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The Narrow Corner

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( 2,021 ratings, 248 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A tense and exotic thriller set on a remote Pacific island, The Narrow Corner follows Dr Saunders, Captain Nichols, and Fred as they seek refuge from a storm on Kanda. Amongst the island's inhabitants, they encounter the amiable Erik Christessen and his enigmatic fiancΓ©e Louise. As relationships unfold, the narrative explores themes of love, jealousy, murder, and suicide, all against a vividly portrayed tropical backdrop. This gripping tale expands upon a passage in Maugham's earlier work, The Moon and Sixpence, blending suspense with profound character study.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

The Narrow Corner appeals to readers who enjoy richly atmospheric general fiction intertwined with psychological tension and moral complexity. Fans of classic literature and tales set in exotic locales will find this novel compelling.

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On his way home from a remote Pacific island, Dr Saunders travels with two strangers: the treacherous Captain Nichols, and Fred, a handsome Australian with a shadowy past. Driven to shelter from a storm on the island of Kanda, the trio meet good-natured Erik Christessen and his fiancΓ©e, the cool and beautiful Louise.

A tense potboiler set on an exotic Pacific island by one of the 20th century's bestselling authors

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A tense potboiler set on an exotic Pacific island by one of the 20th century's bestselling authors.

On his way home from a remote Pacific island, Dr Saunders travels with two strangers: the treacherous Captain Nichols, and Fred, a handsome Australian with a shadowy past. Driven to shelter from a storm on the island of Kanda, the trio meet good-natured Erik Christessen and his fiancΓ©e, the cool and beautiful Louise.

A tense, exotic tale of love, jealousy, murder, and suicide, which evolved from a passage in Maugham's earlier masterpiece, The Moon and Sixpence.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise Maugham's unique talent for making the exotic feel familiar and his insightful depiction of the East. Nicholas Shakespeare in the Daily Telegraph highlights his ability to domesticise the strange, while the Washington Post considers this novel a summation of Maugham's Eastern experiences. Renowned writer George Orwell cited Maugham as a major influence, and Rachel Cooke in the Observer commends him for outperforming many modern novelists.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099286882

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 April 2001

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 162g

Pages: 224

About the Author

William Somerset Maugham was born in 1874 and lived in Paris until he was ten. He was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and at Heidelberg University. He spent some time at St. Thomas' Hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth, published in 1897, won him over to literature. Of Human Bondage, the first of his masterpieces, came out in 1915, and with the publication in 1919 of The Moon and Sixpence his reputation as a novelist was established. At the same time his fame as a successful playwright and writer was being consolidated with acclaimed productions of various plays and the publication of several short story collections. His other works include travel books, essays, criticism and the autobiographical The Summing Up and A Writer's Notebook. In 1927 Somerset Maugham settled in the South of France and lived there until his death in 1965.

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