The Way

It is the Way and the Way-goer. It is the eternal road along which walk all beings, but no being made it, for itself is 

Book Review, The Painted Veil

 By W. Somerset Maugham

“Lift not the painted veil which those who live call Life”             -Shelley

W.Somerset Maugham has long been one of my favorite authors in part because he pulls together different streams of life into a composite that leaves you thinking far after the last word’s read. Another reason is during his lifetime Maugham traveled the east extensively and that philosophy always comes out in his novels in the most interesting ways.

The Painted Veil is a sort of reverse love affair where the main characters never really fall in love with each  other. The veil hides the reality of our life from ourselves and others, we hide and don’t want to see

My Favorite Book Challenge… The Razor’s Edge

A challenge, issued by Kevin Morris at Newauthoronline to write a post about our favorite book. (Please visit Kevin at his site; you will be glad you did!)

My choice is, The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham published in 1944.

An unusual book in that the author narrates but also plays himself in the story and hints that the novel may have some truth to it. You can Google it and find a few websites dedicated to proving it factual.

The story begins at the end of WW1 and follows Larry Darrell who served as a fighter pilot and saw action over the skies of France. Larry befriends another pilot, a jovial Irishman who dies after saving his life. From here on Larry’s life changes as he searches for answers about death, God and what’s the purpose.  He returns home to his fiancée Isabel and befuddles everyone as he turns down a job offer from his best friend Gray. He decides he wants to move to Paris and ‘loaf’ for a couple of years. Isabel loves him and will wait, but all the while thinking he will come to his senses.