“And the poor lady, so small in her black satin, shrivelled up and sallow, with her funny corkscrew curls, took the little boy on her lap and put her arms around him and wept as though her heart would break. But her tears were partly tears of happiness, for she felt that the strangeness between them was gone. She loved him now with a new love because he had made her suffer.”

English writer, early 20th century

W. Somerset Maugham was an English writer of the early 20th century, known for his plays, novels, and short stories. He became widely read for work that combined clear storytelling with sharp observation of people and society. His writing includes plays, novels, and short fiction, and his reputation rests on the range and steady craftsmanship of that body of work.