Of Human Bondage

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time"e;It is very difficult for a writer of my generation, if he is honest, to pretend indifference to the work of Somerset Maugham,"e; wrote Gore Vidal. "e;He was always so entirely there."e;        Originally published in 1915, Of Human Bondage is a potent expression of the power of sexual obsession and of modern man's yearning for freedom. This classic bildungsroman tells the story of Philip Carey, a sensitive boy born with a clubfoot who is orphaned and raised by a religious aunt and uncle. Philip yearns for adventure, and at eighteen leaves home, eventually pursuing a career as an artist in Paris. When he returns to London to study medicine, he meets the androgynous but alluring Mildred and begins a doomed love affair that will change the course of his life. There is no more powerful story of sexual infatuation, of human longing for connection and freedom.        "e;Here is a novel of the utmost importance,"e; wrote Theodore Dreiser on publication. "e;It is a beacon of light by which the wanderer may be guided. . . . One feels as though one were sitting before a splendid Shiraz of priceless texture and intricate weave, admiring, feeling, responding sensually to its colors and tones."e;With an Introduction by Gore VidalCommentary by Theodore Dreiser and Graham Greene