The story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maugham s shortstory collection ashenden. Somerset maugham tells the story of author william ashenden s series of contracts over decades with a greatly renowned novelist, and the need of his wouldbe biographer for. In cakes and ale maugham bares his soul as a writer and gives several descriptions of the art of writing which are as plausible as any i have ever read. Somerset maugham william somerset maugham and other ebooks from all genres of literature, both fiction and nonfiction, historical documents and sheet music, all of which are available on a subscription basis. Somerset william somerset 1874 1965 date of first publication. Sep 23, 2018 the book is about writers and the real and fake legacies they leave behind depending cakes and ale by w. Review of cakes and ale by somerset maugham a writers. Somerset maugham somerset maugham by anthony curtis the secret lives of somerset maugham by selina hastings maugham. As he traces the fortunes of edward driffield and his extraordinary wife rosie, one of the most delightful heroines of twentiethcentury literature, maughams sardonic wit and lyrical warmth expertly combine in this. Social climber alroy kear is flattered when he is selected by edward driffields wife to pen the official biography of her lionized novelist husband, and determined to write a bestseller. Somerset maugham the explorer the hero the land of promise the land of the blessed virgin. When cakes and ale was first published in 1930 it roused a storm of controversy, since many people imagined they recognised portraits of literary figures now no more. Maugham exposes the misguided social snobbery levelled at the character rosie driffield, whose frankness, honesty, and sexual freedom make her a target of conservative propriety.
Maugham has an amazing skill for revealing, with a few touches, a situation and the essentials of a character, and. Somerset william somerset, 18741965 online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article maugham, w. Blackstable takes the place of whitstable as it did in of human bondage. Full text of cakes and ale maugham internet archive. During his long career as a writer, maugham produced a large number of novels, plays and short stories. Cakes and ale is a comedy of literary england in the early decades of the 20th century narrated by ashenden. A novelist, ashenden is befriended by the ambitious, selfserving alroy kear, who has been commissioned to write an official biography of the. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the. Both maughams parents died before he was 10, and the orphaned boy was raised by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. Maugham 18941965 was safely settled in the south of france when the storm broke over this book.
Jun 25, 2019 cakes and ale maugham pdf the story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maugham s shortstory collection ashenden. Maugham exposes the misguided social snobbery levelled at the character. 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. Jan 25, 2014 cakes and ale is probably the most cheerful of maugham s works, considering that it comprises chiefly of the narrators recollections of a carefree summer vacation due to a strange friendship with a middleaged writer, driffield, and his sensuous, friendly wife, rosie. Cakes and ale, or, the skeleton in the cupboard 1930 is a novel by the british author w. Somerset maugham tells the story of author william ashenden s series of contracts. In cakes and ale maugham makes only the slightest of attempts at disguising its autobiographical nature. Ebook cakes and ale as pdf download portable document format. Somerset maugham s cakes and ale dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale. Maughams masterpiece is generally agreed to be of human bondage, a semiautobiographical novel that deals with the life of the main character.
Maugham was not known as a bombthrower, but cakes and ale in 1930 changed that. Somerset maugham cakes and ale pdf cakes and ale by w. A novelist, ashenden is befriended by the ambitious, selfserving alroy kear, who has been commissioned to. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive collection ever assembled. Cakes and ale top results of your surfing cakes and ale start download portable document format pdf and ebooks electronic books free online rating news 20162017 is books that can provide inspiration, insight, knowledge to the reader.
Apr 25, 2020 cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary heroines of twentiethcentury literature, maughams sardonic wit and william somerset maugham was born in and lived in paris until he was ten. Somerset maugham tells the story of author william ashenden s series of pdf. Cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary literary poseurs and a skilfully crafted study of freedom. Cakes and ale is a delicious satire of london literary society between the wars. Somerset maugham, published in 1930 the story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maughams shortstory collection ashenden.
Maugham confessed to a friend that his cruel portrait of walpole had origins in walpoles behaviour towards maughams friend, the society painter sir gerald kelly the lionel hillier of cakes and ale when, after sitting for several portraits, walpole not only dropped kelly but asked him to approach augustus john to paint his. The story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maughams shortstory collection ashenden. Cakes and aleroused a storm of controversy when it was first published in 1930. Somerset maughams cakes and ale dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be. Some of his best novels include of human bondage, the moon and sixpence and cakes and ale.
Social climber alroy kear is flattered when he is selected by edward driffields. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author during the 1930s. Somerset maugham download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. This is the first of three volumes of my collected short stories. Somerset maugham, in full william somerset maugham, born jan. Maugham, english novelist, shortstory writer, and playwright is best remembered for his novel of human bondage. Somerset maugham tells the story of author william ashenden s series of. Compiled in one book, the essential collection of books by w. Twelfth night takes for its theme the doubleness of human character, ranging from the calculated hypocrisy of the virtuous exemplified by literary opportunist and wouldbe biographer alroy kear to the animal weaknesses of the goodhearted yet unreformable rosie.
Cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary heroines of twentiethcentury literature, maughams sardonic wit and william somerset maugham was born in and lived in paris. Cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary heroines of twentiethcentury literature, maugham s sardonic wit and william somerset maugham was born in and lived in paris until he was ten. Cakes and ale is a piercing satire of british literary circles, and features apparently very recognisable portraits of authors thomas hardy, and maugham s erstwhile friend horace walpole. Somerset maughams story, miss thompson, new york, boni and liveright, c1923, also by john colton and clemence randolph page images at hathitrust. Cakes and ale project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
Somerset maugham cakes and ale with an introduction by nicholas shakespeare vintage books london contents cover title contents. The first of the stories in this collection, rain, was written in 1920 in hong kong, but i had. May 17, 2020 cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary heroines of twentiethcentury literature, maughams sardonic wit and william somerset maugham was born in and lived in paris until he was ten. It is the novel for which maugham wished to be remembered. Topics cakes, ale, maugham collection opensource language english. In my early youth i wrote a number, but they are so immature that i have preferred not to reprint them. Cakes and ale is a piercing satire of british literary circles, and features apparently very recognisable portraits of authors thomas hardy, and maughams erstwhile friend horace walpole.
Two of the principal characters are thought by many critics to be based on famous persons. Maugham has an amazing skill for revealing, with a few touches, a situation and. A novelist, ashenden is befriended by the ambitious, selfserving alroy kear, who has been commissioned to write an official biography of the famous novelist edward driffield. Per doubledays practice of designating first editions, first edition so stated on title page verso. For literary reasons it starts with a vicious portrait of. Somerset maugham tells the story of author william ashendens series of contracts over decades with a greatly renowned novelist, and the need of his wouldbe biographer for details that william alone can provide.
Sketches and impressions in andalusia liza of lambeth the. It is difficult to find a novel that is more of a roman a clef than cakes and ale. Includes new facsimile dust jacket in archival brodart sleeve. 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. Free downloadable version in various formats including kindle, epub, pdf and others. Somerset maughams cakes and ale dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale. A few are in a book that has long remained out of print, a few others are scattered in various magazines.