[.ca] The Razor's Edge (ISBN 0099284863)

Throughly enjoyable, and illuminating!:
The Razor's Edge is a tale of one man (Larry) who was born and brought up in US, spend many years in Europe, first flying aircrafts in WW I and later living an idiosyncratic existence where he searched for purpose and ambition through books, languages and labor. He later travels to India, and finds solace in the Hindu philosophy, where he also learns how to medidate and be at peace with oneself and the world. Maugham writes a very accurate and engaging account of Hinduism. The novel explores the relationship of various people. The author as a part of story travels in and out of the life of Larry and his friends, and through several conversations that occur intermittenly recreates the story of Larry, Isabel, Gray, Elliot and Sophie. Isabel loves Larry, but Larry's insistance on choosing to loaf and search for the meaning of life and his purpose (and hence living a poor life) and marries Gray, the multimillionaire. Without divulging much details of the story, one can say that the author does a good job in making his characters real and interesting, and presents through them an array of human emotions. The Razor's edge is also a social commentary, and Maugham opens a window into the lifes and times of early twentieth century Upper classes, their constant striving for popularity and for materialistic pleasures, their hopes, and failings. The story is written in a sentiment and style that makes this discussion and critique on classes as invisible score playing somewhere in background. In modern context of the philosophy of science, as say Capra in his Tao of Physics points out, or read Complexity by Waldrop, Eastern and especially Indian ageold wisdom and philosophy resonantes with the new contexts and paradigms in science. The paradigms of having cycles of existence, of evolution and coevolution, of each and every action of every creature affecting everyone else (Butterfly Effect), of uncertainity and unpredictability. Some sentences about Hinduism are particularly well written, say quoting from the book " Can there be anything more stupendous than the conception that the universe has no beginning and no end, but passes everlastingly from growth to equilibrium, from equilibrium to decline, from decline to dissolution, from dissolution to growth, and so on till eternity?" Larry's description resonates with the beliefs and ideas I was taught while growing up in India. And since I have stayed in US for three years now, I guess I read into novel the kind of questions that I have faced: choice between materialism and spiritualism, choice between love and ambition, between my own country and the land of opportunity, of religion and beliefs! If you are a wanderer, and faced with such questions of life and reality, maybe you will love this book as much as I did! It ain't only a love story, does not mean it isn't a good love story. Read it, maybe you will like it too!

Not what it appears to be...:
'The Razor's Edge' is usually billed as the story of Larry Darrell, a young man on a spiritual journey. However, the bulk of the text concerns Elliott Templeton, as he journeys from middle to old age, as a garrulous, opinionated, in some sense well-meaning, but in many ways tragically limited character. His motivations remain overtly uncharted, yet much is implied. Prime among these implications is his sexual orientation. * Maugham himself is the narrator and a character in this novel; hence, it's not unreasonable to think that his own life history would be relevant to the book. Jeffrey Meyer's recent biography, available on Amazon, is a good source of information. Maugham was married, unhappily, and during the Second World War, openly admitted his homosexuality, living as a homosexual for the rest of his long life. He published 78 books, selling over 40 million copies. Many, if not all, his characters were reportedly based on people he knew in real life. There are suggestions, then, that Elliott is an amalgam of several persons, possibly even of some aspects of Maugham himself. It's worth bearing in mind that homosexuality was illegal in England at the time the book was written. This in itself might go some way to explaining why certain matters are implied rather than directly addressed. * The Larry Darrell character is less insightfully presented that one might expect. He seems more the object of infatuation of several of the characters, not least of Maugham himself. As such, he is indulged, even when his actions might, objectively, be objectionable or obscure. His ruminations upon mysticism, in particular, are related by Maugham in a spirit of tolerance, with the occasional, very much muffled, hint of skepticism. His physical appearance, in contrast, is openly admired and, rather repetitiously, drawn to the reader's attention. * The treatment of the female characters is far less sympathetic, but, for that, far more realistic. They are variously portrayed as hedonistic, materialistic, lost, and mothering. Their lusts are generally far more earthy than those of the ethereal Larry. They are also capable of far greater hatred, as a particular turn in the plot reveals. * It's tempting to accuse Maugham of a certain degree of misogyny, except that it would be more accurate to label him a misanthopist, and indeed he has been labelled so; the fact that Larry escapes his scorn is less a contradiction of this indictment than a reflection of Larry's insubstantiality - his actions and personality are hardly human, approaching more those of an archetypal saint figure. * The writing style is very readable, without ever becoming elevated and enjoyable for its own sake. This is in keeping with the book's wide popularity. * Personally, I was very surprised by the difference between the book's reputation and its reality. If you are intrigued by Elliott Templeton and Maugham himself, then this will be an interesting read, as much for what is not said as for what is; if, however, Larry is the lure, then much will remain elusive.

Superlative storytelling:
Rarely can a book truly pull you in from the moment you commence reading. Well, The Razor's Edge is the exception to the rule. It is not only the mark of a good book, but a sublime storyteller. The incredible combination of an extraordinary melange of remarkably eclectic and certifiably unforgettable characters, a masterfully woven premise of singular quality, as well as a suave and melodious prose that virtually flows off of the page all emanate early and often from Maugham's pen in The Razor's Edge. While much has been made of the inscrutable idealist Larry Darrell, I found myself equally fascinated by the beautiful, yet cold and predictable Isabel, the banality of everyman Gray, the irrepressible flair of Elliott Templeton, the vague goings-on of Maugham, and, last but not least, the expressly antithetical, yet similarly intriguing, tales of Suzanne Bouvier and Sophie Macdonald. What makes The Razor's Edge so engrossingly captivating is the dichotomy of Maugham employing himself as the first person narrator and the irrefutable fact that the book draws from a vast multitude of his personal experiences -- both of which add immensely to the verisimilitude of the experience. In short, it has the feel of a memoir of sorts -- a true testament to Maugham's genius. "He's the idealist, he's the dreamer of a beautiful dream, and even if the dream doesn't come true, it's rather thrilling to have dreamt it." - Maugham

Butterfly Net of Words:
In this brilliantly understated masterpiece W. Somerset Maugham slips the timeless theme of mysticism into the time-bound narrative of a novel. It is a class act with all the charm of a daguerrotype. The protagonist is a war hero who gradually withdraws from the world of ego and money inhabited by the social-climbing narrator, who is himself divided between high society and inner happiness. Of course, they are mirrors of each other: Boddhisatva. The excellent old movie based on the book catches the action but misses the nirvana behind the samsara that Maugham captures for us in his butterfly net of words. This has been a high-falutin' Zen review.

A look into another world in another time:
Yet the writing is so full that we can feel part of this other world. I came to this story by the back door. My first introduction to Somerset Maugham was through the movie "The Razor's Edge" (1946) staring Tyrone Power as Larry Darrell. I have no idea as to how much it was adapted from the book. Then in 1984 we watched Bill Murray as Larry Darrell. This film lost what magic the 1946 film had. So it was time to read the book. Yes I know very few films can do more than present the essence of a book. Turns out that even the older film wrote Summerset out of some of the scenes. Larry is back from the war (WWI). As with many of us he is left with nagging questions about why one person lives and another must die. This problem leads Larry to search for the answers. He turns down opportunities and takes up a lifestyle to help him find answers. This story is told or narrated by Somerset Maugham himself. In the book Somerset takes more of an active part in the story. Larry come as close as any of us to the answer he seeks and we leave him much the same way one enters and leaves your life.