Short Stories of William Somerset Maugham, Volume 2

By: W. Somerset Maugham

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

William Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965), novelist, playwright, short-story writer, and the highest paid author in the world in the 1930's, nevertheless failed to gain the critical acclaim he so desperately wanted during his lifetime. "I have never pretended to be anything but a story teller. It has amused me to tell stories and I have told a great many. It is a misfortune for me that the telling of a story just for the sake of the story is not an activity that is in favor with the intelligentsia. I endeavor to bear my misfortunes with fortitude," he wrote. Today, he is considered one of the finest short story writers of all time.

There are seven stories in Volume 2.

In "An Official Position," to improve his lot, a prisoner in a French penalcolony accepts an odious job...and the consequences.In "Home," after a lifetime of living abroad, a penniless old sailor finallycomes home.
"Red" is a poignant love story of youth, beauty, and the fleeting moments of ecstasy that pass away only too soon.
In "Mayhew," a lawyer decides to make a clean break with his past and moves toCapri.
In "In A Strange Land," while traveling in Turkey, a vacationer meets an extraordinary English woman.
In "The Alien Corn," a young Jewish man devotes himself to the pursuit of music over the violent objections of his aristocratic family. As the family wrestles with its Jewish identity, the son flings himself headlong into the Bohemian world of performing artists.
In "The Verger," when a lowly verger is fired because of his illiteracy, it turns out to be his lucky day.

Listen to more collections of The Short Stories of William Somerset Maugham.©2003 Audio Connoisseur (P)2003 Audio Connoisseur

Critic reviews

• Winner, 2003 Audie Award, Classic Fiction

" "Charlton Griffin narrates with the ease of an urbane man of the world, but recreates Maugham's strange characters with pleasure and gusto. While his narrative voice is graceful and compelling, his characterizations are acutely individual, even bizarre. Their voices linger in our memory long after the tape is off." (AudioFile)

Excellent performance

It is hard to believe that there is only one narrator in this production. This is more like listening to a play with several actors than just a book being read. It is truly one of the best experiences I've had in audiobooks, and it was not only because of the great prose of Maugham, but also the amazing work of Charlton Griffin.

Short Stories

Lots of his short stories. I really liked that there was some musical accompaniment, sometimes, w the story. All of the stories were different.

What a treat!

Somerset Maugham excels in his short stories and they truly come to life thanks to the excellent narration of Charlton Griffin. The whole series is a must to listen to. What a treat!

Give us more Maugham!

I can't get enough of W. Somerset Maugham. Both his novels and his short stories are beautifully crafted and expressed. Maugham's thought process and prose seem effortless but his insight is keen. Charlton Griffin is an excellent narrator, matching the author's archly ironic tone and the tone of the "snobs" he portrays.

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.