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Home and Beauty
Set immediately after the Great War in 1918. Maugham called it "a farce in three acts". After the death of her husband, William, the spoilt and beautiful Victoria married his best friend, Frederick. When William comes back after the war alive after all, each man can hardly wait to surrender her to the other. However, Victoria seems to have another admirer waiting in the wings.|7 women, 5 men
- GenresPlays
78 pages, Paperback
Published April 4, 2016
About the author
W. Somerset Maugham
1,854 books6,311 followersWilliam Somerset Maugham was born in Paris in 1874. He spoke French even before he spoke a word of English, a fact to which some critics attribute the purity of his style.
His parents died early and, after an unhappy boyhood, which he recorded poignantly in Of Human Bondage, Maugham became a qualified physician. But writing was his true vocation. For ten years before his first success, he almost literally starved while pouring out novels and plays.
Maugham wrote at a time when experimental modernist literature such as that of William Faulkner, Thomas Mann, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf was gaining increasing popularity and winning critical acclaim. In this context, his plain prose style was criticized as 'such a tissue of clichés' that one's wonder is finally aroused at the writer's ability to assemble so many and at his unfailing inability to put anything in an individual way.
During World War I, Maugham worked for the British Secret Service . He travelled all over the world, and made many visits to America. After World War II, Maugham made his home in south of France and continued to move between England and Nice till his death in 1965.
At the time of Maugham's birth, French law was such that all foreign boys born in France became liable for conscription. Thus, Maugham was born within the Embassy, legally recognized as UK territory.
His parents died early and, after an unhappy boyhood, which he recorded poignantly in Of Human Bondage, Maugham became a qualified physician. But writing was his true vocation. For ten years before his first success, he almost literally starved while pouring out novels and plays.
Maugham wrote at a time when experimental modernist literature such as that of William Faulkner, Thomas Mann, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf was gaining increasing popularity and winning critical acclaim. In this context, his plain prose style was criticized as 'such a tissue of clichés' that one's wonder is finally aroused at the writer's ability to assemble so many and at his unfailing inability to put anything in an individual way.
During World War I, Maugham worked for the British Secret Service . He travelled all over the world, and made many visits to America. After World War II, Maugham made his home in south of France and continued to move between England and Nice till his death in 1965.
At the time of Maugham's birth, French law was such that all foreign boys born in France became liable for conscription. Thus, Maugham was born within the Embassy, legally recognized as UK territory.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 3, 2025
Τρομερά αστεία φάρσα!
August 30, 2025
Home by Somerset Maugham
On China and Happiness
Somerset Maugham offers me a periodical dose of Joy. It is like taking one of those pills or smoking pot…I guess, for I never got high in that sense. I was curious, but the chance was never there Alhamdulillah –all praise be to Allah, if it really is his hand here…
I love the stories of Maugham so much that I offer myself a dose, at irregular intervals, much like I would do with caviar, a Cuban cigar and other Delicatessen, if I could afford them.
Gratitude is one of Positivity traits and exercises that one can perform in order to have a happier life. It makes sense to be grateful for the chance to read Maugham and not ruminate over a fancier car, young mistress or whatever.
In this short story, the hero returns from China and so does the narrator.
China is a continuing fascination for me, but also the source of uneasiness. It is a paradox that I appreciate very much the Eastern philosophy and approach to life and yet there is so much about China that is negative; from the terrifying treatment of animals to the communist politics and more.
I had the chance (or bad fortune?) to travel with Chinese officials throughout Romania. Their trip took two weeks and the impression I was left with was altogether bad.
I am talking about high officials from Shenzhen, in other words people who made all kinds of compromises in order to get to the top. Indoctrinated and limited, she showed a keen interest on propaganda and a kind of limited understanding of the world.
It is amazing to witness the rise of China as a superpower, with an economy that will surpass that of the United States in a couple of decades.
There are a number of prejudices about China, even if today we are better informed than in the time of Maugham.
