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Short Stories of William Somerset Maugham, Volume 1  By  cover art

Short Stories of William Somerset Maugham, Volume 1

By: W. Somerset Maugham
Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
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Publisher's summary

William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was born at the height of British Imperial power. When he died, the British Empire was all but a memory. In Maugham's lifetime, as his civilization slowly disappeared, people from all walks of life - the proud, the urbane, the crude, the desperate - passed beneath the lens of his dispassionate scrutiny. They re-emerged in his short stories as some of the most unforgettable literary characters of the 20th century. No other writer possessed his keen ability of observation. It was an ability so well honed that his work makes you feel as if you have been drawn into an intimate conversation with the century's most arresting and sophisticated personality.

Included in this collection are:

  • "The Outstation"
  • "Appearance and Reality"
  • "The Three Fat Women of Antibes"
  • "Mr. Know-All"
  • "French Joe"
  • "Masterson"
Listen to more collections of The Short Stories of William Somerset Maugham.
©2001 Audio Connoisseur

Critic reviews

Winner, 2001 Audie Award, Classic Fiction

"A happy marriage of prose, performance, and production.... Charlton Griffin brings each character to life with a voice both subtle and compelling.... Each is a clockwork masterpiece."(AudioFile)

What listeners say about Short Stories of William Somerset Maugham, Volume 1

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Jewels!

I found these "period piece" short stories an absolute delight. Imperialism, racism and class culture are rampant throughout - not "politically acceptable" in today's world but they define an earlier period.
Few authors can observe and write as well today.
The pace and quality of the narration compliments the high standard of the stories.
Most enjoyable listening.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Maughham after

These short stories are great to read, but even better to listen to. I've long enjoyed them, re-reading them every few years. Most are dominated by wash of colonial ennui, but nevertheless vary significantly, surprising and delighting on each occasion. The narrator is superb, despite his sometimes eccentric pronunciations, for example "orphan" for "often", but I'm told that this is what happens when an Oxford man one sips too many pink gins in tropical climes. Now, if only Audible got some Graham Greene novels as well.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Great reading, horrible production.

This is a great reading, but ruined by crazy sound effects and stupid music.

The music would be bad enough, but this producer put bird noises, and other insane sound effects into the mix.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

perfection

The excellent production qualities of this audio book are perfectly matched to a master story teller. These stories echoed in my head long after hearing.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • hh
  • 07-25-06

we have met the enemy . . .

Gentle stories of passionate characters who missed the forest for the trees. Some are noble, some are incapable of being noble. These classic stories are worth a listen, especially now when our culture is so anti-introspective. Only complaint is that the reader occasionally mispronounces a word jarringly (ex. "row" as an argument rhymes with "cow", not "oh." Also end of "Antipodes" does not rhyme with "modes.") But no one bothers to prep for a reading today, it's all cold takes. Despite the shortcomings, it's still a fine recording.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A master of the short story

I just finished all three volumes of the Somerset Maugham short stories from Audio Connoisseur. Each was excellent, but this collection was my favorite.

"The Outstation" is the strongest story, I think, because of the way the author develops the contrast between the two dynamic main characters without turning them into caricatures. "Mr. Know-All" and "The Three Fat Women of Antibes" are laugh-out-loud funny and satirical. All of the stories reflect the author's gift for meticulous observation, and just as often, his thinly-veiled contempt for his fellow humans!

I was never under the impression that Charlton Griffin was British, so that wasn't an issue for me. I love his voice. Even if his pronunciations are sometimes eccentric, I really do enjoy him and the way he adds sound effects and music to his productions. (If you require a British narrator, try "Rain and other Stories," another good collection of Somerset Maugham stories, narrated by Steven Crossley). It's good to have a choice of styles.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Performance

You will think you are listening to a play with multiple actors.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great stories, tedious

Marred by some producer or director who thought that adding jungle sound effects and music improves the book. They don't.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

This is perhaps the best narrator doing an excellent job of presenting the works of my favorite author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and would recommend it without any hesistation.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Delicious stories, well read.

Maugham has practically writen for Audible! A real storyteller, best of its kind.

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3 people found this helpful