Author:W. Somerset Maugham
Though W. Somerset Maugham was also famous for his novels and plays, it has been argued that in thethe short story he reached the pinnacle of his artwas his true métier. These expertly told tales, with their addictive plot twists and vividly drawn characters, are both galvanizing as literature and wonderfully entertaining. In the adventures of his alter ego Ashenden, a writer who (like Maugham himself) turned secret agent in World War I, as well as in stories set in such far-flung locales as South Pacific islands and colonial outposts in Southeast Asia, Maugham brings his characters vividly to life, and their humanity is more convincing for the author's merciless exposure of their flaws and failures. Whether the chasms of misunderstanding he plumbs are those between colonizers and natives, between a missionary and a prostitute, or between a poetry-writing woman and her uncomprehending husband, Maugham brilliantly displays his irony, his wit, and his genius in the art of storytelling.
[Written] with engaging humour and acuity... These stories irreverently explore the yearning for the sacred
—— GuardianArresting and funny
—— Times Literary SupplementIntensely absorbing...Like Raymond Chandler, small deeds ripple through these lives without necessarily changing them, but Alexie's rich tales will certainly affect, if not change, yours
—— ScotsmanAlexie's painfully funny and astute stories chase the dilemmas of the Spokane diaspora, stripped of any myth or presumption of what Indian might be
—— IndependentA potent collection that takes a swipe at modern life and gives it a universal human face
—— HeraldRachel Seiffer's short stories excel at depicting the awkwardness and confusions of life...and all are created with the same confidence and skill she showed in her Booker nominated novel The Dark Room
—— Sian Stott , Daily TelegraphSkillfully constructed... It's rare to meet such an unwriterly writer. Especially one who does it so well
—— ObserverCaptivating... Because Seiffert writes without judgment or sympathy, her flawed characters are all the more compelling
—— Entertainment WeeklyWhether they are Polish emigrés or hoary World War I veteran's, Seiffert's cast walks the knife's edge of history... It takes an agile mind and dexterous prose to invoke such weighty chunks of history in short fiction
—— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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