The Razor's Edge

By W. Somerset Maugham

Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. 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 uncle, a classic expatriate American snob. The most ambitious of Maugham's novels, this is also one in which Maugham himself plays a considerable part as he wanders in and out of the story, to observe his characters struggling with their fates.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 26, 2011
• ISBN: 9780307785084

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.

Reviews for The Razor's Edge

[stevenjohntait · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. Like all of Maugham's stuff theres an unconventionality to it. It makes you question yourself and others.

[tstan-5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I love Maugham's writing style- it's so engaging. Primarily character studies, this book is the stories of American expatriates in Europe, primarily Paris. Each is searching for meaning in their own way, and Maugham keeps the reader interested clear through.

[jonfaith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was the film adaptation starring Bill Murray which brought this arresting tale to my attention. There were likely a half dozen viewings of the film before i picked this up and devoured one winter's day, the stilted light reflected from the snow outside and cast the room in bizarre aura. It appeared appropriate.

[questbird · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This 'little story to tell', narrated by the author as himself (or a version of himself) concerns a young man who seeks religious truth in the modern world and who is viewed as an oddity for it. We are introduced to Larry Darrell the truth-seeker, by the author's connection to Elliott Templeton, an expatriate American art-collector and social climber living in Paris. Larry is engaged to Elliott's sensuous niece Isabel. Larry has returned from the war (the First World War) and everyone is mystified by his lack of desire to return to the workforce. Instead he chooses to 'loaf' in Paris, even breaking off his engagement to do so. As it turns out however, Larry is not 'loafing' but seriously pursuing the meaning of life, first through diligent scholarship and later through travel and self-discovery. And it seems by the end of the book that Larry has found some kind of enlightenment. The book also follows the fortunes of Elliott Templeton, Isabel and a few others who came in contact with Larry. A well-written but, yes, little story.

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

De portretten van Eliott en Isabel zijn schitterend. De truuk van de in- en uitwandelende auteur werkt wel, maarsoms rare zijsprongen. Het spirituele thema is uiteindelijk redelijk mager, en erg schatplichtig aan Hesse

[bongo_x_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books ever, and one of the few books I will reread. I read it after seeing the movie versions, and as much as I enjoyed both films the book is much better. I don't think it can all really be captured in a film. It's interesting how the 2 movies covered entirely different parts of the book, so if you watch both movies back to back you get most of it.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall a somewhat sad story, even though Larry Darrell finds the answers he has been seeking. I found some aspects of this book reminiscent of a lot of books popular during the 70s & early 80s - or should I say foreshadowing them, since it was published first? - in particular, the seeking for what is the meaning of life & the turning to Indian ashrams for answers.

Although Larry is ostensibly the main character, Elliott Templeton is equally important, if only as a contrast to Larry. Elliott is one of the last members of a dying way of life and, despite his snobbery, Maugham clearly is fond of him & feels pity for him. Elliott is much more alive to me and seems more fleshed out as a character than Larry does.

[ktp50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The quality of writing is what remains; it is fantastic. A character sketch done by a master. The book speaks to the larger themes of love, success, spirtualism and accomplishment. Western society has evolved to the point where citizens can choose their destiny, do they choose wisely. Read and find out.

[brone_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An Englishman writing about Americans like Henry James writing about the English they don't quite get it right.

[sweetiegherkin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Razor's Edge is first of Maugham's book that I read, and it blew me away. Maugham is a gifted writer with a great insight in the human psyche. He creates compelling characters and literally inserts himself into the narrative as a character (which I love in this book). Well worth the read -- and maybe even a re-read!

[cherylscountry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book and have meant to read it for years. So I am sure glad I finially did. I admire Maugham's style. I feel he was ahead of his time in the subject of "what is life" "Why am I here" "Hindustani" etc. His characters were interesting and were presented as intimate acquintances but not really friends. I am looking forward to reading more of his writings.

