Somerset maugham, was published in london and new york in 1944. The razor s edge was maugham s third attempt at writing a book with the exact same plot even down to having characters with the same name. Dust jacket is chipped along periphery and front foreedge, rubbed. So far as i know, there is only one place in maughams voluminous output where he mentions the razors edge. The announced intent is to highlight the experiences of an american war verteran who rejects the society of the rich to embrace a vagabond quest. The razor s edge follows the spiritual and physical journey of larry darrell, a sensitive, intelligent young man who refuses to conform to the prevailing social norms of postworld war i america. Somerset maugham october 11, 2016 january 2, 2019 books weve read admin leave a comment somerset maugham has always been one of my most favorite authors.
Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. I first read this book when i was a child of thirteen. The sunday times london it is very difficult for a writer of my generation, if he is honest, to pretend indifference to the work of somerset maugham. Somerset maugham, the razors edge you know, the philistines have long since discarded the rack and stake as a means of suppressing the opinions they feared. Maughams most famous works include of human bondage, a semiautobiographical novel, the moon and sixpence, cakes and ale and the razors edge. The razors edge is regarded as the masterpiece of novels by somerset. The razor s edge is somerset maugham s masterpiece, although some would give that honor to of human bondage. Somerset maugham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Growing up in india at a time when the british influence was still very strong, most of the books written in english were by british authors and they seemed. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maughams most. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 314 pages and is available in paperback format. The razors edge was maughams third attempt at writing a book with the exact same plot even down to having characters with the same name. The razors edge is an unusual amalgam threequarters witty social commentary about american and european society, onequarter eastern philosophy bound together by maughams impeccable prose almost as though henry james and hermann hesse had collaborated. The razors edge is no different and i rate it as his best novel but for his masterpiece of human bondage.
In this paper, i evaluate the themes, the style of writing, the lessons learned from the characters in the maugham novel the razors edge. Although the author has his critics, he enjoyed huge success as a writer jeffrey, 21. Larry darrell is an incredibly finely drawn character. The razors edge by w somerset maugham essay example. The razor s edge is a novel set in the 1920s and 1930s, tracing the intimate lives of representative british and american upper class. The razors edge tells the story of an american who, having prepared himself by acquiring a deep tan and donning indian garb, visits the guru shri ganesha and at his hands has an ecstatic spiritual experience, an experience of the same order as the mystics have had all over the world through all the centuries. I was first introduced to somerset maugham by my father, who like myself, fell in love with the razors edge at a young age in his early 20s. The razors edge william somerset maugham the razor s edge is a novel by w. Instead of marrying a rich, pretty chicago girl, he goes to paris searching for answers to questions about man, god and the meaning of life. If you missed out on the summary of part 3, click here. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author during the 1930s. The sunday times london it is very difficult for a writer of my generation, if he is honest, to pretend indifference to.
The razors edge follows the spiritual and physical journey of larry darrell, a sensitive, intelligent young man who refuses to conform to the prevailing social norms of postworld war i america. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life. Larry darrell is a young american in search of the absolute. The razors edge by somerset maugham can be a tricky novel to follow. Theodore dreiser maughams excessively rare gift of storytelling. Somerset maugham was one the twentieth centurys most popular novelists as well as a celebrated playwright, critic, and short story writer. Former owners bookplate sticker affixed to front pastedown endpaper.
Somerset maugham was a french writer born in 1874 in paris to english parents. October 11, 2016 january 2, 2019 books weve read admin leave a comment. Whats to prevent him from setting to and cutting larry out. Somerset maugham has always been one of my most favorite authors. I saw the old movie 1946 when i was a kid and that made me look up the book and read it. Somerset maugham the razors edge vintage classics, paperback 2000 8vo.
There was a remake 1984 that was surprisingly good. Maughams last major novel, the razors edge 1944, was a departure for. Somerset maugham, published in 1944 the novel is concerned in large part with the search for the meaning of life and with the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the razors edge.
He was educated at kings school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are elliott templeton, larry darrell. Unfollow the razors edge maugham to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. This was also the case in the novel the burden of the passions of man, and in the novel the moon and the pitt. One of the most challenging books somerset maughan has given us. The razors edge is somerset maughams masterpiece, although some would give that honor to of human bondage. 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. William somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. Having first begun reading the book the summer before i left for college at 19, i unfortunately never got around to finishing it and. His father worked as a legal secretary in the british embassy, in paris. The razor s edge quickly became a bestseller upon its publication in 1944, and was one of the first books to foreshadow the popularization of eastern philosophy and spirituality in western culture. The razors edge by william somerset maugham download eub. Mar 21, 20 a group of students interpret their favorite scenes of the razors edge and add their own personal touch.
