Reading 1001 discussion

This month's book will be hosted by Dan. The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham.

Review thread. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I'm reading the 1978 Penguin edition (which I bought when it was new. It had been out of print for a while, and I remember looking for it for years after I read Of Human Bondage in the early '70s.)

There is a new Penguin, and Kindle, an Audible, and Amazon is listing a cheap $2.99 version for Kindle (the book is no longer covered under copyright in Canada).

I am reading the Vintage International paperback edition on Kindle which I checked out from my still physically closed e-library.

My book is a 1944 edition, published by The Blakiston Company, Philadelphia. Its old, not sure where I picked it up at. Since the publication is 1944, I would say that this is a war time edition and publishing companies attempted to use less paper so it probably won't be the best edition.

Dan wrote: "I'm reading the 1978 Penguin edition (which I bought when it was new. It had been out of print for a while, and I remember looking for it for years after I read Of Human Bondage in the early '70s.)..."

Thanks for the heads up, Dan. I just got it for .99 at Amazon.ca

I'm reading in my Maugham anthology (hardcover) of six novels which I bought a long time ago on ebay, for a very good price I think. It was co-published by William Heinemann Inc and Octopus Books inc in 1980.
I have read this novel previously, I would guess about thirty years ago. I've read about 75% of it so far in the last couple weeks, and some parts were familiar to my memory, others not.
I've also read Maugham's Cakes and Ale, The Moon and Sixpence, The Painted Veil and Of Human Bondage (which isn't in my anthology). My favorites were probably this one and The Painted Veil.
I like how Maugham cast himself in his novel, making it seem nonfictional. Also clever is that the focal character isn't introduced until a little way into the story.

I've read The Painted Veil and Of Human Bondage. I really liked The Painted Veil. So far I am liking this one but I am not very far.

Kristel wrote: "My book is a 1944 edition, published by The Blakiston Company, Philadelphia. Its old, not sure where I picked it up at. Since the publication is 1944, I would say that this is a war time edition an..."

Book originally published in 1944. And there was a war going on.

I am to page 78 to 82. (Chapter three, part i). I wanted to comment here because our narrator, Maugham (are author has placed himself in the novel) is meeting up with Larry after a period of time of 10 years. He finds out that Larry has gone to North France to work in the mines. I am commenting here because we recently read Germinal by Émile Zola which was about the miner's of North France.

Yes, I love when that happens; overlapping 1001 reads...

I am buying the audible version tonight. I think I am finally ready to read something of content.

Kristel wrote: "...He finds out that Larry has gone to North France to work in the mines. I am commenting here because we recently read Germinal by Émile Zola which was about the miner's of North France..."

I also thought, what a coincidence. Larry was there in the 1930s, about fifty years after the time of Germinal (1885). I wonder if Maugham had read Germinal?

I have finished my reading. I won't say very much until others have more time to read it, except to say that I think I liked it just as much on my second reading about thirty years later.

My Maugham anthology also includes his novel Theatre, which I haven't read yet; I plan to read that in about a year.

George P. wrote: "Kristel wrote: "...He finds out that Larry has gone to North France to work in the mines. I am commenting here because we recently read Germinal by Émile Zola which was about the miner's of North F..."
I wondered the same thing, whether he had read Zola and borrowed from that.

I finished this book and posted a small review. Overall, I really enjoyed it.

I struggled to connect to this one. I pushed rewind and listened to whole passages multiple times. I don't think it is the book though. I am still struggling to take in content.

Well, I've read 15 books this year, but only one finished since March 15th.

It's not the book.

Here are some completely stolen from the internet study questions for those who read Razor’s Edge. I figured Dan was probably not going to get to it...

1). Although commercially successful, Razor’s Edge did not catch fire and become a must read novel until the 1960’s. What might explain that delayed reaction?

2). The author situates a version of himself into the story as a character. Why might be the reason?

3). Isabel tells Maugham that Larry truly loved her. She says that she loved him too. Was it real love? Given how their lives ended up could you image them having married and traveling together?

4). In the Razor’s Edge what is Maugham’s path to salvation?
I will copy and paste the “expert” critic’s answer at the end of the month because to be honest, I could not have answered this.

Cheers

Gail wrote: "Here are some completely stolen from the internet study questions for those who read Razor’s Edge....

1). Although commercially successful, Razor’s Edge did not catch fire and become a must read novel until the 1960’s. What might explain that delayed reaction?"

