In 'Rain and Other South Sea Stories,' William Somerset Maugham takes readers on a captivating journey through the exotic South Seas, painting a vivid picture of the colonial experience through a series of short stories. Maugham's literary style is marked by a keen eye for detail and a masterful use of irony, bringing to life the complexities of human nature and the impact of cultural clashes. Set against the backdrop of British imperialism, these stories offer a glimpse into the lives of colonizers and colonized, exploring themes of love, desire, and power dynamics in a foreign land. William Somerset Maugham, a prolific writer and renowned playwright, draws inspiration from his own experiences traveling across the South Pacific to craft this collection. His firsthand observations and interactions with the diverse cultures of the region lend authenticity and depth to the narratives, making them both compelling and thought-provoking. I highly recommend 'Rain and Other South Sea Stories' to readers interested in exploring the complexities of colonialism and cultural encounters. Maugham's poignant storytelling and subtle commentary make this collection a timeless masterpiece worth delving into.

This carefully edited collection has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. William Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965) was a British playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest paid author during the 1930s. Content: The Trembling of a Leaf: Little Stories of the South Sea Islands The Pacific Mackintosh The Fall of Edward Barnard Red The Pool Honolulu Rain Envoi

This carefully edited collection has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. William Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965) was a British playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest paid author during the 1930s. Table of Contents: Novels: Liza of Lambeth (1897) The Making of a Saint (1898) The Hero (1901) Mrs Craddock (1902) The Merry-go-round (1904) The Bishop's Apron (1906) The Explorer (1908) The Magician (1908) The Canadian (The Land of Promise) (1914) Of Human Bondage (1915) The Moon and Sixpence (1919) Short Story Collections: Orientations (1899) The Punctiliousness of Don Sebastian A Bad Example De Amicitia Faith The Choice of Amyntas Daisy The Trembling of a Leaf: Little Stories of the South Sea Islands (1921) The Pacific Mackintosh The Fall of Edward Barnard Red The Pool Honolulu Rain Envoi Plays: A Man of Honour (1903) Lady Frederick (1912) The Explorer (1912) The Circle (1921) Caesar's Wife (1922) East of Suez (1922) Travel Sketches: The Land of the Blessed Virgin: Sketches and Impressions in Andalusia (1905) On a Chinese Screen (1922)

William Somerset Maugham was one of the most popular and successful British writers of his time. From October 1897, when he completed his medical education at St. Thomas's Hospital in London, until his death in December 1965, Maugham wrote twenty novels, filled nine volumes with his short stories, wrote thirty-one plays, and published seven volumes of prose nonfiction. His writings reflect the tensions of the Boer War, World War I, and World War II; the lavishness of the highest levels of British and American society during the first six decades of the 20th century; the glamor of Hollywood, Paris, New York, San Francisco, and London; and the romance of China, Malaya, Borneo, and India. His popularity brought him prosperity. At a 1962 auction, 35 of his paintings sold for nearly $1.5 million; bequests in his will totaled $280,000; his royalties during the last ten years of his life averaged $50,000 per year; and his Riviera estate, purchased in 1927 for $48,000, sold for $730,000 in 1967. This reference book is a guide to Maugham's fascinating life and career. The volume begins with a brief discussion of the importance of Maugham's life and work, followed by a detailed chronology of important biographical and literary events. Through several hundred alphabetically arranged entries, the encyclopedia overviews Maugham's drama, fiction, and prose nonfiction; his family; the persons whom he knew and with whom he associated; the places where he lived and to which he journeyed, particularly the cities and villages that he inserted into his works; and the historical, cultural, social, and political issues that governed his life and career. Each entry closes with a brief bibliography, and the volume includes a selected bibliography of critical studies.

Devoted to those practitioners of the art of short fiction, this new 2nd edition offers thorough coverage of approximately 375 authors and 400 of their works. In a single volume, Reference Guide to Short Fiction features often-studied authors from around the world and throughout history, all selected for inclusion by a board of experts in the field. Reference Guide to Short Fiction is divided into two sections for easy study. The first section profiles the authors and offers personal and career details, as well as complete bibliographical information. A signed essay helps readers understand more about the author. These authors are covered: -- Sandra Cisneros -- Nikolai Gogol -- Ernest Hemingway -- Langston Hughes -- Gabriel Garcia Marquez -- Salman Rushdie -- Jean-Paul Sartre -- Edith Somerville -- Eudora Welty -- And others Section two helps readers gain deeper understanding of the authors and the genre with critical essays discussing 400 important works, including: -- "The Hitchiking Game", Milan Kundera -- "The Swimmer", John Cheever -- "The Dead", James Joyce -- "A Hunger Artist", Franz Kafka -- "How I Met My Husband", Alice Munro -- "Kew Gardens", Virginia Woolf This one-stop guide also provides easy access to works through the title index.

Presents critical studies of more than 270 authors of detective and mystery fiction from around the world dating from the mid-eighteenth century to the present day.