In Home, one personage humorously thinks that China is populated by Black people and the hero has tens of black brides.
George Meadows, the hero of this short tale is a happy man.
He is old and has no teeth in his mouth, but he lived a happy life.
Ergo the lesson: be grateful for what you have and
“There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so” - Hamlet
George Meadows has spent a lot of time away from home, in China.
He met with hardship and adversity but knew how to cope with it.
He had hope and perspective.
The story of George Meadows is not uncommon- when the woman he loved married his brother George went to sea and all the way across the globe.
The heroine of the story is funny- she thinks because the narrator and George have both been to China - they have something in common.
George Meadows has abandoned home, fortune, everything he had and could have because Emily, the woman he loved had married someone else.
And he declares himself happy, near the end of his life.
Regardless of what happens, which I will not disclose…
What more of a happy story you could read. And it only takes about 20 minutes
On China and Happiness
Somerset Maugham offers me a periodical dose of Joy. It is like taking one of those pills or smoking pot…I guess, for I never got high in that sense. I was curious, but the chance was never there Alhamdulillah –all praise be to Allah, if it really is his hand here…
I love the stories of Maugham so much that I offer myself a dose, at irregular intervals, much like I would do with caviar, a Cuban cigar and other Delicatessen, if I could afford them.
Gratitude is one of Positivity traits and exercises that one can perform in order to have a happier life. It makes sense to be grateful for the chance to read Maugham and not ruminate over a fancier car, young mistress or whatever.
In this short story, the hero returns from China and so does the narrator.
China is a continuing fascination for me, but also the source of uneasiness. It is a paradox that I appreciate very much the Eastern philosophy and approach to life and yet there is so much about China that is negative; from the terrifying treatment of animals to the communist politics and more.
I had the chance (or bad fortune?) to travel with Chinese officials throughout Romania. Their trip took two weeks and the impression I was left with was altogether bad.
I am talking about high officials from Shenzhen, in other words people who made all kinds of compromises in order to get to the top. Indoctrinated and limited, she showed a keen interest on propaganda and a kind of limited understanding of the world.
It is amazing to witness the rise of China as a superpower, with an economy that will surpass that of the United States in a couple of decades.
There are a number of prejudices about China, even if today we are better informed than in the time of Maugham.
In Home, one personage humorously thinks that China is populated by Black people and the hero has tens of black brides.
George Meadows, the hero of this short tale is a happy man.
He is old and has no teeth in his mouth, but he lived a happy life.
Ergo the lesson: be grateful for what you have and
“There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so” - Hamlet
George Meadows has spent a lot of time away from home, in China.
He met with hardship and adversity but knew how to cope with it.
He had hope and perspective.
The story of George Meadows is not uncommon- when the woman he loved married his brother George went to sea and all the way across the globe.
The heroine of the story is funny- she thinks because the narrator and George have both been to China - they have something in common.
George Meadows has abandoned home, fortune, everything he had and could have because Emily, the woman he loved had married someone else.
And he declares himself happy, near the end of his life.
Regardless of what happens, which I will not disclose…
What more of a happy story you could read. And it only takes about 20 minutes
January 21, 2020
The basis for the Hollywood screwball comedies where a spouse marries, thinking their spouse is dead, and then they suddenly reappear. But this is very British upper class, and the dialog is quick and witty and non-stop. Set just after WWI, lots of humor about the dearth of foodstuffs, coal and servants. Oh, and here the spouse has actually not only married another, but had sex and had a child (in Hollywood versions they are just engaged - so no sex, let alone chuldren). And here, the dual husbands are more than willing to be rid of the self centered wife! They try to push her off on one another.
Loads of fun, wish it was better known, in print, stage and film.....
Loads of fun, wish it was better known, in print, stage and film.....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2017
It was HILARIOUS! I didn't know Maugham could be that funny!
watched-not-read
January 17, 2020Too Many Husbands (1940)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033174/...
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033174/...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews