The Razor's Edge (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Postwar Spiritual Quest Through Paris Society, Indian Mysticism, and the Search for MeaningBy W. Somerset Maugham
Length14h 52m
About this audiobook
The Razor's Edge is Maugham's most searching meditation on spiritual hunger in a world dislocated by war, wealth, and social performance. Framed through the author's characteristic persona as an observant narrator, the novel follows Larry Darrell, a young American veteran who rejects conventional success to pursue metaphysical truth. Set between Chicago, Paris, and India, it blends social comedy, psychological realism, and philosophical inquiry, placing modernist disillusionment within a lucid, classical prose style. W. Somerset Maugham, already renowned as a dramatist, short-story writer, and novelist, brought to the book a cosmopolitan life of travel, medical training, and acute observation of human compromise. His experiences in wartime intelligence and expatriate society sharpened his skepticism toward polite civilization, while his journeys in Asia informed the novel's engagement with Eastern spirituality. Maugham's detachment is not coldness but a disciplined method for examining desire, suffering, and self-deception. This is an essential novel for readers interested in the moral aftermath of the First World War, the clash between material ambition and inner liberation, and fiction that asks what a life is for. Elegant, ironic, and unexpectedly profound, The Razor's Edge rewards both literary and philosophical attention.
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★★★★ 4.3 (54K)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon
GenreLiterary Classics, General Fiction
Length14 hrs 52 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 8, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
26CHAPTER THREE
2Introduction
27(i)
3Synopsis
28(ii)
4Historical Context
29(iii)
5Author Biography
30(iv)
Mostrar todos os capítulosVer menos
6The Razor's Edge
31(v)
7CHAPTER ONE
32CHAPTER FOUR
8(i)
33(i)
9(ii)
34(ii)
10(iii)
35(iii)
11(iv)
36(iv)
12(v)
37(v)
13(vi)
38(vi)
14(vii)
39(vii)
15(viii)
40(viii)
16(ix)
41(ix)
17(x)
42CHAPTER FIVE
18CHAPTER TWO
43(i)
19(i)
44(ii)
20(ii)
45(iii)
21(iii)
46(iv)
22(iv)
47(v)
23(v)
48(vi)
24(vi)
49(vii)
25(vii)
50(viii)
The Moon and Sixpence (Based on the Life of Paul Gauguin)W. Somerset Maugham7h 47m4.2 (39K)$10 · $0.00
Ashenden - The British Agent (Annotated)W. Somerset Maugham10h 47m4.4 (1K)$2 · $0.00
The Painted VeilW. Somerset Maugham7h 39m4.1 (78K)$1 · $0.00
Up at the VillaW. Somerset Maugham4h 33m3.9 (11.1K)$1 · $0.00
Liza of LambethW. Somerset Maugham4h 35m3.5 (3.7K)$2 · $0.00
The Summing UpW. Somerset Maugham9h 43m3.9 (2.1K)$1 · $0.00
CosmopolitansW. Somerset Maugham6h 35m3.8 (218)$2 · $0.00
Cæsar's WifeW. Somerset Maugham3h 56m3.8 (58)$2 · $0.00
The HeroW. Somerset Maugham7h 32m3.7 (478)$2 · $0.00
The Hour Before the DawnW. Somerset Maugham8h 7m3.7 (353)$2 · $0.00
The ExplorerW. Somerset Maugham7h 52m3.4 (698)$2 · $0.00
Jack Straw: A Farce in Three ActsW. Somerset Maugham3h 42m3.3 (29)$1 · $0.00
The Merry-go-roundW. Somerset Maugham2h 34m3.9 (817)$2 · $0.00
The Razor's EdgeW. Somerset Maugham14h 30m4.2 (62.1K)$2 · $0.00
Ashenden: or, The British AgentW. Somerset Maugham10h 32m3.9 (6.9K)$1 · $0.00
Of Human BondageW. Somerset Maugham26h 58m4.2 (193.6K)$1 · $0.00
The Hour Before the DawnW. Somerset Maugham9h 28m3.6 (173)$1 · $0.00
The MagicianW. Somerset Maugham9h 30m3.7 (7.4K)$1 · $0.00
Liza of LambethW. Somerset Maugham2h 23m3.6 (3.4K)$1 · $0.00
The Land of The Blessed Virgin; Sketches and Impressions in AndalusiaW. Somerset Maugham6h 34m3.4 (92)$2 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
