Up At the Villa: Amazon.ca: W. Somerset Maugham: Books

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From Library Journal

Delany isn't the only author Vintage is keeping afloat. Published in 1939, 1937, and 1940, respectively, these novels follow Maugham's popular theme whereby people whose seemingly steady lives become completely and utterly altered. Note also that Up at the Villa was made into a feature film in 2000, which may draw additional readers. Maugham is always a quick and pleasant read.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Set in a villa in the hills above Florence, this moving novel reveals the power of desperate love. Mary Panton ignores her desires as she contemplates her loveless marriage, but a single act of compassion begins a nightmare of violence that destroys her serenity.

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars riesgos, Nov 12 2001

By	Luis M�ndez (Republica Dominicana) - See all my reviews

La vida es correr riesgos, con esta frase termina la peque�a historia de Somerset Maugham, y a la luz de las cosas que me cuenta esta historia, creo que tiene raz�n. No se puede vivir una vida segura. Aun encerr�ndose dentro de una casa o en la prisi�n m�s segura. En la torre mas alta, estamos a merced de la muerte y de las enfermedades, de los problemas del d�a a d�a. Eso no significa que debamos vivir en el temor, saliendo a la calle con miedo sino que debemos prescindir de temores absurdos, pues si la muerte y la enfermedad nos pueden golpear en cualquier momento, si los problemas vienen solos, porque no afrontarlos de buen talante? De eso se trata esta historia, pues cuando nos negamos a correr riesgos y negamos nuestras pasiones en busca de seguridad, nos estamos negando a vivir.

Esta peque�a historia escrita de una forma magistral por William Somerset Maugham, trata de una aventura poco com�n que le sucede a una persona convencional. La clase de cosas que le ocurren a una persona para que quiz�s despierte de su aletargamiento o vea que la vida no es solamente de un color.
Mary Paton es una joven viuda que se va a Florencia a pasar una estancia en una villa que unos amigos le prestan. Ah� es donde esta cuando recibe a su viejo amigo de la infancia Edgar quien le propone matrimonio. Ella le pide tiempo y �l le da tres d�as durante los cuales ella podr� pensarlo. �l piensa que ella dir� que si pues si fuese no, no tendr�a que pensarlo tanto. Pero en el transcurso de esos tres d�as suceden acontecimientos que cambian la manera de pensar de Mary y revelan el verdadero car�cter de su novio. Hasta aqu� esta bien con mi relato, no quiero quitarles el deseo de leer la obra cont�ndoles todo lo que pasa.

Luis M�ndez

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4.0 out of 5 stars A glimpse of how good Maugham is...., Aug 11 2000

By	J. Michael Showalter (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews

Its cute, its quick, its fairly entertaining....

But it's Maugham boiled down. He's the king of suffering... of moral qualms.... of quirky, rich, upper class characters.... but he's good in length..... this is almost too short.... too bam, bam, bam.... the characters moral failings never have time to develop....

I recommend going to a library and reading this book... it's too short to buy.... but buying others "Cakes and Ale" "The Razor's Edge" and "Of Human Bondage". He's a brillaint author but I can't get myself to trumpet the praise of this work....

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4.0 out of 5 stars The Book is Good, the Movie is Better, Jul 24 2000

By	Bernard M. Patten "Book worm" (Seabrook, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Quick and enjoyable, transparent and straight forward, this romantic thriller is worth a read on a quiet night when you haven't much to do and don't feel like thinking too much. The film, for the most part true to the story, was more interesting and more complex. Incidentally, some of the reviewers above got things wrong. The main character who takes a fling is Mary Panton not Mary Leonard. The Leonards lent Mary Panton their villa. The stranger is not a stranger but someone she met before at a nice restaurant on the banks of the Arno. His name incidentally is not Kurt but Karl. He is not a refugee of war but a member of the Austrian underground who escaped to Italy. Karl was the son of Schuschnigg who had become Austrian Chancellor and favored the restoration of the Archduke Otto. The father shot himself through the heart when the Nazi troops marched into Austria. That act is what gave the kid the idea to do the same and played a key role in establishing plot point one.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Straightforward romantic thriller
Somerset Maugham is a great story teller. Never pretentious or obscure, Maugham is a keen observer of human and social behaviour. Read more

Published on Jul 3 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars Romantic, quick and suspenseful
I thought this novel offered an interesting look at how passion and spontaneity can develop into confusion and regret. Read more

Published on Jun 30 2000 by Alison

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
Mystery, suspense, romance, human frailties! Plus the aura of the late 1930's from an author of the time. I really enjoyed the book. It is a short tale and a quick read. Read more

Published on Jun 28 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick, romantic read
A beautiful widow in her early 30s faces a choice between marrying a older man for monetary comfort or waiting for love. Read more

Published on May 9 2000