Robert Calder

First published in 1919, W. Somerset Maugham's "The Moon and Sixpence" is an episodic first person narrative based on the life of Paul Gaugin. At the center of the novel is the story of Charles Strickland, an English banker who walks away from a life of privilege, abruptly abandoning his wife and children, in order to pursue his passion to become an artist. Strickland leaves London for Paris and ultimately Tahiti, mirroring the life of Gaugin who...

Of Human Bondage is a profound exploration of personal struggle, human desire, and the search for meaning within the constraints of society and individual weakness. William Somerset Maugham presents the life of Philip Carey, an orphan born with a clubfoot, whose physical disability and emotional insecurities shape his journey of self-discovery. The novel examines the tension between passion and reason, the illusions of love, and the relentless pursuit...