The Summing Up

Somerset Maugham sums up his vision on mankind, the English, morals and art (theatre, the novel). It is a penetrating and very modern view. The best book I have read from him.It shows that he had a very profound scientific and philosophical background.His stance on determinism, chance and free will was based on his philosophical and scientific readings (Hume and Heisenberg's Principle of Indeterminacy).The same can be said of his view on mankind, which was highly influenced by Darwin and Schopenhauer: 'The essence of man is his egoism that we all inherit from that remote energy which in the unplumbed past first set the ball rolling'; or 'So long as some are strong and some are weak, the weak will be driven to the wall'.Having read a lot of philosophy, he was upset by the low standard of the philosophy of his days, which dodged for him fundamental problems, like evil (war).The author has sometimes been characterized as cynical (e.g. for his best novel 'Of human bondage'). He shows his cynicism again in this book: on the English, 'They are not an amorous race. They are of course sufficiently sexual for the purpose of reproducing their species, but they cannot control the instinctive feeling that the sexual act is disgusting.'Or his virulent atheism: 'God is not so reasonable. He promises rewards to those who believe in him and threatens with horrible punishment those who do not. For my part I cannot believe in a God who is angry with me because I do not believe in him'.His analysis of the writer (not one but many men), the novel and theatre is highly modern. It could easily be applied on TV plays today.This is a sincere, still topical and highly recommendable book.

This audio presentation of 'The Summing Up' was masterfully presented by Charlton Griffin. I have read several of Maugham's works and consequently found the content of this book very enlightening. I thoroughly enjoyed Griffin's calming voice, with a subtle touch of Maugham's native British accent. At times, I felt as though I was sitting in an English pub with Maugham himself, listening while he talked of his life, philosophy and writings. I would highly recommend this recorded piece of literature, especially to other W. S. Maugham enthusiasts like myself.

I first read this book on a transcontinental flight and got hooked on Maugham rightaway.Since then I have devoured every word by the master and have scarcely found a dull paragraph____well, the only boring one being the novel "Then and Now"....not a bad batting average for such a prolific writer!In this book Maugham offers us a broad panorama of his artistic development without a trace of frippery or humbug(typical Maugham!) These pages are leavened with mordant observations on the art of writing,life,death,the paintings of El Greco,philosophy,love(unrequited),money and CONCUPISCENCE !The scope of this short book is sweeping____the distillation of a half a century of civilised thinking .Highly recommended & happy reading!

I first read this book 12 years ago on a transcontinental flight and got hooked on Maugham rightaway.Since then I have devoured every printed word by the great man and haven't come across a dull paragraph____well, the only exception would be the novel "Then and Now" .This book is a veritable treat! It offers a broad panorama of his artistic evolution (without a trace of humbug___a typical Maugham trait) and is leavened with mordant observations on art,life,death,philosophy,free will,determinism,money,love and CONCUPISCENCE! ____the whole ball of wax !If this book turns you into a Maugham fan, as I hope it will, you might want to read the eminently readable biography of Maugham by Ted Morgan. Happy reading!

By his account, W. Somerset Maugham was a first-rate writer of the second rank. In a career that saw him become a highly respected dramatist, short story writer, and novellist (Of Human Bondage and The Razor's Edge are two novels made into successful movies) Maugham learned a thing or two about writing. The Summing Up is a literary memoir of the first rank. While his plays, short stories and novels earned him worldwide fame, his essays stand up best, and this book shows his talents at their finest. My favourite passage is his essay on the anatomy of good writing, but others stand out as well. Anyone interested in a writer's life, or life in general, should enjoy this book.