The British novelist William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), one of the most popular writers in English in the 20th century, is noted for his clarity of style and skill in storytelling. Maugham's mother died of tuberculosis when he was seven and his father of cancer three years later. Losing both his parents at age 10, he was raised by a paternal uncle. Since French law declared that all children born on French soil could be conscripted for military service, Robert Ormond Maugham arranged for William to be born at the embassy, technically on British soil, saving him from conscription into any future French wars. He was an English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. Updates? William Somerset Maugham born on: 25 January 1874 at 09:21 (= 09:21 AM ) Place: Paris, France, 48n52, 2e20 : Timezone: LMT m2e20 (is local mean time) Data source Maugham's skill in handling plot is compared by critics to that of Guy de Maupassant. Childhood & Education William Somerset Maugham was born to Robert Ormond Maugham and Edith Mary née Snell in the British Embassy in Paris, France. After a year at Heidelberg, he entered St. Thomas’ medical school, London, and qualified as a doctor in 1897. SINGAPORE, Jul 10 2020 - William Somerset Maugham was already an established author when he began to focus on short stories. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Biography in: Current Biography Yearbook 1963, Pages 263-265. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, (1917 - William Somerset Maugham was born on 25 January 1874 and was to become a playwright and novelist of staggering talent. In a story, as in a play, you must make up your mind what your point is and stick to it like grim death. Life is too short to do anything for oneself that one can pay others to do for one. At the age of 10 Maugham was orphaned and sent to England to live with his uncle, the vicar of Whitestable While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Maugham eventually trained and qualified as a doctor. If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it. Biography/bibliography in: Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series, volume 127, pages 280-288. There is a feeling that it was worthwhile, and the man who has done it feels even a certain pride in the fact. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/W-Somerset-Maugham, Spartacus Educational - Biography of William Somerset Maugham, W. Somerset Maugham - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). After the war he resumed his interrupted travels and, in 1928, bought a villa on Cape Ferrat in the south of France, which became his permanent home. He drew upon his experiences as an obstetrician in his first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897), and its success, though small, encouraged him to abandon medicine. The humorist has a good eye for the humbug: he does not always recognize the saint. Although Maugham was successful as an author he was never knighted and his relationship with Gerald Haxton, his secretary, has been subject to speculation. It might be outdated or ideologically biased. [ describing the French Riviera] A sunny place for shady people. Of Human Bondage - Ebook written by William Somerset Maugham. His reputation as a novelist rests primarily on four books: Of Human Bondage (1915), a semi-autobiographical account of a young medical student’s painful progress toward maturity; The Moon and Sixpence (1919), an account of an unconventional artist, suggested by the life of Paul Gauguin; Cakes and Ale (1930), the story of a famous novelist, which is thought to contain caricatures of Thomas Hardy and Hugh Walpole; and The Razor’s Edge (1944), the story of a young American war veteran’s quest for a satisfying way of life. If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it … Maugham was born on 25 January 1874 in France to Edith Mary (née Snell), a socialite and writer, and an English lawyer Robert Ormond Maugham. Right from his childhood days he has special interest towards writing. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. William Somerset Maugham was born on 25 January 1874 at the British Embassy in Paris. I do not think I am any better or any worse than most people, but I know that if I set down every action in my mind and every thought that has crossed my mind, the world would consider me a monster of depravity. William Somerset Maugham was born in the British Embassy in Paris on 25th January, 1874. William Somerset Maugham (25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was a British playwright, novelist and short story writer. William Somerset Maugham was born on January 25, 1874, in the British Embassy in Paris, France. In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. In England, he will be thought and will think himself a damned fool. At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely. Omissions? His mother died of tuberculosis when he was eight, and when his father passed away two years later, Maugham was sent to … 1928) ( divorced) ( 1 child). It is then that it is well to have engraved on his heart the maxim, If you can cut, cut. Maugham's father, Robert Ormond Maugham, was a lawyer who handled the legal affairs of the British embassy in Paris. His grandfather, another Robert, had also been a prominent lawyer and cofounder of the English Law Society, and it was taken for granted that William w… Born: January 25, 1874 in Paris, France: Died: December 15, 1965 in Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France (pneumonia) Birth Name: William Somerset Maugham: Nicknames: Willie Syrie hasbiniz, Other Works W. Somerset Maugham, in full William Somerset Maugham, (born Jan. 25, 1874, Paris, France—died Dec. 16, 1965, Nice), English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. In many of Maugham's novels the surroundings are international and the stories are told in a clear, economical style with a cynical or resigned undertone. From knighthood to the Mermaid Club, take a closer look at famous writers in this quiz. He was orphaned by the time he was 10 after his father died of cancer and his mother of tuberculosis. