He relates his story in a first person participant account just like a typical first person narrator. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life. There was a remake 1984 that was surprisingly good. Somerset maugham, published in 1944 the novel is concerned in large part with the search for the meaning of life and with the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. You say that you have to make a great effort to push the button. Somerset maugham, the razors edge you know, the philistines have long since discarded the rack and stake as a means of suppressing the opinions they feared. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. The razor s edge by somerset maugham can be a tricky novel to follow. Review of the razors edge by somerset maugham a writers. Then in 1984 we watched bill murray as larry darrell.
The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. And i was delighted to find that the film screenplay written by lamar trotti followed the novel closely, retaining much of the most memorable lines and pieces of dialogue. My first introduction to somerset maugham was through the movie the razor s edge 1946 staring tyrone power as larry darrell. The genius of somerset maugham is that it actually is both. The razor s edge is a novel set in the 1920s and 1930s, tracing the intimate lives of representative british and american upper class. Free download or read online the razors edge pdf epub book. Bbc radio drama the razors edge by w somerset maugham. A group of students interpret their favorite scenes of the razors edge and add their own personal touch. The razor s edge is one of those special books that strikes a chord making it so memorable, so impressive, so fundamentally inspiring that reading it once is never enough. The first edition of the novel was published in 1944, and was written by w. Instead of marrying a rich, pretty chicago girl, he goes to paris searching for answers to questions about man, god and the meaning of life.
He thinks that when people are no good at anything they become writers as he did. The reason why the book works is because of the writing. Somerset maugham, was published in london and new york in 1944. If you enjoy this kind of article make sure to like this post and tag along every tuesday. Somerset maugham has written many classics, but this one could also be called a book of philosophy. Maugham s gift for depicting characters and playing them out. Download the razors edge pdf book by william somerset maugham i have never begun a novel with more misgiving. Theodore dreiser maughams excessively rare gift of storytelling. It is a complete story it has a beginning, a middle and definitely an end. Its epigraph reads, the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. The razor s edge a blog on william somerset maugham s novel. Maughams gift for depicting characters and playing them out.
We support almost all bestselling books on our website. John byrum directed the film, which was cowritten by murray and byrum this marked murrays first starring role in a dramatic film. Its epigraph reads, the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass overthus the wise say the path to salvation is hard, taken from a verse in the kathaupanishad. The razors edge, while it purports to be a philosophical novel that deals with significant ideas, is largely a novel of character. Larry darrell is an incredibly finely drawn character. The sunday times london it is very difficult for a writer of my generation, if he is honest, to pretend indifference to the work of somerset maugham. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the razors edge. Yet, somehow its dilapidated condition enhanced my reading enjoyment.
He was one of the most popular writers of the day, and the razors edge was an immediate success on both sides of the atlantic. Of all the novels and books of fiction i have ever read the razor s edge is the one that had the most profound effect on me personally. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maugham s most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and elliot templeton, her. The razor s edge when i had started to read the book, i realized that the main narrator was the author himself, maugham. If you missed out on the summary of part 3, click here. At the beginning of the book, he states that he invents nothing and that his main purpose while writing is to set down his knowledge and experience. His writing has inspired a string of over 35 film adaptations and has influenced many notable authors, including anthony burgess, george orwell and gabriel garcia marquez. Almost from the very second the razor s edge was made available to the reading public there has been a raging controversy as to if the storyline as presented by somerset maugham in what has turned out to be one of the bestselling novels of the 20th century was true or. The razors edge william somerset maugham the razor s edge is a novel by w. Publication date 1944 topics iiit collection digitallibraryindia.
He was educated at king s school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. One of the most challenging books somerset maughan has given us. However, here, the author of the novel and the narrator of the story share the same moral chara. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with so. The razor s edge follows the spiritual and physical journey of larry darrell, a sensitive, intelligent young man who refuses to conform to the prevailing social norms of postworld war i america. Somerset maugham, first published by doubleday doran in the united states in 1944, relates the experiences of a world war i pilot, larry darrell, who chooses to embrace a countercultural lifestyle as a way of dealing with his ptsd, though the syndrome is of course not identified as such in the book. Part summary 4 april 19, 2017 april 21, 2017 razorsedgeslc. Jan 09, 2014 the razors edge is no different and i rate it as his best novel but for his masterpiece of human bondage. This series of blog posts will provide summaries of the main events of every part of the novel. Download the razor s edge pdf book by william somerset maugham. Published 1946 by triangle books, the blakiston company in.
It is the central element unifying the various stories of the other far less interesting characters, but the funny. Somerset maugham william somerset maugham and other ebooks from all genres of literature, both fiction and nonfiction, historical documents and sheet music, all of which are available on a subscription basis. If i was told to read the razor s edge specifically and watch the film over a decade ago then that would have saved a lot of time. Those who look to him for a colorful, romantic story will find this slowpaced at the start. Mar 21, 20 a group of students interpret their favorite scenes of the razors edge and add their own personal touch. The razor s edge was maugham s third attempt at writing a book with the exact same plot even down to having characters with the same name. Somerset maugham and published in 1944, the story is set between wwi and wwii and follows a young. So far as i know, there is only one place in maughams voluminous output where he mentions the razors edge. About is a free web service that delivers books in pdf format to all the users without any restrictions. Theresa russell, catherine hicks, denholm elliott, brian doylemurray and james keach also star in the film. This symbol appears in a great deal of maugham s books, regardless of editor. The razor s edge, completed when its author was seventy years old, was the first book in which maugham used an american cast of characters.