[marthal_5424 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is an enjoyable and rather profound book hard to get into but worth reading again. Larry Templeton is a returning soldier who says he just want to loaf. His girl friend realizes he is not the one she want to marry. The social atmosphere of the book sets up this rather philisophical story. Larry and Isabel along with some other character are meeting here or there for lunch and parties. Larry is elusive, never lets his know what he lives or what he is doing. He ends up becoming quite the student. In the end his sucessful life is far different

[labrick · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a book that I found interesting at times and drudgery at others. The main character, also the author, was hard for me to relate to. With a small caste of characters, I was baffled at how the author dealt with the conceited Elliot and the ethereal Larry. Elliot, a grappling Parisian socialite, was the focus for much of the book--allowing Larry, the transcendental philosopher, to be the levity in between luncheons and parties. There were hints of Steinbeck, Hesse, and Austen in this work. The reason that I didn't rate this book higher was because I found the importance of high society boring and repulsive. For all the sweet philosophy that Larry iterated, I can't help but remember that Elliot said he was unfortunately going to have to be "pigging it at the Ritz.". The narrator, Maugham--someone who stated Elliot as a selfless friend--even called him an 'arch snob'. Taking the work as a whole I would say that there are moments, 10 to15 pages at a time, that are definitely worth reading. It's too bad that these oases stand so far apart from the entire book.

[dianalynn5287-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was bored throughout. Took me a little bit of effort to finish this classic. Didn't care for it as much...maybe a second read through?

[ffortsa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Although Maugham published this in the early 1940s, it actually chronicles society between the wars. We meet a set of well-off socialites and social climbers circa 1920, among them Eliot, who makes it his life's work to be in society in Paris, his young relative Isabel, in the fashionable set in Chicago, and a curiously unnamed narrator we are meant to assume is the author himself, in general bearing witness to the next decade or two in which these characters swim. Moving through this is a young wartime pilot named Larry looking for the meaning of life, or God, or something.Toward the end of the book, Maugham treats us to Larry's story of his wanderings in Europe and spiritual adventures in India; it must have been the first time many readers encountered a description of Eastern philosophy and mysticism. (Maugham the narrator suggests the reader skip that chapter!) The rest is much more classic: the various ways in which people find or do not find a sort of salvation, or happiness, or completeness in their lives, and what they are made of.Maugham is a favorite stylist of mine, but I know him most from his wonderful short stories. I am also fond of the games a writer can play with narrative voice as Maugam does here. Even with the ga-ga over India, it was a delight to read.

[sundaraz_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I came to this book from reading somewhere that Maugham had captured the intensity of a spiritual quest as much as possible in a fictional work in "Razor's Edge". I was a little disappointed after reading this. Larry looked perfect from the get go, and his character instead of evolving, became a sort of crystallized embodiments of certain ideas, that the author had already thought through in his head. Otherwise, the author has a better grasp of Hinduism or Brahmanism (as he calls here) than many other people. Instead of seeing it as bunch of savagery gimmicks or an exotic panacea to everything, he seems to have rightly grasped the spiritual underpinnings. The portrayal of characters, and the happenings throughout are really well written and quite interesting. Sophie's character is my favorite in this. I'd surely recommend this for reading.

[texliz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Razor's Edge is one of the best books I have ever read. This is a classic. The author's tone is conversational, as if he were sitting next to you and telling a story. I read this very slowly and enjoyed every word.

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I first read this, I was too overwhelmed to try to sum up my feelings about it with just a bit of text. (Plus, I wasn't on Goodreads at the time.) There is still no earthly way that I can convey how fantastic this book is, but I did want to mention what still strikes me years later.

In the hands of most authors, this book would focus on Larry, the young man who abandons a life of privilege to seek enlightenment and meaning after terrible experiences in the Great War. His fiancee, who breaks her engagement with him when she realizes that his priorities will never be worldly, would be the villain, an example of how foolish and narrow-minded Society can be. And Maugham follows this cliche--to a point. He shows us all the downsides of bowing to the conservative demands of other people's opinions. But he also gives the fiancee a voice. And she, in a truly unique flip on the "support the Great Thinker!" trope, asks, (I'm paraphrasing here--Maugham's words are more natural and nuanced) "and what are we to live on? If he's out chasing transcendentalism, how am I supposed to feed myself, or any children we have? I love him, but I have my own set of values." And even better, Isabel refuses to feel bad about this choice. She likes pearls and nice food, and doesn't want to travel, or live in a hovel. She's not interested in whether Larry understands his place in the universe or not.

