Stories of Hawaii and the South Seas including "Red," the author's most successful short story and "Rain," his most notorious one.
The Trembling of a Leaf
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From the Back Cover
After working in British Intelligence during World War I, William Somerset Maugham set off to regain his health by traveling to Asia, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands. During this trip he gather materials and wrote the stories that appeared in 1921 in The Trembling of a Leaf. The six short stories and two "sketches" include the famous story "Rain"-adapted for both theater and film as Sadie Thompson-a story about the ironic consequences of obsession. Its less known companions, however, have their own merits. "Macintosh" is a taut psychological study of two officials on a remote tropic island. "The Fall of Edward Barnard" is a brief bildungsroman about what is important in life-a pre-cursor of Maugham's well known novel, The Razor's Edge. Of course love is always a subject of the tropics and Maugham's deft, ironic handling of the theme in "Red" and "Honolulu" is masterful. But it is "The Pool" that tells a poignant and tragic tale about the pitfalls for love across cultures. "I have never pretended to be anything but a story teller," Maugham once wrote. These short stories are some of his best, and among the best ever written about the exotic South Seas.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
About the Author
Maugham (1874-1965), noted English novelist, playwright and author of masterly short stories, spent several months in the Pacific in 1916 and 1917 during an interlude in his service in British intelligence during World War I. He had wanted to go to the South Seas ever since, as a youth, he had read the tales of Herman Melville, Pierre Loti, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Maugham's keen observation and narrative are at their height in this sheaf of Pacific stories.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great short stories for Somerset Maugham lovers!,
By
This review is from: The Trembling of a Leaf (Mass Market Paperback)
This book consists of 8 short stories, many of them playing in the South Sea Islands. After reading this book you will want to go there and enjoy the beauty of life. Beautifully written, a pure pleasure to read!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
By a veteran of British intelligence during World War I,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Trembling of a Leaf (Paperback)
Somerset Maugham was a veteran of British intelligence during World War I, an experience that was to influence his views of the world in subsequent years as well as his writing. The Trembling of a Leaf is a compilation of six short stories and two sketches by Maugham, including his famous story "Rain," an ironic look at the dark consequences and of being too fixated on the object of your affections, -- which is perhaps better known by its film and theater adaptation as "Sadie Thompson." Romance, the cruel forces of reality, and a keen attention to the unforeseen color this classic anthology showcasing Somerset Maugham's literary genius.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
timeless and beautifully rendered,
By Andrew P. Madden (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Trembling of a Leaf (Mass Market Paperback)
It's great news that they'll soon be issuing a new edition of this collection. The stories are timeless and beautifully rendered. Maugham explores everything from the evils of colonialism to the rigid social expectations of turn of the century Chicago aristocrats -- and in each case he transports us to the South Pacific. He's one of the great practitioners of the short story and this collection provides us with a concise glimpse at his handiwork.
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