William Somerset Maugham (MAUGHAME William Somerset)

Born in Paris in the family of an official British Embassy. Since childhood better said in French than in English. In 10 years, was left an orphan and was sent to England, where he settled with his uncle. He graduated from the School Kings School in Canterbury, studied at the University of Heidelberg, then six years studying medicine in London.

In 1897 he received the right to practice medicine, but left medicine soon after published his first novels and plays. Maugham's debut novel, "Liza of Lambeth", was released in the same 1897, and the first play, "Man of Honor, was delivered in 1903.

During the First World War, Maugham worked with British intelligence, performing various assignments "sensitive property"; as a secret agent visited Russia, where he was expelled for activities incompatible with diplomatic status. Published in 1928, his novel "Eshenden, or the British agent" is partially based on the autobiographical motifs.

In 1928, Maugham lived in France, in the village of Cap-Ferrat. His novels and plays enjoyed increasing popularity in Europe and the United States. In addition, in the twenties, he published several collections of short stories, which included such masterpieces as the story "Rain" - now the paradigmatic work of English literature. In 1930 his novel "The skeleton in the closet", and in 1944 - the novel "The Razor's Edge"; critics unanimously declared both the novel "the highest achievements of British Romance".

At sixty-four years Maugham published autobiography "Summing up: the apt remark of one reviewer, it is not so much an autobiography as a genuine school of literary excellence. His earthly life of W. Somerset Maugham completed in the same place and started it - in France, but not in Paris and Nice.