Of Human Bondage
Of Human Bondage (1915) is a novel by William Somerset Maugham.
Generally agreed to be Maugham's masterpiece, it is an autobiographical novel which deals with the life of Philip Carey, who, like Maugham, was orphaned and brought up by his pious uncle. Maugham's severe stutter has been replaced by Philip's clubfoot. The novel takes the form of a bildungsroman, tracing the protagonist's travels to Germany, Paris, and London while exploring his intellectual and emotional development.
Film versions
Filmed in 1934 with Leslie Howard as Phillip and Bette Davis (in an unconvincingly-accented yet superbly coquettish performance) as Mildred, the girl who torments him through her rejections of him. The novel was filmed again in 1946 with Paul Henreid and Eleanor Parker in the lead roles and in 1964 with Laurence Harvey and Kim Novak taking the lead roles.
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Categories: Book stubs | 1915 books | Modern Library 100 best novels | British novels