Author:W. Somerset Maugham

Maugham's studies of the lives and masterpieces of ten great novelists are outstanding examples of literary criticism at its finest. Afforded here are some of the formulae of greatness in the genre, as well as the flaws and heresies which enfeeble it. Written by a master of fiction, Ten Novels and Their Authors is a unique and invaluable guide.
The modern writer who has influenced me most
—— George OrwellA brilliant entertainer
—— New York TimesHugely promising... a pleasing, entertaining romp
—— DeathRayI had a blast reading Night of Knives... I highly recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed the Steven Erikson novels
—— Fantasyhotlist.comEsslemont handles action and brooding atmosphere equally well
—— StarburstAnyone still wondering why Kadare won the inaugural Man Booker International Prize for literature in 2005 will be enlightened by this tragicomic gem
—— Daily TelegraphOutstanding
—— Vanity FairJean Plaidy conveys the texture of various patches of the past with such rich complexity
—— GuardianRedemption Falls is trauma incarnate, but its effect is both compassionate and luminous
—— TLSBooks of this quality demand to be reread to reveal more of their complexities and layers of meaning. Redemption Falls would reward this on the level of its rich textures of language alone
—— Sunday HeraldOne of the author's most affecting, honest and brilliant works. It is a searingly well written piece by a ridiculously underrated novelist
—— Sunday TelegraphEntertaining... Jacobson's prose is incisive and off-kilter, abrasive and often hilarious
—— The TimesFelix Quinn, the narrator of the book...explains it beautifully - and this is a very good novel... Feeling unsafe makes him feel alive. And loss, of course, is the wellspring of good storytelling
—— Evening StandardThe Act of Love is an ambitious and at times extremely uncomfortable novel
—— The TelegraphIt is an almost frighteningly brilliant achievement. Why did the Booker judges not recognise it?
—— The GuardianThis is a very good novel
—— ScotsmanJacobson's 10th novel is a moving, thought-provoking and darkly witty story of desire and love
—— Irish TimesTrollope explores, with infinite delicacy, the strands that make a family
—— Daily ExpressAn absorbing contemporary novel from one of our most perceptive writers
—— You MagazineTrollope has created a fount of bitchy tension which she manipulates with great skill
—— Evening Standard






