The Painted Veil (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Adultery, Redemption, and Moral Awakening in 1920s Colonial ChinaBy William Somerset Maugham
Length9h 31m
About this audiobook
The Painted Veil is a finely wrought novel of adultery, disillusionment, and moral awakening set between colonial Hong Kong and a cholera-stricken Chinese interior. Maugham's prose is characteristically lucid, restrained, and ironic, exposing emotional self-deception with clinical precision while allowing unexpected spiritual depth to emerge. Within the context of early twentieth-century British fiction, the novel joins psychological realism to colonial settings, using exile, disease, and cultural estrangement as instruments of ethical revelation. William Somerset Maugham, physician turned playwright and novelist, brought to his fiction both diagnostic detachment and worldly experience. His extensive travels in Asia and his intimate knowledge of social performance, desire, and hypocrisy inform the novel's atmosphere and its unsentimental treatment of marriage. Maugham's fascination with characters forced into self-knowledge is central here, as Kitty Fane's ordeal becomes less punishment than painful education. This book is highly recommended to readers who value elegant prose, psychological acuity, and narratives of inward transformation. It will especially appeal to those interested in colonial literature, moral ambiguity, and the complex passage from vanity to compassion.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.2 (1.4K)
Includes Amazon, Goodreads
GenreLiterary Classics, General Fiction
Length9 hrs 31 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMar 16, 2021
LanguageEnglish
The Trembling of a Leaf Collection – Rain & Other South Sea StoriesWilliam Somerset Maugham8h 27m4.2 (3K)$0.99 · $0.00
The Magician (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham9h 38m4.3 (1.1K)$2 · $0.00
The Explorer (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham10h 28m$2 · $0.00
Theatre (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham10h 48m$2 · $0.00
The Moon and Sixpence: One Man's Journey Across the Field of Art and into Its Depths (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham9h 54m$2 · $0.00
The Greatest Short Stories of W. Somerset Maugham (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham30h 49m$2 · $0.00
Collected Plays of W. Somerset Maugham (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham22h 14m4.6 (12)$2 · $0.00
Rain and Other South Sea Stories (The Trembling of a Leaf Collection) (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham9h 31m4.4 (11)$2 · $0.00
Of Human Bondage (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham30h$2 · $0.00
Of Human Bondage (Autobiographical Novel) (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham29h 59m4.3 (79.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Razor's Edge (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham14h 50m$2 · $0.00
The Merry-Go-Round (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham2h 59m4.1 (12)$2 · $0.00
The Essential Somerset Maugham: 33 Books in One Edition (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham147h 22m$2 · $0.00
The Land of the Blessed Virgin: Sketches and Impressions in Andalusia & On a Chinese Screen (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham12h$2 · $0.00
Mrs Craddock (Classic Unabridged Edition) (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham12h 34m3.9 (2K)$2 · $0.00
The Hero (The Classic Unabridged Edition) (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham9h 40m3.9 (444)$2 · $0.00
Liza of Lambeth (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham5h 48m$2 · $0.00
The Moon and Sixpence: One Man's Journey Across the Field of Art and into Its Depths (Based on Paul Gauguin's Life) (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham9h 47m4.1 (33K)$2 · $0.00
The Collected Works: Novels, Short Stories, Plays and Travel Sketches (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham147h 18m4.4 (183)$2 · $0.00
