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Chatty, erudite, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining.

W. Somerset Maugham’s 1944 publication, called by many his most ambitious work, centers around a group of friends from Chicago whose lives are chronicled by the narrator over a period of more than twenty years from before the first World War, though the Great Depression and after World War II.

The most stimulating character is Larry Darrell, whose journey towards enlightenment is almost Hessian in its eloquence and single-mindedness. Maugham draws Darrell as an esoteric seeker after perfection who walks away from the material world and chases his own agenda, in stark contrast to the more worldly pursuits of his friends. Darrell’s pre-marriage conversation with Isabel about what is best in life is rare literary magic. A more conventional, but less talented writer, would have used Larry’s quest as a vehicle to explore the spiritual over the material, but Maugham is too much of a well-rounded man of the world and instead blends Larry’s story with a more universal tale of successes and failures.

** Just a thought � was the 1980s TV show Newhart’s characters of Larry, Darrell and his other brother Darrell a playful homage?

This book is full of brilliant characterizations and the dialogue was absorbing. This read like a garrulous visit with friends over years; gossipy and fun but also revealing Maugham’s astute judge of character and situation. The reader finds hidden treasures of sophisticated observation and social commentary delivered with a knowing understanding of the human condition.

This is also a very American novel, even though from the perspective of an Englishman and much of the action is in Europe and abroad. Maugham’s theme of attainment, love and loss transcends a pedestrian account of haves and haves nots and is simply a very good story.