, adventures, murders, witchcraft took place.
I remember how shocked I was when I read that this witch threaten her lover that he will die at this specific moment and he did, at that precise, foretold date and hour.
December 2, 2017
Wonderful set of stories, including the well-known Rain. I could do without the disparaging talk of half-castes and the use of the N word, but the attitude of the white man's superiority was a true representation of its time. Very evocative of the time and the South Pacific of the 20s and 30s.
March 24, 2013
One of my favorite writers. Exquisite!
August 14, 2019
Rain si really excellent short story. I enjoyed it very much. Others are OK, we could learn from it about those times and events.
I picked up the book at some local exchange and I didn‚t regret it.
I picked up the book at some local exchange and I didn‚t regret it.
August 20, 2022
Tác phẩm gồm nhi��u truyện ngắn, kể về số phận của những người da trắng đến quần đảo Thái Bình Dương trong thời kỳ thuộc địa đầu thế kỷ 20.
Văn phong cổ thú vị, miêu tả cảnh vật và con người sống động, dù nhiều chỗ khá dài dòng. Nhưng vượt lên hết, điều đặc biệt và đáng quý nhất là tư tưởng cởi mở lẫn nhân văn của nhà văn. Bởi qua các câu chuyện, ông đã nhẹ nhàng đả phá hết mọi tư tưởng thực dân tự cao tự đại của người da trắng, và khen “ngầm” cuộc sống của người dân bản xứ ở các đảo.
Mỗi truyện có tuyến nhân vật khác nhau, nhưng dẫn dắt ching là những người da trắng đến các đảo với tinh thần thượng đẳng, chê bai và ghê tởm người bản địa da rám nắng ăn mặc “truỵ lạc”, phạm hết các tội lỗi của Kinh Thánh,… Đa số họ đều nghĩ vậy tuỳ mức độ. Ai nấy đều có tham vọng: hoặc làm giàu từ những người dân ngu muội thấp kém, hoặc giáo hoá họ, hoặc cải đạo cho họ bớt tội lỗi.
Nhưng sau một thời gian, tất cả diễn biến đều thay đổi. Có người sẵn sàng bỏ hôn thê tài năng ở Mỹ để chọn lập gia đình với 1 cô gái đơn giản trên đảo và cùng sống đời thanh bình dù bị xem là hèn kém tụt hậu. Có người lại lộ ra những tính xấu của mình và sau đó bị chính dân đảo phản đối phải tự sát hoặc bỏ mạng, hoặc thay đổi bản thân,… Chỉ riêng việc sống cùng 1 người bản xú đã làm cho 1 người da trắng bị chính cộng đồng “văn minh” của mình dè bỉu, xa lánh.
Tác phẩm có ý nghĩa nhân văn và giá trị lịch sử, kể lại tư tưởng thực dân kỳ thị chủng tộc dựa theo tình hình chân thực của thời đại lúc ấy.
Văn phong cổ thú vị, miêu tả cảnh vật và con người sống động, dù nhiều chỗ khá dài dòng. Nhưng vượt lên hết, điều đặc biệt và đáng quý nhất là tư tưởng cởi mở lẫn nhân văn của nhà văn. Bởi qua các câu chuyện, ông đã nhẹ nhàng đả phá hết mọi tư tưởng thực dân tự cao tự đại của người da trắng, và khen “ngầm” cuộc sống của người dân bản xứ ở các đảo.
Mỗi truyện có tuyến nhân vật khác nhau, nhưng dẫn dắt ching là những người da trắng đến các đảo với tinh thần thượng đẳng, chê bai và ghê tởm người bản địa da rám nắng ăn mặc “truỵ lạc”, phạm hết các tội lỗi của Kinh Thánh,… Đa số họ đều nghĩ vậy tuỳ mức độ. Ai nấy đều có tham vọng: hoặc làm giàu từ những người dân ngu muội thấp kém, hoặc giáo hoá họ, hoặc cải đạo cho họ bớt tội lỗi.
Nhưng sau một thời gian, tất cả diễn biến đều thay đổi. Có người sẵn sàng bỏ hôn thê tài năng ở Mỹ để chọn lập gia đình với 1 cô gái đơn giản trên đảo và cùng sống đời thanh bình dù bị xem là hèn kém tụt hậu. Có người lại lộ ra những tính xấu của mình và sau đó bị chính dân đảo phản đối phải tự sát hoặc bỏ mạng, hoặc thay đổi bản thân,… Chỉ riêng việc sống cùng 1 người bản xú đã làm cho 1 người da trắng bị chính cộng đồng “văn minh” của mình dè bỉu, xa lánh.
Tác phẩm có ý nghĩa nhân văn và giá trị lịch sử, kể lại tư tưởng thực dân kỳ thị chủng tộc dựa theo tình hình chân thực của thời đại lúc ấy.
April 30, 2023
I read The house of doors by Tan Twan Eng a couple of weeks ago and that was about Somerset Maugham visiting Penang and trying to apply himself to writing once again. He has just had a collection of stories published at that point named The trembling of a leaf. I decided to read these stories next.
All based in and around Tahiti and the islands of the South Sea, these are a portrait of life there in the period Maugham visited. The prose is excellent as is to be expected but the stories themselves were surprisingly comprehensible! I always think classic stories may be really obscure but these were about every day things that affected the island people and their interactions with the whites who lorded over them. Because of the political situation and the attitude prevalent at the time, several references and statements sound misogynistic, racist and definitely politically incorrect. However, these reflect the truth of that period authentically.
I really liked The pool, The fall of Edward Barnard, Mackintosh and Rain though all the stories were good to read.
All based in and around Tahiti and the islands of the South Sea, these are a portrait of life there in the period Maugham visited. The prose is excellent as is to be expected but the stories themselves were surprisingly comprehensible! I always think classic stories may be really obscure but these were about every day things that affected the island people and their interactions with the whites who lorded over them. Because of the political situation and the attitude prevalent at the time, several references and statements sound misogynistic, racist and definitely politically incorrect. However, these reflect the truth of that period authentically.
I really liked The pool, The fall of Edward Barnard, Mackintosh and Rain though all the stories were good to read.
June 15, 2018
Since we'll soon be visiting several of the South Pacific Islands, I'm reading classic literature about the islands beforehand. We'll be at The Sadie Thompson Building in Pago Pago, Samoa, where Maugham wrote one of the stories, "Rain." I planned to only read it, but all the stories were so delicious I couldn't stop. His stories and his writing are exceptional and timeless. I'll certainly remember his stories, especially when we're in Tahiti, Samoa, and Honolulu. (There are several politically-incorrect words since this was written well before the term even existed.)
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