Maugham Celebrated


We live to see the day when the prophet is welcome in his homeland, well, sort of.

Maugham Festival
Maugham Festival

I don't think Maugham hated Whitstable; Cakes and Ale was written with relish and nostalgia. My imagination fails me as to what the festival will turn out to be like. Can't help thinking of the scene of Jamie being welcomed home in The Hero, with a touch of our liquid modern media frills.... Anyone thinks of going?

To console those unfortunate souls (like me) who can't or won't go to this celebrated event of our beloved maligned author, how about a virtual walking tour?



Would have been interesting to see if the Royal Natives live up to their fame.

Comments

  1. ..."following his death in 1969"?! Maybe this sums up the festival?

    As for Maugham's posthumous fall from grace, I find it hard to reconcile this with the fact that so many of his books, including much maligned ones like "Then and Now", "Catalina" and "Up at the Villa", are still in print. How could that be if they don't sell? And if they sell, maybe they are read, too.

    "It’s a travesty that Maugham is rarely taught in schools or even degree courses..." I think it's a blessing, not even in disguise.

    This festival reminds me of the seminars organised on the Authorship Question. Fearful waste of time, at best. I wouldn't go even if I could.

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