tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post3333033337800847355..comments2024-03-29T03:14:14.401-04:00Comments on Patricia Abbott (pattinase): First Wednesday 's Book Review Club: THE PAINTED VEIL, Somerset Maughampattinase (abbott)http://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-84198156304250776092015-09-11T07:20:03.146-04:002015-09-11T07:20:03.146-04:00Interesting, thoughtful questions. I seldom watch ...Interesting, thoughtful questions. I seldom watch a movie first, but I have done. Usually only for movie that veer off of the book somewhat.<br />(ツ) from <a href="http://mymuskoka.blogspot.ca/" rel="nofollow"> Cottage Country Ontario </a>, ON, Canada!Jenn Jilkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05259681360456905055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-62090183330544733672015-09-11T01:24:18.957-04:002015-09-11T01:24:18.957-04:00I read The Razor's Edge about a million years ...I read The Razor's Edge about a million years ago. And I thought I'd read The Painted Veil until your review! So, who knows what I've mixed it up with?! I have not seen the movie, but would like, too. I just read on Wikipedia that Maugham's first book sold out so quickly, he quit medicine to write full time. Interesting! Thank for reviewing!Barriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04678698296265168217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-56961988811754053142015-09-10T14:45:01.325-04:002015-09-10T14:45:01.325-04:00I haven't read any books by this author but th...I haven't read any books by this author but this story sounds quite original. Thanks for the recommendation!Sarah Laurencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423008641739156182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-37825304665229491732015-09-10T09:06:59.880-04:002015-09-10T09:06:59.880-04:00I don't think I've read anything by Maugha...I don't think I've read anything by Maugham other than his short stories, but this does sound interesting. I think any time you read something from an earlier time period, it takes some adjusting to the language and the more leisurely pace of that writing. Thanks for the review; I enjoyed reading all the recommendations in the comments, too. Maybe it's time for me to re-visit Maugham!Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-72661934708736241182015-09-09T17:42:47.831-04:002015-09-09T17:42:47.831-04:00Great classic. I love Somerset Maugham. THE MOON A...Great classic. I love Somerset Maugham. THE MOON AND SIXPENCE was a high school favorite. Thanks for the excellent review!Cloudbusterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07261691696270806832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-51068861188495926222015-09-09T16:35:12.725-04:002015-09-09T16:35:12.725-04:00I read a lot of his work back in the day--very muc...I read a lot of his work back in the day--very much the stiff-upper-lip Englishman ( or woman) facing the challenges of life in exotic locales. I think my favorite was CAKES AND ALE (supposedly a roman-a-clef about Thomas Hardy and his wives) and THE LETTER (also made into an interesting movie with a somewhat changed ending to slip by the Hollywood censors). He also hosted several movie adaptations of his short stories of which THE PEARL NECKLACE was my favorite.<br /><br />I'm surprised there hasn't been an attempt to dramatize Maugham's life. Like most gay men of his time, he was in the closet, married with a child and deeply unhappy. Late in life, after divorcing his wife, he tried to change his will, cutting out his wife and daughter and leaving the bulk of his estate to his lover. When his ex-wife took legal action to prevent this, he tried to adopt his lover as his son to allow the settlement of the estate. This was as good as admitting his sexual orientation and caused quite a scandal at the time (1950s/60s?).Debnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-73414191779802620532015-09-09T13:29:57.456-04:002015-09-09T13:29:57.456-04:00My literary education is obviously lacking, since ...My literary education is obviously lacking, since I haven't read Maugham. Maybe I'll start with the movie version of The Painted Veil. I wanted to see it when it came out, but never got to the theater. Good review.Linda McLaughlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-51740008213422633352015-09-09T12:21:38.258-04:002015-09-09T12:21:38.258-04:00I've only read THE MOON AND SIXPENCE and OF HU...I've only read THE MOON AND SIXPENCE and OF HUMAN BONDAGE by him. I liked the former quite a bit.Rick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07978136287154214297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-51168105963119618712015-09-09T12:20:25.884-04:002015-09-09T12:20:25.884-04:00Interesting! The premise sounds quite good, but y...Interesting! The premise sounds quite good, but you have me worried over the ending. Maybe I'll go with the movie. ;)Alyssa Goodnighthttp://alyssagoodnight.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-90576243067843553022015-09-09T11:59:31.132-04:002015-09-09T11:59:31.132-04:00I love to go back to classic authors I hadn't ...I love to go back to classic authors I hadn't read yet. I'll give it a try....:)troutbirderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14087811292280881959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-45301534703402859732015-09-09T10:08:59.535-04:002015-09-09T10:08:59.535-04:00I fear that is the case, Elgin. I fear that is the case, Elgin. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-5639702713462801012015-09-09T09:57:35.404-04:002015-09-09T09:57:35.404-04:00Patti – I admire Maugham’s writing style. Is he be...Patti – I admire Maugham’s writing style. Is he becoming one of those forgotten authors? Few people I know, know Maugham. They are missing some good novels and a lot of fine short stories. His book, THE RAZOR’S EDGE, was my intro to him. Two short stories to check out are the light THE FACTS OF LIFE and the shocking THE BOOK-BAG. Two fun British movies, anthologies from his short stories, are QUARTET and TRIO. Elgin Bleeckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08417587392887691664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-26386787916154702952015-09-09T09:42:11.672-04:002015-09-09T09:42:11.672-04:00Another one I liked was UP AT THE VILLA. For some ...Another one I liked was UP AT THE VILLA. For some reason, I thought CAKES AND ALE was the ss collection. Oh, those years between me and a good memory. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-67447462763351221722015-09-09T09:39:33.328-04:002015-09-09T09:39:33.328-04:00If you like spy stories, read ASHENDEN. Maugham w...If you like spy stories, read ASHENDEN. Maugham was a British spy during World War I and he wrote a series of stories about Ashenden, a British spy, based partly on his own experiences. Otherwise I like the South Seas short stories and CAKES AND ALE - a thinly veiled book partly based on author Hugh Walpole.<br /><br />Jeff M.Jeff Meyersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00093411926030586355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-72584798479440180902015-09-09T09:32:17.198-04:002015-09-09T09:32:17.198-04:00I would start with his short story collection CAKE...I would start with his short story collection CAKES AND ALE. And if you enjoy that try OF HUMAN BONDAGE. Although the movie of this one with Naomi Watts is a real winner. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-62678495066372424412015-09-09T09:24:32.350-04:002015-09-09T09:24:32.350-04:00I haven't read anything by Maugham, but I'...I haven't read anything by Maugham, but I'm intrigued now. Would you recommend starting with this one or another one?Stacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03980711066816198415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-7557617080094718242015-09-09T09:15:18.778-04:002015-09-09T09:15:18.778-04:00CAKES AND ALE is my favorite. But I read all of hi...CAKES AND ALE is my favorite. But I read all of his work back in the day. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-13859115543971175022015-09-09T08:16:34.132-04:002015-09-09T08:16:34.132-04:00I've read Maugham's short stories. He was...I've read Maugham's short stories. He was a master of that form.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04546161337366365635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-26296449739039487692015-09-09T08:12:31.848-04:002015-09-09T08:12:31.848-04:00Jackie liked the movie a lot too. The day she saw...Jackie liked the movie a lot too. The day she saw it I went to see Forrest Whitaker in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, which she refused to see.<br /><br />I've read mostly Maugham's plays and short stories, plus CAKES AND ALE.<br /><br />Jeff M.Jeff Meyersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00093411926030586355noreply@blogger.com