Good question. There was a lot of cultural shift in the 60's and Maugham's novel fit into that with the character Larry seeking a greater understanding of life and rejecting the chase of financial success.

3) Pretty obvious that Larry and Isabel's different values would have defeated a successful long-term relationship.

4) In the Razor’s Edge what is Maugham’s path to salvation?
Hmm, clearly not Eliot's lifestyle, though he had some qualities the narrator liked. I would think treating others with respect and kindness as Larry did (Eliot was kind and generous to his family).

Am still reading but I am very curious to start looking up stuff. I will finish today.

This is my favorite of all of the Maugham books I have read.

I found this an interesting book but surprised that there is not much on line about the book, at least anything of merit and not there for profit.

I thought it was interesting that in this book, Maugham put himself in the book. Therefore, I wondered, is this book autobiographical. Is it about being an author and writing a book and about life in France. So, wikipedia tells me that he was one of the highest paid authors in the 1930s. I also found this; "Both Maugham's parents died before he was 10, and the orphaned boy was raised by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. He did not want to become a lawyer like other men in his family, so he trained and qualified as a physician." From this it appears that both Larry and the author have traits shared with Maugham the author of the book. He also traveled a great deal including India.

Also interesting, Maugham was too old so served with other literary artists as ambulance drivers including E.E.Cummings (his book I read for the traveling book group), Hemmingway, and Don Passos.

There was some references to gay life style choice and I recalled that Maugham was gay. I thought his descriptions of the males in his book; Elliot and Larry was detailed in ways not typical of a male author. I looked this up and Maugham had married once and had a daughter but marriage was unhappy and he later had a partner that he lived with in the Riviera. I wonder if his two male partners are reflected in Elliot and Larry. One was said to be "vintage" and the other "ordinary". Interestingly, his daughter sued him when he sold some stuff that he had given to her. He disowned her and adopted one of his partners. I think that Maugham's writing about sexuality in his books is interesting. I thought of Isabel who gave up her passion for her desire to have stability and social standing but who never gave up her passion, believed that the source of her passion never had sex with anyone else. Both Isabel and Sophie talk very openly about their sexuality.

There is a theme of searching for meaning, spirituality, and God in the book. Wiki tells me that Maugham saw himself as an agnostic.

I did not realize that Maugham lived in the US for awhile where he wrote screen plays.

There was racism evident in the book though I do think it more reflected the times and peoples attitudes at that time rather than a racism of hate.

To look back at questions posted by Gail;
1). Although commercially successful, Razor’s Edge did not catch fire and become a must read novel until the 1960’s. What might explain that delayed reaction? I think the 60s was the time of women and gay issues coming to the forefront. It also is post war and maybe it took that long for people to be ready for this book.

2). The author situates a version of himself into the story as a character. Why might be the reason? I do think this book is autobiographical for the author. It is a technique other authors have used but in this case, it feels autobiographical. I think authors do like to tell us about the writing experience. In my used book, there is no marks except for one to this passage; "I thought with melancholy how an author spends months writing a book, and maybe puts his heart's blood into it, and then it lies about unread till the reader has nothing else in the world to do". The reader penciled this; "This is why I read slowly. Savor the process, the words, the time put into the writing." I can relate to this. I do read slow and I love to savor the prose. I sometimes think of the process but maybe not as much as I should.

). Isabel tells Maugham that Larry truly loved her. She says that she loved him too. Was it real love? Given how their lives ended up could you image them having married and traveling together? I don't think Larry loved in the sense that Isabel loved. I think Larry might be a person who did not need sexual love so much. He loved people for their frailties and humanness. Isabel irritated me.

4). In the Razor’s Edge what is Maugham’s path to salvation?
I will copy and paste the “expert” critic’s answer at the end of the month because to be honest, I could not have answered this.
I am not sure that Maugham had a path to salvation. I am looking forward to the expert's opinion. He, the author, did not believe in God. He did not believe in afterlife. It seemed like he might have liked the circle of life idea but he also did not accept this. “The path to Salvation is as narrow and as difficult to walk as a razor's edge.”

1). I agree with George and Kristel that it took awhile for the world to be ready for this book after the war. The 60's brought with it an openness about different political and spiritual views and a seeking for answers outside the traditional paths. In particular the 60's looked to different definitions of success other than one's work and the amount of money one made. I think this book aligned well with the new openness. Also, the author shows no shame in his love of the physical beauty of Isabel while being clearly "of the other persuasion". It would take the gay rights movement in the 60's to open up that level of comfort for many gay people.