Apr 10, 2018 the razors edge by somerset maugham can be a tricky novel to follow. Not everyone, sadly, will feel its magic the same way i do. John byrum directed the film, which was cowritten by murray and byrum. Soft copy of book the razor s edge author william somerset maugham completely free. Pdf the razor s edge download full pdf book download. His final major work, the razor s edge, published in 1944, when maugham was 70, sold close to 1. Guy hague some people think guy hague was the real life role model for larry darrell.
Fun, help, learning, literature, novel, part 4, razor s edge, resume, stressed. I first read this book when i was a child of thirteen. Even before i began to read it, i knew a few things about it viz. If you missed out on the summary of part 2, click here. The razor s edge is somerset maugham s masterpiece, although some would give that honor to of human bondage. Maughams last major novel, the razors edge 1944, was a departure for. Collecting the razors edge by maugham, w somerset first. Email required address never made public name required. I could only find the razor s edge as a somewhat badly worn secondhand paperback with yellowed pages. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maugham s most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong.
While this is not his most famous novel, it remains one of my enduring favorites, and rereading it brought into sharper focus why i had liked it so much in the first place. Thomas hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, liza of lambeth, published in 1897, won him over to letters. The razor s edge is an unusual amalgam threequarters witty social commentary about american and european society, onequarter eastern philosophy bound together by maugham s impeccable prose almost as though henry james and. He was one of the most popular writers of the day, and the razor s edge was an immediate success on both sides of the atlantic. Actor terence stamp introduces the razor s edge, edmund gouldings film about a disillusioned wwi veteran, based on the novel by w somerset maugham. Please click the book covers to downloadborrowread. All of the characters are well drawn, and you get the feeling that maugham is leaving stuff out rather than putting stuff in. Set in chicago, paris, and india in the 1920s and 30s, it involves characters from sharply different worlds.
Buy the razor s edge vintage classics by maugham, w. Maugham was seventy years old when the book was published, and it was to be the last of his major novels. Maugham s most famous works include of human bondage, a semiautobiographical novel, the moon and sixpence, cakes and ale and the razor s edge. Pdf the razors edge by william somerset maugham download. Almost from the very second the razor s edge was made available to the reading public there has been a raging controversy as to if the storyline as presented by somerset maugham in what has turned out to be one of the bestselling novels of the 20th century was true or false, fact or fiction, real or not real. I have no idea as to how much it was adapted from the book. He visited india in 1938, and in madras was taken to an ashram to meet a man who, born venkataraman, had retreated to a life of silence, selfmortification, and prayer, and was now known simply as the maharshi. Somerset maugham is a novel about a group of young americans who are trying to find their way in the world during the years following world war i. However, here, the author of the novel and the narrator of the story share the same moral character. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are elliott templeton, larry darrell. The razor s edge is a drama film starring bill murray.
Tyrone power, gene tierney, john payne and anne baxter star in this acclaimed film based on the 1944 novel from w. It is also a chronicle of the birth of the united states as a world power. The novel is concerned in large part with the search for the meaning of life and with the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 314 pages and is available in paperback format. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in. Unfollow the razors edge maugham to stop getting updates on your ebay feed.
He begins a spiritual quest in paris, then india, and ultimately his two worlds collide in what becomes a powerful test. I saw the old movie 1946 when i was a kid and that made me look up the book and read it. The razor s edge vintage international series by w. Somerset maugham developed an interest in indian spirituality. The announced intent is to highlight the experiences of an american war verteran who rejects the. The story begins through the eyes of larrys friends and acquaintances as they witness.
Throughout the book, he gave a general running narration and often a dialog mainly with larry darrell tyrone power, the main character. Somerset maugham after channel surfing and finding that the 1946 movie by the same name with tyrone power, gene tierney, cliffton webb and anne baxter was already at the 10 minute point when i started watching it. William somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. Maugham is a french author known to be very curious. The razor s edge is an unusual amalgam threequarters witty social commentary about american and european society, onequarter eastern philosophy bound together by maugham s impeccable prose almost as though henry james and hermann hesse had collaborated. Celia copplestone is a uniquely spiritual person surrounded by a group of people who have no notion. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maugham s most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and elliot templeton. Dec 05, 2015 the razors edge, by british novelist w. Oct 11, 2016 one such book i just finished rereading is the razors edge by somerset maugham. For in larry dornell he has drawn a character symbolic or many we shall meet in the. The razor s edge by w somerset maugham was broadcast on bbc radio 4 in 2005 first published in 1944, w somerset maugham s novel dramatised in.
Publication date 1912 topics north collection digitallibraryindia. It was released in 1946, and stars tyrone power, gene tierney, john payne, anne baxter, clifton webb, and herbert marshall, with a supporting cast including lucile watson, frank latimore, and elsa lanchester. When a wealthy chicago man with a world of opportunity in front of him returns from war, he finds himself disillusioned. Somerset maugham the razors edge vintage classics, paperback 2000 8vo. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Larry darrell is a young american in search of the absolute.
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