I think The Razor's Edge is an Amazing and important story. I've read a lot of Maugham and thinks his style and his storytelling are among the best the 20th Century produced ( See also Ford Madox Ford).

Philip is a frustrating character, but i think he's meant to be that way. One of Maugham's favorite themes is human indecision and weakness.

Allen wrote: "I really liked this book. Maugham's ability to craft sentences make me googly in the pants. I'd encourage anyone thinking about reading it to not expect every protagonist to be Indiana Jones."

If you appreciate Maugham's writing have you tried his short stories? His writing style is exquisite and with a touch of humour and sarcasm that helps to make them a lot less depressing than his novels.

I really liked this book. Maugham's ability to craft sentences make me googly in the pants. I'd encourage anyone thinking about reading it to not expect every protagonist to be Indiana Jones.

My best friend (since we were 6) and I love to read. However, I have discovered that I hate nearly every book she recommends. This book is her favorite. I hated it. I read the entire thing hoping that it might get better - and desperately trying to understand my dear friend's reasoning (and because she gave me one of her two copies). It sucked as much at the end as it did at the beginning. Poor Philip.

There's a string of comments on here about books that you've read multiple times and your perspective has changed. OHB is a great one for that list. I read it as a teenager and I loved it. It's possible I read it 40 times from when I was 14 to when I was 24. Then I grew out of it. It was the kind of story that appealed to me I think because like Philip, there were so many things I felt I couldn't do anything about. When I was older and had a real job and my own place and money, I realized that you can change your own life.

That said, at 28 I tried to read The Moon and Sixpence and I hated it.

bryan, I read that article and was surprised at the comments about 'Up at the Villa'.

I'm not a fan of Sean Penn but thought it one of his better performances. He is right about Kristen Scott Thomas though. Excellent.

I am a humungous fan of Maugham's short stories but OHB was such a big dissapointment.

Even though Philip eventually made a choice I approved of the only way to describe he is spineless.

About the only redeeming aspect was that according my personal experience his behaviour was true to life.

Don't let one comment dissuade you. Here's another take: http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2007/...

Huh. So much for furthering my reading of Maugham... :)

Oh my lord, I just stayed up until 4:00 in the morning reading this--hoping--in vain--that Philip would develop a spine.

My only consolation is that I didn't buy a copy. I read it on Gutenberg.org.

Am I alone in my hatred?