What is special about it is the new introduction in which w. Somerset maugham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Cakes and ale 1954 limited edition numbered copy the limited edition should come with a slipcase, but mine didnt. Mar 04, 2010 cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary literary poseurs and a skilfully crafted study of freedom. By that time maugham has already written his last play, sheppey 1933, and announced his retirement as a playwright. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this cakes and ale study guide and get instant. Somerset maugham s cakes and ale is not the powerhouse novel that was of human bondage or the magician or the razors edge and i feel quite sure that quite a few readers might agree with me and, to a large extent, it is not but it has a character, rosie driffield, who is so unique, so seductive, enchanting, and mysterious that she carries this book to the. 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 rather biting satire of the life of various notable british writers, including thomas hardy, who were prolific in william somerset maughams time. Epub isbn 9781409077862 uk published by vintage 2000 14 16 18 20 19 17 15. William somerset maugham was an english playwright, novelist and short story writer. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Feb 17, 2010 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Casting about one evening in the villa mauresque for a good book to take to bed, he sighed. Cakes and aleroused a storm of controversy when it was first published in 1930. Maughams masterpiece is generally agreed to be of human bondage, a semiautobiographical novel that deals with the life of the main character.
This was published to commemorate the 80th birthday of maugham. Though he vehemently denied that there were any links between his characters and real life figures, which i suppose makes the definition of it as a satire a little presumptuous. Somerset maugham 1874 1965 was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Contentment and a zest for life wafts off the pages like expensive french pefume. Cakes and ale, and twelve short stories by w maugham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Somerset maugham 25 january 1874 16 december 1965 william somerset maugham was born at the british embassy in paris, france, where his father was an english lawyer handling the legal affairs of the british embassy. Wise, witty, deeply satisfying, cakes and ale is maugham at his best. 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. The lively, loving heroine once gave driffield enough material to last a lifetime, but now her memory casts an embarrissing shadow over his career and respectable image. Somerset maugham somerset maugham by anthony curtis the secret lives of somerset maugham by selina hastings maugham. Per doubledays practice of designating first editions, first edition so stated on title page verso. 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. Lord george, the local coal merchant, adds to the merriment and is to play. Somerset maugham, published in 1930 the story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maughams shortstory collection ashenden.
Cakes and ale, or, the skeleton in the cupboard is a novel by the british author w. Like many of maughams short stories this began its existence as a short story before becoming a shortish novel this one has a frame that makes it a story about stories, along with whatever else its about. 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 novelist, ashenden is befriended by the ambitious, selfserving alroy kear, who has been commissioned to.
Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Cakes and ale, or, the skeleton in the cupboard 1930 is a novel by the british author w. Ebook cakes and ale as pdf download portable document format. Cakes and ale is a comedy of literary england in the early decades of the 20th century narrated by ashenden. 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. Maugham was not known as a bombthrower, but cakes and ale in 1930 changed that. Maugham, english novelist, shortstory writer, and playwright is best remembered for his novel of human bondage. The modern library, 1950 i realize that though i have mentioned this edition in a previous post, i havent talked about it. The story is told by willie ashenden, who previously appeared in maughams short story collection ashenden. Why oh why have i not read anything by maugham before. Insensibly he formed the most delightful habit in the world, the habit of reading. Cakes and ale is probably the most cheerful of maughams 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 aroused a storm of controversy when it was first published in 1930. Maugham 18941965 was safely settled in the south of france when the storm broke over this book.
Review of cakes and ale by somerset maugham a writers. With an introduction by nicholas shakespeare cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary literary poseurs and a skilfully crafted study of freedom. Somerset maugham cakes and ale is several things all of them well written. For literary reasons it starts with a vicious portrait of. When walpole tried to halt publication of cakes and ale, maugham wrote to mollify him. It is also the book for which maugham wanted most to be rememberedprovided by publisher.
Thus, maybe, peradventure, maugham is having his vengeance on the theatrical world, as he is often called a cynic by the quarter concerned. Esmx010, cakes and ale, 1930, 116, 616k, ebook, download pdf cakes and ale. Somerset maugham, including the razors edge, and of human bondage, and more on. Maughams cakes and ale roused a storm of controversy on publication for its wickedly satirical treatment of contemporary literary poseurs. 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. The moon and sixpence by william somerset maugham paperback.
Maugham drew his title from the remark of sir toby belch to malvolio in william shakespeares twelfth night. It is generally agreed to be his masterpiece and to be strongly autobiographical in nature, although maugham stated, this is a novel, not an autobiography, though much in it is autobiographical, more is pure invention. My copy is number 24, with maughams and sutherlands signatures. It is mostly family friendly, no bad words, violence but some may object to the presence of sex. Cakes and ale this book list for those who looking for to read and enjoy the cakes and ale, you can read or download pdf epub books and dont forget to give credit to the trailblazing authors. 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.