I have read countless stories in which the characters who are not spiritual or artistic are not valued. They are simply the villains or the foils. Being "worldly" is always a condemnation. Pursuing money in any way is seen as crass and loathsome. And as for not marrying for love! Isabel is not the heroine of this book; she has an ordinary intellect and a conventional, unexciting life. But I don't think Larry was the hero, either. Maugham does not present one choice as completely right, and the other as completely wrong. To be perfectly frank, I can't think of another male author (of Maugham's era or before) who understood that not everyone can live on sensibility; that supporting an artist or a saint is all and very well, but there's more to life than being someone's adoring crutch. I am amazed at his sensitivity.

[cinesnail88 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As much as I adored Somerset Maugham before, I must say I like him even better after reading this novel. I had forgotten what a talent he has for writing - his style is so perfect to me, I become immediately enthralled with any narrative he puts forth. Not to mention his wit is particularly lovely, and his descriptive powers are decidedly unmatched.I absolutely loved Eliott Templeton in all his shallowness. What a marvelous character, created in such a way as to make him even more so.I definitely will be returning to Maugham again soon.

[_amritasharma_ · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Somerset Maugham advocates renunciation through the voice of his protagonist who visits India in his search for self and finds enlightenment of sorts. I find it very interesting to read Indian philosophy and thought as interpreted by the west. Maugham doesn't claim to have any expertise in this field and he presents the barest outline of the Indian thought. But his characters other than the protagonist are attached to either wealth, love, social status. This attachment leads them to grief. So it is through example that Somerset Maugham puts forth the Indian concept of renunciation.

[candiedmapleleaves · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoy Maugham's style of writing. He paints his characters very vividly and very humanly. None of his characters are absolutely good or absolutely evil, and even though I thought he would set up Larry as some sort of saintly figure, he is also revealed for his faults.Part of the reason I didn't absolutely fall in love with the book is that I am not fond of the 'rich people travelling at leisure and laughing at the poorer classes in the swinging 20s' setting. If you loved The Great Gatsby, this book has many parallels. I also tend to shy away from books that are told such as this one is: where the narrator is merely flipping between various social occasions, none of which he is a central part of, simply relating others' lives through his point of view. However, I did enjoy Maugham's discussion of up-and-coming America and the comparison to established Europe. This is a coming of age story in a way, but through the point of view of an older character.Overall, I enjoyed the book. It isn't something I'd reread, but I would take a chance on his other works, as this is the first novel I have read by Maugham.

[rainpebble_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have put off the writing of this for several days as I just quite do not know how to do a review on the stuff this book is made of. I love this book and I did not want it to end. I especially love the style Maugham used in the writing of it. Immediately upon beginning the book, I was reminded of reading "Brideshead Revisited" and how much I disliked that book mainly because I could not understand nor care about the characters nor the way they lived their lives throughout the story. In "The Razor's Edge" Larry says he just "wants to loaf." And most of the characters within the book spend their days "loafing" of a sort. They spend them lunching with friends, having drinks, living in quite the same type of manner. But in this book I understood why the people lived as they did. I cared about the characters within this novel. I cared about what they did, what they ate, what they drank, what they said, with whom they spent their time, where they went. In other words I quickly came to care about every aspect of their lives. I became so drawn into the story that I forgot about my own world the whole time during which I was reading it. I think most of us know the story of "The Razor's Edge" whether we have read it or not. I know I did. There are many reviews on this site that will share that information with you if you wish. I was prepared for the story. What I was not prepared for was the gamut of emotions I went through as I read this slim novel. Nor was I prepared to see the characters so fully fleshed out to the point that while I was reading the book, I actually knew these people. I was also not prepared for the brilliance of Somerset Maugham's writing. As in this quote from Larry:"You can't imagine what a thrill it is to read the "Odyssey" in the original. It makes you feel as if you had only to get on tiptoe and stretch out your hands to touch the stars."There is one point in the novel where the narrator, Maugham, and Larry accidentally run into each other at the theater and decide to meet for drinks afterward. They order a late night supper of eggs and bacon and talk. Maugham realizes that Larry wants to talk (usually he is quite private) and just sits back and lets him, responding when it is appropriate. He allows Larry to tell his story which runs until after breakfast the next morning and fully 41 pages of the book. At one point Larry is telling about living with a Benedictine monk and their conversations and he tells of the monk asking him: "Do you believe in God?" The narrative goes on: "Larry hesitated for a moment, and when he went on I knew he wasn't speaking to me but to the Benedictine monk. He had forgotten me. I don't know what there was in the time or the place that enabled him to speak, without my prompting, of what his natural reticence had so long concealed." This is a beautiful story written in absolutely beautiful prose.If you have not read it, you should. I highly recommend it.

