The Merry-Go-Round

By W. Somerset Maugham

Book Overview

This trio of stories portrays a wide spectrum of life in the backstreets, suburbs and society of Edwardian London. Through the shrewd eyes of one of Maugham's most endearing characters, Miss Ley, a delightfully witty and independent spinster, the reader sees a chaotic vision of human love and reason.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140185968
• ISBN13: 9780140185966
• Release Date: April 1994
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Another great Maugham story

This book again earns Mangham's default 5 star rating. While not as significant as "Razors Edge" or The Moon and Sixpence", it is far better then "Catalina" or "Up the Villa." In this period piece set in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century Maugham iterates and conceives story elements from "Cakes and Ale," "Sanitarium" and Lisa of Lambeth" in telling the story of an incestuous cabal of Bourgeoisie English; exposing their spiritual hypocrisy, internecine conflicts, and narrow minded classicism.The numerous characters involved and developed is more reminiscent of Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" or then the authors previous works with the exception of "Cakes and Ale." However Maugham never gets overly involved with the irrelevant details, rather as master of mood he sets each character up in the first half of the book for a harsh realization of reality in the second half of the book (ala the Merry Go Round). This book demonstrates plausibly the vicissitudes of life. Readers with concrete notions of the way things should be may find this book reflective and/or disturbing. The virtuous sin, the dogmatic get a reality check, and the mighty fall. Classic Maugham. This book is delightful in its revelation of the scope and ambit of frail human beliefs and values.If you like Maugham books you will like the Merry-Go-Round. There is nothing new here for the Muagham reader as far as themes and characters but it is another wonderful read and another telling statement on the human condition.

Another great Maugham story

This book again earns Mangham's default 5 star rating. While not as significant as "Razors Edge" or The Moon and Sixpence", it is far better then "Catalina" or "Up the Villa." In this period piece set in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century Maugham borrow plots from "Cakes and Ale," "Sanitarium" and Lisa of Lambeth" in telling the story of an incestuous cabal of bourgeoisie English; exposing their spiritual hypocrisy, irrelavant internecine conflicts, and narrow minded classicism.The numerous characters involved and developed is more reminiscent of Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" or then the authors previous works with the exception of "Cakes and Ale." However Maugham never gets overly involved with the irrelevant details, rather as master of mood he sets each character up in the first half of the book for a harsh realization of reality in the second half of the book (ala the Merry Go Round). This book demonstrates plausibly the vicissitudes of life. Readers with concrete notions of the way things should be may be shook. The virtuous sin, the dogmatic get a reality check, and the mighty fall. Classic Maugham. This book is delightful in its revelation of the scope and ambit of frail human beliefs and values.If you like Maugham books you will like the Merry-Go-Round. There is nothing new here for the Muagham reader as far as themes and characters but it is another wonderful read and another telling statement on the human condition.