Collected Short Stories: Volume 1 (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)

The first of four volumes of the collected short stories of Somerset Maugham is a glimpse of what is to come. A fine, detached, subtle but always unsparing observer of human nature, Maugham tells us stories about human weakness with a humorous, at the same time cynical and compassionate tone. Maugham expects very little from humans, and so, when they do sublime and even heroic things, it is all the more suprising. Perhaps the contemporary word which can best describe his attitude towards his characters is "cool". We humans are a mix of perversion, weakness, solidarity and real goodness. Maugham knows. So he is always willing to forgive his characters, as long as they know that their actions will have irremediable consequences. Hard but touching, Maugham sees the world from afar, from the internal wisdom which lets him know that nothing is too bad and nothing is too good.
The tales I liked the most are "Rain", about the unlikely relationship between a couple of puritan missionaries and a prostitute, "Before the party", about terrible marital secrets revealed right before an important party, and, above all, "The fall of Edward Barnard", simply a masterpiece of storytelling. First time I read it, I decided to become Edward Barnard myself. Go figure.
Maugham's style is anything but experimental. He is not trying to find a voice: he has one and he's pretty much sure about its value. And he's right. The way he uses words is the exact measure of craftmanship: not one word is missing, not one is futile. Precision, concision, wisdom, irony and humanism: the best mix for a reading. After you finish this, you'll go to the other three volumes, little by little, enjoying every story.

I came to know Maugham through his novels, especially The Razor's Edge, Of Human Bondage, and Cakes and Ale. I purchased this collection not knowing what to expect. The stories are character focused, at times incredibly witty and amusing, at times melancholy and near heart-breaking. As in his novels, Maugham has the ability to make the reader see what is not written. Highlights include The Rain, a commentary on the work of missionaries, and The Pool, one of the saddest shorts ever written. Others, such as The Three Fat Women of Antibbes, will probably make you laugh out loud. A first rate collection.

As a writer, Maugham considered himself "on the first row of the secondraters". I think he was being modest. Maugham has written some of the finest short stories ever written. His purpose was to do no more than tell an interesting story, but the reader gets much more. Each story is perfectly told; not one word is wasted, each character is fully realized. Maugham observes and never judges his characters. His short stories can be read many times and with each reading the reader finds something new and interesting. Somerset Maugham's short stories takes the reader to a time that is now past but still very relevant.

Somerset is an amazing writer whose words flowed so freely and expressively it makes you want to cry. This book of shorts is classic Maugham and un-put-downable. You'll love it.

Very blurred print quality.
Do not recommend buying.

The book arrived in good condition and the size was as expected. I thought that the pages were noticeable for their poor quality, but I guess that's not surprising in a paperback. Other than that, the collection of stories was just as great as I remember when I first read them.

Thouroughly entertaining. Excellent condition. Very pleased

I would recommend this book to those who like short stories. Maugham sometimes will wrap up a story for us and at other times leaves you with the option of working out the ending for yourself and it can usually go in quite different directions. Enjoy!

This collection of stories clearly demonstrates the remarkable talent of this writer in a format that is his forte. Some of the stories herein are classics, paticularly Rain,but they all resonate with real flesh and blood characters ,tight well constructed plots and incredible insight into human nature.

I paid for a "new" book, but received a used one. Photos are self-explanatory. Book was bent, had stuck-on dirt on the back, and even had a "used, very good" sticker underneath the new one. Clearly not new. I was refunded for my order.