Of Human Bondage

By: W. Somerset Maugham

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

Length: 25 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the most widely read novels of the 20th century, W. Somerset Maugham's masterpiece, Of Human Bondage, gives a harrowing depiction of unrequited love. Philip Carey, a sensitive orphan born with a clubfoot, finds himself in desperate need of passion and inspiration. He abandons his studies to travel, first to Heidelberg and then to Paris, where he nurses ambitions of becoming a great artist.

Philip's youthful idealism erodes, however, as he comes face-to-face with his own mediocrity and lack of impact on the world. After returning to London to study medicine, he becomes wildly infatuated with Mildred, a vulgar, tawdry waitress, and begins a doomed love affair that will change the course of his life.

First published in 1915, the semi-autobiographical Of Human Bondage combines the values left over from the Victorian era with the prevailing irony and despair of the early 20th century. Unsentimental yet bursting with deep feeling, Of Human Bondage remains Maugham's most complete statement of the importance of physical and spiritual liberty, a theme that resounds more loudly than ever today.

Public Domain (P)2011 Tantor

Good Story of a Wounded Man

This is an excellent Bildungsroman, if you don't mind a central figure who is more buffeted by the ideas and actions of others that the active agent in his own life.

The reading is good, except for the voice adopted for the Mildred character. That was like something out of a much more comic performance.

Beautifully written and a great story for all time

The author’s storyline and prosaic words combine to make for a very powerful message and one I shall not forget. One of my favorite classic novels.

worth it!

A combination of the best of Dickens and Dostovesky. Existentialism meets the brevity (in sentence structure - not total length) of Hemingway. Very moving.

Such an intimate experience

In the end I was slightly less than satisfied, although I’d been thoroughly caught up in the story. There was no climactic event except the milestones in the continual process of Phillip’s maturation. It’s a novel of “and then he realized…”. But the writing, and the mostly interior discoveries Phillip makes are so spectacular that I couldn’t stand to miss a word of this. And what a slice of life and times! A great book beautifully performed.

One of the best stories

I cannot believe that the novel was published in 1915. Humans haven't evolved very much in the last 100 years as i could relate so well to the emotions expressed in the book!

Classic tale

Interesting story line, the main character has intense interior dialog, a difficult life and some difficult to comprehend (imho) relationships-especially with romantic partners.
His gradual shedding of Christianity but not morality follows his general introduction to the broader world.
Narrator does many voices well but drops his volume at ends of words/phrases in a way that makes the story difficult to follow if not listening sitting still in a perfectly quiet room.
Good window to thoughts of a past era.

It's not a love story

There is not a word or moment in this book that isn't masterful. W. Somerset Maugham wrote with such imagery and understanding of the human condition. Through the characters in "Of Human Bondage" he asks the question: what insanity makes us yearn for things that are inaccessible? Those who haven't read the novel might think the whole thing is about a man who "loves" an incredibly detestable woman. But there is so much more. We follow Phillip Carey's difficulties as a boy, a teen and as a young man. He goes through situations and relationships, always dogged by embarrassment over a clubbed foot. Few people would be so self-conscious about such a thing, especially since it's fixable today. Carey flip flops through several careers... gets money... loses money. And, certainly, there is his self-destructive obsession with Mildred Rogers. The things he endures are so humiliating that you just want to shake him! But I have also wanted someone who wasn't good for me. Perhaps you have too.

I also commend and thank Steven Crossey for breathing new life into this classic story.

loved it!

A beautifully written and emotive story, excellent performance and quality of recording. It was a beautiful and at times tragic tale of someone's life and their trials and revelations.

A book about a man who struggles with the capris of emotions

Spoiler Alert!!!

Borrows a bit from Proust and Tolstoy but a well done story of the childhood to early adulthood of a good-hearted man who falls prey to his obsessive love for a dreadful woman. To tell more would give it away too much!

Wish the ending were longer.

Perfect novel

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. My first read by WSM, and not my last. Expected it to be somewhat dated, but it instead it was a perfect capsule of the time within which it was written. This is one of those marvelous finds within the Amazon Plus collection. Narration outstanding as well.