[bayardus-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Is there a trope in Eastern literature where an unhappy young man journeys to the West and learns things from a priest, or monk, or some such person, how to be at peace with life? And maybe some mystic powers that impress everyone back home in the bargain? Just curious.

[omame_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For awhile, I wasn't sure why I felt the compulsion to keep reading this book. The prose certainly wasn't transcendent and the plot wasn't thrilling. But there was something that kept me going. Then I figured it out. Somerset Maugham created characters so interesting that I just wanted to know as much as I could about each of them. And that's what the book provided: rich, full character studies.

[writer1985_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting tale. Maugham, an Englishman, creates a believable and engaging depiction of upper-class Americans in the 1920s and 30s as they navigate the rapidly changing world and each other.The novel begins just after World War I and primarily focuses on Larry, an ex-aviator dealing with what would now be recognized as PTSD and generally unsatisfied with his place in life. Although he eschews college as a place for puerile undergraduates to avoid growing up, he becomes an auto-didact, seeking answers to his philosophical questions in books. Meanwhile, he neglects his human relationships, including his engagement with a girl whose mother and uncle encourage her to marry another man. The usual love triangle ensues.What saves this novel from merely being Gatsby's backstory is Maugham's wonderful attention to the range of human emotion. On the surface, his characters may appear two-dimensional (especially Elliott, the arch-snob), but they develop in surprising yet realistic ways. The plot itself can be didactic and ordinary at times, and the awkward use of Maugham as his own narrator is jarring, but the character development is simply superb.This novel deserves a place alongside Fitzgerald's as a study of human passions during the Jazz Age.

[marthahuntley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was much as Maugham describes his time, as a character in the book, interacting with the other characters -- a gossip. I kept getting intriguing glimpses of the author between the lines. And I think its last paragraph is one of the most clever and satisfying summing-up endings I've ever read.

[suesbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The writing in this book was so well done it added greatly to what could have been a slight story of the wealthy. The main character, Larry, is also searching for the meaning of life, and I'm not sure he's as well portrayed, but the book did keep my interest. This edition was published in 1992, but the original was published in 1944.

[kidrah_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My entire theme for the summer is built on the central character's implied philosophy: no obligation to time or people. This book is the perfect book to spark thinking about the "road less traveled". Also, it builds such a good character sketch of someone who is disassociated from the obligations of time and other people, that it makes you wonder what you would discover about yourself if you cut those chains.

[bibliophile007 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

" The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard." Excellent book with a character reminiscent of Gatsby-he's equal in shallowness, and features another character desparately trying to find himself. Unique format-one of the characters is the author and the narrator.

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I picked this up for loose change in a little bookshop in Vienna, and finally got around to reading it when I hit Brussels, back in 2003 when I was touring Europe by rail. It has since become one of my favourite books, and it is the book I first think of when recommending literature to friends.It's a spiritual book, much though I loathe the term, following a young American, Larry, through the first world war and into the twenties, up to the Wall Street Crash. It places his life in the context of the narrator, and his circle of friends; as always, Maugham is quick to move away from the topic that most authors would stick with, and instead takes in everything around him, which I find one of his most delightful habits.