Free download or read online the razors edge pdf epub book. Those who look to him for a colorful, romantic story will find this slowpaced at the start. It is very difficult to know people and i dont think any one can ever really know any but ones own countrymen. Somerset maugham is a novel about a group of young americans who are trying to find their way in the world during the years following world war i. Somerset maugham, in full william somerset maugham, born jan. The razors edge william somerset maugham the razors edge is a novel by w. Its epigraph reads, the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. Your purchase supports more than words, a nonprofit job training program for youth, empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. For in larry dornell he has drawn a character symbolic or many we shall meet in the. The novel is concerned in large part with the search for the meaning of life and with the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in. Apr 10, 2018 the razors edge by somerset maugham can be a tricky novel to follow.
Dec 05, 2015 the razors edge, by british novelist w. Somerset maugham, first published by doubleday doran in the united states in 1944, relates the experiences of a world war i pilot, larry darrell, who chooses to embrace a countercultural lifestyle as a way of dealing with his ptsd, though the syndrome is of course not identified as such in the book. Download the razors edge pdf book by william somerset maugham i have never begun a novel with. Celia copplestone is a uniquely spiritual person surrounded by a group of people who have no notion. First impression of this vanguard library edition not the true first. Even before i began to read it, i knew a few things about it viz. He was educated at king s school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university.
The razor s edge is an unusual amalgam threequarters witty social commentary about american and european society, onequarter eastern philosophy bound together by maugham s impeccable prose almost as though henry james and hermann hesse had collaborated. Buy the razor s edge vintage classics by maugham, w. A group of students interpret their favorite scenes of the razors edge and add their own personal touch. If you enjoy this kind of article make sure to like this post and tag along every tuesday. Pdf the razors edge by william somerset maugham download. Maugham was seventy years old when the book was published, and it was to be the last of his major novels.
Somerset maugham, english novelist, playwright, and shortstory writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. This book challenges the cultural ideals of the 1940s, and disregards. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by. Almost from the very second the razor s edge was made available to the reading public there has been a raging controversy as to if the storyline as presented by somerset maugham in what has turned out to be one of the bestselling novels of the 20th century was true or false, fact or fiction, real or not real. Somerset maugham ebook product description larry darrell is a young american in search of the absolute. The theme of finding his true i was raised maugham in his works repeatedly. For men and women are not only themselves, they are also the region in which they are born, the city apartment or the farm. Almost from the very second the razors edge was made available to the reading public there has been a raging controversy as to if the storyline as presented by somerset maugham in what has turned out to be one of the bestselling novels of the 20th century was true or false, fact or fiction, real or not real. But, perhaps, it was in the novel the razors edge that maugham was the best able to reflect all the problems of spiritual growth of an. Thomas hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, liza of lambeth, published in 1897, won him over to letters. Its epigraph reads, the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass overthus the wise say the path to salvation is hard, taken from a verse in the kathaupanishad. Harperperennial classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and. His writing has inspired a string of over 35 film adaptations and has influenced many notable authors, including anthony burgess, george orwell and gabriel garcia marquez.
He was born in paris but grew up in england and served as a secret agent for the british during world wa. The first edition of the novel was published in 1944, and was written by w. The razor s edge by somerset maugham can be a tricky novel to follow. Guy hague some people think guy hague was the real life role model for larry darrell. Set in chicago, paris, and india in the 1920s and 30s, it involves characters from sharply different worlds. Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions. The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. Collecting the razors edge by maugham, w somerset first. Razors edge, an album by the groundhogs razors edge goanna song, a song by goanna from spirit of place. Dust jacket is chipped along periphery and front fore edge, rubbed. Etsy your place to buy and sell all things handmade. He was one of the most popular writers of the day, and the razors edge was an immediate success on both sides of the atlantic.
It is a complete story it has a beginning, a middle and definitely an end. Somerset maugham has written many classics, but this one could also be called a book of philosophy. Buy cheap the razors edge by w somerset maugham essay w. It is also a chronicle of the birth of the united states as a world power. This series of blog posts will provide summaries of the main events of every part of the novel.
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