December 4 2020

 The Razor's Edge (1943)

By W Somerset Maugham

This complex novel is set in the years following World War 1.  The author makes himself the narrator as well as a character in the story, which opens in Chicago, where he is visiting his good friend the prominent decorator Elliott Templeton, along with Elliott's socialite sister Louisa Bradley and her pretty daughter Isabel.  The late Mr Bradley had been a US ambassador and the family is very at home in the European capitols, where much of the story takes place.  The story centers around Larry Darrell, Isabel's childhood friend and now her fiancé, but their relationship faces difficulties as Larry has changed following his experience as a pilot in the war.  While attractive and pleasant he has no apparent ambition except to "loaf" - as he puts it, content to live off a small inheritance, read, and travel.  When Isabel can't persuade him to get a job - an offer has been made by Isabel and Larry's friend Gray Maturin's father - Isabel finally gives up on Larry and accepts Gray's offer of marriage. They are destined to stay in touch, however, as the Maturin's firm goes bankrupt in the Great Depression and Isabel, Gray and their daughters go to live in Elliott's Paris apartment.  Larry goes in and out of their lives, working in a coal mine, then on a farm, a monastery in Germany, an ashram in India, but often in Paris in between trips.  Larry seems at peace - though his friends can't understand his constant moves and searching.  He tries to help a couple of women associated with the author (Sophie and Suzanna) though more for humanitarian reasons than romantic notions.

Despite Larry's aimlessness, it's obvious Isabel still wants him (reminiscent of Scarlett O'Hara's lust for Ashley Wilkes).  Perhaps others vets felt as Larry did, but lacked the independent means to pursue their restless feelings and instead were obligated to set goals, make a living, support themselves and possibly a family, and find hope again.  

The story offers a few surprising turns but all of the players remain true to character throughout, and in the end - as the authors suggests - each of them got what they wanted.

July 6

The Painted Veil (1925)
By W Somerset Maugham

Kitty Fane is a beautiful but shallow young woman living in privilege in 1920s London.   She spurns a succession of suitors until her homely younger sister accepts a marriage proposal.  Not wanting to be a spinster at Doris's wedding, Kitty accepts the first offer that comes her way.  Walter is a serious type, a bacteriologist working in Hong Kong.  Though the two are badly mismatched, Walter is smitten while Kitty looks on him as a boring, but preferable, alternate to becoming an old maid.  When they get to Hong Kong,  a charming British government official flirts with Kitty, and the two start a tumultuous affair.   Walter finds out and confronts Kitty.  Wanting to save them both from a shameful divorce, he announces he's going to a remote area ravaged by a cholera epidemic where he will replace a missionary doctor who has just died.  Kitty fears certain death, and decides she'll divorce Walter and marry Charlie, but - alas - Charlie has no intentions of leaving his sensible wife and 3 sons.  With no alternative, Kitty heads out with Walter where he works tirelessly too stem the deadly cholera epidemic, working in his lab till late at night and treating patents of all ages.  The Catholic nuns at the nearby orphanage are charmed not only by Walter's devotion to the little ones but also by his obvious love of babies.  Kitty and a Chinese-speaking friend visit the orphanage where Kitty is suddenly struck by the great needs of these little ones and the selflessness of the sisters - as well as her own selfishness and the stupidity of her affair with vain Charlie.  Seeking a deeper meaning for her life, she asks the nuns to let her help care for the children.  Here, Kitty is totally transformed, and hoping to make peace with a husband she does not love, yet has come to respect.  An unexpected death - and an unexpected pregnancy - thwart those plans but leave Kitty nevertheless a changed woman.