Of Human Bondage

By: W. Somerset Maugham

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

One of the most widely read novels of the 20th century, W. Somerset Maugham's masterpiece, Of Human Bondage, gives a harrowing depiction of unrequited love. Philip Carey, a sensitive orphan born with a clubfoot, finds himself in desperate need of passion and inspiration. He abandons his studies to travel, first to Heidelberg and then to Paris, where he nurses ambitions of becoming a great artist.

Philip's youthful idealism erodes, however, as he comes face-to-face with his own mediocrity and lack of impact on the world. After returning to London to study medicine, he becomes wildly infatuated with Mildred, a vulgar, tawdry waitress, and begins a doomed love affair that will change the course of his life.

First published in 1915, the semi-autobiographical Of Human Bondage combines the values left over from the Victorian era with the prevailing irony and despair of the early 20th century. Unsentimental yet bursting with deep feeling, Of Human Bondage remains Maugham's most complete statement of the importance of physical and spiritual liberty, a theme that resounds more loudly than ever today.

Public Domain (P)2011 Tantor

One of the best stories

I cannot believe that the novel was published in 1915. Humans haven't evolved very much in the last 100 years as i could relate so well to the emotions expressed in the book!

Classic tale

Interesting story line, the main character has intense interior dialog, a difficult life and some difficult to comprehend (imho) relationships-especially with romantic partners.
His gradual shedding of Christianity but not morality follows his general introduction to the broader world.
Narrator does many voices well but drops his volume at ends of words/phrases in a way that makes the story difficult to follow if not listening sitting still in a perfectly quiet room.
Good window to thoughts of a past era.

It's not a love story

There is not a word or moment in this book that isn't masterful. W. Somerset Maugham wrote with such imagery and understanding of the human condition. Through the characters in "Of Human Bondage" he asks the question: what insanity makes us yearn for things that are inaccessible? Those who haven't read the novel might think the whole thing is about a man who "loves" an incredibly detestable woman. But there is so much more. We follow Phillip Carey's difficulties as a boy, a teen and as a young man. He goes through situations and relationships, always dogged by embarrassment over a clubbed foot. Few people would be so self-conscious about such a thing, especially since it's fixable today. Carey flip flops through several careers... gets money... loses money. And, certainly, there is his self-destructive obsession with Mildred Rogers. The things he endures are so humiliating that you just want to shake him! But I have also wanted someone who wasn't good for me. Perhaps you have too.

I also commend and thank Steven Crossey for breathing new life into this classic story.

loved it!

A beautifully written and emotive story, excellent performance and quality of recording. It was a beautiful and at times tragic tale of someone's life and their trials and revelations.

A book about a man who struggles with the capris of emotions

Spoiler Alert!!!

Borrows a bit from Proust and Tolstoy but a well done story of the childhood to early adulthood of a good-hearted man who falls prey to his obsessive love for a dreadful woman. To tell more would give it away too much!

Wish the ending were longer.

Wonderfully Absorbing and Thought Provoking

Of Human Bondage is nothing short of magnificent and Steven Crossley is the perfect narrator. Highly entertaining; highly recommended.

Excellent

A story about life. No big historical heroes, just life. With all their ups and downs and uncertainties. Makes you think what you would do in his place. Wonderfuly written and narrated.

Wonderful narration

I absolutely love Maugham. Absolutely brilliant writer. And on top of it, the narrator of this audiobook adds such a beautiful touch to the story. 100% recommend

Possibly my new favourite novel

Of human bondage is funny, moving, intelligent and witty while at the same time being unsentimental and sober.

When listening I really felt like the main character became my own personal friend. I wanted good things for him and I got so very frustrated with him when he insisted on constantly ruining things for himself.

I will give a small sensitivity warning, the book is somewhat classist, for example Mildred, the main protagonist's love interest is written as someone who is very vulgar and simple, which is a very common portrayal of working class women.It did not bother me that much, I just sort of imagined that some people simply are vulgar and left it at that. However, there are things further in to the book that are also described in very classist ways so if that bothers you, beware.

I listened with headphones throughout the book and so the narration was never that much of a problem to me, but some people have been complaining about the audio quality of this version, and so if you are going to listen to this on a sound system in a car for example, you might want to consider the other version that is available on audible. My advice would be to try the sample on each with the sound system that you will be listening to. But with this in mind I really loved Steven Crossley's narration, he read it really well and I loved the different voices he gave to the different characters and just how he said different phrases that the different characters used. Like his reading of Mildred's "I don't mind"-line is so perfect, you can literally hear her and see her in front of you.

And so a would I recommend this book? Absolutely, it is a masterpiece. I would also recommend this version, I have not listened to the other but the sample sounded sort of "flat" to me, but it all comes down to preference.

A True Classic

This was my second book from W. Somerset Maugham. I tried The Painted Veil and liked it so much I decided to try a longer piece from the same author. The characterizations are superbly done. Although most of the characters are thoroughly unlikeable, I found I looked forward to finding out what happens next. The story held a lot of psychological intrique for me. So much of human behavior is just unexplainable and Maugham is able to skillfully illustrate with rich vobaulary and precisley drawn descriptions this oddity. There were parts that dragged primarly in the sections dealing with art and artsits and their correspinding philosophies of life or trying to find the meaning of life, but overall the book is a classic. The narrator did an outstanding job, too