Of Human Bondage (Modern Library)

All Time favorite Book

I cried at the end of this book.

Maugham always pulls me in with his art of storytelling, and i related so strongly to the main character, it was as though I was reading the story of my own life. This was a very autobiographical novel for him, and though it wasn't as common in his time, it would have been even stronger written in the first person. As it is, he keeps a bit of distance from his own character, and I would have...more

Maugham always pulls me in with his art of storytelling, and i related so strongly to the main character, it was as though I was reading the story of my own life. This was a very autobiographical novel for him, and though it wasn't as common in his time, it would have been even stronger written in the first person. As it is, he keeps a bit of distance from his own character, and I would have liked to be in his psyche completely. My favorite by him is still 'the Moon & Sixpence.'   hide

Although judged not to be "deathless prose" by at least one person I know, Of Human Bondage has the virtues of being well written and all-consuming. This is a Bildungsroman in the classic sense; we learn of Philip Carey's early life and tribulations, lending his character sympathy. As he grows up, however, his personal flaws become increasingly apparent, not just in his shiftless approach to...more

Although judged not to be "deathless prose" by at least one person I know, Of Human Bondage has the virtues of being well written and all-consuming. This is a Bildungsroman in the classic sense; we learn of Philip Carey's early life and tribulations, lending his character sympathy. As he grows up, however, his personal flaws become increasingly apparent, not just in his shiftless approach to education and finding a career, but also in his personal relations, especially with the few women in life. I can certainly emphathise with his early trepidation and second-guessing in wooing women. However, as he continues to pursue a woman who is not only uninterested in him, but absolutely cruel in her treatment of him, one starts to question any affinity for Philip. It is utterly destroyed when he finds a woman who loves him, but that he in turn ill-uses. By about page 450, I began to really hate Carey. The book's virtue, though, is in keeping the reader engaged until the very end, if only to shrug one's shoulders at the resolution.   hide

complex characters,intense relationships ,sex, sliding into atheism. My kind of book.Absolutely brilliant

Well, this is supposed to be a "classic".. I want the term defined for me now.. This is a book about a guy who fails at life basically.. He keeps falling in love with the same woman who treats him horribly and uses him to save herself.. while abandoning those who truly like him for who he is.. and yet he ends up succeeding in the end anyway. While I know what it feels like to have life...more

Well, this is supposed to be a "classic".. I want the term defined for me now.. This is a book about a guy who fails at life basically.. He keeps falling in love with the same woman who treats him horribly and uses him to save herself.. while abandoning those who truly like him for who he is.. and yet he ends up succeeding in the end anyway. While I know what it feels like to have life keep kicking you back down when you start getting somewhere.. it does not make for great reading... (otherwise I might just write my own biography.. yeah.. that would happen)   hide

tedious, very tedious. I found that the only character I enjoyed was Mildred.

My favorite bildungsroman, after "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man". A young scholar's struggle to overcome his ingenital deformity, stringent upbringing, obsessive passion, and his quest for independence as well as the ultimate meaning of life. Acutely exquisite, intensely philosophical, and highly readable.

A brutally honest semi-autobiographic story of orphan Phillip Carey’s development into manhood. Carey is David Copperfield with a lot of flaws and misdirection, but very self-revealing of his own deficiencies. "Of Human Bondage" is in many ways a 20th Century, less romantic, more realistic "David Copperfield" (although not a first person narrative, the narrator...more

A brutally honest semi-autobiographic story of orphan Phillip Carey’s development into manhood. Carey is David Copperfield with a lot of flaws and misdirection, but very self-revealing of his own deficiencies. "Of Human Bondage" is in many ways a 20th Century, less romantic, more realistic "David Copperfield" (although not a first person narrative, the narrator knows what Carey is thinking). The portions of the narrative that seem most real to me are Maugham’s description of the horrors of poverty – several times he notes that more people commit suicide for lack of money than for losses in love. His description of doctoring the poor, particularly when he was studying midwifery are truly harrowing. Maugham’s own medical studies clearly provided him with this material. Even more disturbing is his creation of Mildred, perhaps the character in literature with the fewest redeeming characteristics (Compare to Cathy Ames Trask in East of Eden). Anyone who becomes enthralled by her is indeed in human bondage. Perhaps overly long, "Bondage" is still worth reading for Maugham’s telling development of a range of characters, particularly revealed in Carey’s schoolmates, artistic Paris friends, and the Athelnys, as well as Carey himself.   hide