2). I think that the book is partially autobiographical, but I also think that there are also aspects of some of the other characters in Maugham the author (as opposed to the narrator). Larry reflects Maugham's travels to India on a spiritual journey and I think there is quite a bit of Elliot Templeton's character that Maugham recognized in himself.

3). I think Isabel truly loved a version of Larry that she wanted him to be...i.e. the physical Larry of before the war except conforming to all the traditional career and social aspirations. She knew she could not go off with him and live a bohemian existence. However, she never gave up her love of him. I do not think that Larry ever loved Isabel. And obviously, they could never have had a happy marriage without one of them changing radically.

4). Here is the link to the expert's answer. I assume this person is an expert on Maugham but she may only be an expert at answering Eng. lit study questions....

https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/...

I just finished this, and LOVED it! Yay for it being the group read. I posted my review in the thread shared above.

Here is my stab at the questions posted above:

1). Although commercially successful, Razor’s Edge did not catch fire and become a must read novel until the 1960’s. What might explain that delayed reaction?

I think it probably became 'must read' in the '60s because that is when the broader Western culture started exploring Eastern spirituality. Aside from artists who may have traveled to India, I suspect people in the 1940s/50s were too busy trying to recover from the war and the depression to want to read about it.

2). The author situates a version of himself into the story as a character. Why might be the reason?

I am not a writer, but I think it would be for technical reasons. Maugham was able to employ a lot of fantastic dialogue to move the story forward and enable us (and him) to get into his characters minds. As well, he acted as our substitute particularly when it came to Elliot. Maugham became much more empathetic to him as the novel went on, and so (my) our empathy was aroused as well.

3). Isabel tells Maugham that Larry truly loved her. She says that she loved him too. Was it real love? Given how their lives ended up could you image them having married and traveling together?

Isabel was my least favorite character, although she was authentic. For me, she embodied the worst parts of the American Dream. Money was the be all and end all for her, she couldn't imagine any life without it (not that I am saying life without money is that great, just that money is not the most important thing).

I don't think it was 'real' love. I think they were young, comfortable with each other (from long association) and infatuated. Isabel also was really attracted to him because he was aloof. I'm not sure about Larry, he may have been but I think he had a very clear idea of what she was about and what was important to her (more than she did).

It would have been a big mistake if they had gotten married. Isabel was small minded and Larry was a dreamer - it would have been a disaster.

4). In the Razor’s Edge what is Maugham’s path to salvation?

I don't know the answer to this. I'm not convinced he was looking for salvation.

I’m about two thirds through. It’s really good. I continue to be intrigued with Maugham and his ongoing and layered narration. From the opening line of “I have never begun a novel . . . he is both the narrator and the author, two different roles which are aware of each other. The narrator describes not just the characters and events, but at the same time narrates the writing of the book. “. . . Not Americans, but Americans seen through English eyes.” Later on it seems sometimes as the characters know they are in a book, as when Isabel says to him he must think of her as one of those types of characters in his novels.

I think the main reason the book was not popular upon publication is perhaps related to the fact that many Germans were dropping many many bombs on the prospective buyers of the book. I was surprised to see it called popular, as I specifically remember the book was out of print and difficult to find in the 1970s.

Dan wrote: "I’m about two thirds through. It’s really good. I continue to be intrigued with Maugham and his ongoing and layered narration. From the opening line of “I have never begun a novel . . . he is both ..."

It's funny you should say that, Dan. I also thought it would be hard to find. I'm sure, some years ago, I was interested in reading this but couldn't easily access it. I was pleasantly surprised to find it for the Kindle (inexpensively) AND it was available through my library's Overdrive books (which is not heavy on classics). Anyhow, it's a good thing this book is more accessible now.

1. The book was sufficiently popular when published in 1944 to be made into a movie in 1946, but searching for meaning in life and dropping out of the conventional. materialistic aspirations of the 1950's really took hold of the imagination of young people in the 1960's.
2. The character Somerset Maugham is a disinterested onlooker. but his presence as the narrator is more intimate than the usual third person omniscient author.
3. What IS real love? Isabel was practical and self aware and she knew that she was unwilling to give up her comfortable lifestyle to pursue Larry's dream, so she didn't really love him enough. She didn't want anyone else to love him though! Larry valued his own search for identity more than conforming to society's expectations and providing Isabel with a comfortable life. So he didn't love her enough either. Either one could have adapted to the needs of the other to provide a happy life. but neither was willing to compromise.
4. I am confused by the question. Is the Maugham being discussed the author or the narrator? The expert answer doesn't really address the question. Being a non-judgmental observer is not anything to do with a path to salvation, is it? In the review in 1001 Books the reviewer states "To be fully appreciated. this is a work of fiction that presupposes the reader has faith. or at least a longing for it". I disagree. I neither have faith nor long for it. but I found much solace in Larry's search for meaning.

