Maughams last major novel, the razors edge 1944, was a departure for him in many ways. From its widest scope, the razors edge looks at the meaning of life from at least six different viewpoints. 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. What makes the razor s edge a classic is that you as a reader get to decide for yourself the wisdom of each character s decisions. And i was delighted to find that the film screenplay written by lamar trotti followed the novel closely, retaining much of the most memorable lines and pieces of dialogue. But give it a fair try, and you may just discover the razor s edge to be one of the best ebook purchases youve ever made, and one of your alltime favorite books, too. Somerset maugham, 9780099284864, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Maugham s last major novel, the razor s edge 1944, was a departure for him in many ways. Somerset maugham william somerset maugham and other ebooks from all genres of literature, both fiction and nonfiction, historical documents and sheet music, all of which are available on a subscription basis. My first introduction to somerset maugham was through the movie the razor s edge 1946 staring tyrone power as larry darrell. Somerset maugham definitely focuses a lot on wealthy, classoriented eliot, who seems to be closest in personality to the author himself. The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. He was educated at king s school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. Inside this book i have never begun a novel with more misgiving.
My first introduction to somerset maugham was through the movie the razors edge 1946 staring tyrone power as larry darrell. Maugham writes very simply about rather complicated things, with a fair amount of ironic humor. The razors edge project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. If i was told to read the razors edge specifically and watch the film over a decade ago then that would have saved a lot of time. Having first begun reading the book the summer before i left for college at 19, i unfortunately never got around to finishing it and ended up losing my copy of the book before i could. He was born in paris but grew up in england and served as a secret agent for the british during world war i. Somerset maugham was one the twentieth centurys most popular novelists as well as a celebrated playwright, critic, and short story writer.
Those views belong to six characters or seven if you include the author, w. 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. Free download or read online the razors edge pdf epub book. I could only find the razor s edge as a somewhat badly worn secondhand paperback with yellowed pages. The razors edge vintage international by maugham, w. All of the characters are well drawn, and you get the feeling that maugham is leaving stuff out rather than putting stuff in. The razors edge vintage international kindle edition by w. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maugham s most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and elliot templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate american snob.
If i was told to read the razor s edge specifically and watch the film over a decade ago then that would have saved a lot of time. Buy the razors edge vintage classics by maugham, w. The protagonist is a disillusioned veteran of the first world war who abandons his wealthy friends and lifestyle, traveling to india seeking enlightenment. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Celia copplestone is a uniquely spiritual person surrounded by a group of people who have no notion. The most ambitious of maughams novels, this is also one in which maugham. The novel is concerned in large part with the search for the meaning of life and with the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. While much of the novel takes place in europe, its main characters are american, not british. The razors edge william somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are elliott templeton, larry darrell. Somerset maugham, who plays himself in this novel, all of whom live in the privileged classes in the years betwee. The razors edge william somerset maugham the razors edge is a novel by w. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maughams most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and elliot templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate american snob. 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.
Somerset maugham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Buy the razor s edge vintage classics by maugham, w. 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. William somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maugham s most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and elliot templeton, her. Maugham was seventy years old when the book was published, and it was to be the last of his major novels. The razor s edge vintage international series by w. The razors edge by william somerset maugham pdf book. Pdf the razors edge by william somerset maugham download. Set in chicago, paris, and india in the 1920s and 30s, it involves characters from sharply different worlds. Develop cloudready web applications using mvc 3, blazor, and razor pages cutting edge upper intermediate. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in.
If you scroll up a bit and click the third button under other maugham eresources that says nonfiction with my logo on it, you will go to the ebook page of nonfiction, including travel books and essays. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maughams most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and elliot templeton, her. I have no idea as to how much it was adapted from the book. 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.
Although larry darrell has returned home safely from active duty as a pilot in the great war, his experiences have left. I have little story to tell and i end neither with a death nor a marriage. Harperperennial classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and. Theodore dreiser maughams excessively rare gift of storytelling. The razors edge vintage international kindle edition. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the razors edge vintage international. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. 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.
Somerset maugham was one the twentieth centurys most popular novelists as well as a celebrated. The razors 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 vintage international kindle edition by. Larry darrell is a young american in search of the absolute. Info download free ebooks in all formats, pdf, epub, mobi. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 314 pages and is available in paperback format. The razors edge vintage international kindle edition by maugham, w. 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. Somerset maugham, was published in london and new york in 1944. The razor s edge vintage international kindle edition by maugham, w. The razors edge by william somerset maugham download eub.
Its epigraph reads, the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. He was educated at kings school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. 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 sunday times london it is very difficult for a writer of my generation, if he is honest, to pretend indifference to. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with so.
Yet, somehow its dilapidated condition enhanced my reading enjoyment. 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. Guy hague some people think guy hague was the real life role model for larry darrell. The first edition of the novel was published in 1944, and was written by w. Somerset maugham is available at in several formats for your ereader. What makes the razors edge a classic is that you as a reader get to decide for yourself the wisdom of each characters decisions. If i call it a novel it is only because i dont know what else to call it. The razor s edge william somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. Then in 1984 we watched bill murray as larry darrell.
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