Posts

Showing posts from August, 2010

The Noble Spaniard - W. Somerset Maugham

The Noble Spaniard. A Comedy in Three Acts  (London: Evans Brothers, 1953).

This is the last play published, but it was written much earlier. The first performance was on Saturday, 20 March,1909, at the New Royalty Theatre, London. It is a play adapted from the French one by Grenet-Dancourt.

It is an interesting read, for spending a light afternoon with. In fact, some parts are quite funny, and even now it makes its readers laugh. The ending is a bit hurried, but the play is not intended to be …

The Land of the Blessed Virgin - W. Somerset Maugham

The Land of the Blessed Virgin. Sketches and Impressions in Andalusia (London: Heinemann, 1905)

This is one of Maugham's early productions, the first example of a genre which he will come to manipulate to perfection in later years. Spain has since his first visit in 1897 held a special fascination for him; this book contains descriptions of the places that he visited in Andalusia.

It opens by situating himself in London, at home, going over the memory of Spain which is everything that is co…

Here and There - W. Somerset Maugham

Here and There. Short Stories (London: Heinemann, 1948)

This is a collection of previously published short stories, thus the title. Three more collections of used stories will follow: Quartet (1948), Trio (1950)and Encore (1952), which have been subsequently turned into films. Here is the table of content of the present collection:

Three Fat Women of AntibesThe Lotus EaterLord MountdragoGigolo and GigoletteAn Official PositionThe Facts of LifeWinter CruiseFlotsam and JetsameSanatoriumEpisodeAppe…