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
Ivanhoe (Annotated)Walter Scott22h 52m4.8 (88)$2 · $0.00
The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin2h 25m4.6 (159.1K)$15
The Complete Histories / History Plays of William Shakespeare (Annotated)William Shakespeare29h 42m4.6 (2.3K)$0.99 · $0.00
Braving the TruthRachel Held Evans11h 31m4.7 (359)$29 · $0.00
Richard Wagamese SelectedRichard Wagamese3h 14m4.6 (594)$15
The Old Man and the Sea (Annotated)Ernest Hemingway4h 27m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Twelfth Night (The Unabridged Play) + The Classic Biography (Annotated)William Shakespeare, Sidney Lee16h 38m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 40m4.6 (1.3K)$1 · $0.00
Pathways to LightPrakash Amte7h 6m4.6 (1.3K)$8
These Vital SignsSayed Tabatabai3h 20m4.7 (215)$18 · $0.00
H. P. LOVECRAFT Ultimate Collection: Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry & Essays (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft12h 28m4.6 (2.3K)$2 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 54m4.5 (10.6K)$2 · $0.00
Lessons in TruthH. Emilie3h 50m4.6 (1.4K)$4.70 · $0.00
TORAH - Bilingual Edition: English/Hebrew (Annotated)Max Margolis, JPS28h 26m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
The Poetic EddaJackson Crawford6h 24m4.5 (19.8K)$17
Betty Crocker picture cooky bookBetty Crocker, Inc. General Mills2h 13m4.5 (6.5K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Tales of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter3h 36m4.5 (75K)$3 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesL. M. Montgomery11h 1m4.5 (1.2M)$2.30 · $0.00
Supreme ClienteleAshley & JaQuavis8h 58m4.7 (3.4K)$20
Body Refinement in a Beast Tamer’s World, Book 1Seth Ring14h 7m4.7 (1.3K)$27
Desperate MeasuresBrenda Jackson8h 59m4.7 (669)$28 · $0.00
Searching For ThanksgivingS.E. Smith4h 24m4.8 (395)$20
Naughty 4Brenda Hampton7h 30m4.7 (726)$17
The Dance with Me TrilogyShelley Shepard Gray21h 44m4.7 (1.2K)$35
The DopemanJaQuavis Coleman5h 25m4.7 (3.8K)$20
BAEJahquel J.5h 22m4.7 (3.1K)$20
Dark RisingJeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews13h 47m4.7 (1.3K)$27
WhistlerAnn Patchett10h 45m4.6 (4.6K)$29 · $0.00
Grand Opening 2Carl Weber9h 16m4.7 (2.4K)$20
Sons of Valor II: Violence of ActionBrian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson12h 34m4.6 (3.6K)$23
Malevolent MagicMildred Abbott7h 13m4.7 (1.2K)$17
Bikes, Toys, and Hot BoyzGenesis Woods, Shantaé13h 9m4.7 (722)$23
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
War LordBernard Cornwell13h 21m4.6 (33.1K)$33 · $0.00
Ghetto BastardK’wan7h 37m4.6 (2.9K)$20
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
The Vineyard BrideKatie Winters5h 5m4.6 (1.9K)$15
Something Like LoveBeverly Jenkins10h 21m4.6 (2.7K)$29 · $0.00
You may also like
The Painted VeilW. Somerset Maugham7h 39m4.1 (78K)$1 · $0.00
The Mill on the FlossGeorge Eliot22h 14m4.0 (76.8K)$2.30
The Scarlet LetterNathaniel Hawthorne10h 36m3.7 (1M)$25
The Rise of Silas LaphamWilliam Dean Howells12h 2m3.6 (6.9K)$23
The Mill on the FlossGeorge Eliot20h 2m4.0 (72.9K)$55 · $0.00
Sister CarrieTheodore Dreiser18h 19m3.9 (50.5K)$1 · $0.00
The GeniusTheodore Dreiser32h 49m4.4 (1.7K)$1.80 · $0.00
The Painted VeilWilliam Somerset Maugham9h 22m4.1 (70.8K)$1 · $0.00
Jude the ObscureThomas Hardy16h 5m4.0 (195K)$3.50 · $0.00
Anna Karenina (Translated 1901 by Constance Garnett)Leo Tolstoy38h 33m4.2 (1.1M)$2 · $0.00
The Garnett GirlsGeorgina Moore11h 27m3.8 (8.8K)$29 · $0.00
InfamousLauren Conrad6h 41m3.8 (3.6K)$24 · $0.00
The Claverings (Annotated)Anthony Trollope20h 33m4.0 (1.7K)$2 · $0.00
The Pit: A Story of ChicagoFrank Norris13h 58m3.8 (3.3K)$1.20 · $0.00
George Silverman's ExplanationCharles Dickens1h 11m3.5 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
ExilesJames Joyce1h 56m3.6 (3.3K)$2 · $0.00
A Pasteboard CrownClara Morris10h 34m$2 · $0.00
Homo Sum (Historical Novel)Georg Ebers9h 26m3.8 (613)$2 · $0.00
The Song of SongsHermann Sudermann16h 48m$2 · $0.00
Monsieur de Camors — CompleteOctave Feuillet10h 12m4.0 (23)$2 · $0.00