Cakes and ale is a delicious satire of london literary society betwe. Driffield to recall incidents relating to edward driffield for kears sanitized biography, the narrator. Somerset maugham, published in 1930 the story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maugham s shortstory collection ashenden. Includes new facsimile dust jacket in archival brodart sleeve. W somerset maugham cakes and ale is a delicious satire of london literary society between the wars. Features willie ashenden, who resurfaces in maugham s ashenden. The moon and sixpence by william somerset maugham paperback. Cakes and ale or, the skeleton in the cupboard by w.
Mar 04, 2010 cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary literary poseurs and a skilfully crafted study of freedom. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the. This ebook is made available at no cost and with very few restrictions. Somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. Esmx010, cakes and ale, 1930, 116, 616k, ebook, download pdf cakes and ale. This is particularly true of maughams satire on the english literary scene, cakes and ale which is a charming story of youth and illusions. Read cakes and ale the skeleton in the cupboard by w. Cakes and ale pivots on the attempt by driffields second wife, amy, to sanitise her famous husbands obscure and tumultuous youth. Of all somerset maughams novels this is the most entertaining and arguably his best ever. Her character is treated favourably by the books narrator, ashenden, who understands that she was a muse to. Cakes and ale is probably the most cheerful of maugham s works, considering that it comprises chiefly of the narrators recollections of a carefree summer vacation due to a strange friendship with a middleaged writer, driffield, and his sensuous, friendly wife, rosie. Born in the british embassy in paris, where his father worked, maugham was an orphan by the age of ten. Cakes and ale, or, the skeleton in the cupboard 1930 is a novel by the british author w. Thomass hospital with a view to practice in medicine, but the success of his first novel, liza of lambeth 1897, won him over to letters.
Of all somerset maugham s novels this is the most entertaining and arguably his best ever. After reading cakes and ale, she wrote to sassoon on 5 november 1930. Social climber alroy kear is flattered when he is selected by edward driffields wife to pen the official biography of. Maughams masterpiece is generally agreed to be of human bondage, a semiautobiographical novel that deals with the life of the main character. Blackstable takes the place of whitstable as it did in of human bondage. In cakes and ale maugham makes only the slightest of attempts at disguising its autobiographical nature. Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and videos from thousands of public libraries. Cakes and ale by w maugham overdrive rakuten overdrive. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text.
As he traces the fortunes of edward driffield and his extraordinary wife rosie, one of the most delightful heroines of twentiethcentury literature, maugham s sardonic wit and lyrical warmth expertly combine in this. Sep 23, 2018 5 days ago from the many other titles of cakes and ale w somerset maugham pdf books, here is also available other sources of this cakes and ale wjun 11, 2018 gmt somerset maugham cakes and pdf read maugham cakes and ale pdf. Maugham exposes the misguided social snobbery levelled at the character rosie driffield, whose frankness, honesty, and sexual freedom make her a target of conservative propriety. A story that satirizes literary pretensions and small town snobbery and celebrates the life enhancing benefits of being true to yourself and nature. Contentment and a zest for life wafts off the pages like expensive french pefume. Somerset maugham,neil hunt for free with a 30 day free trial. Somerset maugham 25 january 1874 16 december 1965 william somerset maugham was born at the british embassy in paris, france, where his father was an english lawyer handling the legal affairs of the british embassy. Twelfth night takes for its theme the doubleness of human character, ranging from the calculated hypocrisy of the virtuous exemplified by literary opportunist and wouldbe biographer alroy kear to the animal weaknesses of the goodhearted yet unreformable rosie, former barmaid. Somerset maugham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Maugham s portrait of her makes his novel fairly glow with witty observations of the contemporary literary scene. Somerset maugham tells the story of author william ashendens series of contracts over decades with a greatly renowned novelist, and the need of his wouldbe biographer for details that william alone can provide. Cakes and ale is a comedy of literary england in the early decades of the 20th century narrated by ashenden.
Jan 25, 2014 cakes and ale is probably the most cheerful of maugham s works, considering that it comprises chiefly of the narrators recollections of a carefree summer vacation due to a strange friendship with a middleaged writer, driffield, and his sensuous, friendly wife, rosie. Somerset maugham ebooks in pdf format from ebookslibrary. As we learn from selina hastings in her excellent biography, the secret lives of somerset maugham, cakes and ale was written in 1930 in maugham s sumptuous home, the villa mauresque on cap ferrat, at the time in his life when he was happiest and most content. Cakes and ale project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Maugham was not known as a bombthrower, but cakes and ale in 1930 changed that. Somerset maugham s cakes and ale dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale. Maugham 18941965 was safely settled in the south of france when the storm broke over this book.
Cakes and ale is a delicious satire of london literary society between the wars. A novelist, ashenden is befriended by the ambitious, selfserving alroy kear, who has been. Cakes and ale vintage international english edition. Review of cakes and ale by somerset maugham a writers. When he stood on the platform, in evening dress admirably worn, or in a loose, much used, but perfectly cut lounge suit if it better fitted the occasion, and faced his audience seriously, frankly, but with an engaging diffidence, you could not but realize that he was giving himself up to his task with complete earnestness. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. He was educated at kings school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. Lord george, the local coal merchant, adds to the merriment and is to play. Somerset maugham given my poor track record, no one is more surprised than me that i have finished my book on time for the 1930s club, hosted by karen at kaggsys bookish rambings and simon at stuck in a book. Rosie is a barmaid with a heart of gold and a skeleton in her closet. Somerset maugham novels the razors edge of human bondage the moon and sixpence the narrow corner cakes and ale the merrygoround the painted veil catalina up at the villa mrs craddock the casuarina tree christmas holiday liza of. Somerset william somerset, 18741965 online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article maugham, w. Cakes and ale by william somerset maugham paperback. Cakes and ale is a piercing satire of british literary circles, and features apparently very recognisable portraits of authors thomas hardy, and maugham s erstwhile friend horace walpole.
Maugham s favourite novel, cakes and ale, like his masterpiece of human bondage, has a strong autobiographical element which lends it a vividness and warmth sometimes absent in his other works. The story is told by willie ashenden, who previously appeared in maugham s short story collection ashenden. William somerset maugham 1874 1965 was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Social climber alroy kear is flattered when he is selected by edward driffields. Definition of cakes and ale in the idioms dictionary. Social climber alroy kear is flattered when he is selected by edward driffields wife to pen the official biography of her lionized novelist husband, and determined to write a bestseller. Maugham exposes the misguided social snobbery levelled at the character rosie driffield, whose frankness, honesty and sexual freedom make her a target of conservative propriety. May 30, 2000 cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary literary poseurs and a skilfully crafted study of freedom. He began his career in medicine before changing tracks to write fulltime, and was one of the most popular and successful authors of his day. Per doubledays practice of designating first editions, first edition so stated on title page verso. Somerset maugham 1874 1965 was a british playwright, novelist and short story writer. Cakes and ale by william somerset maugham book around the. For literary reasons it starts with a vicious portrait of. The story is told by willie ashenden, a character who previously appeared in maughams shortstory collection ashenden.
Listen to unlimited audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. There are moments when i want to shake my fists at the sky and shriek aloud with rage. The story is told by a firstperson narrator and welltodo author, william ashenden, who, at the beginning of the novel. Maugham, english novelist, shortstory writer, and playwright is best remembered for his novel of human bondage. Cakes and ale is both a wickedly satirical novel about contemporary literary poseurs and a skilfully crafted study of freedom. A novelist, ashenden is befriended by the ambitious, selfserving alroy kear, who has been commissioned to write an official biography of the.
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