1). Although commercially successful, Razor’s Edge did not catch fire and become a must read novel until the 1960’s. What might explain that delayed reaction?
As several others mentioned, the openness about Eastern spirituality and homosexuality in the West only started in the 60s. This book could be seen as pioneering the acceptance of such concepts.

2). The author situates a version of himself into the story as a character. Why might be the reason?
It's an autobiography that isn't. Maugham anchors himself in the story in the first chapter by declaring that "this book consists of my recollections of a man with whom I was thrown into close contact only at long intervals, and I have little knowledge of what happened to him in between. I suppose that by the exercise of invention I could fill the gaps plausibly enough and so make my narrative more coherent; but I have no wish to do that. I only want to set down what I know of my own knowledge." Even though he warns the reader that he wants to save embarrassment to people still living I have given to the persons who play a part in this story names of my own contriving", he still admits to some fictional transgressions, "having taken the liberty that historians have taken from the time of Herodotus to put into the mouths of the persons of my narrative speeches that I did not myself hear". While most of the characters outside Larry might have been part of the life of the real person representing Larry, it is more likely that Maugham borrowed on his own experiences (travels to France, the US and India) to develop some of his characters and storylines. For example, Elliott's character (or his surroundings) might have some similarities with Maugham's own experiences.

3). Isabel tells Maugham that Larry truly loved her. She says that she loved him too. Was it real love? Given how their lives ended up could you image them having married and travelling together?
Isabel's love resembles puppy love or some sort of teenage-ish infatuation. If it had gone ahead, they would have quickly realised how incompatible they were. She is quite superficial and greedy; he is quite spiritual and selfless.

4). In the Razor’s Edge what is Maugham’s path to salvation?
Tough one to answer. Maybe for Maugham it could be: "do good disinterestedly, don't purposely harm others, while achieving your purpose". In that case, Isabel is the biggest failure of the novel.

I agree with this, Patrick: "For example, Elliott's character (or his surroundings) might have some similarities with Maugham's own experiences."

I thought that in some ways Elliot was a stand in for the real Maugham. Of course, in a contemporary reading we know that Maugham was gay or bisexual and can accept this. However I suspect at the time the book was published this would have been less than acceptable, and perhaps made the book unsaleable. I did find it very interesting (as I mentioned above) how the narrator Maugham became more empathetic and accepting of Elliot. This may have been a reflection of Maugham's real life experience as he accepted himself more and he found a society that would accept him as a gay man.

Better late than never I have finally managed to get around to reading this book. Library digital copy and I hate reading on the phone which I think probably unfairly influences my enjoyment of the story.

While I enjoyed this I was not blown away by it. That could be due to the reading on the phone, due to the fact I am over 20 (see comment in 1001 book) or due to the fact that I have no faith and am not looking for any.


1). I think everyone else has answered this well the 60s bought counter culture to the fore and people were searching for a new spirituality or meaning to life which made it a popular exploration of what that meant in real practical terms.

2). This allows him to report on events in a way that suits him not necessarily a normal chronological story he also has the benefit of knowing how the other characters think and feel.

3). I think for both it was a kind of first love. They had known each other for forever and it seemed like everyone expected them to marry (even if they weren't happy about it). I think Isabel was in love with the kind of man Larry was before the war and the man she thinks she can turn him into. I think he was just going along with it because they got on well and he wasn't attracted to anyone else.

4). Given the fact that Larry is the character treated most sympathetically it would appear that the path to salvation is the pursuit of understanding, of trying to know the unknowable and of wanting to help others with no though of return.

A couple of quotes that I felt the need to highlight:

"Because American women expect to find in their husbands a perfection that English women only hope to find in their butlers."

"When I am really fond of anyone, though I deplore their wrongdoing it doesn't make me less fond of him. You're not a bad woman in your way and you have every grace and every charm. I don't enjoy your beauty the less because I know how much it owes to the happy combination of perfect taste and ruthless determination."