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Of Human Bondage. His novel is a ruthless send-up of the perishability of fame, and of the way in which the homage conferred on the vast majority of artists withers to … A woman will always sacrifice herself if you give her the opportunity. His interest in this genre was actually meant to have been a form of relief from novel-writing, but interestingly it was this literary form that rendered him more famous in the East. | Written during his final year of medical school, the realistic novel draws upon his experiences in treating patients from the Lambeth slums of London. His father was a lawyer for the British Embassy. Born in the British Embassy in Paris, where his father worked, Maugham was an orphan by the age of ten. Being famous is like having a string of pearls given you. He was an English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. William Somerset Maugham. Popular British novelist, playwright, short-story writer and the highest-paid author in the world in the 1930s, Somerset Maugham graduated in 1897 from St. Thomas' Medical School and qualified as a doctor, but abandoned medicine after the success of his first novels and plays. Sentimentality is the only sentiment that rubs you the wrong way. It is a funny thing about life. Popular British novelist, playwright, short-story writer and the highest-paid author in the world in the 1930s, Somerset Maugham graduated in 1897 from St. Thomas' Medical School and qualified as a doctor, but abandoned medicine after the success of his first novels and plays. - IMDb Mini Biography By: If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it's still a foolish thing. William was the fourth son of six children, of which only four survived. His father was an English lawyer at the British embassy in Paris, while his mother was a socialite and writer. His mother was the socialite Edith Mary Snell, and his father was Robert Orman Maugham, a lawyer. He was born William Somerset Maugham at the British Embassy in Paris, France, where his father was a lawyer who handled England's legal affairs in Paris. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... What country was William Butler Yeats from? William Somerset Maugham, better known as W. Somerset Maugham, was born on January 25, 1874, Paris, France. He became the most popular writer of his time and even was paid highest among writers during 1930. He was born at the British Embassy in Paris, where his father Robert was a solicitor. He was made a Companion of Honour (CH) in the 1954 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to literature. [on death and life] It wasn't until quite late in life that I discovered how easy it was to say, 'I don't know.'. To have learnt to play a good game of bridge is the safest insurance against the tedium of old age. William Somerset Maugham was born on 25th January 1874 in Paris. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2004. Maugham, William Somerset Born Jan. 25, 1874, in Paris; died Dec. 16, 1965, in St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. His philosophy of life as a resigned atheist is explained in The Summing Up (1938) and man’s innate goodness and intelligence is reflected in A Writer’s Notebook (1949). William Somerset Maugham was considered to be the popular English fiction writer of the 20th century. Maugham was orphaned at the age of 10; he was brought up by an uncle and educated at King’s School, Canterbury. He underwent medical training at St. Thomas Hospital in London, becoming a doctor in 1897. The British novelist William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), one of the most popular writers in English in the 20th century, is noted for his clarity of style and skill in storytelling. The son of a lawyer for the British Embassy in France, Maugham received a medical education. During World War I he worked as a secret agent and in 1928 settled in Cap Ferrat in France, from where he made journeys all over the world. Losing both his parents at age 10, he was raised by a paternal uncle. Now, not only what it stood for but the word itself has become vaguely objectionable. William Somerset Maugham was born on 25 December 1874 at the British Embassy in Paris, France, the fourth son (of seven children total, but only four that survived infancy) born to socialite and writer Edith Mary nee Snell (1840-1882) and Robert Ormond Maugham (1823-1884), a lawyer for the British Embassy. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. It makes one long for an apple occasionally. Lotus Eater Somerset Maugham: A Literary Bio-brief William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was born in the British Embassy in Paris, on January 25, 1874. His mother Edith died of tuberculosis when he was eight. British writer. The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris on January 25, 1874, the fourth of six children. William Somerset Maugham was not a famous psychic however he was famous for his literary exploration of psychic domination. Corrections? It's nice, but after a while, if you think of it at all, it's only to wonder if they're real or cultured. Personality profile of W. Somerset Maugham - a British playwright, novelist and short story writer who was recruited in 1916 into the British Secret Intelligence Service, and was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest-paid author during the 1930s, born on Sunday January 25th 1874. William Somerset Maugham, better known as W. Somerset Maugham, was born on January 25, 1874, Paris, France. His father died of cancer three years later. Looking back upon my work in my old age, I am disposed to regard it very modestly and to admit frankly some of its shortcomings. He explored many aspects of the psychic and spiritual world, including hypnosis and meditation. At the age of 10, having lost his … Every writer hits now and then upon a thought that seems to him so happy, a