i have a good eye, I can see a church by daylight . . .

[street_legal]

I am remembering how it felt to play Beatrice opposite Danny's Benedick that day in May almost two years ago. Grand. I wish that had been our only requiem

Comments

[overoceans]

I read "Of Human Bondage" in language camp in Germany, and all of the other campers would ask me what I was reading and when I told them they thought I was a kinky sex pervert.

[street_legal]

You weren't? Ah well. I got started on Maugham when I saw an old version of "The Razor's Edge" (which seems pretty cheesy now) and then I read the book and later his short stories. But I have never read "Of Human Bondage", because the one time I saw the back of the book it seemed very reminiscent of D.H. Lawrence, whom I find intensely annoying. But apparently I was mistaken because it is the story of a sad soul named Philip who is obsessed with a waitress, and so far so good . . .

[overoceans]

Maugham has a special place for me. I started off with "The Razor's Edge", which I liked a lot because of that Edward character (uhh- I think that was his name...the one that went to India). And then when I was in Germany I read "Of Human Bondage", and it turned out that my host father had this huge book of Maugham's short stories (in English!). I spent a lot of time in their basement reading that. So now Maugham is connected in my mind to Germany, especially since Phillip goes to Germany to learn German (as Maugham himself did), and since so many of his stories have people going there. There was this one where a pianist went to Munich and it talked about Marienplatz and all of these other places, and then I went there with my host family the next week, so everything just tied together and it was nice.

[street_legal]

sounds like we had similar-ish experiences. the Razor's Edge is for me connected to a summer in Prague (my father is Swiss, and in earlier years we went over to parts of Europe a good deal).
Larry Darryl was his name, only Maugham basically used the same plot in one of his short stories, and changed his name to Edward.

I'll let you know how I like the book.

Charlemagne's father was a hobbit?

[listentoreason]

I'm rather fond of Pepin's father. Charles the Hammer. Sounds like the name of a pro wrestler. "And in this corner, the Iron Sheik!"

I've never read "Of Human Bondage", and I definitely don't know how to pronounce Maugham. I'll consider your mentioning it a recommendation. Have you read "Venus in Furs"?

Indeed he was, a very fearsome one . . .

[street_legal]

I have not. It's good?

Venus in Furs, by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch .

[listentoreason]

It's one of my favorite books. Many people think it's only about love and masochism. I have nothing against either, but I thought the book was also a good study of suprasensualism. The idea of a sensation can be as or more powerful than the sensation itself; isn't that part of why we read? As a bonus, it's short enough to read in an afternoon.

It sounds like "Of Human Bondage" has to do with some poor sap who's obsessed with someone. If that's true, Venus in Furs has a similar plot. I have a short story about food and obsession that I think you might like, but I'm not sure. I'm never sure ;_;.

Re: Venus in Furs, by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch .

[street_legal]

it's a late development, but i have begun to think of obsession as an attractive quality. Can't promise to read it, time being what it is, but I will put it on my list.