Ashenden (Vintage Classics)
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Product Description
Book Description
Maugham's set of stories about his wartime spy John Ashenden, who prefigured James Bond with his exploits with exotic enemies and exotic women
Product Description
When war broke out in 1914, Somerset Maugham was dispatched by the British Secret Service to Switzerland under the guise of completing a play. Multilingual, knowledgeable about many European countries and a celebrated writer, Maugham had the perfect cover, and the assignment appealed to his love of romance, and of the ridiculous. The stories collected in Ashenden are rooted in Maugham's own experiences as an agent, reflecting the ruthlessness and brutality of espionage, its intrigue and treachery, as well as its absurdity.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ashenden was particularly admired by Raymond Chandler, and that is what first interested me in it. It is the story, based on Maugham's own experience, of a British spy in the first world war. The 'story' is more a series of separate episodes, and I can easily imagine why it appealed to Chandler -- as well as the laconic detachment of the writing, there is almost a feel of Hammett here and there, notably the episode of the Hairless Mexican. Much of the action centres round Geneva, a city I personally like, and there is a peculiar fascination in the voyage of the lake-steamer going in and out of the war-zone as it alternates between Switzerland and France. This kind of spy did not have much in common with the heroes of Len Deighton or John Le Carre -- the job reminds me more of how J K Galbraith described the life of an ambassador, ninety percent boredom and ten percent panic, like being an airline pilot. It has its grim side too as you would expect. One of the most memorable pieces is the story of the traitor Grantley Caypor. Some years ago Ashenden was serialised on television, with Caypor superbly played by Alan Bennett. What that production did not even try to reproduce was what happened at the moment of Caypor's execution, unforgettable in Maugham's cold prose.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A very droll account of the life of Ashenden, a bridge- and bath-loving British spy in the First World War, full of sarcastic wit. The book opens oddly with an essay in which the author appears to be criticising slice-of-life novels which have no real coherent plot running through them, then goes on to write just such a book! The book is a series of rather disjointed episodes in Ashenden's career, some tragic and some very funny. It is imbued throughout with a very, very dark and sarcastic sense of humour which reminded me of Saki. Ashenden's superior, Colonel R., is particularly cynical. The highlight of the book for me was Ashenden's love affair with a Russian intellectual, which is hilarious. Worth a read in my opinion, but not for the squeamish or easily-offended, or those who don't understand British humour.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In November 2010 I have started reading Vintage Maugham.
Started with Painted Veil; Loved It.
Ashenden is a true delight.
12. His Excellency; my favourite part.
And,yes I do get worried when things get complicated in personal & professional life.
13. The Flip of a Coin; well number 13 for a chapter explains everything...
I am moving on to Cakes and Ale,
thanks for a bunch of wonder books
durda
Started with Painted Veil; Loved It.
Ashenden is a true delight.
12. His Excellency; my favourite part.
And,yes I do get worried when things get complicated in personal & professional life.
13. The Flip of a Coin; well number 13 for a chapter explains everything...
I am moving on to Cakes and Ale,
thanks for a bunch of wonder books
durda
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ashenden
I heard a program on Radio 4 extra about Somerset Maugham, and was interested in his writing
The book was very good - mirrored Maugham's career as a spy in what was really a... Read more
The book was very good - mirrored Maugham's career as a spy in what was really a... Read more
Published 5 days ago by roger
Great book, bad e-book
Ashenden is a minor masterpiece, and I recommend it unreservedly. But I was very disappointed with Vintage's e-edition. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mr. Rupert J. B. Smith
Maugham at His Best
Maugham's meandering plot is punctuated by his unerring ability to draw penetrating portraits of fascinating characters; altogether ASHENDEN gives the strong impression of a real... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Giorgio
Historically Significant
Worth a read for historical reasons as it is one of (if not the) first modern spy novels. That said, it is very far away from the intricately woven page-turners featuring brainy... Read more
Published on 28 May 2002 by A. Ross
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