W Somerset Maugham

Born in Paris in 1874, his English father was a lawyer working at the British Embassy. In fact Maugham was born in the Embassy as his father wanted him to be born on British soil to avoid the French draft. His mother suffered from 'consumption' for which the doctors prescribed childbirth. She died after the stillbirth of her seventh child, a trauma from which young William would never fully recover, developing the stammer that periodically plagued him for the rest of his life. When his father died two years later from cancer, he was sent to live with his Uncle Henry, a cold and emotionally cruel vicar who sent him to boarding school where Maugham was teased for his French-tinged accent and short stature. At 16 he travelled to Germany to study literature and philosophy and it was here that he had his first homosexual relationship, with an older man. Returning to England, and already writing prolifically, his Uncle made him study medicine, which he did, for five years, but ultimately Maugham was to become one of the most celebrated authors and playwrights of his day. He lived to the ripe old age of 91. "There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." - W. Somerset Maugham