The Bishop's Apron

Written by W. Somerset Maugham

Narrated by Geoffrey Giuliano and The Arc

"The Bishop's Apron" is a novel written by W. Somerset Maugham, a British playwright and author, first published in 1906. The book is known for its wit, humor, and exploration of themes related to social class, morality, and the clergy.

The novel is set in the fictional English cathedral town of Polchester and revolves around the lives of the clergy, particularly the Bishop of Polchester, Archdeacon Cuthbert, and the charming and somewhat unconventional Canon Ronder. The story's central plot is set in motion when the Bishop loses his cherished apron, an heirloom with great sentimental value. The missing apron leads to a series of misunderstandings, secrets, and humorous situations involving the clergy and the local community.

As the narrative unfolds, Maugham delves into the lives and relationships of the clergy, revealing their human foibles, desires, and struggles beneath their respectable exteriors. The characters grapple with questions of morality, faith, and the tension between their spiritual callings and earthly desires.

"The Bishop's Apron" is often classified as a social satire and comedy of manners. Maugham employs his signature wit and keen observation of human nature to create a humorous and satirical portrayal of the clergy and the society in which they live. Through his characters, he explores the hypocrisy and absurdity often associated with the upper echelons of society and the church.

While "The Bishop's Apron" may not be as well-known as some of Maugham's other works like "Of Human Bondage" or "The Razor's Edge," it remains a noteworthy contribution to his body of work. The novel provides a window into the Edwardian era in England and offers a witty and entertaining examination of the human condition, morality, and the quirks of English society.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Audio Arts
• Release date: Oct 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781998246236

W. Somerset Maugham

W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was an English novelist, playwright, and short story writer. Born in Paris, he was orphaned as a boy and sent to live with an emotionally distant uncle. He struggled to fit in as a student at The King’s School in Canterbury and demanded his uncle send him to Heidelberg University, where he studied philosophy and literature. In Germany, he had his first affair with an older man and embarked on a career as a professional writer. After completing his degree, Maugham moved to London to begin medical school. There, he published Liza of Lambeth (1897), his debut novel. Emboldened by its popular and critical success, he dropped his pursuit of medicine to devote himself entirely to literature. Over his 65-year career, he experimented in form and genre with such works as Lady Frederick (1907), a play, The Magician (1908), an occult novel, and Of Human Bondage (1915). The latter, an autobiographical novel, earned Maugham a reputation as one of the twentieth century’s leading authors, and continues to be recognized as his masterpiece. Although married to Syrie Wellcome, Maugham considered himself both bisexual and homosexual at different points in his life. During and after the First World War, he worked for the British Secret Intelligence Service as a spy in Switzerland and Russia, writing of his experiences in Ashenden: Or the British Agent (1927), a novel that would inspire Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. At one point the highest-paid author in the world, Maugham led a remarkably eventful life without sacrificing his literary talent.