Beyond the Letters

My acquaintance with Somerset Maugham began long long ago and I can proudly say that his books are for me the proof of the fact that sometimes what teachers make us read is not only useful but also fascinating. I’ve met quotes from his novels in English textbooks of all kinds and his adapted stories were among my first proper English reads. In the university we read his novels and analyzed them from the point of view of stylistics, lexicology, grammar and literary studies. One should become sick and tired of any texts seen so often but strangely enough, I’ve come to really love his stories and now I see Mr. Maugham as an old friend who can always cheer me up. So after a series of experiment with Booker prize nominees and some extremely postmodern things it was good to pick up  The Razor’s Edge . and remember my student years. The novel is a nice piece of writing all soaked with  the interbellum mood , one of the later works of Maugham (and therefore a bit uncharacteristic ...