William Somerset Maugham

Set in a villa in the hills above Florence, this moving novel reveals the power of desperate love. Mary Panton ignores her desires as she contemplates her loveless marriage, but a single act of compassion begins a nightmare of violence that destroys her serenity.

Then and Now is a historical novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Set in Florence, Italy during the Renaissance, the story focuses on three months in the life of Niccolo Machiavelli, the Florentine politician, diplomat, philosopher and writer in the early years of the 16th century. The book was first published by Heinemann …

THE SUMMING UP represents Maugham's life and philosophy in his own words. It is autobiographical in nature, though most of the work is concerned with Maugham's unique and fascinating opinions on the theatre, writing, metaphysics and the interesting people he encountered in his long and successful career. His style is …