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The Painted Veil

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The Painted Veil

By: W. Somerset Maugham
Narrated by: Kate Reading
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First published in 1925, The Painted Veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. Set in England and Hong Kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young Kitty Fane. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to a remote region of China ravaged by a cholera epidemic.

Stripped of the British society of her youth and overwhelmed by the desolation around her, she is compelled by her awakening conscience to reassess her life. She takes up work with children at a convent, but when her husband dies, she is forced to return to England to her father, her one remaining relative, to raise her unborn child. Though too late for her marriage, she has learned humility, independence, and how to love.

Listen to the classics: download more from W. Somerset Maugham.©1925 W. Somerset Maugham (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc. Classics European World Literature Heartfelt

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Classic, 2007

"[Maugham is] the modern writer who has influenced me the most." (George Orwell)
"An expert craftsman....His style is sharp, quick, subdued, casual."(New York Times)
"The Painted Veil, with its sadness, its moral tension, its irony and compassion, its building evocations of lust and terror and remorse, is a work of art." (Spectator)

Featured Article: The top 100 classics of all time


Before we whipped out our old high school syllabi and dug deep into our libraries to start selecting contenders for this list, we first had to answer the question, "How do we define a classic?" The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might guess, though there’s a lot to be said for the old adage, "You know it when you see it" (or, in this case, hear it). Of course, most critically, each of our picks had to be fabulous in audio. So dust off your aspirational listening list—we have some amazing additions you don’t want to miss.

Featured Article The top 100 classics of all time
Character Transformation • Compelling Redemption Arc • Beautifully Written Prose • Emotional Depth • Rich Expressive Voice
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The beginning chapters of this book had me expecting a far different type of story than this turned out to be. The metamorphosis of complex characters who can--and sometimes do--make important steps in life was told with such candor and sensitivity that I find myself quite astonished about how it was done. The book was in no sense difficult to understand, yet its messages are quite rigorous and profound. I would highly recommned this novel, author, and excellent reader to anyone who (like myself) hopes someday to think and grow up into an insightful and gracious soul.

Devastating Beauty

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Vain, selfish, puffed up . . . and unable to see beyond the end of her own nose, Kitty Garstan, is pretty and has drawn the attention of plenty of eligible young men . . . but having turned them all down, and now at age 25 and about to pass into spinsterhood according to her mother, she feels pressed to accept the proposal of young bacteriologist, Walter Fane . . . he has fallen quite madly in love with her . . . though his shy, backward ways amuse her . . becoming wife to Dr. Fane at his post in Hong Kong seems a fitting station to Kitty . . . so it is that she accepts Walter's proposal . . . society life as the life of a bacteriologist is not what Kitty had hoped . . . and she soon begins an adulterous affair with the Colonel Charles Townsend, the Assistant Governor of Hong Kong . . . an older fellow, who, like Kitty, suffered much from an over inflated opinion of himself . . . thinking herself to be in love for the first time in her life, Kitty overlooks the obvious . . . i.e., the fact that Charles is happily married, that he spends WAY too much time preening in front of the mirror, and that his WIFE is the one with the brains in the family . . . and suave Charles feeds Kitty's ego, like candy to a baby . . . with all the "I love you's" and "I will never let you down"s until one could upchuck at the sheer idiocy of it . . . and low and behold, poor naive Walter . . . who has loved his wife with a never ending love, expecting nothing in return . . . well, he isn't the country bumpkin one would have imagined . . .(I do hate that the author did not delve further into Walter's own emotions from this point further, other than to show his bitterness . . . I am going to watch the movie, as other reviewers have noted that the conclusion is different) . . . from the time that Walter confronts Kitty with her cheating and their move to China, the story changes greatly . . . and so do Walter and Kitty . . . the relationship of Kitty with the nuns and children, the work of Walter with the Chinese dying of cholera, the story of Waddington and the Manchu Princess were all wonderful . . . but as Kitty grows and finally realizes the worthlessness of Charles, his shallowness, her own foolishness, and begins to see the kindness of her own husband, she is yet to truly VALUE it . . . to LOVE him . . . to understand the GIFT of him . . . the ending is a hard one . . . brutal . . . but leaves hope for Kitty to yet learn and grow with her father and her child.

1925 to Now . . . Some Things Never Change

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A wonderful story with excellent narration. This is the first classic novel I have listened to via audible. I so enjoyed the characters and the thoughts of the novel.

Wonderful!

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A breathtakingly beautiful look into the depravity of the human condition. Wretched and shallow Kitty takes us on an enlightening journey thru her narcissistic world and beyond.

Surprisingly deep and thoughtful...

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I've always been a huge WSM fan. Granted, he's not for everyone. I particularly liked this title and Kate Reading did a masterful job of narrating. For me, it was well worth the listen.

Great Listen

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This book did not capture my attention. I found it to be boring and felt the ending was anticlimactic.

Boring

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Wonderful classic for demonstrating transformation into a person of character. so worth listening to. Bravo.

Brilliant journey into the psyche of superficial

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One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. wonderful narration. Loved every single minute.

I Didn't Want This Book to End

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Very moving, the author deftly pulls us into the lives of each character, most especially the lead subject as she makes her way through life, slowly changing due to circumstances and insights. We meet true individuals, each of whom would merit the telling of their own story. I didn’t know what to expect from this author, having never read his works before, but I am looking forward to listening to another of his books. I can certainly understand his reputation as a fine author, and I appreciate the depth of his thought-provoking story.

Glad to discover this book and author

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Wonderful book. I truly enjoyed it and its great performance. I highly recommend it.

Loved Every Minute

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