From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Ashenden

W. Somerset Maugham

Start date: January 1, 2020

Finish date: January 31, 2020

Discussion: Group reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of our January 2020 poll - something slightly different, as these are classic spy tales.
[close] Winner of our January 2020 poll - something slightly different, as these are classic spy tales.

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* December 2025 group read - Winner!
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What Members Thought

Aug 05, 2014 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This fascinating, and delightful, book is often regarded as the first spy story and a precursor to Smiley and James Bond. Based on W. Somerset Maugham’s real life experience working for the Secret Service in WWI, this is a collection of linked stories about his fictional alter ego Ashenden. Like Maugham, Ashenden is an author; approached by a middle-aged Colonel (later known as ‘R’) at a party in London, shortly after the outbreak of the first world war. He suggests that, as Ashenden speaks seve This fascinating, and delightful, book is often regarded as the first spy story and a precursor to Smiley and James Bond. Based on W. Somerset Maugham’s real life experience working for the Secret Service in WWI, this is a collection of linked stories about his fictional alter ego Ashenden. Like Maugham, Ashenden is an author; approached by a middle-aged Colonel (later known as ‘R’) at a party in London, shortly after the outbreak of the first world war. He suggests that, as Ashenden speaks several European languages and his profession is a perfect cover, he joins the intelligence agency. Despite the comment that, “if you do well you’ll get no thanks and if you get into trouble you’ll get no help,” Ashenden seems happy enough to oblige.

What follows is an odd , often bizarre, series of events which mainly take place in hotels, restaurants and trains, far from the theatre of war. Espionage in WWI was often frowned upon as not being gentlemanly. While describing an agent, nicknamed ‘the Hairless Mexican,’ that Ashenden is asked to accompany to Italy, R remarks that, “he hasn’t had the advantages of a public school education.” Again, when Ashenden suggests that another agent has offered to carry out as assassination for money, R expostulates, “damn it all, we are gentlemen!”

However, despite the various restrictions and general distrust of spying, Ashenden has a calm head and is entrusted with some very important missions. We follow him through France, Switzerland, Italy and Russia, as he uncovers spy networks, accompanies agents to intercept certain documents, tries to trap Indian nationalists and is bored to death by an American businessman on the Trans-Siberian express. Maugham’s writing was never less than brilliant and this is no exception. To spend time in the company of his writing is always a delight and this is a wonderful, charming set of stories – told with typical British reserve – but perhaps even more moving because of the understatement. Although Ashenden does not venture into the field of battle, we (and his hero) are always aware of the soldiers in their trenches and the fact that the outcome of his various missions may result in a firing squad at dawn... ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Nancy Oakes rated it it was amazing

Shelves: uk-fiction, espionage, 2020, 1920s

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 4.5 rounded up

In the preface to Ashenden, Maugham wastes no time in revealing that this book is "founded on my experiences in the Intelligence Department during the war, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction." He later goes on to say that

"the work of an agent in the Intelligence Department is on the whole extremely monotonous. A lot of it is uncommonly useless. The material it offers for stories is scrappy and pointless; the author has himself to make it coherent, dramatic and probable,"

an 4.5 rounded up

In the preface to Ashenden, Maugham wastes no time in revealing that this book is "founded on my experiences in the Intelligence Department during the war, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction." He later goes on to say that

"the work of an agent in the Intelligence Department is on the whole extremely monotonous. A lot of it is uncommonly useless. The material it offers for stories is scrappy and pointless; the author has himself to make it coherent, dramatic and probable,"

and that is exactly what Maugham does here.

Ashenden was first recruited by a man known only as "the Colonel" or "R," whom he had met at a party and who later in a private meeting noted Ashenden's "particular qualifications for the secret service." His knowledge of different languages was a plus, as was the fact that he was a writer, allowing him the perfect cover -- traveling to a neutral country to work on his latest project, as he was already known for his plays. Once he takes on his duties in intelligence, Ashenden's "official existence," as we learn, is "as orderly and monotonous as a city clerk's," but the work he does is "evidently necessary." He knows that he functions as a "tiny rivet in a vast and complicated machine," in which he "never had the advantage of seeing a completed action," most of the time not knowing "what his own doings led to." His main job is to keep an eye on things, listen, and report back to his superiors. Over the course of this book he will find himself involved with a unique array of people, including a strange general known as the Hairless Mexican whose destiny is often told in the cards, an elderly British chaperone to two princesses, an Italian music-hall dancer in love with a seriously-dangerous Indian agitator and "fanatic," and a talkative American who "would not listen to reason." Love and betrayal weave their way through these stories, and while some are a bit on the entertaining side, it is impossible not to be absolutely devastated at the outcomes of a few of the others. What Ashenden has to do is often not pretty, but he never fails in his duty, despite what he feels toward "the bigwigs," who

"shut their eyes to dirty work so that they could put their clean hands on their hearts and congratulate themselves that they had never done anything that was unbecoming to men of honour."

Ashenden is a fine book, filled with stories which Maugham handled with a mix of deadly earnest and levity. It is definitely not the edge-of-your-seat stuff of later spy thrillers in which the work of intelligence gathering often becomes life-threatening business, although Maugham makes crystal clear that there are risks involved in what Ashenden does. While his work is "evidently necessary," there is another side to it that comes with very human consequences, which are played out again and again throughout this novel. By the way, feel free to argue that it is not actually a novel -- we'll just agree to disagree on that point.

So very highly recommended -- I loved this book. ...more

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Jul 19, 2014 Judy rated it it was ok

Shelves: byt-reading-theme-challenge-wwi

This is a collection of linked short stories rather than a novel, based on Maugham's own time as a spy during the First World War. Unfortunately the collection is unevenly written, sometimes brilliant but sometimes boring, and there's a lot of humour along the way which just isn't funny - to me, anyway.

I should say in fairness that I do really like a couple of the stories, 'Behind the Scenes', which paints a vivid picture of sexual obsession, and and the poignant last tale in the collection, 'Mr ...more

10 likes · Like · see review

Feb 18, 2020 ShanDizzy rated it liked it · review of another edition

When Ashenden was on a mission in Switzerland, he took a walk through the countryside and said this poetic description - 'The view was of course spectacular, but it captured you; it was like a piece of music that was obvious and meretricious, but for the moment shattered your self-control.' ...more

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Dec 16, 2009 Jan C rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, book-to-movie

This was enjoyable. I was halfway into it before I realized it was the story of the British movie Secret Agent which featured Peter Lorre. Even knowing what was (probably) going to happen, it was still good.

Maugham knew what he was talking about.

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Aug 25, 2024 Mary rated it it was amazing

Really recommend. I won’t reproduce the plot as many reviewers do . Suffice it to say that I was pleased to find it when browsing at the local library .
Somerset Maugham is brilliant. , as is the book .

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Nov 16, 2014 Neer rated it liked it

Shelves: 1920s, classics, reads-14, brit-lit, mysteries, libraries, vintage-mystery

Indian nationalist Viren Chattopadhaya appears in a fictional garb. More here:

http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2014/1... ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Jinx rated it liked it

Shelves: classics

I'm glad I picked this up with a Goodreads Mystery group - unsure if I would have finished this on my own. An interesting group of short stories, but I really liked only a couple. ...more

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