repartee that amuses him so much, that to cut it is worse than having a tooth out. He wrote many novels, plays and short stories, many of those were admired as master pieces. Both his father and grandfather were lawyers; his father handled legal affairs of the British embassy in Paris. Few misfortunes can befall a boy which bring worse consequence than to have a really affectionate mother. Britannica Quiz. W. Somerset Maugham, in full William Somerset Maugham, (born Jan. 25, 1874, Paris, France—died Dec. 16, 1965, Nice), English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. New York: The H.W. The most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest-paid author during the 1930s. Publicity Listings Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. By the age of ten, he was orphaned, his mother had died from tuberculosis and his father from cancer. Maugham eventually trained and qualified as a doctor. In France, a man who has ruined himself for women is generally regarded with sympathy and admiration. It is dangerous to let the public behind the scenes. W. Somerset Maugham On this date in 1874, William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris, where his father was an attorney with the British Embassy. Stephen King is generally associated with what genre? William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris, France, January 25, 1874, the youngest of four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ormond Maugham. He learned French as his native tongue. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Art, if it is to be reckoned as one of the great values of life, must teach men humility, tolerance, wisdom and magnanimity. Official Sites. There was a French law, which declared that all children born on French soil could be conscripted for military service, so his father made arrangement of his birth in the embassy, so that he could be saved from conscription into any future French wars. Many portray the conflict of Europeans in alien surroundings that provoke strong emotions, and Maugham’s skill in handling plot, in the manner of Guy de Maupassant, is distinguished by economy and suspense. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Although William Somerset Maugham was born and died in France, and his ashes were scattered in England, some of his most admired work was inspired much closer to these shores. | Than William Somerset Maugham no one had a beadier eye for how the lion of one generation becomes the skin-rug of the next. W. Somerset Maugham, Writer: Quartet. He became an orphan at the age of 10 and returned to England where he would be raised by his uncle. W. Somerset Maugham (1874 – 1965) was a British playwright, novelist and short story writer. Outside lavatories you will often see 'Ladies' on the door of one, but 'Men' on the door of another. Maugham’s plays, mainly Edwardian social comedies, soon became dated, but his short stories have increased in popularity. William's father, Robert Ormond Maugham, a wealthy solicitor, worked for the Embassy in France. Maugham's father was an English lawyer handling the legal affairs of the British embassy in Paris. William Somerset Maugham was born on 25 December 1874 at the British Embassy in Paris, France, the fourth son (of seven children total, but only four that survived infancy) born to socialite and writer Edith Mary née Snell (1840-1882) and Robert Ormond Maugham (1823-1884), a lawyer for the British Embassy. In making the transition from secret agent to writer, Maugham carried on in the tradition of such classic writers as Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson and Daniel Defoe to such contemporary writers as Graham Greene, John le Carré, John Dickson Carr, Alec Waugh and Ted Allbeury. The value of art is not beauty, but right action. Maugham's spy novel "Ashenden; or The British Agent" (1928) is partly based on his own experiences in the secret service. There is not much recorded about his early childhood years, but at the time of his birth his father was was a lawyer attached to British Embassy, his mother apparently a homemaker. Somerset Maugham spent a year in Heidelberg, Germany, where he studied literature, philosophy. William Somerset Maugham was born to English parents Robert Ormond Maugham and Edith Mary, on 25th January 1874, in the UK Embassy in Paris. They are easily disillusioned and then they are angry with you, for it was the illusion they loved. He was sent to live with his uncle, the Vicar of Whitstable, Kent, and his wife. When I was young the conception of a gentlemen had value. Wilson Company, 1964. He traveled in Spain and Italy and in 1908 achieved a theatrical triumph—four plays running in London at once—that brought him financial security. However, Maugham endured a traumatic childhood - he was orphaned at the age of ten when his mother died from tuberculosis and his father died from cancer. September 1997 marked the 100th anniversary of the publication of W. Somerset Maugham’s first novel, Liza of Lambeth. William Somerset Maugham. It is her favorite form of self-indulgence. He attended King’s School in Canterbury. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Born in Paris, he was the sixth and youngest son of the solicitor to the British Embassy. During World War I he worked as a secret agent. She plunged into a sea of platitudes and, with the powerful breast stroke of a channel swimmer, made her confident way towards the white cliffs of the obvious. William Somerset Maugham was born on 25 January 1874 and was to become a playwright and novelist of staggering talent. In The Summing Up (1938) and A Writer’s Notebook (1949) Maugham explains his philosophy of life as a resigned atheism and a certain skepticism about the extent of man’s innate goodness and intelligence; it is this that gives his work its astringent cynicism. William Somerset Maugham by Edouard MacAvoy . W. Somerset Maugham was born in Paris as the sixth and youngest son of the solicitor to the British embassy. 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