The Magician [Paperback]

William Somerset Maugham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2009

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: II Margaret shared a flat near the Boulevard du Montparnasse with Susie Boyd; and it was to meef: her that Arthur Burdon had arranged to come tcl tea that afternoon. The young women waited for him in the studio. The kettle was boiling on the stove; cups and petits fours stood in readiness on a model stand. Susie looked forward to the meeting with interest. She had heard a good deal of the young man, and knew that the connection between him and Margaret was not lacking in romance. For years Susie had led the monotonous life of a mistress in a school for young ladies, and had resigned herself to its dreariness for the rest of her days, when a legacy from a distant relative gave her sufficient income to live modestly upon her means. When Margaret, who had been her pupil, came, soon after this, to announce her intention of spending a couple of years in Paris to study art, Susie willingly agreed to accompany her. Since then she had worked industriously at Colarossi's Academy, by no means under the delusion that she had talent, but merely to amuse herself. She refused to surrender the pleasing notion that her environment was slightly wicked. After the toil of many years it relieved her to be earnest in nothing; and she und infinite satisfaction in watching the lives of lose around her. She had a great affection for Margaret, and iough her own stock of enthusiasms was run low, ae could enjoy thoroughly Margaret's young enchantment in all that was exquisite. She was a plain woman; but there was no envy in her, and she took the keenest pleasure in Margaret's comeliness. It was almost with maternal pride that she watched each year add a new grace to that exceeding beauty. But her common sense was sound, and she took care by good-natured banter to temper the praises which extr...

Product Details

• Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: General Books LLC (August 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1458902633
• ISBN-13: 978-1458902634
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,227,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Maugham's Best; However..., December 31, 2006

By 

John Conner "part-time professional student" (Lake Orion, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magician (Paperback)

If you are a fan of W. Somerset Maugham's work, then you should surely read THE MAGICIAN. If you haven't read Maugham, I'd suggest reading THE RAZOR'S EDGE, THE MOON & SIXPENCE, or OF HUMAN BONDAGE first.

It's not that THE MAGICIAN isn't a well crafted story, but rather it does not have the vitality of Maugham's better known work.

This tale was roughly based on the infamous turn-of-the-century (20th) magician Aleister Crowley. Maugham creates a setting where newly-trusted (modern) science can scoff at the alchemists of the previous century. Those familiar with Paracelsus and Rosicrucian thought in general will find the sub-story of Dr. Porhoët's detached study of the occult compelling.

Overall this is an average story with a predictable plot, and Maugham's writing skills are "singularly" responsible for making THE MAGICIAN an enjoyable read.