William Somerset Maugham

WilliamSomersetMaugham(25January1874–16December1965)wasaBritishplaywright,novelistandshortstorywriter.Hewasamongthemostpopularwritersofhiseraandreputedlythehighestpaidauthorduringthe1930s.

Afterlosingbothhisparentsbytheageof10,Maughamwasraisedbyapaternalunclewhowasemotionallycold.Notwantingtobecomealawyerlikeothermeninhisfamily,Maughameventuallytrainedandqualifiedasadoctor.Thefirstrunofhisfirstnovel,LizaofLambeth(1897),soldoutsorapidlythatMaughamgaveupmedicinetowritefull-time.

DuringtheFirstWorldWar,heservedwiththeRedCrossandintheambulancecorps,beforebeingrecruitedin1916intotheBritishSecretIntelligenceService,forwhichheworkedinSwitzerlandandRussiabeforetheBolshevikRevolutionof1917.Duringandafterthewar,hetraveledinIndiaandSoutheastAsia;alloftheseexperienceswerereflectedinlatershortstoriesandnovels.