These Precious DaysAnn Patchett11h 14m4.5 (45.2K)$29 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 50m4.6 (1.3K)$1.99 · $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 Proust16h 8m4.5 (10.6K)$1.99 · $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
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
Crime and Punishment (The Unabridged Garnett Translation) (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoevsky24h 25m4.5 (15.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
The North American IndianEdward S. Curtis, Frederick Webb Hodge6h4.5 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Uncensored 13 Chapter Version + The Revised 20 Chapter Version (Annotated)Oscar Wilde16h 12m4.5 (2.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
Grimoire Of The Everyday WitchIsadora Lys / Virginia Santos5h 35m4.5 (3.9K)$9 · $0.00
Winnie-the-PoohAlan Alexander Milne2h 52m4.5 (401.1K)$3 · $0.00
Sitting PrettyRebekah Taussig7h 33m4.5 (18.9K)$26 · $0.00
The Poetic Edda & The Prose EddaSnorri Sturluson, Saemund Sigfusson9h 34m4.5 (4K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Satires & Essays of Mark Twain (Annotated)Mark Twain23h 21m4.5 (1.1K)$2 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesLucy Maud Montgomery11h 10m4.4 (1.3M)$8 · $0.00
The Posthumous Memoirs Of Brás CubasMachado De Assis7h 39m4.4 (120.4K)$5 · $0.00
WhistlerAnn Patchett10h 45m4.6 (4.6K)$29 · $0.00
Demon CopperheadBarbara Kingsolver21h 3m4.5 (949.4K)$46 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
Remarkably Bright CreaturesShelby Van Pelt11h 17m4.4 (1.7M)$29 · $0.00
Cast in BloodMichelle Sagara16h 35m4.6 (607)$33 · $0.00
The Captain Blood Trilogy (Annotated)Rafael Sabatini29h 20m4.6 (1K)$3 · $0.00
Ship of the Line (Annotated)Cecil Louis Troughton Smith11h 13m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
The George Orwell CollectionGeorge Orwell24h 46m4.5 (14.4K)$12 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 38m4.5 (9.2K)$2 · $0.00
Driving ForceElle James4h 58m4.6 (407)$20 · $0.00
When God Calls the HeartBrian Bird, Michelle Cox3h 24m4.6 (439)$10 · $0.00
Five Little IndiansMichelle Good10h 34m4.5 (64.5K)$29 · $0.00
Lolth's WarriorR. A. Salvatore13h 20m4.6 (2.4K)$33 · $0.00
The Things We Cannot SayKelly Rimmer13h 48m4.5 (359.1K)$33 · $0.00
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du BoisHonoree Fanonne Jeffers29h 49m4.5 (58K)$8 · $0.00
Going PostalTerry Pratchett11h 23m4.5 (189.9K)$29 · $0.00
Glen AffricKarine Giebel22h 51m4.5 (3.2K)$46 · $0.00
The Book Of NegroesLawrence Hill15h 45m4.5 (107.3K)$33 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesL. M. Montgomery11h 1m4.5 (1.2M)$2.30 · $0.00
Lieutenant Hornblower (Annotated)C. S. Forester11h 41m4.5 (2.9K)$2 · $0.00
You may also like
The Razor's EdgeW. Somerset Maugham14h 30m4.2 (62.1K)$2 · $0.00
SelectedSimone Krissmer2h 42m3.9 (1.6K)$12 · $0.00
EssaysGeorge Orwell26h 38m4.5 (8.4K)$4 · $0.00
Essays, First SeriesRalph Waldo Emerson10h 4m4.2 (3K)$16 · $0.00
Let Your Life SpeakParker J. Palmer2h 57m4.3 (17.4K)$12
SiddharthaHermann Hesse4h 38m4.2 (981.5K)$1 · $0.00
Siddhartha (Annotated)Hermann Hesse5h 53m4.2 (1.5K)$1.99 · $0.00
Feel It AllCasey Tanner6h 20m4.3 (1.1K)$24 · $0.00
Apologia Pro Vita SuaJohn Henry Newman11h 8m4.1 (3.6K)$1 · $0.00
Mrs DallowayVirginia Woolf7h 2m3.9 (426K)$17
The Allegory of the CavePlato8m4.3 (8.6K)$1 · $0.00
All Things are Possible (Annotated)Lev Shestov5h 48m4.1 (325)$2 · $0.00
The Poor ManStella Benson6h 42m$2.30
KirchnerKlaus Carl2h 1m4.6 (11)$13.50 · $0.00
Bikini StoryPatrik Alac5h 38m3.9 (23)$15.50 · $0.00
First Date to ExclusiveImad Muratspahic3h 35m$12 · $0.00
Pablo PicassoAnatoli Podoksik4h 55m4.3 (35)$13 · $0.00
Self and Self-management: Essays about ExistingArnold Bennett1h 55m3.7 (68)$7 · $0.00
The Razor's Edge (Annotated)William Somerset Maugham14h 50m$2 · $0.00
Pablo PicassoLifeInk Press1h 59m$4 · $0.00