Includes new facsimile dust jacket in archival brodart sleeve. As we learn from selina hastings in her excellent biography, the secret lives of somerset maugham, cakes and ale was written in 1930 in maugham s sumptuous home, the villa mauresque on cap ferrat, at the time in his life when he was happiest and most content. He could be counted on to reply for literature at a public dinner and he was invariably on the reception committee formed to give a proper. Somerset maugham, cakes and ale vintage magazines, vintage books. The story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maugham s shortstory collection ashenden. Somerset maugham s cakes and ale with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion. Heinemann, 1937 this post is about a not much talked about novel by w. Cakes and ale is a delicious satire of london literary society between the wars. 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. Cakes and ale 1950, modern library cakes and ale new york. 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. Somerset maugham, 9780099282778, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Topics cakes, ale, maugham collection opensource language english. Cakes and ale by w maugham overdrive rakuten overdrive.
Sep 23, 2018 5 days ago from the many other titles of cakes and ale w somerset maugham pdf books, here is also available other sources of this cakes and ale wjun 11, 2018 gmt somerset maugham cakes and pdf read maugham cakes and ale pdf. 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, former barmaid. He was among the most popular writers of his era, and reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s. Somerset maugham and artist graham sutherland, signed on the limitation page. Buy cakes and ale by william somerset maugham from amazons fiction books store. Cakes and ales can be read at several levels, from the surface level satire of the english literati to a bildungsroman, or coming of age book.
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. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. But then kear discovers the great novelists voluptuous muse and unlikely first wife, rosie. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading cakes and ale. Jun 17, 2016 maughams 1930 novel cakes and ale is a thinly veiled portrait of thomas hardy, whose wild inclinations in youth were later tamed into the staid respectability expected of a great novelist by. Maughams 1930 novel cakes and ale is a thinly veiled portrait of thomas hardy, whose wild inclinations in youth were later tamed into the staid respectability expected of a great novelist by. 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. Maugham was aware that he never wrote anything more alive and, for that reason, more likely to endure. Desmond maccarthy, writing in 1934, called cakes and ale a model of construction, while in the second half of the century gore vidal described it as a perfect novel and anthony burgess called it simply. Short stories by somerset maugham pdf william somerset maugham was born in 1874 and educated at the kings.
The story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in. As we learn from selina hastings in her excellent biography, the secret lives of somerset maugham, cakes and ale was written in 1930 in maughams sumptuous home, the villa mauresque on cap ferrat, at the time in his life when he was happiest and most content. 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. In cakes and ale maugham makes only the slightest of attempts at disguising its autobiographical nature. Rosie is a barmaid with a heart of gold and a skeleton in her closet. Somerset maugham ebooks epub and pdf downloads ebookmall. It is the novel for which maugham wished to be remembered. It is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary literary poseurs and a skillfully crafted study of freedom. This is the 1950 modern library edition of cakes and ale, with a subdue but pleasant dust jacket. Cakes and ale is a new title published by the national archives. Notes some of books may not available for your country and only available for those who subscribe and depend to the source of the book library websites. Born in the british embassy in paris, where his father worked, maugham was an orphan by the age of ten. Of all somerset maughams novels this is the most entertaining and arguably his best ever. Cakes and ale by william somerset maugham paperback.
Like i had not then acquired the technique that i flatter myself now enables me to deal competently with the works of modern artist. Maughams portrait of her makes his novel fairly glow with witty observations of the contemporary literary scene. 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. If this were the place i could write a very neat little guide to enable the amateur of pictures to deal. 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. Definition of cakes and ale in the idioms dictionary. 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. A novelist, ashenden is befriended by the ambitious, selfserving alroy kear, who has been commissioned to write an official biography of the. Cakes ale, first edition abebooks passion for books.
Cakes and ale william somerset maugham listen online. It is a masterfully structured story, told largely in retrospect, with. The story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maughams shortstory collection ashenden. As he traces the fortunes of edward driffield and his extraordinary wife rosie, one of the most delightful heroines of twentiethcentury literature, maugham s sardonic wit and lyrical warmth expertly combine in this. Commercial success with high book sales, successful theatre productions and a string of film adaptations, backed by astute stock market investments, allowed maugham to live a very comfortable life. Although maugham had written short stories early in his career. Once upon a time in britain, cake and ale were considered essential parts of a healthy diet. Cakes and ale is a delicious satire of london literary society betwe. Late victorians and edwardians were fattened with rich, fruity cakes, and ailing ladies imbibed milk stout as a tonic. 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. Somerset maugham english playwright and author wrote cakes and ale and of.
Blackstable takes the place of whitstable as it did in of human bondage. Somerset maugham, cakes and ale or the skeleton in the cupboard. Somerset maugham librarything aleister crowley, lezen. Door gebruik te maken van of door hieronder op akkoord te klikken, ga je akkoord met onze gebruiksvoorwaarden en geef je toestemming voor. Her character is treated favourably by the books narrator, ashenden, who understands that she was a muse to. Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale. I suggest that if there is anything in him that you recognise, it is because to a greater or lesser extent we are all the same. Her character is treated favourably by the books narrator. Somerset maugham this study guide consists of approximately 62 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of cakes and ale.
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